What do you make of it in the world of freelance writing when a client goes from enthusiastic communication loving your work and wanting more....
to total radio silence, so-to-speak?
Panic
Obviously you did something wrong and they hate you now. They probably spend hours throwing darts at pictures they imagine look like you rather than do a quick check in to say what is going on and if they are going to continue to use your work. Make sure you have a stack of paper lunch sacks nearby to hyperventilate into. Likely you'll blow through a few of them while you decide your next move. Maybe you should contact them five or six times in the next hour, just to let them know how much you love working for them. If you need to cry, don't do it on the keyboard as it could short out.
Obsess Over the Details of the Last Thing You Gave Them
Did you have spelling errors? Probably. Could that one sentence have been more tightly written? Definitely. Remember, everything can be done better, especially your last project. It may be too late to turn in a new version, but that doesn't mean the worrying and obsessing about what has been done should stop. In fact, it's time to ramp those doubts up to ten on the worry scale! Stop being satisfied that you did your best and start really considering what it means to fail. The closing ideas you had for a review? That was probably terrible. You transitions from one point to the next? Those were also likely abysmal. Don't even get started thinking about your usage of commas. Not only did you more than likely screw that up, but the client is likely sharing your travesty of comma use around the office and with total strangers.
Count Your Failures
The age old adage about "Counting your blessings" is a lie, and you know it. So why not count up your failures instead? No, I'm not talking about that last assignment or job offer you tried out for. I am talking about everything that you can possibly remember that you failed at. Your choice to have spaghetti the other day was a disaster from the get go and you know it. That time you thought about leaving your "safe" Joe job to pursue your dreams? What a mistake that turned out to be, right? In high school, yes, they really were all looking at you and wondering why another human being would comb their hair and dress that way. That time in kindergarten when you colored outside the lines? Yes, even that can be counted against you when it comes to the failure tally. You need to dig deep when it comes to this one. Think hard now, do you remember those first steps you took as a baby? You can be pretty sure your parents hung their heads in shame when your diapered duff hit the floor before you even managed to plant one foot in front of the other.
Right about now you should be in the fetal position sucking your thumb.
Never Try Anything Ever Again
Don't do anything ever again. No, not don't do anything new. Tons of people never do anything new each and every day. It's time to consider total inertia as an option for your future. Doubtless your client's failure to respond mean that think a rock could have done a better job writing what you turn in, and maybe it is time to stop thinking of all you can accomplish and time to start thinking of how living as a solid state block of matter can help you avoid future disappointments.
Remember, you can't do well all the time. So embrace the mediocrity and failure that has come to pass.
Unless the client just made simple mistake and still loves your work, but didn't have time to get back to you. In which case, you're totally fine and can ignore the advice previously given.
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