Something in the Air

One of my brain breaks while working is to surf around my favorite writer blogs and discussion boards. Usually I can cull a lot of good information that helps motivate me. But lately it seems like everybody is cranky and itching for an argument.

In this corner, we have a growing blood bath called print versus web writing. I know there are a lot of snobbish print-only writers out there, but I also see a growing number of web-only writers who glare down their nose at print writers. But the truth is, the most successful writers diversify, and that means writing for print, writing for the web, writing for a variety of avenues. Sadly, there are too many writers with blinders on and prejudices who don't see that.

And over in that corner, we have the dart game of wages. Who gets to decide what a "reasonable" per word or per article rate is? And its subdivision argument, this is the way I work; therefore, so must you. There is a lot of assumption that a) all lower-paying (under 50 cents/word) are "bad" jobs, b) that all writing jobs require 10 sources, and c) all articles take equal time to write.

I think everyone is tired of winter and worried about the recession so they are cranky. Bottom line: no one is right, no one is wrong. The important thing is to work in a manner best for you.

I've got to write an article now, but I'll be back with more thoughts on this soon.

Pay Rates

I know a lot of writers who are stuck on the rate per word form of payment. They refuse to work for less than $X.XX. They scoff at editors who dare to offer less than $X.XX.

And there isn't a problem with that, if that's where you are in your career.

In my case, I came from a job that used to pay once a month. Last day, that's when your check was deposited, everything on a salary, every month exactly the same. So my perspective is slightly skewed. I have an idea of what I want to make in an 8-hour day, or what my monthly income will be.

So, rather than get worked up about the per word rate, I look at the per day rate. How much time will I spend on an article from start to finish. That includes sending out the pitch, setting up the interviews and doing them, then writing the piece. I am blessed because I write fast, so that helps.

A lot of my work is repeat business from editors, so right off I get to eliminate the search part. Many of the articles I write are one-source pieces who are familiar with the magazine. Interviews usually take less than an hour. And so on. It's rare when an article requires more than 8 hours of work, so my "per day" rate is usually very good. Much higher than anything I made per day at the old job. Granted, I don't make money every day, but I look at what I bring in at the end of the month. I have a monthly goal and that's my real target.

The majority of my writing friends, particularly the trade writers, think in per hour rates. When they are offered new assignments, they calculate how much time they think it will take and decide what their minimum per hour rate will be. That's how they decide on what jobs to take.

There is no one right way to determine what is a good pay for you. But it is important to make sure you are being paid what you think you are worth. And that can be a post for another day.