Not when you're paid, no.

No, it's called a job.

It depends on how far they got with the design. The client could have looked at their choices, chose #7, had op nearly finish before saying they want #1 instead. You're almost done with #7 so all that work goes down the drain and in the trash. You have to start over from the beginning, from square one.

I agree, you don't know which one is better until you can compare them. Besides, OP would still work the same amount of time, just on another project so it's not like you're wasting time in that sense. Satisfied customers are suprisingly more likely to return than those that are not satisfied.

Maybe the client approached her with an original idea of what she wanted and asked for development on it. Or she could've been convinced by the argument for doing it one way but after more work lost faith in it. Unless you have a lot of experience, even with regular option appraisals it can be easy to be blindsided by this sort of thing.

Just cuz you love what you do doesn't mean it doesn't ever stress you out. If OP is passionate about it, then they know that this comes with the territory. If everyone changes careers any time there is a lot of stress, then we all wouldn't have a job for more than a month.

Hmm, crying over it while working on it is a bit much though. It's good to be passionate but it's also important to draw a line on how much you'll let your work affect you and know when to have a break so you can approach a frustrating project with fresh eyes. Stressing out so much doesn't help anyone.

Just because you love it doesn't mean you are able to do it. If you're crying because a client wants a rework then you are not mentally able to handle the stresses clients create. The process in this field of work requires you to be evaluated, often by someone with no design sense, unclear wants/ideas and indecisive behaviors. If you cry when clients act as clients do then you are not fit to be in the design field professionally. Maybe they can do some side jobs for easy clients but they need a new career path. This is highly unprofessional; studios I work with wouldn't tolerate that kind of response for very long.

17 - I do agree with your first statement. However, I took the "tears" figuratively rather than literally. I am under the impression that OP is an independent designer, rather than an employee at a company, therefore I don't think anyone has to even witness them break down or stress out about the job. As long as it is handled professionally in front of the customer, there is no problem with a little pain behind the scenes. Jobs and passions come with many frustrations and it is the nature of humans to become overwhelmed or annoyed at these times, so I see nothing wrong as long as the job is done to the satisfaction of the client.

As a graphic artist, I figure I can speak for other ones as well. We absolutely hate clients that can't make up their mind. We send several sketches and progress pics along the way. When someone agrees with a sketch, we take it into the lining stage and send another pic. Then we get to the coloring page and once we finish the flat color, there is really little we can change. Sure we can fix minor errors and flaws, but you have to start from scratch if they decide they don't like a pose or something. Some artist refuse to make changes after a certain limit is reached, some make you pay extra. It's extremely frustrating to be almost done with a project and then have someone tell you to do it over. Try having someone tell you that with traditional art, it's not going to happen. Most customers are not finicky but when you do get a customer like that it really makes you want to pull your hair out. Also, would you tell a waitress not to be upset over not receiving a tip? She did choose that job path so she shouldn't cry over no tip right?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't most designers get paid for their time spent on the project and not just for the final product? I'm not sure, I just always thought it would work that way.

It varies, but fees are agreed in advance with the client so hopefully if it's not an hourly rate she's been advised of revision fees too.

Some people charge per hour, some people charge a set fee. Some charge sales tax, others don't. Each artist is different and has different policies. Just like how their styles can vary, so can their policies and prices. You often have to under price your work if you're not a professional or famous. You're competing against all the other artists out there. As you get better, the time it takes gets shorter. What once took you an hour takes 10 minutes. Obviously you don't want to charge by the hour then. Also, some people might try and say that it didn't actually take the amount of time it did and not pay you as much.