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Writer's pictureCarlett Spike

Turning down freelance assignments


It can be hard to say no. For some of us, we can feel guilty turning down assignments because we feel we’re so lucky to get any or there’s no valid excuses.


I’m here to give you a pep talk and let you know no excuses are needed. We’ve all heard some variation of the phrase before, but it deserves to be said again: No is a full sentence.


As a freelancer saying no to assignments can be tough. We’ve all been there. You hear from an editor and you’re excited until you're not. Maybe the rate is really low, or the word count is insane, or the turnaround is tight. Even though you get that feeling in the pit of your stomach telling you something is off, you are so eager to get an assignment or work with that specific publication, that you’re willing to accept anything. Trust me, I’ve been there.


Every freelancer has to assess the situation and decide what is best, but if in your heart you know an assignment will be a waste of time, it’s okay to say no. If you are on the fence about accepting an assignment, here’s a few questions to ask yourself before making a decision:


Is the pay worth it?


No matter where you are in your freelancing journey, you should have a sense of the lowest you are willing to go for an assignment. For me, I base this on a couple of factors which I’ll elaborate on in some of the other questions. That said, there’s still a number I have in mind, that I likely would not go under in most circumstances because the effort doesn’t match the reward. That number will be different for everyone. What’s the number for you? Seriously Ask yourself.


How much work will it take?


Sometimes the amount of time it takes to complete an assignment can take you by surprise, but before going in you often have a good idea. Sticking with the example of rates, I might take a “lower rate” for a listicle style story like this one I did on Instagram mamas for fitness inspiration that might have taken me 2 hours to complete, compared to this one on food swaps for diabetics which took more work, because I’m making what I want per hour once the time is factored in. If an assignment will take a lot of work to complete and the rate is low, it may just not be worth it.


What other assignments and deadlines do I have?


This conversation is generally framed around low rates, but time is another important piece of the puzzle. I’d argue, it’s not worth it to burn yourself out. It’s not worth it to be juggling an unmanageable amount of assignments and sacrificing other areas of your life like sleep, spending time with loved ones, and other activities you enjoy. Yes it can feel crushing to turn down assignments that you otherwise would have said yes to, but be honest with yourself and those you work with about how much you can realistically take on.


What are the downfalls of saying no?


Weighing your options is usually not black and white. In some cases feelings of fear and rejection are driving the inability to say no. In other cases there are legitimate concerns. Ask yourself, what is the worst that will happen if I don’t take this assignment? Write it down so you can clearly think through the risks. If you find much of the list is based on a projection of your fears rather than serious consequences, that’s a sign that a no is the right answer.


Do I want to do this?


Why did you get into freelancing in the first place? For many writers part of the reasoning was to have more freedom and control over our time and what we cover. It’s funny that despite this, it is easy to fall into a routine of writing lots of stories you just don’t enjoy. I’m not saying you have to love every piece of content you write, but it’s okay to say no to an assignment because you just don’t want to do it.

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