Taking the Free Out of Freelance Writing

When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors and proofreaders you'd think the biggest problem would be attracting employers who are willing to pay a decent hourly rate for freelance writing.

You'd be wrong.

Actually, the biggest problem is dealing with freelancers who're absolutely determined to offer their services for free. This week I was forced to suspend the account of one of our writers for just this reason. She had repeatedly responded to requests for tenders on our jobs board with the offer of free writing, which she would provide on the basis that if the employer liked it, they could arrange a fee. And if not? well, if not, she would have wasted time that she could have spent finding a paid writing job.

Why "freelance" shouldn't mean "free."

Unfortunately, this kind of scenario is all too common in the world of freelance writing, where there are so many writers chasing the same jobs that it's hard not to feel that you have to be as competitive as possible in order to win the tender.

Writing for free isn't "being competitive", though. It's being taken advantage of. Unfortunately, this is another concept which many freelance writers are all too familiar with. We're asked to write "for the experience" or for the byline. We're expected to want to spend hours of our time and a huge chunk of our talent working on a writing project just for the fun of it. Sadly, many of us do.

The problem with freelance writing

It's a problem which is peculiar to the freelance writing business. So-called "employers" who wouldn't dream of asking a mechanic to repair their car "just for the experience", or offer an accountant the "opportunity" to deal with their tax returns "for fun", think nothing of asking talented writers, who've spent years honing their skill, to work for nothing more than their name on the bottom of their article, and maybe a link to their website ? if they're lucky.

There are a lot of unscrupulous "employers" out there. In the scenario above, there's a good chance that the writer never would have been paid for her work. When you offer to write for someone with the promise that "if you don't like it, you don't have to pay me, and if you do, we'll work out a fee", there's always a risk that you'll get stung. What's to stop the "employer" from telling you "thanks, but no thanks" ? and then using your work anyway? What if they agree to pay you, but want to pay far less than you're worth?

How to make sure you're paid for your work

We all know how competitive freelance writing is. But that doesn't mean you should simply give your work away. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned pro, try to always bear these rules in mind:

1. Always agree your fee upfront

Never start work on a project unless you know how much you'll be paid, and how the money will change hands. Some writers insist on 50% upfront and the rest on completion, others are prepared to be paid when they hand over the work. However you do it, make sure both yourself and the client are clear on the details.

2. Get it in writing

One you've agreed your free, and the project details, it's a good idea to get things in writing. You can download standard contracts online, or get your lawyer to prepare one for you, but make sure you have something to prove what's been agreed, especially for larger projects.

3. Join a reputable agency

WritingWorld.org was formed based on the principle that freelance writers deserve to be paid, just like any other professional. All job postings on our boards are closely monitored, and we do not allow our freelancers to work for free.

Check it out at http://www.WritingWorld.org

Amber McNaught is the owner of http://www.WritingWorld.org, an agency for freelance writers.

Amber is also a director of Hot Igloo Productions Ltd., the website design and small business specialists.

---

Hero?s Journey ? The First Threshold

Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More

Documenting Everything: Your Journal is Your Logbook

Sailors had it for years. Great explorers had it as... Read More

How You Can Find Freelance Editing Jobs

Freelance editing opportunities are out there, you just need to... Read More

Apostrophe Usage Made Simple

According to one of my previous articles, whenever a Southerner... Read More

Five Common Errors to Correct Before Submitting a Letter or Report

First impressions count in writing too! So it is always... Read More

6 Ways to Leverage Technical Articles

Technology vendors often contribute bylined articles to trade journals. The... Read More

Apotheosis - the Seminal Insight of the Hero for Screenwriting

Every hero has a seminal insight - the apotheosis. Once... Read More

Greatness

[When I was a nineteen-year-old high school student and budding... Read More

Getting Looked Over, Without Getting Overlooked: Writing for Scanners and Skimmers

* Scanning and Skimming Practices *Whether you're writing e-mail messages... Read More

Use Real-Life Templates For Writing Success

At some point along the way, most of us have... Read More

How To Identify Your Own Style Of Writing

This article is to help identify which style, technique or... Read More

New Authors Publishing Options

All your publishing options are as follows:--Conventional publishing--Vanity or subsidy... Read More

Writing New Ideas

Someone once commented that there were no new ideas to... Read More

The Spectre Hound

And a dreadful thing from the cliff did spring, and... Read More

Imagine The Imagination

Imagine a three hundred page book was in the author's... Read More

In Praise of Personal Pronouns

Rudolph Flesch, a pioneering advocate of readability, put great stock... Read More

6 Ways to Toot Your Own Writing Horn

You know you've got writing talent. Others enjoy your work... Read More

Hey Cient, this is Me! Find Your Writing Voice and Sell Yourself

In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as... Read More

How to Write a Holiday Tale that Isn?t a Turkey

When we write stories, with the purpose of sharing them... Read More

How To Write Thank You Letters With Class

When I first started tracking the information preferences of people... Read More

Blank Mind, Blank Screen: Need Ideas!

Q. I'm staring at a blank screen with an equally... Read More

Best Writing Advice I Ever Got

I've been in the communications business a long time?over 25... Read More

Recipe for a Style Guide

Wired Online has recently announced its plans to drop capitalization... Read More

Writing IS a Business

Why is it that so many people don't take writing-as-a-job... Read More

7 Secrets For Beating Writers Block

Most people can easily identify with the dreaded "writer's block".... Read More

Get Published: The Nuts and Bolts of Good English, and How to Impress a Publisher (3)

A well-punctuated approach letter may make the difference between acceptance... Read More

Interviewing an Author: Dont Be Left Speechless

Joyce Carol Oates. Langston Hughes. Anne Sexton. F. Scott Fitzgerald.... Read More

Making Better Word Choices ? 4 Examples

Choosing the wrong words can have a poor effect on... Read More

How to Write a Short Story

Everybody knows writing a story is not easy. Like the... Read More

Self-examination vs Self-indulgence

Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.Writing requires the... Read More

Autobiography: Installment No.3

ESSAY 3Writing an autobiography involves a matching up of a... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #2: Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was born in Portsea, England, in1812. His father... Read More

Keep your Book Dream Alive

Is your book nearly finished, finished, published, or even in... Read More