Comments on: Freelance Writing Rates

By: Freelance Writing Rates Of Pay « ScrawlBug

Freelance Writing Rates Of Pay « ScrawlBug — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 18:04:02 +0000

[...] and one last thing: don’t take any crap from people who say low rates are destroying the writing market. Bunch of whiney-ass [...]

By: Sunday Wash-Up 28th June « Shack's Comings and Goings

Sunday Wash-Up 28th June « Shack's Comings and Goings — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:12:54 +0000

[...] Freelance Writing Rates Spike Wyatt blogs the opposite opinion to TumbleMoose, either in answer to George’s post or another two. Let the debate start. [...]

By: 10 Myths Of Freelance Writing « ScrawlBug

10 Myths Of Freelance Writing « ScrawlBug — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:11:59 +0000

[...] of contention, of course, because it involves money – and we are all aware of the eternal, ongoing debate about how much writers should be [...]

By: Carolyn Cordon

Carolyn Cordon — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:36:52 +0000

This is so nice, I agree with just about everything everyone has said, especially me. There is a huge world out there, and more and more people are getting connected to each other. We have to realise that the entire pie can be cut up into many different sized slices.

Us comfy middle-class English-speaking types can snaffle our big piece of pie, and those clever enough to be working to attain the crazy language of English “As Adults!” can put up with the smaller sized slices. For now.

They coming though, and if we want to get paid as we wish, we’d better make sure we realise there is a huge group of people after bigger slices too.

Good luck to them, that’s what I say. We’re writers, amateur, semi-professional, professional. We write what the market wants, if we want the bigger slice of pie, or we write what we want if we are just happy to be writing.

It’s important to remember that the more people who are connected, the greater the need for content. Just be prepared to move with the flow of it all, and you won’t drown.

Did I mix too many metaphors? Zero editing, in a rush should be somewhere else entirely.

By: spikethelobster

spikethelobster — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:42:39 +0000

Carolyn: Expression is more important than cash, agreed – as you say, the money’s a nice encouragement!

Patrick: You may have hit the proverbial nail on the head, there. The fame can be more important in many ways than the content, and lead to more money purely on reputation – earned or not.

Vijay: Great counterpoint to the ongoing debate! Steven pointed out the “racist” aspect of the argument on his own blog (and summarised them above).

I don’t think the language advantage is “unfair” as such: it’s one of those natural imbalances that occurs when the majority of work happens to be in a particular place or language. It could just as easily have been French, for example, that became the international business language (it was on level par with English for a long, long time).

I love the statement that “Writing is a creative activity and is not the function of command of a language alone.” This is my point, in a way – and Steven’s: we both believe that producing quality work is the only way anyone – not just Western-world-based writers – can set themselves apart from the mass of content producers now working world-wide.

It seems you took my use of the word “quality” to mean “perfect English”: that’s not my definition. By “quality”, I mean “well-researched, useful, cohesive, creative and original” (to name but a few adjectives!) – it doesn’t matter if there are some grammatical mistakes. That’s what editors are for.

As for “native” literature, I think any US- or UK-based person would be stupid to ignore the fact that most of the Eastern world was “civilised” LONG before we were and has a vast, rich treasure of writings. I’m crap at history, but even I know that.

Again, thanks for the thought-provoking comments.

By: vijay

vijay — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:49:42 +0000

The whole discussion above is very interesting as it is racist.
The so called quality authors from countries where lingua franc is English are now facing the heat from authors from developing countries and non English speaking countries – who are obliged to learn English, it not being their native language.
All along the former have had an unfair advantage over authors from developing countries and non English speaking countries; so they label themselves as being superior writers doing quality work and deserving better payments.
Writing is acreative activity and is not the function of command of a language alone.
How would it be if these quality writer were asked to compete for earning lively hood by writing in the native languages of such countries eg Hindi, Chinese, Sanskrit, French, German or Urdu.
Despite their current whining about spoiling the market they would be the one doing the $1 per article bidding.
And what is this about quality?
Native literature or writings – surprised, yes, these are there – is in no way inferior in scope, vibrancy or flexibility to that in English.
Fake quality English writers your citadel is crumbling; beware the storm that will blow your fake superiority away is not too far away!

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:03:22 +0000

Whining never solved anything Besides, have you seen the quality of some of te copy out there?! Quality writing will always be valued and the cost of words (at least these days), is measured in fame.

Writers may have to learn how to promote themselves more (to gain a potential audience for the paid work), but the craft itself hasn’t changed much. Sites like yours are evidence of this.