Skip to main content
Find Writers Products Industries Plans Become a Writer 1 (866) 501-3116 Sign In Get Started

Products

Blog Posts Press Releases Web Pages Product Descriptions Newsletters
Transcriptions Social Media Posts Video Scripts Custom Projects Content Tune-Ups
Ad Copy Ebooks Editing Q&A Content Whitepapers
Facebook Post Instagram Post

Industries

Art & Design Automotive Building Materials Cannabis Career Construction Counseling Customer Service Dental Education Energy & Environment Engineering
Fashion & Beauty Family Practice Food & Beverage Gaming Health & Wellness Healthcare Higher Education Home & Garden Human Resources Injury Law Interior Design IT & Security
Insurance Legal Manufacturing Media & Entertainment Medical Law Nutrition Parenting Payments Personal Finance Real Estate Relationships
Retail & Ecommerce Religion & Spirituality Restaurant and Bar SaaS Sales Senior Services Software Sports & Fitness Technology Transportation & Logistics Travel
x Close Menu Find Writers Products
Blog Posts Press Releases Web Pages
Product Descriptions Newsletters Transcriptions
Social Media Posts Video Scripts Custom Projects
Content Tune-Ups Ad Copy Ebooks
Editing Q&A Content Whitepapers
Facebook Posts Instagram Posts
Industries
Art & Design Automotive Building Materials Dental Gaming Fashion & Beauty Family Practice Cannabis Career Construction Counseling Customer Service Injury Law Interior Design IT & Security Retail & Ecommerce Education Energy & Environment Food & Beverage Personal Finance Healthcare Health & Wellness Higher Education Home & Garden Human Resources Transportation & Logistics Insurance Legal Manufacturing Media & Entertainment Medical Law Nutrition Parenting Payments Real Estate Religion & Spirituality Restaurant and Bar SaaS Sales Senior Services Software Sports & Fitness Technology Travel Relationships Engineering
Plans Become a Writer Login Get Started 1 (866) 501-3116
  1. Blog Home
  2. Content Marketing
  3. Kimberlee Ferrell
  4. Steps to Take When Your Content Writer Misses a Deadline

Steps to Take When Your Content Writer Misses a Deadline

Steps to Take When Your Content Writer Misses a Deadline
Missed deadlines are awkward for both parties. Here's how to properly communicate with a writer who has not submitted work on time.

Nobody likes to think about it, yet it's always a possibility in a client-writer relationship: missed deadlines. Clients are often unsure of what to do in such an awkward and frustrating situation. As with your health, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A firm timeline for deliverables and a clause in the writer's contract can stop a lot of delays before they happen. Once the writing deadline has passed, however, you're stuck with a gaping hole in your content publishing window, coupled with uncertainty, disappointment, and, maybe, anger. How do you communicate to your writer that he or she isn't living up to your standards and get the project back on track?

1. Cool Off


If you aren't under a time crunch, give yourself a chance to cool off and collect your thoughts. Twenty-four hours would be ideal, but delaying sending a heated email by even a few minutes will prevent the situation from getting worse. It's possible your writer will understand the mistake and will either send the completed article or an email updating its status. While you are cooling off, review your writer's agreement and any associated emails about the project. Make sure the due date and time were clearly stated and agreed upon and all necessary information to complete the project was sent in time. Take this time to reflect upon how the writer is feeling as well. A little sympathy goes a long way, as the writer is likely upset that he was not able to meet the deadline and is scrambling to finish as quickly as possible.

2. Reach Out to Your Writer


When you are calm, send your writer an email asking about the status of the article. Be polite, yet firm. Ask how the article is coming along and the writer's estimated timeline for when it will be completed. Remind the writer of the details of your agreement, he or she may have broken and any penalties that may be involved, for example a reduced payment for late submissions.Ask if there is any additional information the writer needs to complete the project. If you have the leeway and the writer has shown good faith in completing the project, offer to extend the deadline. Sometimes a missed deadline is unavoidable.

See also: Signs Your Content Writer Isn't Excelling

3. Be Realistic


Ideally, when you planned your writing project, you built in some time for contingencies such as the writer being delayed or substandard articles needing revisions. When your writer explains the situation, you can use the built-in buffer time to your advantage and offer a last-minute substitute deadline. If this is agreeable, it is likely that the writer will put your project as the top priority and deliver ASAP. If you simply don't have time to wait for your writer to be available, let the writer know. Explain that your timetable is tight, and you will have to turn to another writer (or write it yourself). Be polite, but express your disappointment, as obviously he or she was your first choice. If you want to continue or terminate the writer-client relationship, now is your chance. Nobody likes writing or reading these emails, but if you keep it brief, courteous, and to the point, no bridges will have to be burned.

4. Express Your Appreciation


If the writer is able to meet the adjusted deadline, be sure to express gratitude. The writer may be uncertain about his future standing with you, so if you'd like to continue working together, say so. A little reassurance will keep your writer happy and committed to meeting deadlines regularly in the future.

Dealing with missed deadlines is always a difficult task. Thinking about how you will handle the situation ahead of time will save countless hours of worry and frustration down the road. Remember that writers are only human, and the unforeseen always has a way of popping up. A firm, but compassionate hand will help guide your writers through difficult times and keep your project on track.

How do you handle writers missing deadlines? Share your thoughts with us below.

To Read About Missed Deadline Prevention, See Below:


Project Management Tools for Freelance Writers
5 Ways to Prevent Your Content Writer from Missing a Deadline
Six Ways to Never Miss a Deadline Again

Published by Kimberlee Ferrell on Friday, August 8, 2014 in Content Marketing.

Sign Up For Your 30 Day Free Trial Today!

You agree to Scripted’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Login
©2011-2022
Our Company
About Us Privacy Terms of Use GDPR Trust
For Members
Enterprise Agencies Publishers Customer FAQs Newsletter Customer Sign In
For Writers
Writer Services Agreement Writer FAQs Writer Sign In
Additional Resources
The Scripted Blog Industries Podcast Technology Affiliates Competitors
Social Buttons