Don't write for free!

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Permalink Reply by Theresia Whitfield on June 13, 2008 at 1:47pm

I've been a journalist/writer for 10 years... well, I've actually been a writer since I could write but the title and $$ started coming about 10 years ago when I entered the TV news arena as a producer. I went on to win two media awards and was twice Emmy nominated. Then I went on to Washington, DC to work at CNN and Reuters Television. Quite impressive, isn't it? I thought so. But I'll tell you who's not impressed by that stuff. Editors.

When I got out of news and started working as a freelance writer, no editor in his/her right mind would hire me because writing for magazines/newspapers is completely different than writing for TV. I basically had to start over; learning the ins and outs of the print side of journalism. And yep, I wrote for free. But, once I started getting published in bigger publications, that quickly came to an end. And today, I won't write for free. Period.

Think about what Ellison says. Don't you pay your accountant when he does your taxes? He's providing a service to you. You are also providing a service to clients/magazines when you write.

I also do a lot of writing for businesses in web copy, etc. I can't tell you how many times I have heard a client complain about paying for copy. Well, you're paying for the web site, aren't you? I am providing a service just as much as the web designer, so I deserve to be paid.

CJ McClanahan once told me that unless I started believing I was worth the hourly rate I charge (which is more than $100 an hour), no one else would believe it either. I bring tremendous value and experience and skill to the table. And if a client can't see that, then they don't need to hire me. I don't mean to sound arrogant but that's the bottom line.

I did some work for a start-up newspaper in Carmel (who shall remain nameless) and the editor wanted to pay me only $25. "It'll be great publicity for you" he cried. Ok. I'll admit. I was stupid and fell for it but the amount of work I was putting into the projects ended up dropping that $25 down to about 10 cents an hour! Quite frankly, I don't need the publicity in Carmel, Indiana (or any where else locally) when I've already been published nationally and internationally.

NEVER drop your fees for a business client because they balk at the price. If you don't believe your worth it, they won't either. Even some magazines will negotiate on price (but always get a contract in writing). Join the ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) or some other writing groups to see what others are doing and how they're making money. Go to www.becomeasixfigurewriter.com to learn how to make big bucks and drop these teensy projects that don't pay.

Again, I don't mean to sound arrogant but I am (like Ellison) sick of people who take advantage of what writers offer (on the corporate level as well as magazines).

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Permalink Reply by Erin Monahan on June 13, 2008 at 2:43pm

Believe it and you shall receive it... that's what I'm getting out of this discussion. It's about knowing we are worthy — just as the graphic designer is worthy, the accountant, the editor, etc. Thanks to you and Erik for sharing your insights. 'Tis good stuff.

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Permalink Reply by Rae Kridel on June 16, 2008 at 4:29pm

When I worked as an advisor at the Indiana Daily Student, I wrote a few stories for fun, just to keep my skills up. They paid a little but that's not why I did it. Later when I was faculty there, I completely understood that my students who were going to get jobs were the IDS kids, the ones with clips, and cut them a little slack. They were all taking 18 credit hours and working what was effectively a full-time job for about $6 a story. But I did make sure they understood that they could have all the great IDS clips in the world, but they had to finish their degree and if they didn't, they wouldn't get those jobs. So they had to do their assignments, just like everyone else. I also made sure that they knew my office door was always open and they could come to me if it all just got to be too much.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica Hardy on June 14, 2008 at 1:16pm

In response to Lou-this is so true. And the problem with this as well is that when they do not edit they tend to use the excuse of "typos" as reason not to pay more down the road. Sometimes a writer is very good but it's the editor's job to find missed gramatical errors that the human eye glaze over. Also, the publication may ask the writer to "power write" in order to get as many articles up in a short amount of time. This just causes more mistakes to be made because they are not taking the time on their end to fine tune. It backfires on them and then they blame the writers. I think that because writers are generally paid so little, we take this piddly paying jobs and give in to busting our fingers to write a lot. In the end, the publication is not real quality and we've lost time.

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Permalink Reply by Theresia Whitfield on June 14, 2008 at 8:44pm

I agree with Lou and Erik. As I mentioned in my previous post, sometimes you have to start out writing for free or lower amounts. I can name a hundred other writers who did the same. The hard part is finding that line of 'good will' and 'abuse'. Setting up boundaries is important so as to avoid getting taken advantage of. For example, when I first started as a writer, I didn't mind writing for free for faith-based or racing publications. That's where my passion lies, and I knew it would come back to me eventually. However, if someone in the medical field wanted me to write a story for free as a PSA or something, sorry. I can't justify it no matter how much I may agree with the cause. Determine your platform and then set the boundaries.

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Permalink Reply by Emily Sutherland on June 15, 2008 at 12:32am

I've been on both sides of this coin, and without question my work is far more highly esteemed when its has been paid for. There is a lot to be said about being professional enough to know how to set your rates and how to stand by them when someone balks (who clearly isn't used to working with professional writers). If you had told me a decade ago that I could make a decent living writing full-time, I would've had a hard time believing it. But believe it. Great writing is the backbone of any great publication or project... so the writer's job is to produce great work and the client's job is to make us want to entrust our great work to them by treating us fairly.

I'll end with this point (before I really get on a soapbox)... you can get lots of people to do lots of jobs - from odd jobs to babysitting - which you expect to pay them for. But good writers are not a dime a dozen! It takes skills and education... which deserve compensation every bit as much as the kid who mows the lawn.

That's all I have to say about that.

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Permalink Reply by Jay A. Moore on June 16, 2008 at 11:54am

I think that modern technology plays a large part in devaluing the skill that goes into writing something well. Many people seem to be under the misconception that just because a program like WORD can check your spelling and provide input on grammatical errors, that the computer does all of the hard work for the writer. They don't realize that there are different techniques for writing copy for a website, or for a manual, or for a brochure. Sure, the grammatical rules are all the same but that's about it.

Coming from a sales background, I think another thing that may keep writers from getting paid what they're worth is their sales skills. I'm not saying that every writer needs to take sales training classes, but it wouldn't hurt to check out a few books if you have no experience in that field. As a freelance writer, you're not just selling an article or some copy, you're selling what that text will do FOR the person buying it. You must have a value proposition equal to what you are charging. In other words, the buyer has to be able to perceive that their value is equal to or greater than what you are asking them to spend on your services.

Having said that, I'm brand new to the freelance world so I may have a skewed point of view.

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Permalink Reply by Erik Deckers on June 16, 2008 at 1:13pm

The sentiment I reserve for people who put sentences on a page and count on word to check spelling the same way Truman Capote dismissed Jack Kerouac's "On The Road:"

That's not writing; that's typing.

So, amen, Jay!

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Permalink Reply by Theresia Whitfield on June 16, 2008 at 3:37pm

Jay,

I agree with everything you said here. I often talk to people who want to blog or something but they're simply horrible writers (grammatically and spelling-wise) so I tell them to at least type it in Word so they can see the most common and simplest mistakes. But I also let them know that they can't rely on that alone to do their work. Part of being a good writer is also being a good editor.

And you're right about writers not being good salespeople. That's why I'm in a networking group (BNI). WAY before I got into news, I worked in sales and marketing so I learned a lot. But I haven't stopped learning. And I can't stop learning because I know I'm not very good at it. I do think writers should take some types of sales classes, especially if they're going to do corporate writing. I have taken a number of excellent training classes and encourage other writers (pro or not) to do the same.

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Permalink Reply by Maurice Broaddus on June 16, 2008 at 3:17pm

there are very few times that i write for less than professional rates anymore. i even try to get my blog to pay. :-)

and it's not like i'm a "known" writer. several of my horror short stories have been published. i have a column in indy.com and i'm an editor for hollywoodjesus.com. but they are all paying gigs.

i just got through hosting a convention of horror writers and editors. one of the things that kept getting hammered home was being and acting as a professional. if you want to be treated as a profession, behave as a professional and demand professional rates. there's no feeling bad about wanting to be recompensed for your time. blood and sweat. my day job is as an environmental toxicologist. i don't feel bad about collecting that check either. and as much as i care about the environment, i have bills to pay.

and i don't write for "exposure". with a few exceptions, if a venue can give you true exposure, it can cut you a check, too.

don't get me wrong, i write for the love of writing. i have to write. it's in my blood. but if i wrote strictly for the love, i'd write my stories, articles, and blogs and then file them in my drawer. i write to be read. and paid.

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Permalink Reply by Theresia Whitfield on June 16, 2008 at 3:38pm

Amen, Maurice!!! Amen!!!

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Permalink Reply by Rae Kridel on June 16, 2008 at 4:41pm

Harlan's such a cranky bastard. I love him! I've loved his fiction for years and I thank my tortuous ex-boyfriend Lou for introducing me to his work.

Ok, now that I got that off my chest, the only time I wrote for free was a film treatment I did on spec. I didn't have time to do the full screenplay so I let them use my treatment for marketing it to production companies. But it was registered with WGA and copyrighted so if it ever gets made, who knows if a little money for it will come my way.

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