Freelancers love to complain about their clients or editors. In fact, there's an entire blog devoted to anonymous client rants and a comic strip that satirizes the client/freelancer relationship. But when it comes down to it, most of us couldn't do what we do without our clients. And while you hear more about the bad apples than the good ones, the majority of my clients of aren't sadists or cheapskates (those have been weeded out over time, of course). So, I bring you the question for this week's open thread: what makes a great client or a great editor? What qualities do your favorites have in common? Is it their friendly yet professional demeanor, their willingness to pay professional rates, their understanding that quality work takes time, or something else entirely? In addition to the traits mentioned above, I always appreciate when a client offers timely feedback and prompt payment. Clients who trust freelancers to meet deadlines instead of calling or emailing every hour to ask for updates also score high marks in my book. What about you? Flickr photo courtesy of Nic's events