What does Jambalaya have to do with making money?

EVERYTHING!

     Sorry... But seriously, jambalaya has everything to do with making money because it is what I'm eating as I read this request from a client asking me to come on board for a long term blogging project. I'll be in charge of a new series interviewing and showcasing this New York jeweler's customers, giving them a face and allowing others a peek into their world. 

     I've been working with this particular client for 6 months now, and we have developed a great business relationship. She calls on me for freelance projects as the need occurs, and I deliver in a timely manner. Needless to say this is why I was the first person she turned to for an ongoing project. 

     That got me thinking about the importance of creating trust online. I think writers get the short end of the stick when it comes to building trust online. I mean, when my kid is throwing up, and I just can't get to that project, my boss can see the worry on my face as I sprint out of the office (hypothetical- I don't even work in an office), but when my kid is throwing up and I can't get to the computer three feet away to finish that project, it is assumed that because I'm a decent writer, I'm talking my way out of trouble for missing a deadline.

     The moral of the story:  Don't miss deadlines.

     It doesn't matter what is going on personally (Unless something really bad is happening- then by all mean put things on hold... with some notice to your clients.) you get that project finished. Your boss at the office knows you, has built a relationship with you, and can tell you're worried about the health and safety of your child. Your client is fifty million internet light years away and has no personal relationship to justify being okay with the missed deadline. All they know is that you said you could finish on time and didn't, end of story.

How do you deal with deadlines either self imposed or set by a client?