How much does it cost to work with a lawyer, and what can I expect from the process?You may wince upon hearing the words legal, law, and contract, but by now you should understand that a legitimate business involves being familiar with legal matters. Have the right legal resources and measures in place, and you will be able to protect yourself while you do what you love. Skip the legal mumbo jumbo, and you could be dealing with some major ramifications.
Taking charge of legal issues does not mean that you have to spend thousands of dollars to hire a lawyer; it means that you remain aware of what situations you may face and you take proactive steps to stay protected. Yes, you might have to hire a lawyer along the way depending on different situations you run into; that’s a good thing, because lawyers offer solid information you can count on.
After you establish your business, the “legal stuff” isn’t over. Using a contract is a vital aspect to guarantee a well-functioning, professional, and protected business—and then you must enforce it. Not only does a contract help you define the scope of work for a project (and have it in writing to refer back to should the client “scope creep”), it ensures you are protected if the client wants to terminate the project early or chooses not to pay up. These are very common occurrences in the free-lance world, so you need to safeguard yourself in writing, every time. Yes, kids, think of it as safe sex for creative professionals: Always use protection.
How much does it cost to work with a lawyer, and what can I expect from the process?
“The attorney may work with you on either an hourly, flat fee, contingency, or pro bono basis. Typically working with an attorney will start with an initial consultation where you will discuss the problem you are facing and the attorney may outline your legal options. These consultations can be free or you could be charged. If you are charged, you may get a credit for the cost of the consultation on your first bill. At the end of the consultation, the lawyer will indicate if they are capable and willing to work on your problem and if so, the terms of your relationship. It then becomes your decision to decide if you want to work with this lawyer.”
—Kiffanie Stahle, lawyer, www.stahlelaw.com
This chapter will give you an overview of basic legal matters that apply to freelancers. Even though I was apprehensive putting it together because I do not possess in-depth knowledge in the field, I knew it was necessary because freelancers cannot let themselves be taken advantage of. Simply put, you must protect yourself and your interests.
Sure, a lawyer may make more an hour than you may ever bill an hour, but these well-informed professionals can provide peace of mind and protection. That said, I know plenty of solo-pros that have never used use a lawyer. It really depends on the situation at hand; if you use a Web site such as www.legalzoom.com, you may never have to meet an attorney.
Consider using a lawyer if you:
→ Want advice on choosing a business model.
→ Need help drafting a contract.
→ Are audited by the IRS.
→ Are considering adding a partner or expanding your business.
If you do need a lawyer, you will be best off with a business lawyer, intellectual property lawyer (also known as a copyright lawyer), or contract lawyer.
Resource
Visit www.findlaw.com, www.avvo.com, or www.lawyers.com to connect with legal professionals in your area. State Lawyers for the Arts groups can put you in touch with lawyers that usually work with creative professionals.
A contract is a must-have for every freelancer, whether you sign a contract from a client or you provide your own for the client to sign.
I’ve heard stories from solo-pros that think they are above using a contract, and I always wonder how that mindset is possible. A contract not only gives you the foundation to specify the project scope, it offers a platform so you can enforce receiving compensation for your time.
Actually, I use my contract as a selling point when I am talking with a prospect. I let the potential client know that the contract guarantees they receive the project on time and that I provide any revisions needed.
Now, you may be able to get away without having a contract if you make products and sell them, such as crafts or artwork. In that case, you just sell goods to a customer, but the minute a customer becomes a client who resells your work or carries your crafts in their store, or you license your work, you’re going to need a written agreement.
Take it from Penelope Dullaghan (www.penelopedullaghan.com), an illustrator from North Carolina. During her first year as a freelance illustrator, she didn’t think she needed a contract. “I just expected clients to call me for jobs, e-mail me perfect specs so I could do the job, and they’d send the money in full as soon as they saw my invoice. Done deal,” Dullaghan remembers.
She began working for a client who she had spoken with over the phone, and asked for a $500 deposit to start the project. The client paid the deposit right away and liked the first draft. Dullaghan went on to make a few tweaks, thinking the task was nearly finished.
The client then sent her an e-mail saying the scope of work had changed, and wanted her to redo the design at no extra charge.
“I managed to squeak out that I was a bit unhappy about the project changing so drastically, but I proceeded to redo it anyway. That was the nice thing to do,” she says. She pitched a second idea and says she thought the client was happy with it.
That was until another e-mail came, informing her that the scope had changed again, and the client wanted to sever ties. The client indicated they wanted their deposit back because they were not bound by a contract—and they would sue if she didn’t cooperate.
“I was stunned. I had no idea something like this could happen. I wanted to quit my job and slink back to my 9-to-5 day job of steady paychecks and contract-free living,” Dullaghan recalls. “I cried for three days straight.”
In the end, she refunded the money and moved on, vowing never to put herself in that situation again. It was hard, because Dullaghan is a very trustworthy person—but when you get burned, you obviously learn these kinds of lessons the hard way.
This story exemplifies the reason why it is imperative to have a standard contract in place. You can either draft one yourself or turn to a legal professional for assistance. Even if a client has their own contract, it’s still a good idea to have your own so you are at the ready when you get a bite for a project.
Although you certainly do not need to hire a lawyer to create your written agreement, it can be a worthwhile investment. If you choose to go this route, find a lawyer that not only understands contracts but intellectual property, especially if you are an artist, designer, or crafter.
Ed Gandia (www.edgandia.com), a copywriter from Georgia, decided to hire an attorney to draft his standard contract. “I think that the biggest reason to use a written agreement is not as much for legal reasons as it is for avoiding finger-pointing,” he says. “It’s tough to argue against you if you can clearly defend your position with an agreement the client read and signed.”
Gandia suggests having an attorney draft a standard agreement that includes all protections plus any other specifications the attorney recommends. His attorney created a contract that lets him change the scope of work and pricing specifications depending on the project. He says it cost about $1,000 to draft the agreement, but he has used it well more than 100 times, so it more than paid for itself.
Check with a lawyer about pricing before you craft the contract so you know the costs up front. Ask the lawyer if he or she has a standard contract to start from so the contract does not have to be written from scratch, which can save time. Some lawyers offer a flat fee for this sort of thing.
Resource
Visit www.legalmatch.com, www.findlaw.com, or www.lawyers.com to search for lawyers in your area.
You may be thinking, “How on earth can I write a legal contract for myself when I’m not even sure how to put together content for my Web site?” That’s a completely understandable question. However, I am pretty confident that you’ll be able to form an agreement with a little effort.
These are some components in a basic contract, which you can adopt into your own document.
→ Add a document title. Title the document “Work for Hire Agreement” or “Independent Contractor Agreement.”
→ Identify both parties. The first paragraph of the contract typically states that you and the client agree to terms of the contract, and includes both of your full names and addresses.
→ Note the date. That first paragraph also includes the date on which you entered into the agreement. The contract can also stipulate when the terms of the agreement expire.
→ Describe the Scope of Work. In this section, you detail what the work involves. I know freelancers that spell it out, and I also know some that say the contract refers to terms as specified via e-mail, phone call, or appendix. Best bet? Spell it out. If I am writing a Web site, for example, I usually specify which pages are included. Just as important is to specify what is not included.
→ Say who owns what. Detail who owns the rights to the work.
→ Note who provides materials. Generally, you will provide the materials to produce the work, but sometimes you need materials from the clients. For instance, I typically use old brochures and Web site content to help me develop new collateral, so specifying that the client is responsible for background material is a good idea.
→ Talk about payment. A section on the payment should detail the amount you will be paid, the form of payment accepted, when the payment is due, and if any deposit is due (plus when the balance from a deposit is due.) Also, add a section to specify if late or rush fees will be charged. Depending on the type of service you are providing, you may want to denote who covers extra costs incurred such as fees for postage and phone calls.
→ Include delivery format information. Will you deliver the first draft electronically? However you choose to deliver the material, state it.
→ Specify about revisions. This is a huge part of the contract, because if you do not state how many rounds of revisions are included (or what will be charged for extra rounds if needed), you can wind up having to revise the work as many times as the client demands. Most freelancers include one to three rounds of revisions in their work and bill at an hourly rate for more than the number of revisions agreed to.
→ Include an exit strategy. In the event things are not working out, most contracts state that either you or the client can terminate the agreement, or that you have to both agree to go separate ways. Be sure if you include this section to add a clause about monies owed for work completed; if you dissolve the agreement before the work is done, you should be paid for the work you completed up to the point the contract ended.
→ Specify your status. In most cases, you will want to denote your status, which is likely an “independent contractor,” depending what state you live in.
→ Denote potential contract changes. If the scope of work changes or the client wants additional services, state how you will update the contract (or just create another).
→ Address potential disputes. If a dispute occurs, will you try to resolve the matter via arbitration or mediation? If either party files a lawsuit, what state rules govern the litigation?
→ Add legal fee information. In the event that either party would dispute the agreement, it’s a good idea to add a clause specifying who would pay an attorney’s fees. If you sued the other party and won, a provision in your contract could enable you to secure a lawyer without paying an upfront retainer. If you think you could violate the contract (say you are bad with deadlines and miss the one stated in the contract), you may want to skip this clause—but the client may not.
→ Sign off. Include areas to sign and date.
Just because you can draft a contract without paying a lawyer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of certain resources. Visit www.nolo.com to look at sample agreements and check out legal-related guidebooks.
Resource:
The AIGA Web site features a useful PDF on contract components at www.aiga.org/standard-agreement, the Freelancers Union has a Contract Creator tool at www.be.freelancersunion.org/contract-creator, and the Graphic Artist’s Guild Handbook Pricing and Ethical Guidelines also has information on contracts.
From time to time, a client may suggest you sign their contract instead. Make sure to carefully review the client’s contract to make sure it offers the protections you require and does not solely favor the client’s interests. For example, if it mentions indemnification, you could be held responsible for any damages if problems occur. For example, let’s say that you create a logo and someone sues your client related to the logo. If you indemnify the client, or hold him or her “harmless,” you take responsibility for legal costs—totally not what you want. An indemnification clause isn’t the end of the world if it is worded to give you enough protection where you feel comfortable, and you can certainly sign a contract that contains one.
In addition to a standard contract, there are two standard agreements that a client may want you to sign, and it is important to understand how both of them work.
→ Non-compete agreement. This agreement states you won’t work for competitors, which can be tricky if you work in a niche industry. If the client insists on it, you may want to request the agreement specifies you will not perform the same services for competitors while you are working on the client’s project. For additional protection, you can specify these competitors by name in your agreement. It’s understandable that a client doesn’t want you sharing sensitive information with the competition, but you have to make sure if you sign one of these that you aren’t limiting your potential at the same time.
→ Non-disclosure agreement. Also known as an NDA or confidentiality agreement, a client may require this before sharing confidential information. These agreements are fairly standard; just read it fully before you sign. Then, make sure to stay tight-lipped.
I commonly run into this issue with my contract: The client signs the contract for one project (say, Web site content writing) then wants to retain me for another (such as writing a brochure).
Taking the time to prepare another contract can stall a project, and add more administrative tasks for both sides. If you can, you may be able to note in the agreement that additional project scopes and agreements can be made while still governed by the same contract parameter and are noted in an addendum.
Michelle Goodman (www.anti9to5guide.com), a writer from Seattle who has penned The Anti 9-to-5 Guide and My So-Called Freelance Life, says she typically signs an initial contract and then updates it over e-mail. “A lot of people just do it that way,” she says.
Goodman says she uses e-mail to stipulate terms for subsequent projects or drafts an addendum that the client can approve with an e-mail message confirmation.
When you receive multiple projects from one client, it’s best to define things broadly. Perhaps you can state a fee or fee range for specific types of deliverables or services, or note that you and the client can forge separate agreements for individual projects, which will be governed by the same basic terms of the contract to cover things like payments and revisions.
When Kansas-based copywriter Julie Cortés (www.juliecortes.com) started freelancing about 15 years ago, she didn’t understand the basic rights freelancers have. Now that she’s been around the block, she says having a contract is helpful if she needs to dispute a client’s actions or inactions.
“Advertising is a very subjective business. A client could either love or hate your work. That’s their opinion, and they’re entitled to that,” Cortés explains. “But that shouldn’t affect the outcome of your business agreement. If they hire you to do the work, and you do the work to the best of your ability there’s no reason they shouldn’t pay you—whether they end up using your work or not. They are paying for a service, not a product.”
That’s just one of the industry standards that make it into her contract. “Those who want to balk when it’s time to pay have no recourse; they signed a legally binding document,” she notes. “They may try, but then they’d hear from my attorney…and I’d get paid. I may not ever hear from that client again, but really, who wants to do work with someone as unethical as that anyway?”
Unfortunately, Cortés hears from too many freelancers who have gotten stiffed by clients because they didn’t realize they could protect themselves with a simple one- or two-page document. Once you possess this knowledge, and communicate and enforce your rights, you can undoubtedly prevent some headaches and weed out risky clients at the same time.
We’ve talked a lot about contracts thus far—you definitely must have one, and that’s one of the few things about freelancing that is very black and white.
But what happens when you are not comfortable with the terms the client wants? Well, friends, that’s where the beauty of freelancing comes in because you can turn down a gig.
Claudine Hellmuth (www.collageartist.com), an illustrator and artist from Washington, D.C., recalls a time when she refused to sign a contract for a magazine. In her case, it wasn’t because she thought she was above using a contract; instead, the terms of the deal just were not worth it.
“They wanted all rights to the artwork which was just silly; they only needed rights to produce it in their magazine and online,” she says. The magazine refused to change the contract, and Hellmuth tried to encourage the publication to negotiate terms of the contract. Unfortunately, the magazine would not budge and Hellmuth had to let the deal go. She was sad, but refused to compromise.
I know plenty of freelancers who, despite an alluring sum of money, will stick to their guns when it comes to rights. It looks like Hellmuth made the right decision. That’s the kind of power that comes with understanding legal matters—in most cases, it’s not as confusing as you may think and the peace of mind you can attain by staying in control is priceless.
Who should have the rights to the work I produce?
“In a perfect world you would have the rights to your work for each project. However, there are times this will not be the case. The first instance is when you are an employee and you create the work for your employer and are acting within your job description. The second is when the work is considered a ‘work for hire’ under the U.S. Copyright Act. Finally, the client may insist that they get the rights to your work, and for business reasons you decide to take the job.”
—Kiffanie Stahle, lawyer, www.stahlelaw.com
According to the U.S. Copyright Office, copyright is defined under Title 17 of the U.S. Code as “a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States to the authors of original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.” Copyright protection applies to both published and unpublished works.
The Internet is a breeding ground for copyright infringement. I have originated content for clients only to have it ripped off by competitors, and I know plenty more creative folks whose work has been copied and shared without their permission. From ripped-off logos to copied-and-pasted content, solo-pros have every right to be concerned about unauthorized use of their work.
Many of us have had our work shared without permission, or perhaps a client wants all the original artwork files to his or her project. Who governs this sort of thing?
The moment I put my words on a page, I have a copyright in the material. To give me added protection, however, I must register my content. The same goes for a graphic artist who creates a logo, for example.
If someone replicates or distributes your work without your consent, you have a few different legal avenues to take that depend on when you register the work.
Let’s say someone other than my client reposts Web site content I have written for the client, but I did not register it with the U.S. Copyright Office. In response, I could send a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice or have a lawyer write a cease and desist letter. I could also decide I want to sue the person who reproduced my work. Kiffanie Stahle (www.stahlelaw.com), a California-based lawyer who specializes in copyright and intellectual property, says it can be more difficult to find an attorney and sue if the work is not registered before infringement, though that can depend on the case.
In this hypothetical case, because I did not register the content until after infringement, I could receive the damages I suffered, such as my licensing fee and any profits the infringing party collected.
On the other hand, if I had I registered the content before the infringing party posted it, I could get statutory damages. I wouldn’t have to prove what the infringing party profited from my content; I could just get money based on the fact that the person took a registered work. I could also require that person to cover my attorney fees along with the costs incurred due to the trial. To qualify for statutory damages, I would have had to register my work with the U.S. Copyright Office before the infringement or within three months of it.
This is where that all-important contract comes in, yet again. You need to spell out who owns the preliminary concepts and designs, as well as the final deliverables. You also want to specify whether or not you can use the final materials in your portfolio or in industry competitions.
Resource
Check out www.plagiarismtoday.com, a blog covering content theft and more.
Help! Someone ripped off my work. What are my legal options?
“Your options vary based on who ripped off your work, what they did with it, how you feel about it, and if your work is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Depending on each of the above factors, you may consider: (1) doing nothing, (2) sending a DMCA take-down notice, (3) sending a cease and desist letter, either from you or from an attorney, (4) filing a lawsuit for copyright infringement.”
—Kiffanie Stahle, lawyer, www.stahlelaw.com
A lot of solo-pros that I spoke with while putting together this book insist that copyright law doesn’t do enough to protect them.
Oregon-based illustrative designer Von Glitschka (www.vonglitschka.com) has found many instances of artwork he created for clients being sold by others making money off his creativity. In most cases, Glitschka’s clients don’t even know they have been ripped off, but Glitschka keeps tabs on these “weasels,” as he calls them.
He believes the problem with copyright law is that unless you legally copyright each piece of artwork, you don’t have much of a platform to protect yourself. Glitschka doesn’t copyright most of his designs. To do so, he says, would be time-consuming and could get expensive because he originates so many visuals. “Who can realistically do that other than large multi-national corporations?”
Even though he does not copyright the majority of his work, it continues to show up on logo mill Web sites and is being sold to companies across the globe—so Glitschka devotes some of his time to weasel-tracking in order to try to protect himself and his clients.
Resource
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), started in 1998, offers guidelines on copyright law for digital material. Learn more about it at www.copyright.gov.
Must-Read
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
What happens when you need to take action against someone for copyright infringement?
If you find your copyright has been infringed upon via a Web site, you want to contact the owner of the infringing site, the host of the infringing site, and search engines that are linking to the infringing site.
If the owner of a Web site infringes on your material, they should receive a cease and desist letter. But if the owner has allowed a third party to infringe on your copyright, it is possible they should be sent a DMCA letter. DMCA letters can be used for both the owner and another Web site. It’s sent to the Web host of a site, not the actual owner. If your client uses your material incorrectly, a lawyer could also send a cease and desist letter, but the cease and desist letter could also be sent to another party.
You can search on-line for templates to see what these notifications look like. Even if you do not hire a lawyer when you start your business, it’s a good idea to have some local resources in mind. If you ever need to issue one of these notifications, the lawyer can help draft the letter or give you other resources so you can respond in a timely fashion.
Legal snafus encompass more than just copyright. Let’s say a client breaks your written agreement in any fashion. (Not paying up is a big one—it’s happened to me a few times!) Stahle recommends small claims court to resolve such disputes.
You don’t need to hire an attorney to go to small claims court; you just gather your evidence and applicable documents, and present it before a judge. “It really is a good low-cost option for artists to recover money from people,” Stahle says. If you need to collect money from a company or person and use a small claims court, most states give you up to 10 years to collect payments, she adds.
Another action you may take if a client is playing “hide the paycheck” with you is to hire a collections agency. This is typically a last-ditch effort for many freelancers because the agency will take about half of the money they recover. A lot of creative professionals I know who have used collections agencies do so not caring that the agent will charge them half their outstanding fee—but do so based on the principle that a client skipping out on payment isn’t cool.
Before you go all Elle Woods on people, remember that sometimes a simple notification letter will work to alert a client that a payment is late, or inform a Web site that what they are passing off as theirs really belongs to you. I recently had a client who saw that the content I originated for him had been copied and pasted nearly word for word on another site (he used www.copyscape.com to verify). Luckily, the client knew my work was original; I spell out in my contract that it will be, plus the date the copied text was posted was long after mine was created. He sent a cease and desist letter to the outfit and the content was taken down immediately.
Remember: The owner of a Web site or other outfit where your work has been copied or shared may not be aware it was stolen; they could have hired another freelancer that swiped your work and said he or she created it. It’s always a good idea to start off polite in any correspondence—at least in the first letter!
If you listen to the Freelance Radio podcast, you may be familiar with the official “Kristen Fischer method” of collecting payment. Always one to infuse my “New Jersey–ness” into the banter on the show, I commonly joke about doing a drive-by to the office of a client that has not paid up after countless attempts to collect an outstanding balance. (A drive-by refers to a drive-by shooting. In my case, I used to get so angry when I couldn’t collect payment that I wanted to get in the car and stalk—not shoot—the client—though some made me wish I owned an AK-47.)
Now, I’ve never driven by a client’s office if they haven’t paid up; I don’t even own a gun. When I say on the podcast that “sometimes you just have to do a drive-by” it’s more so about taking a tough-girl stance, armed with nothing but a firm, yet professional, demeanor.
I’m persistent. Very persistent. Whereas some creative freelancers would give up on collecting payment after sending an invoice and a follow-up notice, I tend to get in the client’s face a little, so to speak. I’ve gone as far as to contact higher-ups in a company about an outstanding invoice, or to e-mail and fax the invoice several times. Persistence can be very useful when you think all hope is lost. I used to get very fired up (no pun intended, but a good one) when payments were late. Most of the time, clients were simply late on payments, but I did get burned a few times and chose not to take more legal action because the balances were on the low side.
If a client has ever stiffed you, you probably can understand why I reference the term “drive-by.” Sometimes you’re so angry about not getting paid that you want to just shoot someone! Don’t do that, though. Actually, don’t even drive by the client’s office, even though you may want to walk in there and slam your invoice down on the project manager’s desk.
Instead, be persistent and, only if needed, take legal action. You have all the tools at your disposal to protect and stand up for yourself as a creative professional. There is absolutely no need to resort to violence, but if you need to go for a jog or play a game of Halo to release some aggression, by all means go for it. I like to take things into my own hands for as long as I can without going the legal route. My persistence can turn into annoyance most of the time, and I usually collect the money I’m owed.
If you have sent numerous inquiries about overdue payment, for example, the client may respond after a few attempts, and you may be able to work things out amicably or set up a payment plan. With a little persistence, you may be able to collect payment on an invoice that would have otherwise gone unpaid. In reality, you don’t “drive by” at all. (I just like to think I’m a tough gal.)
In fact, once you build your business and establish boundaries, you will hopefully find that you don’t deal with too many issues pertaining to outstanding balances. Copyright? That may become more of an issue as your talent develops because, well, even weasels have a good eye for art.
If you run into a legal matter through the course of doing business, try not to panic. Whether someone rips off your work and you send them a DMCA notice, or your need to retain a lawyer because a client hasn’t paid their bill, it’s not the end of the world.
Remember that legal issues are overwhelming for just about everyone—even some lawyers! I leave it up to you to determine what action you take—if you ever have to. The majority of freelancers will be just fine simply having a contract in place. Should something arise, however, now you’re prepared to take action.
Here’s my biggest takeaway for this chapter: Have a contract. If you do nothing else, make sure you take time to draft a simple contract and use it every time you work with a client. It’s the foundation for the protection you deserve as an artistic professional.
Sweet Success
Imitation Is Not the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Von Glitschka (www.vonglitschka.com), an illustrative designer from Oregon, has found his designs copied on numerous Web sites. Seeking legal recourse, he has had to hire a copyright lawyer in the past.
Glitschka shares some of his tales at www.drawsigner.com. When he notices work is stolen, he contacts the infringing party with a DMCA letter, which requests the work be removed right away. It’s also a good idea to send the letter to the infringing Web site’s hosting service as well, he says. Most of the time, the work is removed promptly.
Glitschka doesn’t copyright every design or logo he creates, but he says it is useful to put a few images on a single standard sheet of paper and have the group of images copyrighted for the same fee that the U.S. Copyright Office would charge per image.
“I’ve tried to cherry-pick the artwork I think is most vulnerable to infringement and once every quarter send off a sheet to get them protected,” he says.
Beginner Mishap
Get it in Writing
When she first started freelancing, Seattle-based writer Michelle Goodman (www.anti9to5guide.com) had a client who referred her to a well-known author who had penned books on dating, relationships, and sex. Goodman was excited to work for such a notable writer, adapting information from the books into content for an audio format.
The problem? She didn’t have a contract in place. “I think we agreed to something very loosey-goosey over e-mail,” Goodman recalls, adding that she did not require a deposit before starting the project.
The author kept changing her mind on what Goodman was producing about halfway through each project. Sometimes, the author didn’t even see the work Goodman produced before ix-naying it. “This happened multiple times, and anyone who works in creative stuff knows clients do this,” she adds.
As a rookie, Goodman did what many novices do: anything to please the client. Without a contract in place, she did not feel comfortable speaking up to the author about excessive revisions and project reboots.
The project kind of died out after a while, and Goodman doesn’t recall if she was completely reimbursed for her services. She says the experience, however, taught her how to stand up for herself—and to have a written agreement in place that backs her up.