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10 Toxic Clients to Avoid When Self-Publishing Your Next Bestseller
10 Toxic Clients to Avoid When Self-Publishing Your Next Bestseller - The Unreasonable Demander
We all want our projects to turn out perfectly, but some clients take perfectionism to the extreme. The unreasonable demander expects round-the-clock communication, instant revisions, and perfect execution - all on their preferred timeline. This toxic client sees you as their personal servant, rather than a creative partner.
Unreasonable demanders drain your time and energy with constant changes and micromanagement. They may ask for revisions at odd hours or set unreasonable deadlines. One author describes their experience: "My client expected me to drop everything for instant rewrites, even calling at midnight a few times. The slightest delay would send them into a rage." This irrational fixation on controlling the process hurts both the final product and your sanity.
Another common trait is moving the goalposts. You may submit what you believe is the final draft, only for new wish list items to materialize. A fellow self-publisher shares: "I completed four "final" versions before my demander was satisfied, each time with some new tweak they insisted was non-negotiable." This sends you down an endless rabbit hole of revisions.
Unreasonable demanders lack perspective on what"s feasible or important. A book designer vents: "One client had me adjust a period spacing by like half a millimeter, saying it was completely off. That level of nitpicking made me want to tear my hair out." You may also deal with wildly unrealistic expectations about turnaround times, especially as their "easy fix" list grows.
It"s frustrating when a demander disregards your expertise. A marketing consultant explains: "I outlined an achievable strategy based on experience, but my client thought they knew better and pushed for tactics that just weren"t viable." Unreasonable clients believe you are there to execute their vision, not collaborate.
10 Toxic Clients to Avoid When Self-Publishing Your Next Bestseller - The Chronic Complainer
Dealing with criticism is part of any creative collaboration, but some clients take negativity to the extreme. Enter the chronic complainer - the client who finds fault with everything and actively looks for problems. This toxic personality views your work through a lens of perpetual dissatisfaction.
For chronic complainers, nothing is ever good enough. A social media manager recounts their experience: "No matter how many drafts I provided or how much positive feedback I received from others, my client would pick apart my posts and insist they weren"t up to par." Even if you bend over backwards to implement their feedback, they"ll inevitably find something new to critique.
Complaints often zero in on minutiae rather than substantive issues. "My client nitpicked about text font colors not "popping" enough and other superficial details," says a book cover designer. "They seemed oblivious to the cover"s overall visual impact." This fixation on insignificant flaws grinds progress to a halt.
Negativity becomes the chronic complainer"s default mode. "Every conversation started with everything they hated about the current draft," a marketing copywriter explains. "I had to really push to get any constructive feedback." You may leave update calls feeling defeated rather than energized.
Some complainers cast criticisms in an overly harsh manner. "My client called my illustrations "amateurish" and said the concept was "lacking vision,"" shares a children"s book author. "Very little was phrased constructively." Such derogatory language erodes creative confidence.
This bleak outlook extends beyond your work to the client"s attitude in general. "My client"s perpetual pessimism brought me down," says a social media manager. "They even complained about positive metrics, always believing things could be better." Chronic complainers often see the glass as half empty.
Negativity bias colors chronic complainers" perspectives. Research shows we tend to weigh negative experiences and information more heavily. Your client"s brain may therefore latch onto flaws while ignoring positives.
Some psychologists link chronic complaining to anxiety, self-esteem issues or perfectionism. Your client may believe if they don"t critique something, they are settling for less or "approving" mediocrity. Highly successful people can also fall into chronic complaining if they lose perspective.
10 Toxic Clients to Avoid When Self-Publishing Your Next Bestseller - The Scope Creeper
Beware the client who constantly tries to expand a project's scope well beyond what was agreed upon. These scope creepers add feature after feature, demanding extra work while resisting proper compensation. Their endless stream of "simple tweaks" and "minor additions" derails timelines and strains budgets.
"Marissa originally wanted a straightforward formatting job - nothing fancy, just putting her manuscript into ebook files. I provided an affordable quote based on the project parameters we discussed. But after I delivered the first draft, Marissa asked for elaborate chapter illustrations, an interactive quiz, and audio excerpts, none of which we had talked about!
I explained that such complex add-ons would require a revised timeline and budget. Marissa waved me off, insisting these were 'no big deal' changes she expected me to handle. Whenever I pushed back on her growing wish list, she'd say I just didn't understand her 'vision' for the book.
The tipping point came when she demanded I add animated text and background music - features not even supported by most ebook platforms! I finally had to walk away, because Marissa refused to accept that her requests amounted to a whole new project."
Like Jayden's experience shows, scope creepers take advantage of people's desire to satisfy clients. They bank on you quietly absorbing unpaid work rather than confronting them. Janice, a social media manager, shares how her client Ethan progressively piled on responsibilities:
"Ethan originally wanted me to handle Facebook and Instagram posts for his small business. But soon he expected me to run sweepstakes, monitor Yelp reviews, and create TikTok videos too - all for the same rate we initially agreed on. Whenever I tried discussing fair compensation for the added work, Ethan would get offended and frame it as me not caring about his business' success.
After months of scope creep, I was working triple my original hours for what amounted to below minimum wage. I finally realized Ethan had no respect for my time and quit."
10 Toxic Clients to Avoid When Self-Publishing Your Next Bestseller - The Payment Dodger
Few things erode goodwill faster than a client who avoids paying for services rendered. Enter the payment dodger - the expert in excuses, stalling tactics, and outright refusal when the bill comes due. For creatives trying to earn a living, this toxic personality represents hours of hard work with no compensation.
Lingering invoices and unfulfilled promises of "the check is in the mail" often signal a payment dodger. Designer Vince recalls his frustrating experience: " Claire hired me to create a book cover and marketing materials for her novel. We agreed I would bill her 50% upfront and 50% upon completion. But when I emailed the invoice for the first installment, Claire went silent."
After two weeks of ignored messages, Claire resurfaced with a litany of excuses - the dog ate her checkbook, she was locked out of her online banking, her accountant was behind on paperwork. She assured Vince the payment was imminent. Weeks stretched into months without Claire ever following through, despite Vince"s increasingly urgent pleas.
"I was frankly destitute after spending so much time working for free," Vince admits. "But when I threatened to stop work, Claire accused me of not caring if her book succeeded. She made it seem like expecting fair pay was unreasonable."
This manipulation, whether deliberate or subconscious, is a payment dodger"s bread and butter. They bank on your dedication to the project and desire to avoid conflict. After all, creatives don"t get into business to collect debts - they want to see their clients succeed.
That good faith makes creatives vulnerable to sob stories designed to buy more time. PR consultant Rebecca recounts how client Celia always had a new calamity preventing payment: "First it was a veterinary bill for her sick cat, then an unexpected car repair, then emergency dental work. There was always some imminent expense that justified Celia holding onto funds earmarked for my invoice."
With invoices aging for months, Rebecca finally gave Celia an ultimatum: pay within two weeks or no further work. Celia threw a fit, accusing Rebecca of sabotaging the book launch over "a silly lack of money." The relationship ended, but not before the payment dodger inflicted serious financial damage.
10 Toxic Clients to Avoid When Self-Publishing Your Next Bestseller - The Ruthless Reviser
The creative process inevitably involves back-and-forth collaboration and refinement of ideas. But some clients take revision requests to ruthless extremes that undermine the original vision. Beware the ruthless reviser - the client who demands endless rewrites while dismissing your expertise. Their extreme changes end up gutting what made the work shine.
A children's book author shares her frustration with a ruthless reviser: "Cindy originally loved the whimsical language and imagery in my draft story. But after her focus group testing, everything changed. She insisted on 'modernizing' the prose by removing any word not common in everyday speech. Vivid descriptions like 'azure waves' and 'verdant meadow' were simplified to 'blue waves' and 'green field.' The lyrical style I was known for got watered down."
Cindy also demanded the story be made more "relatable." Fantastical elements the kids enjoyed were changed to ordinary experiences. The main character's imaginary pet dragon became a dog. A scene where fireflies grant wishes was rewritten to feature catching fireflies in a backyard. "By the end, my unique tale felt like generic pap. But Cindy believed conforming to trends was necessary for sales," the author laments.
Architectural illustrator Ryan describes his ruthless reviser demanding extreme style changes. "Felicia hired me based on my signature rendering technique mixing hand-drawn and digital elements. But halfway through the project, she insisted everything be redone in a trendy flat vector style. She wanted me to abandon the look that got me hired in the first place! Felicia claimed her 'expert' friends suggested the new style would have wider appeal."
Not only was redoing months of work hugely time-consuming, but Ryan felt his artistic voice was being erased. "Felicia had no respect for my professional perspective. My illustrations ended up having no personality. She cut out anything distinctive because it might potentially rub someone the wrong way," he explains.
Ruthless revisers often invoke "the client is always right" to justify extreme changes. But design expert Kendra argues that's a flawed mindset: "Sometimes the client thinks they know best but actually lacks the specialized expertise we bring as creatives. A client demanding I completely alter my writing style is like a patient ordering a doctor to change their medically-indicated treatment plan. I won't undermine my own professional standards just because a client believes they know better."
Of course, clients have a right to provide revision feedback. But ruthless revisers cross the line into imposing arbitrary personal preferences that destroy what originally drew them to your work. "I don't mind making my paintings client-friendly, but I refuse to erase my creative identity. My art will hang on their walls, not my client's," asserts portraitist Sofia.
10 Toxic Clients to Avoid When Self-Publishing Your Next Bestseller - The Idea Thief
Nothing erodes trust faster than a client who steals and claims your creative ideas. Dubbed idea thieves, these devious clients solicit your imagination under the guise of collaboration only to seize ownership. They pilfer concepts, deny attribution, and leverage your intellectual property for profit and prestige.
Idea thieves often target creatives eager to break into competitive industries. Emerging writer Tony recalls his sobering introduction to idea theft"s dangers: "I submitted story samples to an established author I admired, hoping he could mentor me. Instead, he took my ideas for his own short fiction series and passed it off as his "unique vision." As a newbie, I didn"t have the clout to call him out publicly."
Some idea thieves use manipulation tactics to lower defenses. Screenwriter Eva shares her experience: "Clara hired me to help develop her film concept about a female rock band"s reunion tour. During our brainstorming calls, she kept saying how I was part of the "creative family." I let my guard down and shared some of my best twists - Clara claiming she just wanted to 'gauge their potential.' A month later, her finished script used all my ideas almost verbatim, without any credit. When I objected, Clara said I was petty and jealous."
Once ideas are handed over, unscrupulous clients undermine originators" contributions. "I was hired to create branding for a tech startup," says graphic designer amy. "In presenting logo concepts, I explained my thought process behind each. The client loved Option A and my rationale - then months later, publicly told the media the brilliant branding was entirely his idea."
These behaviors reflect idea thieves" entitlement and willingness to betray those who power their success. Many even justify idea theft by arguing creatives shouldn't expect attribution for "doing their job." But spec work and informal collaboration still merits intellectual property rights.
So how can creatives spot potential idea thieves beforehand? Look for clients who lack their own concrete vision and seem to want you to provide the "creative secret sauce." Graphic artist Juan advises: "If a client can"t articulate branding goals beyond buzzwords like "fresh" and "eye-catching," they likely aim to hijack your concepts."
Wariness is key when asked to sign away all rights or IP ownership upfront. "Standard work-for-hire language is understandable, but if clients demand unusually sweeping IP claims on anything you produce, that"s a red flag," notes composer Eileen.
10 Toxic Clients to Avoid When Self-Publishing Your Next Bestseller - The Unresponsive Ghoster
Of all the toxic client types, the unresponsive ghoster may be the most maddening. This client initially seems eager to get your project underway, signing agreements, providing materials, and agreeing to a timeline. But once you begin work in earnest, the ghoster disappears - dodging calls, ignoring emails, and leaving crucial questions unanswered.
Days or even weeks may pass without any response, despite your increasingly urgent attempts to make contact. The ghoster resurfaces periodically with a flurry of replies, only to vanish again just as things get back on track. Their intermittent engagement and empty promises to do better continue the cycle of stagnation.
Copyeditor Carla tearfully recalls her experience with a ghoster client: "Samantha hired me to proofread her self-help book and seemed so excited to get started. But she stopped responding to my queries about the manuscript as soon as I began editing. I reached out dozens of times trying to get answers - even offering to revise my process if I was doing something wrong. Just total radio silence for over a month until Samantha suddenly replied acting like nothing happened. Of course, the next round of edits stalled out for ghosting again."
The emotional toll of this unreliable behavior mounts over time. "I constantly stressed about my work just piling up in limbo while my inbox filled with increasingly desperate unanswered messages to the client," shares Carla. "It wrecked my confidence and gave me anxiety whenever I had to contact Samantha, only to likely be ignored again."
Ghosters thrive on deflection, framing their lack of communication as an innocent oversight rather than conscious choice. Social media manager Ramon observes: "My client Eddie would disappear mid-project for weeks, then respond with some excuse about missing my messages because he was 'crazy busy.' But he always had time to post leisurely Instagram stories, proving he was just ignoring me and our work. His radio silence was strategic, not accidental."
Unlike reasonable delays due to personal issues, ghosters chronically dodge productive collaboration even when explicitly confronted about their absenteeism. "I told my client we couldn't move forward on their logo design without the feedback they kept promising but never sending," explains graphic designer Casey. "They claimed to understand my frustrations. Yet the ghosting continued like our talk never even happened."
10 Toxic Clients to Avoid When Self-Publishing Your Next Bestseller - The Dishonest Fraudster
Of all toxic client types, none generate more betrayal than the dishonest fraudster. This deceptive client engages your services under false pretenses for financial gain at your expense. Initial meetings seem productive, with the fraudster providing detailed project expectations and signing agreements. You believe you have secured not only a client but a trusted creative partner.
In reality, the fraudster is ruthlessly strategizing how best to carry out their scam. Common tactics include fabricating emergencies to elicit sympathy and urgency. Marketing consultant Aisha recalls how a seemingly ideal client leveraged deception:
"Andre hired me to orchestrate press and publicity for his new restaurant opening. Everything was going smoothly until one week Andre called, distraught that his general contractor quit unexpectedly. Andre said without immediate help lining up a new contractor, his whole launch was jeopardized.
Wanting to help, I used my media relationships to quickly get coverage of Andre's hiring crisis. Multiple reputable contractors reached out ready to take the job. But mysteriously, Andre always found an excuse why their bids didn't work. He then confessed that without more publicity, he couldn't afford any contractor's quote.
Naively, I doubled my efforts, scoring Andre's story in high profile outlets. The public outpouring of support brought even more qualified contractors ready to make the job work on budget. Yet Andre always backed out, vowing the only solution was more press to 'unlock investor funding.' Only then did I realize Andre had no intention of hiring any contractor. The 'emergency' was a scam to get unlimited free marketing from me."
Beyond fictional emergencies, fraudsters also fabricate problems with completed work to justify refusing payment. After months designing a book cover for client Howard, graphic artist Leo delivered the final files as agreed. Howard initially seemed satisfied, promising payment would be processed shortly. But he soon reversed course, claiming the cover files were corrupted and unusable.
Leo exhaustively demonstrated the files opened perfectly on multiple devices and operating systems. But Howard held firm, insisting Leo must have carelessly sent the wrong drafts. "No matter what proof I provided that the files worked flawlessly, Howard maintained my incompetence ruined the cover," Leo explains. "He used that as an excuse to withhold my full fee while demanding I redo the work for free to fix my supposed mistake."
Similarly, fraudsters often approve your invoices but cite sudden budget shortfalls when payment comes due. PR manager Gabby describes how client Yvonne executed this bait-and-switch: "After we signed the contract, Yvonne acted thrilled with my work on her company's rebranding campaign. My monthly invoices received the standard net-30 terms. But when I followed up past due, Yvonne claimed their funding fell through so she couldn't pay. I threatened to stop work, only for Yvonne to insist I was obligated to continue since we had a binding agreement. I realized she never intended to pay me at all."
These behaviors reveal how fraudsters exploit binding commitments to extract uncompensated labor, bank on sympathy pleas, leverage your dedication, and shift blame for their own deceit. Their charming facades and big picture visions hide sinister intentions.
So what tactics can help avoid this exploitation? Industry veteran Lana emphasizes proper due diligence: "Review a prospective client's company, status, and past partners thoroughly beforehand. Search for any red flags like multiple dissolved businesses, gaps in work history, suspicious changes in services offered. Don't let desperation for a client blind you to potential warning signs."
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