Trials and Tribulations of a Freelancer, Part I

I have a new project. Same client, different manager. And I really think that come January, I will be dropping this project. Why, you ask me? Well, let's consider the facts.

A long-time project was moved overseas (you know, I was just Friedman flat-worlded). The freelance stablemaster then put me onto this problematic project. I was thrown right in, just "Here's the style guide, here are a couple of previous issues, and here are ten files to work on!" Great, except that the style guide was not clear on several points. And the file info I was given wasn't complete. I start sending emails to the manager, but I get no responses. I do the best I can, finish up on time, and send my first invoice.

By now, I've gotten more files (still no closure on the queries from before), so I start working on them. My first invoice is currently unpaid. Now, I've been working for this client for over 5 years, so I know I'm in their system. I email about that. "I'll check into it again for you," he says. [my internal monologue: Again? This is the first time I've asked.]

The list of unresolved style issues is getting longer. I even ask the manager if his work schedule is uncommon. "Nope," I'm told, "I am usually here between 8:30 am and 4 pm." [Ho-kay.]

Second batch goes off, but now, with the first invoice over a month late, I tell him that I will stop work on any files in my possession (I've gotten batch 3 by now) until I get paid for invoice 1. [I'm a freelancer, dude, and I can't pay my bills until I have money in hand. How would you treat a freelancer that just sat on stuff and made your deadlines slip? You'd FIRE his ass, dude!]

Still no word from him.

Soooo, I call.

"Oh, yes, I found your invoice, it was covered by all these piles of paper on my desk." [Rickin, frickin, &^%( #$@!] "I'll be submitting it this week."

I finally receive payment, so I alert the manager that I am resuming work on batch 3. One big file is not a typical file, and so I ask the manager for guidance on Tuesday. Nothing. Wednesday, nothing. Thursday, nothing. Friday, I email (subject header: "Are you there?") that I am ready to send all the other files, but I really need feedback on what to do with the big file.

"Oh, we had to get that one out in December, so I took care of that one myself." [Why the blasted bleepity bleep didn't you TELL me then?].

I received another batch yesterday. "Got it," I email. "I notice that there is some info we weren't getting before that now we have. Should I incorporate it, or has the style changed?"

Haven't. heard. anything. back. yet.

[You better be getting COAL in your stocking this year, buddy! Santa, are you reading this? He has been a VERY NAUGHTY BOY this year! And I don't mean it in the good way, either!]