Assertiveness queens, can anyone help me with a form of words? I've been freelancing my whole life and have learned to say no to people, but my client isn't taking no for an answer!
I agreed to start working for this client and signed up to a first project. It's a PITA, they keep changing their mind and messing me about, not getting back to me when I need to know stuff, it's also an unorthodox way of working, and basically I hate it.
I did verbally agree to further projects, with provisos that it would have to work with my schedule etc. Now I don't want to do them because working with this client isn't going well. I've tried to say so but he just said he'd reschedule, and ignored me (and ignoring what I say in my emails has been a big issue already, part of the reason I can't be doing with it).
Of course, I can give him both barrels and just say NO and I could say why. But in my industry everybody knows everybody and it's not wise to burn bridges. Normally in this situation the client would back down and we'd politely agree I didn't have time (which can be code for "no thanks").
I'm not contracted to do anything else yet (another feature of their disorganisation) so I don't have to but what would you say to be assertive and unambiguous without being horrible? TIA