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Subject:BIZ: Time to Ask for Money? From:"Bonnie Granat" <bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 18 Nov 2004 12:47:30 -0500
I've been talking on the phone for about a month on and off with a gentleman
who's retired professor, psychologist, and business coach. Our discussions
have been generally about my helping him get a book he's written ready for
publication. At first, I looked at the book proposal. Then I offered to give
him an NDA and asked to view the complete manuscript in order to give him
meaningful feedback about the state of the manuscript.
I completed a review of the book yesterday and sent him my comments by
e-mail. In a nutshell, I recommended that he restructure the book using
classic methods of presentation (thesis and supporting arguments). I also
said that if I were to help him, it would require several brainstorming
sessions with him to nail down his thesis completely.
I didn't want to end my remarks by saying that if he wanted to proceed we
could draw up an agreement for the terms of work, and I didn't even mention
my rates.
He left me a voicemail message this morning that asked if we could get
together for lunch soon.
My question, even though I think I know the answer, is this: Is it time to
ask for money? And if it is (I have given about 7 hours of free consultation
already), can you suggest a way to do so that will not scare him away? I
really do not want to work any more on this project without being paid, and
I want to gracefully, if possible, set up some kind of fee structure for my
continued "consultation."
I considered time of about three hours to be within my own personal
"marketing" time budget, but I am now feeling that I have so far surpassed
that allotment that I can no longer just meet with him for free.
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