Q&A

I got to teach a workshop at GeekGirlCon last weekend and had a lot of fun! I’m always a little bit nervous about the kind of crowd I’ll get at a convention; negotiation seminars aren’t usually what folks are looking for at a con.

I shouldn’t have worried; the GeekGirlCon crowd was awesome!

They came out in force and asked a ton of great questions. Such great questions, in fact, that I thought I’d share them with you.

The (Freelancer) Rules of Acquisition

Alright, Freelancer, you wanna make a profit? Wanna see some good, cold, hard latinum filling out that bank account of yours? Then you have to follow the Rules!

The Rules of Acquisition have guided the business dealings of the Frengi for centuries. They are time tested and profit approved.

And if you think I’m joking, you’re crazy. While I might not endorse all of Quark’s business practices, knowing what you want and what you’re worth are absolutely necessary for success. Unfortunately, those are two principles I see many freelancers struggle with.

Here is your crash course in how to negotiate like a Ferengi, even if you’re just a lowly hu-man.

Clients Say The Darnedest Things

It’s time for another visit to the fine folks at Clients From Hell to flex our negotiation muscles!

Let’s see what whack-a-doodle things clients are saying and how to respond to them without the use of weapons or swears.

Dealing with Clients Who Don’t Pay

Last month I posted a piece about what to do when clients are awful. Turns out lots of people like advice on how to deal with crappy client situations! So this week, I’m taking submissions from The World’s Longest Invoice tumblr and suggesting what you can do to avoid similar non-payment crises.

Power Couples

I’m always excited when I hear that artists I admire are collaborating on a new project. Collaboration — in art or other ventures — lends you a perspective you can’t have on your own, and because of that it can produce some exceptionally cool results.

But just because a collaboration can produce wonderful things, it doesn’t mean the road to creation is smooth and pothole free. While I can’t help with the creative dips and bumps, I can tell you how to avoid some common collaboration conflicts and deal with the ones you can’t avoid.