One of the challenges of being a freelance writer is working with new clients. The "feeling each other out" process can be difficult; the client never knows how I will take the criticism, and I never know how the client will like my work. One client recently had four or five different people offer editorial comments on a piece I wrote; while I was cringing a bit when I saw those strike-thrus and all that red type, I know that my job is to make the client happy and to promote their product they way they want it promoted.
I do wonder, however, if sometimes a writer is brought in too early. Perhaps the product needs to be further along in development before the writer is involved. I find that many corrections to my work are merely addressing missing or incomplete information I was given when assigned the project. This can be frustrating for me, but it is critical that I remember several key points; first of all, I never take any of the critiques personally (after all, it isn't about me, it's about their product), and secondly, I am a professional and here to do a job--not discuss how a client runs their business.
Yet another situation where it might be best to just grin and bear it.
But I'm also clear with clients that I only do one round of edits for free; after that, I begin tacking on the hours again. This is also critically important, and I often find that after the first time a client does five or six revisions on a piece and then sees the invoice, they are cured: they don't bring the next project to me until it is really ready to go. This works out best for everyone.
Just like any relationship, the one between the freelancer and the client requires a bit of "training." The best relationships run very smoothly--but they take a bit to get there.
