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Welcome to the 40th edition of Expert•ish Freelancer, a newsletter that helps you grow your freelance business with confidence. Get tips, tools, and insights every other Friday to help you save time, make money, and work smarter based on my 35⁺ years as a freelance writer.

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Hi, Friend!

I’m heading out soon on a cool road trip press trip, driving from Greenville, SC, to Asheville, NC, to Knoxville, TN. Bonus: I get to bring along my husband Kevin! 😊 I’ve lived in Florida for more than 25 years (and don’t really experience true “autumn”), so I’m excited that we’re going during prime “leaf-peeping” time. Hope your fall is shaping up to be equally colorful, wherever you live.

Today’s newsletter highlights when to say yes to a project and when to walk away.

🔍 Key Takeaways: 

✅ Boundaries protect your business.
✅ Every no enables yes.
✅ Fear-based decisions cost more.

Today’s issue is brought to you by 1440 Media. Sponsors help keep the newsletter free, so please click on their link to check out their offer! ⬇️ 

Looking for the last newsletter? Find it here: EF #39: 🤝 5 Ways to Land Clients Through Direct Outreach & Networking

Know of a good resource? Tell me!

Why Saying No Is the Smartest Money Move You’ll Make This Year

Last week, a long-term client offered me an assignment at 20% less than my usual rate. 😳 The deadline was impossible. The topic bored me. Ugh. And yet, I hesitated before declining.

Why? Because that familiar fear kicked in: What if this is the last time this client gives me a project?

In a market where mass layoffs have flooded the freelance space with experienced creatives competing for fewer projects and where AI threatens freelancers’ very existence, that fear 😱 isn't irrational.

Rates have stagnated while inflation has increased. The pressure to say yes to everything feels crushing.

But I said no anyway. And I'm going to show you exactly how to make these decisions without the emotional spiral. BTDT.

The Challenge: Every “No” Feels Like a Risk You Can't Afford

A project lands in your inbox but something feels off. The rate is lower than expected. The deadline requires working nights and/or weekends. The topic makes you want to close your laptop. But you're a freelancer with bills to pay, so you start negotiating with yourself about why this bad offer might actually be okay.

Why Getting This Right Matters

Every “yes” to the wrong work doesn't just take up your time—it actively crowds out better opportunities. You can't pitch dream clients when you're drowning in low-paying assignments. You can't develop new skills when every hour is spoken for at rates that barely cover expenses. And you definitely can't raise your rates 💵 when you keep accepting less money than you're worth.

But here's what you might not realize: Saying yes to everything out of fear doesn't protect you from market instability. It guarantees you'll work harder for less while your work quality (and confidence) tanks.

Why the Usual Approaches Don't Work

Most freelancers either say yes to everything (leading to burnout and a portfolio of rushed work) or reject offers with lengthy explanations that burn bridges.

Others accept occasionally “for the relationship” without clear boundaries about when that grace period ends.

Without a real decision-making framework, you're just reacting emotionally to each situation.

A Better Approach: Make Decisions Like You're Running a Business

So, here’s my backstory: I recently got an offer from a client I'd written digital articles for at $0.50/word for years. (Note that this isn’t a great rate, but fairly standard for digital consumer articles.)

The new editor offered $400 for 1,000 words requiring multiple expert interviews—a 20% pay cut. The deadline conflicted with my upcoming travel, leaving just a few days for conducting interviews, writing, and editing. Plus, the topic didn't interest me.

Three red flags. I said no.

Here's the framework I use for every assignment that doesn't feel like an obvious yes.

Evaluate the Red Flags Objectively

🚩Rate decreases after established relationships. My client’s internal problems (“corporate restructuring and reduced freelance rates across the board”) aren't mine to solve by accepting less money. After years of consistent quality, my rates should increase with inflation and experience, not decrease. (I communicated this to the new editor.) Accepting a pay cut signals that my work is worth less over time. No thanks.

🚩Math that doesn't work. I calculated backward from the deadline: return from travel, reach out to sources, wait for responses, schedule and conduct interviews, create transcripts, write, edit, submit. Impossible for quality work with such a tight turnaround. When the math doesn't work, no amount of optimism fixes it.

🚩Topic misalignment with poor compensation. If pay were excellent and timing generous, I might tackle an uninspiring topic. But lower pay + impossible deadline + boring topic? That's a recipe for mediocre work while resenting every minute.

🚩Starting over with new editors. Years of relationship equity evaporated with new leadership. I was essentially a new writer proving myself at worse terms.

Know When to Say Yes Instead

✅ The growth opportunity is genuine. Lower pay might be worth it for bylines that open doors, entry into lucrative industries, or topics that position you as an expert who can command premium rates later.

✅ You're investing in a relationship—with a deadline. Sometimes accepting less-than-ideal terms early builds trust that pays off later. But if you're three assignments in and rates haven't improved, you have your answer. Stop investing.

✅ Everything else aligns beautifully. When deadlines fit perfectly, you have sources and background materials ready, and the topic energizes you, moderate pay works. Some assignments are straightforward enough to be worth lower rates—especially if you can do the work quickly.

Decline Professionally Without Over-Explaining

I led with practical constraints:

Then I addressed rates diplomatically:

When the editor said the rate was company policy, I kept my response brief:

Just a few sentences. No lengthy explanations, no emotional appeals. Just a clean, professional decline.

What Actually Happened

That immediate discomfort faded within hours. What remained? Time for better-paying work. Rate standards intact. Self-respect preserved. Confidence bolstered.

Will this client come back? 🤷‍♀️ Maybe.

Some clients respect boundaries and return with better offers. Others won't—and that's valuable information about whether they're worth keeping anyway.

If this client’s rates remain lower than what I’ve been earning, I’ll choose to stop writing for them moving forward.

The market is challenging, but accepting every bad offer won't protect you. It only ensures you work harder for less while training clients that you'll take whatever they offer.

Every “no” to the wrong work makes room for a “yes” to the right work.

Action Step!

Create your own Decision Matrix. Open a document and write three headers: “Automatic No,” “Consider Carefully,” and “Strategic Yes.”

Under each, list specific criteria based on rates, deadlines, topics, project scope, relationship status, and any other factors you deem important. Be concrete: “Any rate below $0.50/word from established clients” or “Deadlines requiring more than 20 hours in a single week.”

Next time an offer arrives, consult your matrix before emotions take over. You've already made these decisions when you weren't under pressure or worried about money. You'll respond faster, with more confidence, and without the emotional spiral.

This single tool transforms your approach from reactive and fear-based to strategic and business-focused. That's the difference between freelancers who burn out and freelancers who build sustainable careers.

👉 What's your biggest challenge with saying no? Hit reply and let me know—I read every response, and your question might inspire the next newsletter!

• Share Your Success Story. I would LOVE to hear how you’ve implemented any of the ideas in Expert•ish Freelancer and found success. I might even include your win in a future newsletter. You can always reach me at [email protected]. 

• Follow me on LinkedIn. I share more freelance tips/insights most weekdays.

• Turn to Expert•ish Freelancer’s Tools & Resources page, highlighting valuable resources to help you successfully run your freelance business. You’ll find recommendations for apps, tools, training, services, websites, blogs, podcasts, books, videos, and more! If you’ve got a resource you love, let me know about it.

Thanks for allowing me into your inbox!

I look forward to sharing my freelance journey with you, and I look forward to hearing about yours. I’m just here as your guide. Take what works for you, and tweak it to your needs. Rinse. Repeat.

I’ll be back in two Fridays with another edition of Expert•ish Freelancer.

In the meantime….

Be kind. Do good. Give thanks. 😊

With gratitude,
Lisa Beach

FYI: In yoga, the instructor often closes the session by saying “namaste” as a way of acknowledging and honoring the light, spirit, or goodness within each person in the class. 🧘‍♀️ It’s often used as a closing to convey unity (we’re all interconnected), gratitude (thank you for this shared experience), respect (I respect you and your journey), and peace (may you find peace within yourself). Essentially, it's a way to acknowledge the shared experience and to leave with a sense of peace and connection. 😊