This two-part series began with the reasons you might choose to write for free. The key word in that sentence was choose. It is fine if it is your decision to provide your talents to a project without payment. But that is not always the case.
Here Are Some Reasons When It Does Not Make Sense to Write for Free:
Because You Feel Obligated
As we said, writing for free is fine if it is your choice. When someone pressures or guilts you into writing for free, it is no longer your choice. This happens a lot when writers feel like they owe someone. So-and-so gave me a break and never asked me for anything in return, until now. This is not a great way to say thank you for your break. This is pressure. A good rule of thumb to use is if you hesitate when asked to write something for free, say no. Otherwise, that hesitation will grow into resentment. You do not owe anyone your work without pay. It is one thing to choose to offer to write or edit something for free and quite another to have it expected of you. Make sure you are in control before you pick up your pen.
I Want to Be Published Any Way I Can
The pursuit of a byline can make you agree to anything. But this attitude could lead to weeks/months/years of work without reward. Getting published is not easy, but it is not something you should assume won’t happen for you in a paying market. Have higher standards for yourself. Keep trying. Aim for smaller markets, if you must, but demand payment for your services, even if it is a stipend.
I Need Samples
For writers who don’t have samples to show, create some. You can do this on your own. They do not necessarily have to be published clips. The editor/publisher wants to check your style, grammar, and technique, which can be done with any content. Don’t agree to write for clients for free just to get samples, unless you want to write for that particular outlet. Even then, do what you can to get paid.
Writing, Even for Free, Will Help Me Be a Better Writer
No, it won’t. Writing for free won’t make you better. It won’t get you “ready” to publish for real, whatever that means. It is nothing more than free labor without reciprocation. It is not a training ground. You are mistaking “writing for free” for school, which would help. Education will help you get better. Studying writing books will help you improve. Practice is essential. Even critique groups can help. Clients who are asking to write for free? They have already shown how much they value your skills. You are unlikely to learn from them.
I Need the Exposure
This is a slippery slope. Many writers choose to write for free or minimal payment to get before an audience. This may work. It might not. Figure out how much exposure you would be getting and weigh that against the time it will take to do the work. Is it worth your time and effort? Is it worth donating that idea and content to another source without copyright retention or payment? Is this exposure going to result in paying work? Could you do better somewhere else? This one will take some work to determine whether it makes sense for you or not. If the exposure is excellent and the potential payoff from that exposure will help you achieve your goals, then it might be worth it. Only you can decide. But be sure it is your decision. Do not get pressured into this. If it wasn’t your idea, it might not be a good idea for you.
My Skills Need Work
if you are leaning toward writing for free because you know your writing isn’t strong enough yet, there are better ways to improve. Take a class. Attend a seminar. Hire a tutor. Join a critique group. Study grammar. Study style. Study everything to do with writing better. There are some great books out there, as well as great YouTube videos on writing. Learn. Practice. Write every day. Get feedback. Learn from your mistakes. And, most of all, don’t confuse working for free with education. It is not. You would be far better off studying hard than working for free.
Why You Should Demand Payment
Your Skills Are Valuable
Writing is a skill and talent. It may be something everyone learns in school, but to write professionally requires a different skill set and experience. These skills should be recognized (although, sadly, they often are not), respected (again, not always), and compensated. If you are writing for someone who does not recognize your contributions, walk away. If you are in a working relationship with little to no respect, walk away. If you are not being compensated for your work, demand to be paid or walk away. To do this, you must recognize and respect your own skills and value.
Your Time Is Valuable
No matter what the job, it will take time from your paying work and life. If you work for free for any reason other than because you wish to do so, you are not valuing your time. And, frankly, neither is the person who refuses to pay you for your time.
It’s Hard to Break Out of…
Often nonpayment goes hand-in-hand with little or no respect for your work and your status as a professional. This can lead to bad places. If you can’t have a respectful relationship with your client/editor/agent/publisher then it is time to find someone else. Keep in mind that it is quite difficult to terminate relationships based on free writing and even harder to convert them into paying work. It’s also difficult to leverage them into good paying jobs, i.e. those that are paying market value for the work.
The Creative Arts Deserve Payment
I am not sure when it became normal to ask for free work, but it happens all the time. Client proposals ask for multiple ideas or treatments. Clients want to see graphic design examples before they hire. The same holds true for video and writing. It has only gotten worse with improved technology and applications. Everyone thinks they can do their own graphic design, video production and writing. They learned it in school. They have that free app on their phone. They watched a video online. They must be experts. As long as we allow that attitude to exist and play into it by agreeing to work for free, the arts will be dismissed as frivolous or a luxury. Writing is a skill. Being able to write a story or script or speech takes experience and knowledge. We must remind people of that and demand payment for our talents. Just because you know how to plug in a lamp does not make you qualified to light a feature film.