Freelance Writing Tips - August 2, 2007
Writer's Resources...
Paying Markets: How Low is "Too Low?"
It's common for freelance writers to accept a few low-paying jobs in the beginning of their careers. Online job boards are flooded with offensive ads that offer writers a measly one cent per word, which amounts to $5 per 5oo word piece. Online writing is different from print writing because many online publications can't afford to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for an article. This is why many writers eventually transition into magazine writing.
Before accepting an assignment to create SEO or web content, each writer must ask themselves, "How low is too low?" It's possible to earn a living as a freelance writer. You'll come across some great paying gigs that will pay your mortgage or rent for two months. On the other hand, you'll also experience a few slow months, where the jobs are not as plentiful, and you might have to deal with slow-paying clients. During these times of desperation, some writers are tempted to accept super low gigs to meet their monthly expenses. There is nothing wrong with this. However, if accepting a low paying gig means producing a batch of ten 800-word articles for the grand price of $5 per article - it's time to re-think our standards.
If you can write fast and produce two 800-word articles within an hour, making $10 an hour may not be a bad deal. On the flip side, if it takes you an hour or more to write one article, not including the time spent researching the topic, you'll never make a living as a writer. Instead, you'll work eight hours a day, but earn a part-time workers salary - if that!
Paying Markets: How Low is "Too Low?"
It's common for freelance writers to accept a few low-paying jobs in the beginning of their careers. Online job boards are flooded with offensive ads that offer writers a measly one cent per word, which amounts to $5 per 5oo word piece. Online writing is different from print writing because many online publications can't afford to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for an article. This is why many writers eventually transition into magazine writing.
Before accepting an assignment to create SEO or web content, each writer must ask themselves, "How low is too low?" It's possible to earn a living as a freelance writer. You'll come across some great paying gigs that will pay your mortgage or rent for two months. On the other hand, you'll also experience a few slow months, where the jobs are not as plentiful, and you might have to deal with slow-paying clients. During these times of desperation, some writers are tempted to accept super low gigs to meet their monthly expenses. There is nothing wrong with this. However, if accepting a low paying gig means producing a batch of ten 800-word articles for the grand price of $5 per article - it's time to re-think our standards.
If you can write fast and produce two 800-word articles within an hour, making $10 an hour may not be a bad deal. On the flip side, if it takes you an hour or more to write one article, not including the time spent researching the topic, you'll never make a living as a writer. Instead, you'll work eight hours a day, but earn a part-time workers salary - if that!
