The WMF Archives

By Angela Atkinson

There was a time when I thought I couldn't afford to turn down freelance writing jobs, even if they paid well below my "bottom line" price. Not surprisingly, around that same time, if a potential client balked at my pricing, I would instantly respond with a lower quote.

This mindset led me to work really hard (and not really smart) for very little money. Because I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my work, I still felt the need to do proper research and edit myself thoroughly, even though I was being paid peanuts.

Even so, I wasted a lot of time, and I dealt with a lot of unnecessary stress. Then one day, former WM blogger Carol Tice told me that I didn't have to take those jobs, that it was ok to hold out for the gigs I wanted. At first, I thought she was full of it, and wrote her off and kept plugging away. After all, I did have some high paying gigs mixed in there with the crappy ones, so I was doing ok, right? And, I thought, holding on to the lower paying jobs seemed like a way to make sure I'd never be without work.

But, when the time you spend on the low paying jobs starts costing you the ability to find the high paying jobs? Well, then, my friend, you're riding that self-destructive train, speeding on its way to writer burnout (and very little to show for it.) See, I could very easily spend 10 hours a day (or more) pumping out article after article for a content mill--and still not make the kind of money I can make if I'm working a solid 5 or 6 hours a day on jobs that I actually A. Like and B. Get paid a decent amount to do.

Are you stuck in the low-paying writing jobs spiral of self-destruction? Does it feel like you're in one of those movies where the train just won't stop? Well, my writer friends, it's time to step it up and jump off that train. So how do you do it?

Buck Up

Start by setting your rates. The 2011 Writer's Market has a great "pay rates list" starting on page 67 that can be really helpful, if you're not sure what to charge. Consider your writing abilities and the level of quality you expect to provide to your clients, and then just do it. I have a rate-range that I work with--one that includes my "low end" and "high end" pricing and requires me to consider the depth of work that might be involved with a particular project.

You don't have to publish this list--just keep it for your own reference. Then, when you get a nibble from a potential client, you can work up your quote based on your pre-determined rates. Personally, I found this practice very empowering, especially when I learned to stick to my guns and not totally freak if someone said I was charging too much.

Speaking of Guns

Stick to yours. Don't let yourself be low-balled. Don't be afraid to walk away--there is always another gig around the corner if this one isn't a good fit. If you're a decent writer who is committed to yourself and your business, you'll find the right gigs for you. Just keep your head up and your eyes open. They show up in the most interesting places.

I had a nibble earlier this week in which a novelist asked me to edit his book. It was around 130K words, and after reading the synopsis, I thought it sounded like a fun project. After I sent over my quote, the novelist responded, saying he was surprised that it cost so much and that he'd get back to me.

I didn't freak out because I knew that it just wasn't the right fit. And because, as a freelancer, I never put all of my eggs in one basket, so I'm all set with my other writing jobs. In fact, this one would have been just a little extra gravy. (One I probably didn't have time for anyway!)

Then today, it occurred to me that I have reached that level--I am officially off the train. I no longer feel obligated to take jobs that pay less than I feel comfortable accepting. And, I have to say, it feels pretty darn good.

So how about you? Are you on that train? Or have you taken that leap of faith and jumped off? Tell us all about it in the comments!

Low Paying Freelance Writing Gigs: Jump Off That Train, Quick!