All right--we're getting to the nitty gritty now.
You've landed that dream project with the perfect client and you're working with all the due diligence I've outlined for you in the previous parts. You've done everything right but as you step back and review your progress you realize the worst fear of all freelancers;
YOU ARE GOING TO MISS THE DEADLINE.
Now I've said previously that missing the deadline is unacceptable. The deadline is the thing. The deadline is your reputation. The deadline is the real deal. But sometimes things happen. If it happens a LOT you need to re-evaluate either your working method or the way you calculate out how long a project is going to take you to complete.
Things can't be controlled. I was once on a project and ahead of the deadline by six weeks, then I had a death in the family followed by a bought of Pneumonia which needless to say ate up that six week lead I had pretty quickly. Fellow artists pitched in and "ghosted" some of the work for me but I still ended up coming out of the sickness with only about a 10 day lead, and I was only working at about 20% capacity so things got scary tight.
What did I do? I let the client know of the situation.
My experience working with college students who are frequently behind on the assignments I give them is that they disappear from week to week. I give the assignment and then on consecutive weeks I check in and they are supposed to either demonstrate progress or discuss struggles they're having-- a good 3/4 of them don't tell me they are in trouble until the deadline for the assignment is missed.
And I get it-- no one likes to deliver bad news. You are so happy to be working with this client you don't want to let them down. But by delivering the bad news the client can take steps on their end to lessen the damage of a missed deadline.
The earlier you can let them know the better.
That means like checkups for your own body and your car which should be regularly scheduled, you should do project check ups. Sit down at your desk with a total sum of your progress and a calendar give it a look through. If you aren't on target start writing that email.
In the end, it's better than the alternative to the bad news.
The SUPRISE Bad news. No editor wants to be unhappily surprised. Worse yet-- don't lie. Don't ever say things are going great if they're not. NEVER EVER NEVER.
Next Up: MAKE EXCUSES OR MAKE PROGRESS
Andy Fish is a freelance artist and writer who has been living the lifestyle longer than there has been an iPhone on this planet. The advice given has worked for him, it might work for you, he hopes it does. But like all advice, take it with your own situation in mind. If you want to contact him shoot him an email andy@andytfish.com