The cost of free advice

I give out a lot of free advice.

Somebody thinks they might want to write a book. Or their boss does. So they contact me and we discuss how the book business works, and how it might work for them.

What’s your objective?

Who is your audience?

What is your idea?

How does ghostwriting work?

What are the potential ways to get published, and what are the pros and cons of each?

How long will it take, and how much will it cost?

I do this because I like to help authors. That’s my brand, and it’s my inclination.

I almost always send a followup email, make some introductions to others who can help, and share some resources.

What I expect

Here’s all I ask in return for that free advice:

If, after we talk, it seems like there is a service I offer that matches up well you what you need, consider it. If you need idea development, editing, or ghostwriting, let’s talk about how that might work.

Often, though, people don’t need what I charge for. That happens often, and it’s fine. There are still things I expect from them.

If I’ve referred you to someone, treat them respectfully.

If you use my resources, let me know they were helpful.

Tell other people I’m a useful resource. You don’t have to do that, but it’s always welcome.

If you start to make progress on your book, let me know! I’m always interested in what happened after our conversation.

If you have questions, email me about them. I’ll answer if I can, provided you don’t become a pest.

Or you can always ask my chatbot.

How to do this wrong

It’s hard to disappoint me after you accept my free advice, but it is possible. Here’s how.

Don’t thank me for the email I sent or the introductions I made.

Don’t follow up at all. Go silent for months.

Then come back and ask that I meet with you for free again, or with your boss, with no further explanation.

As it turns out, there are two things that matter most in a relationship between an editorial professional and a client.

Mutual respect, and communication.

By ignoring the help I originally gave, going dark for months, and then demanding more free advice, you demonstrate that you’re poor at both.

So why would I want to work with you?