Your relationship with an editor is like dancing—miss a step, and you might find yourself without a partner.

A good relationship with editors can lead to steady work, glowing recommendations, and a solid reputation in the writing world. But certain missteps can, and likely will, torch that connection.

Here are six ways freelance writers sabotage their editor relationships and how to avoid them.

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Missing Deadlines

Nothing screams “cut me off” like blowing past a deadline, especially if the editor isn’t forewarned.

Editors have their own schedules, pressures, and deadlines. They might forgive a rare slip-up if you communicate early and honestly. But being habitually late, or worse, fail to come through altogether, without warning, and you’re practically begging to be blacklisted.

Publishing is a team sport. Your work might be one piece of a larger puzzle involving designers, layout teams, or printers. A single delay can ripple through the entire process.

In lean operations, as many now are, replacing your piece might not even be feasible. Meaning your delay could turn into a full-blown crisis.

In the writing world, deadlines aren’t suggestions–they’re sacred.

Requesting Help

Editors aren’t your personal assistants. They’re not there to cater to your needs.

You agree to deliver a piece at a set rate. Unless it’s a highly specialized assignment, don’t hit an editor up with requests to help get the work done. The tools and resources you need to do your job is on you.

And, yes, that includes contacts. It screams unprofessional and unqualified to ask an editor to connect you with the right people to complete an assignment.

Editors should feel confident that you’re a professional paid to provide a service and you’re capable of doing that without tutelage.

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Seeking a Coach

Unless an editor explicitly offers mentorship, don’t expect them to hold your hand.

Today’s media operations are lean and fast-paced. Editors are juggling tight budgets and tight deadlines. Not to mention that many are underpaid.

They’re not looking to play writing coach, offer career advice, or be a mentor. Start leaning on editors to play those roles, and they start avoiding you.

The whole purpose of hiring a freelancer is to get what’s needed while being hands-off.

Your job is to deliver a polished product. All you should expect in return is payment

If you need mentorship, seek it from peers, writing groups, or actual mentors, not your clients.

Submitting Low-Quality Work

Trying to sneak subpar work past an editor is like serving a chef a microwaved meal.

Some freelancers try to pass off lazy, low effort, low quality work as if a person who edits for a living isn’t going to notice. Big mistake—especially if you’ve already shown what you’re capable of.

If you’re going through something in your personal life that prevents you from focusing or devoting the proper time to your work, push pause on any clients you highly value or who are influential. If not, you risk losing the client.

You may get away with submitted subpar work temporarily, but if and when an editor can replace you, she will.

Then, you’ll lose the client and gamble with your reputation. Editors talk, and word spreads.

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Submitting Inaccurate Work

Fact-checking and research aren’t optional—they’re core parts of your job. your responsibility. And they’re essential.

Even when there’s in-house fact-checking, it’s essential for you to get it right it right. Don’t assume an editor or fact-checker will clean up your mess. Inaccurate work wastes time, and if it isn’t caught, it can damage reputations and cause real harm to a publication or their advertisers. Not to mention that, depending on the topic, inaccuracies can negatively impact the audience.

An editor is not going to tolerate a writer whose words are unreliable.

Ignoring Instructions

There’s a special category of frustration that an editor feels about freelancers who disregards feedback or submission guidelines.

Whether it’s blowing off style guides, word counts, or revision requests, ignoring an editor’s input signals disrespect and arrogance.

Editors provide direction to ensure your writing works where and how it’s expected to. If you disagree with feedback, communicate professionally. Make your case. But don’t simply disregard an editor’s requests.

And when you know you’re deviating from the norms, explain why upfront. Don’t expect an editor to figure it out.

If you give editors the impression that it’s your way or no way, they’ll take the latter.

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