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Freelance Writing and the Free Market
Last week, Deborah at Freelance Writing Jobs greeted quite a stir when she posted her article about the $3 writing jobs. As much as I understand the desire, or need, to accept low paying jobs, I also understand that as long as people accept those wages, the prices will stay low. Welcome to the free market.
Writers incomes are determined by what we are willing to accept. If there are good writers that will work for $3, it does not make good business sense for a buyer to willingly pay more. The only way pay will improve, is of good writers start demanding more money for each article. If buyers can no longer find the quality they are looking for $3 an article, pretty soon the price they are willing to pay will begin to rise.
I find it amazing that there are so many talented writers that willingly accept such low pay for their work. If they were out looking for a “typical” job, they would be insulted if a potential boss offered them such a low wage for their work. I wonder if there is a mindset with some people that says because they are working from home that it isn’t a “real” job. It’s just something we do for a little extra income. If that is you, you need to change your mindset. This is a real job that requires real skills.
If you are good at what you do, you should not be willing to accept an insultingly low income level. You are a professional, and you deserve to be paid like a professional.
It takes time for a change in the market place. As buyers begin to realize that they aren’t getting the quality they need at $3, they will begin offering more. When writers begin to realize that other writers are earning more money, they will begin to demand their fair share as well. Slowly the rate of pay will start to rise, but it will only work if you start demanding to be paid what you are worth.
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January 7th, 2008 at 9:53 am
I believe you also have people that don’t realize their worth. They feel they have to take those low paying jobs. They don’t think of themselves as “real writers” so they will accept those scraps.
The sad thing is I have read some of the articles that writers have written at these wages, and they are good articles. I can understand the fear because I faced that issue also in fact, I wrote about my experience; however, I would not write period.
Once I conquered my fears, and realized that I was a writer started freelance writing. I demanded a good salary right from the start, and I received it.
If writers devalue their worth by accepting these articles and produce quality content naturally the client will think it’s not that hard to do and wonder why writers are “demanding” such extravagant sums for their articles.
January 7th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Exactly right! It goes back to my point about thinking of yourself as a professional. Even moderately talented writers deserve more than what they are settling for.
Your last point is what is keeping wages low. As long as buyers get good articles for insultingly low money, it would not make good business sense for them to willingly pay more.
January 7th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Jim,
I never knew the mentality was this bad until I started taking work as a freelance writer. One of my blog buddies is a great writer, but she keeps taking those low paying jobs.
In many cases they could make more writing reviews or possibly submitting their work to associated content at least they can get upfront pay and residual income.