When I was first starting out as a freelance creative practitioner, I was prone to indulging in feelings of doubt. The questions in the back of my mind got louder the longer I went without that steady income. Are you actually good at this? Is anyone really going to want your skills? Is there even any work going? It felt exhilarating when all the fear finally disappeared after I landed that first client. The ultimate external validation became a sent invoice and a good review. It felt like I would do anything to keep the party going and the money flowing in.
So it was a bit devastating when that first dream job became, well, a little nightmarish.
Artists are like any other kind of worker in that we sometimes get our lines of comfort crossed. Maybe a client asks us to do something we know we don’t have the capacity to complete, or a potential client asks us to set aside time for unpaid meetings that we think we can’t afford. When you’re starting out, it can feel like you need to please everyone to stay afloat, but there’s a difference between pushing ourselves professionally and crossing boundaries. It can be hard to negotiate with the people we so desperately want to make happy. For some of us, that feeling can cause anxiety, panic, and even more doubt. So, from one nervous wreck to another, here are some key strategies you can use to manage tricky emotions during negotiations with a client, existing or potential.
Figure out where your line is. No one knows what your capacity is better than you. It can be easy to look around and assume that, just because others appear to have a thousand things on their plates, you should aim for the same amount of responsibilities. Instead, figure out what you can do, and stick to it. The boundaries you create with clients need to become concrete, no-cross zones.
Get organised. How can you negotiate your time if you have no idea what your future schedule will look like? Freelance work can feel chaotic, but if you’re more organised with your schedule it can become less stressful. A business plan or set of goals usually brings more certainty into your negotiations.
Be assertive. Sometimes negotiations can feel like conflict, so it’s important to remember that setting boundaries is not the same as being argumentative. There are plenty of tricks you can use to assert yourself—for example, if talking face-to-face is difficult, try a well-written email instead. Assertiveness means using phrases like “I want”, “I feel”, and “I think”—it’s about you getting your needs met.
Be kind to yourself. Remember that your emotions are valid, and it’s okay to feel upset when negotiations get tricky. But you shouldn’t let your feelings stop you from advocating for yourself and getting what you need out of every professional opportunity. You are an artist, and you deserve to feel happy and confident at work.
You can also check out this great blog from our Doyenne about What Clients Want for more tips and ideas on how to keep both you and your clients happy.
Grace Davidson-Lynch is a playwright and dramaturg based in Sydney, NSW. Her play Hydrarchos was longlisted for the Best in Theatre Award at Sydney Fringe 2022. When she isn’t making art, Grace also teaches at the University of Wollongong.
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