Project Management

The Code of Practice requires that we “meet agreed deadlines or communicate promptly if delays occur” and “maintain organised records and meet contractual obligations.”

Good project management is about reliability; delivering what you promised, when you promised it. It’s one of the most valued traits in a freelancer.

Read the Code of Practice

You need a system for tracking projects, deadlines and commitments:

What to track:

• All active projects and their deadlines
• Upcoming work in the pipeline
• Key client contacts and preferences
• Invoices and payment status
• Dependencies (anything you need the client to provide)

Tools:

Use whatever works for you. The best system is one you’ll actually use:

• Project management tools (Notion, Trello, Asana)
• Spreadsheets
• Calendar blocking
• Simple to-do lists

Review regularly:

Check your commitments daily. Do a weekly review to plan ahead. Identify risks early: tight deadlines, unclear briefs, multiple stakeholders.

Poor estimation is a major source of freelancer stress. 

Build in buffer. 

However long you think something will take, add a buffer. Things always take longer than expected. These suggested allowances may be used as a starting point as you build your own project plans:

• Simple tasks: add 20%
• Complex tasks: add 50%
• New types of work: add up to 100%

Account for:

• Research and preparation time
• Client communication and meetings
• Revisions (even if clients say there won’t be any)
• Admin, invoicing, project wrap-up

Learn from experience:

Track how long projects actually take vs. your estimates, so you can adjust your estimating over time.

Know how much work you can handle. Chronic over-commitment leads to burnout and missed deadlines.

Calculate your capacity:

• How many billable hours/days can you realistically do?
• Account for admin, marketing, learning, rest
• Consider your energy levels, not just time

Don’t overcommit:

• Be realistic about what you can deliver
• It’s better to turn down work than miss deadlines
• Build in contingency for unexpected work or delays

Juggling multiple projects:

• Prioritise by deadline and importance
• Block focused time for deep work
• Don’t context-switch too frequently
• Keep clients updated on progress

Plans change. Handle it professionally, and confirm any changes to scope, deadlines or fees in writing.

If you’ll be late:

• Tell the client as soon as you know
• Explain what happened (briefly)
• Propose a new deadline you can definitely meet
• Apologise, but focus on resolution rather than self-blame

If the client changes things:

• Assess impact on timeline and cost
• Communicate changes needed
• Get agreement before proceeding
• Document the change

If scope expands:

Refer back to your contract. Quote for additional work. Don’t absorb scope creep silently.

How you deliver affects client perception:

Before sending:

• Proofread thoroughly
• Check you’ve addressed the brief
• Format professionally
• Include any supporting information

Presentation:

• A brief covering note helps contextualise the work
• Explain any decisions or choices you made
• Invite questions and feedback

File management:

• Clear file naming
• Appropriate format (what the client asked for)
• Version control if there are iterations

Handover and wrap-up:

• Confirm delivery
• Invoice promptly
• Seek feedback
• Manage files securely

Project management is about reliability. Clients value copywriters who deliver on time, communicate clearly, and handle changes professionally.

Build systems that work for you, estimate conservatively, and communicate proactively. Your reputation for reliability is one of your most valuable business assets.