Scope Creep

I'm still somewhere deep in the Canadian Rockies and probably without an Internet connection. I can tell you from experience that I love being disconnected. It's absolutely refreshing. Still, after about two weeks, I'll be getting that "missing mouse" twitch from computer withdrawal.

I'm leaving this for you to contemplate until I can get myself back to civilization.

Over the years I've talked with a lot of clients about various projects. For the most part, most clients get that what you spell out in an agreement or during talks is the limit of your agreement. However, there are clients who aren't familiar with working with contractors. They may still be filtering your relationship through an employer/employee mindset, for they're the ones who usually say "Oh, and one more thing we'll be needing..."

It's scope creep -- adding work to a project that wasn't in the original agreement. And it can kill your compensation level.

Suppose your client comes to you with a simple website project --rewrite the Home page for $400. The rest is fine, he says. So you draw up the agreement, collect the deposit and get to work.

You deliver the project for his review. His comments come back "Here are my changes. Also, could you look at the About Us page? I want to incorporate the ideas in the Home page first paragraph into that page. Just one sentence should do it."

You think What's one sentence? and agree to do it. Back goes the copy for his review.

Back it comes with this note:  "That looks good. Only now I'm not sure the copy on that page reflects the same message as we have on the Home page. Can you tweak that a little?"

Hmm. Okay, so you tweak it and send it back.

Back it comes, only this time he's happy with the About Us page. "Great job! But now I'm wondering if I shouldn't combine the About Us page with the Company History page. Can you try that and see how it sounds to you?"

You grit your teeth and do it, thinking it's the last thing you'll do that will rid you of this client's additional demands. Big mistake, for those demands? They're going to keep coming. Why shouldn't they? You're basically agreeing piecemeal to do the entire website for $400.

How to handle the scope creep:

Stop it on the first request. When he mentioned the About Us page, you should have said, "Great! Happy to do it. Let me draw up another agreement for that work. And while I'm at it, are there any other pages or projects you'd like me to include in this?"

Agree for a fee. "Happy to handle that for you! Would you prefer I charge you my hourly rate of $XXX for that, or would you like a flat fee price in the new contract?"

Ask more questions. Maybe your client doesn't really know what they need. Ask their goals, what they hope to see in the end, what doing this and not a larger project accomplishes for them, what their budget is. The answers will help you decide if they're wanting more than they're paying for, they're the types that get spur-of-the-moment ideas, or they're stymied by indecision.

Re-evaluate the client and the project. On paper. Even if you've done this at the outset (and you should have), sometimes client needs change or they remember things that should have been in the original agreement. Create a new scope of work document and if necessary, draw up a second agreement for what you'll call this next phase of the project with the new price.

Beg off the work. This isn't your only client and if there's no extra compensation involved, there's no reason for you to keep your hand up to that flame. Say no thank you. Don't apologize -- even an "I'm sorry, but I have other projects coming in" is too much of an apology. You're not sorry. You're simply busy elsewhere. Don't agree to it if you don't want to do it for free.

How do you avoid or quash scope creep?

Bending Rules and Delivering Service

Wasn't that a great Writers Worth celebration? I still have some posts, but I'm not around to get them up for you, so we'll wait until I return.

I'm still out of the office, but I couldn't leave you without something to read, now could I? Thanks to my shoe-shopping habit, I had plenty of fodder for this post. Don't worry -- when I return I intend to give you a roundup of all the great Writers Worth posts. I may even add my own two cents. :)

I was in one of my favorite stores a few weeks ago (buying shoes, naturally). I approached the clerk to check out and asked about the promotional bag they were giving away with a $30 purchase. The clerk said, "Sure! Do you have your coupon?"

I said that no, I'd forgotten it.

She said, "Well, we do need the coupon because we're tracking just how many people come in with them and how many bags we give versus how many are requested."

I was fine with that. I then asked if I could come back with the coupon and my receipt in order to get the bag.

She said, "No, you'd have to bring back the purchases and we'd have to ring them up as a return, then re-ring them up as purchases."

That's where my favorite store lost me. Red tape and rules that made no sense to me. Returning and re-ringing shoes just for a free tote bag? While it may make sense on paper, customers have no idea why you're making them jump through hoops. And frankly, stores shouldn't be making them do so.

How often has this happened to you - you ask a clerk a question or make a request, and they answer in "store speak" - "You'll need a querk for that"; "Did you fill out a Q-86 requisition order first?"
or; "I'd have to mark that as a poly-woozit purchase."

No, they're not real words. But neither are the words you often get from people who are parroting company acronyms, jargon, or code words. Employees, maybe not understanding the rules fully themselves, are repeating them verbatim to customers who probably don't care one damn about the company's internal processes or technical reasons why they can't have what they want. Like I said already, it makes sense on paper, but that doesn't mean your customers are going to understand. They're certainly not going to like it.

My daughter likes to quote chapter-and-verse of the restaurant hostess handbook, which says customers are to be seated in a rotation fashion. The reasoning -- wait staff then have a balanced workload, instead of a waiter running his legs off to serve 10 tables while his counterpart has just three tables.

On paper, it makes sense.

But if I walk into a restaurant and they seat me next to the bar where the television is blaring and the customers are yelling over it, I'm not going to want to stay there if I'm there to have a conversation. Also, I may have a bad back and can't sit in a hard chair, thus preferring a booth. While the hostesses/hosts may think it's rude of a customer, customers think it's equally rude to be told "No, because I have to seat you here because I have to follow rotation policy."

Where's the customer in all this? We're told that it's "policy" that we have to fall in line and follow company policy even when it inconveniences the customer because hey, Judy here was trained to do it this way, not that way. One salesperson made the mistake of dictating to my husband that he "can't" buy a Stickley sofa from a store in New Jersey because our local store was the only authorized one for our area. That's just bloody stupid, and my husband told him the day he allows someone like him to dictate where he can shop is the day he stops shopping in his store.  Obviously, the man meant that no one else in our area was an authorized dealer and that the New Jersey store couldn't openly solicit his business. Trouble in translation there, eh?
We writers have rules, too. We have boundaries around our invoicing, around our time, around our fees, and even around our time off. We've worked hard to define those boundaries, so it's very easy to turn into a Cyborg-spewing tyrant when clients have emergency projects requiring quick turnaround or even (gasp!) weekend work. While I'd never tell you how to run your own business, I will say that flexibility even in the most inflexible of requests can sometimes leave a great impression with your clients. Sometimes. Always beware the client looking for someone to order around like a minion.

So how can you protect your boundaries and serve your client's interests?

Suggest different payment options.  This can solve both the invoicing and the "I can't afford you" dilemmas. If your client is late with a payment, don't immediately head to small claims court or collections. Write first offering a payment schedule (including the late fees). They may not take you up on it, but if they do, you've turned nonpayment into payment. If they can't afford your fee up front, you can secure the gig through the payment plan option, and you may find yourself a steadfast client. Mind you, if they say "Ooo, you're going to have to lower those fees" like one client did to me, that's an indication that someone has a convoluted opinion of who's calling the shots in your business. That's a client to walk away from.

Remove the rush fee. You weren't really doing anything and didn't have any pressing deadlines, but the client wanted the project in a day. So you're really going to charge them a rush fee even though you're not inconvenienced by it? It's okay to say "You're in luck! I have the spare time, so I can waive the usual rush fee for you." You've just reinforced your boundaries while at the same time giving the client an unexpected break. They'll remember and appreciate it.

Give up a few hours on a weekend. I've done it once last year, but it's because I knew the job would lead to more work, and it certainly did. I spent about five hours in one weekend on the project, and the client met her deadline. That turned into four more assignments within two weeks. If you didn't have plans anyway, consider how doing a one-time favor can pay off.

Not every client request has to be honored, but the ones you can honor can make a huge impact on your reputation and your customer relationships.The key is knowing which clients will take advantage of that one-time generosity and expect it every time. Those clients should be treated as time or money leeches and not afforded the same generosity as someone who genuinely needs your help.

In what ways have you bent the rules for select clients? Did it pay off or did it backfire?

Writers Worth Three: Hobbyists Need Not Apply

Three weeks of Writers Worth posts -- can you believe it? Thanks to everyone who posted and those whose posts are in transit. You have helped make this a fantastic movement of learning and sharing and encouragement (and butt kicking -- can't forget that!). May what you've written and commented inspire another writer to change bad habits.

I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Vancouver, inches from losing my electronic connection for a week and looking forward to it. The trouble with bringing electronics on a getaway -- you never really get away. But it was necessary this week as projects and invoices had to be sorted.

I'm also here because Samar Owais delivered on her promise to guest post, and I knew you wouldn't want to miss this. Samar is someone I've been acquainted with for a while, but whose presence on the Five Buck Forum has been inspiring to say the least. She's prepared a fantastic beginners' course on getting a freelance business off the ground, and it's offered in self-paced form over on About Writing Squared. That's my shameless plug.

Samar, thank you for the post! It's a strong reminder that this is a business. Amen, sister.

How to Stop Treating Your Freelance Writing Business Like a Hobby


By Samar Owais

Four years ago when I started freelancing, I thought I’d hit pay dirt. I’d be paid to write on topics that interest me? Sign me up!

Unfortunately, what I’d hit was a content mill.

While I eventually left content mills behind and moved on to actual clients, the damage was done.

I had no confidence as a writer and because I believed my writing wasn’t good enough, I charged accordingly. In short, I undervalued myself.

After working for rates that were higher than content mills but still low enough to keep me in the red, I had a bit of an epiphany.

None of my client had ever complained about my work. In fact, quite a few of them had me on a retainer. More than that, no one had demanded their money back!

That’s when it hit me.

I’m a writer.


I’m a bloody good writer!


And my freelance writing isn’t a hobby – it’s a business!

These three simple truths still hit me every day.

If you’re a freelance writer struggling with rates, if you have trouble valuing your work, if you’re stuck writing for deadbeat clients – it’s time to do yourself a favour and believe.

You’re a writer

That’s right.

You’re a writer. A professional one at that!

Ask yourself this: If you weren’t a freelance writer and instead had a kick ass job that you loved, would you still write?

If you answered yes, then you’re a writer.

Stephen King nailed the sentiment recently in an interview with Neil Gaiman. “They pay me absurd amounts of money,” he observes, “For something that I would do for free.” (You can read the entire interview here)

You’re a bloody good writer

You use words to help your clients reach their goals. Because of your writing they sound professional, personable and trust worthy. That makes you a bloody good writer.

More importantly, if you have clients who are happy and satisfied with your work then that’s all the proof you need.

It’s high time you start believing.

Your freelance writing isn’t a hobby – it’s a business

This is the crux of it all. This is the key to valuing your work. You’re not doing anyone a favour by writing for them. Nor is anyone doing you a favour by giving you work.

You’re a bloody good writer which is why they come to you. Charge accordingly. You’re running a business after all!

Don’t know what to charge? Forget the going rates for the kind of writing you do. Simply figure out the amount you need to make to stay afloat.

Next, figure out how many clients you’ll need that will keep the work at a manageable level and let you earn enough to stay in business.

Put these two on and X and Y scale and find your happy medium.

Then go find those clients and slowly raise your rates to start making a profit.

Samar Owais is a freelance blogger and ebook writer. She offers rock-solid tips for freelance writing success on her blog The Writing Base and is passionate about helping freelancers break free from low paying content mills.

Writers Worth Three: The Three T's

What's this? A third  week of Writers Worth? Darn skippy! It's thanks to all of you that we can continue helping our own improve how they handle business and how they view their own value. So thank you to everyone whose posts are appearing here and everyone whose comments add to the experience.

Let me tell you a little something about Wade Finnegan. Wade is one of those people you meet in the stratosphere who's instantly friendly, immediately supportive, and entirely genuine. You can't help but like Wade. He makes you look good while he's really the one who's to be applauded. I credit a fairly large part of my new readership to Wade's efforts. He's the first one to promote my blog posts, anyone's blog posts, and he's generous of his time and talent in the comments.

And he says I inspire him. Wade, you've no idea how much you inspire me. 

Wade takes on today's topic: defining worthiness in three simple steps.

The Three T’s of Worthiness
by Wade Finnegan

Talent- The ability to manipulate words that informs, persuades, or entertains an audience is a real talent. Taking ideas and turning them into useful and readable documents is a job worth significant compensation. Anytime someone suggests that writing is easy, hand him or her your laptop and say go for it! Chances are they won’t get very far.

Thought- Writing is thinking. The true work in writing is not visible to the naked eye. Writing causes stress on the brain, the most powerful organ in your body, and leaves you feeling exhausted when finished. The whole writing process is based upon a labor of the mind. So if anyone ever suggests that writing isn’t “real” work, have him or her crank out 1200 words in an hour, and tell them they will be judged on the quality. Your thoughts are a commodity worthy of an income.

Tact- Words possess unlimited power. They need to be treated with the decisiveness and delicacy of a bomb technician. Writers deliver their message with a subtle refinement, and truly manipulate words into meaning. A writer is a great observer of humanity and understands how clear communication is an essential ingredient to the human condition. The next time someone states, “Everyone is a writer.” have them describe an ocean to a person who has never seen one, or inspire somebody to make a life change. When they are at a loss, remind them this is why you make the big bucks.

Being a professional means being treated as such. I wouldn’t go to a massage therapist or a barber and not expect to pay them for their service. They are professionals that provide a service that I cannot do on my own. I provide a service that most people can’t complete on their own. This is why I deserve fair compensation and feel no remorse in asking to be paid.

Wade Finnegan is a freelance writer based in Oregon City, Oregon. He takes pride in beating deadlines and exceeding his clients and editors expectations. He has expertise in outdoor recreation and education, but writes on a wide array of subjects. You can follow him on twitter @qualitywriting or find him posting on Google+.

Writers Worth Two: Are You A Flasher?

Even though I'm writing this before I head out, I know by now we'll be in the car driving toward the Canadian Rockies. The plan is to stay in Jasper, AB for a few days, then down near Banff and Lake Louise before hightailing it back to Seattle for our flight home. I promise to bore you with the sights and tales when I return.

What a great two weeks it has been! And what a great way to round out this week's posts - Devon Ellington takes on the "exposure" scenario in one of the funniest ways possible. If you don't know Devon, you've not been paying attention. She's one of the most prolific writers I know, holding what seems like a gazillion pen names and working in more genres than I have shoes, and I have a lot of shoes. She makes hard work look easy, but this woman devotes a ton of time to her craft, and it shows.

Thank you, Devon. The celebration would not have been complete without your words of wisdom! I appreciate your friendship and support. Big virtual hugs. :)

You’re Not a Flasher, Are You?

By Devon Ellington

  

Before you wonder why I asked you about your personal life, think a moment:  How often have you been offered “exposure” in lieu of money for your writing?

Cultures leave unwanted babies out  in the wild for exposure, and it’s not because they treasure them. 

Flashers need exposure.  Film needs exposure. We need cash, the same way the plumber and the doctor and the accountant need it.  “Exposure” doesn’t pay the bills.  Nor does “pay per click after 500 clicks”.  You expect me to put my time and effort into writing a good piece?  I need to know what you’re paying.  Up front.  Not maybe-someday, depending on the leg work I do to drive traffic to YOUR site.  This is my business, not my hobby.  This is how I pay the bills.  If you’re not going to participate in a fair exchange for time and skill spent, I will work with someone who will. 

No one is going to respect your worth until you do.  If you believe that you are only worth $1 an article instead of $1 word, no one else has the reason to believe you are worth more, either.  This is not a business that rewards false modesty.  If you’ve bothered to learn the craft and added that special magic called “talent” - -you’re worth a living wage.

Everyone thinks they can write.  How many people have you met who claim they’d write a book “if they had the time”?  Some of them might start one, someday.  Then, lo and behold, when they discover there’s actually work involved, they stop.  Most people think “anyone” can write a newsletter or a brochure.  Then why aren’t they writing the materials for their own business, if it’s so easy.  Time?  If it “only takes a few minutes”, they can forego a few minutes of Angry Birds and do it.  But they don’t -- because they can’t.  No matter how they justify it to themselves, it’s not about time.  It’s about skill.

Well-written materials connect the consumer to the business.  The writing makes the consumer feel he matters -- matters beyond simply opening his wallet, but that his needs and his interests matter to the business.  If I have a choice between a business that knows my name and greets me with a smile when I come in, and one where the employee is far too busy on his cell phone to bother with me, which do you think I will patronize?  The one that makes me feel welcome.

Good writing makes the reader feel welcome.

It’s a skill.  It deserves fair compensation.  Not mere exposure.

 Devon Ellington publishes under a half a dozen names in both fiction and non-fiction.  Her romantic suspense novel ASSUMPTION OF RIGHT (as Annabel Aidan) was named   a “hot book for cold Cape Cod nights”.  HEX BREAKER will release shortly from Solstice Publishing.  Her plays are produced in New York, London, Edinburgh, and Australia.  She’s published over 200 articles and short stories in a variety of publications, and writes newsletters, event scripts, press releases, speeches, and more for business clients all over the world.  She teaches writing to individuals, groups, and businesses throughout the country, both online and in person.  Visit her website www.devonellingtonwork.com and her blog on the writing life, Ink in My Coffee:  http://devonellington.wordpress.com.

Writers Worth Two: Freelance Writer's Dictionary

Welcome to Day Nine of the Fifth Writers Worth movement! Today's our last day in Vancouver, and my last chance to check in, assuming I'm able to wrestle the laptop from my husband (he may need it for the conference) and secure decent WiFi.

Know what the best part of asking you to share your thoughts on what worth means to you and your business? It's knowing that people like Cathy Miller will come up with something fantastic to share. Cathy is what I call quiet genius -- she's unassuming in her personality, yet her words are packed with wisdom and been-there-done-that experience. She's one of my favorite people I've never met, and I'm thrilled to have her guest posting. You will be, too. Her posts are always worth remembering.

She's done it again. Cathy's post is one we need to print out and nail to our walls above the work space.

Thank you, Cathy. Love!

The Freelance Writer's Dictionary Worth Reading


By Cathy Miller

You may have freelanced for years. Or felt pushed there when you could not find work. Or you could have slammed the phone down on a room full of executives and quit your day job on the spot.

Yes, that last crazed scenario describes my entrance into freelancing. I wasn't particularly proud of the loss of control, but it did signal that I waited too long to start my freelance writing business. Why do we do that? Why do we put our dreams on hold?

We let others define what makes us worthwhile. I know I did.

· I charged less than my writing was worth

· I did work from my corporate days I did not like

· I got talked into exchanging work for referrals (that never happened)

Why would a reasonably intelligent, professional writer sell herself short like that? Because we think we are not worthy to follow our dreams. We need to be more practical. Well, how practical is it to let others define what we should and should not do?

It's time we created our own freelance writers' dictionary.


Worth it From A to Z

• A - Attitude - Adopt the attitude that you are worth it - however you define that.
• B - Bold - Be bold and believe in yourself – two Bs for the price of one.
• C - Confidence - Confidence in your writing and your business is your calling card to success.
• D - Deserving - You are deserving of praise.
• E - Escape - Escape the limits you put on yourself.
• F - Freedom - You have the freedom to go after your dream and make it real.
• G - Gift - Your writing is a gift - be thankful.
• H - Honorable - Your profession is an honorable one where you belong.
• I - Inspiring - You have the power to inspire and influence others.
• J - Justified - Your belief in yourself is justified.
• K - Knowledge - The knowledge you share is priceless.
• L - Limitless - You have limitless opportunities to shape your future.
• M - Merit - Belief in yourself has enormous merits.
• N - Noteworthy - Believe what you have to say is noteworthy.
• O - Open - Open yourself to the possibilities.
• P - Praiseworthy - When you feel worthy, praise will follow.
• Q - Quiet - Quiet the doubt and use the silence for bigger dreams.
• R - Reflections - Reflections are the building blocks of creativity.
• S - Sacred - Self-worth is a sacred right.
• T - Trust - Trust in yourself and others will do the same.
• U - Ultimate - Success is the ultimate reward for believing in yourself.
• V-Vision – Open your eyes to the vision of your success.
• W - Worthy - Tape the word worthy to your dreams and awaken your soul.
• X - Xanadu - Create your own Xanadu of success.
• Y - You - You are the builder of dreams - make it happen.
• Z - Zeal - Finish each day with zeal for who you are.

The author of this quote is unknown, but it nails the sentiment.

"If you really put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price."

Write your own destiny.

================

Cathy has a business writing blog at Simply stated business, a health care blog at Simply stated health care and her personal bog, millercathy: A Baby Boomer's Second Life.

Writers Worth Two: What You Don't Deserve

I'm still in Vancouver, one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. I'm still hit-and-miss with the WiFi, I imagine (writing this ahead of time), but the Writers Worth continues on in earnest!

Another day, another fantastic post! Again, many thanks to all who contributed their thoughts and experiences. You've helped writers in ways you couldn't possibly imagine.

Today's arse-kicking comes from Peter Bowerman, the Well-Fed Writer guru and coach whose every word I'd follow if I were you (and I do sort of resemble you all, don't I?). And an arse-kicking it is! Peter felt a bit hesitant when he sent it over, thinking it was too blunt. In my mind, there's no such thing as too blunt when you're telling someone something they need to hear in order to better their career. I love what Peter's said here; it's common sense applied liberally. No matter which side of the low-paying fence you're on, he has a wake-up call for you.

Thank you, Peter. I love what you've written. Amazing insight.

Why Writers Don’t “Deserve” to Make More than $5 to $10 an Article…

By Peter Bowerman

Question: Do you consider yourself to be a smart shopper? When buying something big or small – flat-screen TV or a loaf of bread – do you try to get the best price (i.e., watching the sales in the case of the TV or clipping a coupon for the bread)? If you’re like most people, of course you do, right? Okay, file that away for a moment…

Over the past few years, I’ve seen any number of articles and blog posts attacking people who posted ridiculously low-paying writing gigs on online job sites. Yet, as I read these pieces, and the ensuing comments, I’ve been a bit troubled – and perplexed – by the stance taken by some. No, these pathetically low-paying job listings aren’t a positive thing, but they don’t happen in a vacuum. The target of the anger and frustration (i.e., those listing these sorry offers) was the wrong one.

One commenter (Mike) hit the nail on the head when he said, “If you don’t like the terms, then don’t apply – simple. You see these ads over and over for one reason and one reason only – they work. I don’t like them either, but I simply ignore them. No amount of complaining is going to stop them.” But alas, his voice of reason has been all but buried under a mountain of righteous, if misplaced, indignation. How dare they? How can a writer make a living? Who do they think they are?

It all smacks of victimhood. In blaming the job posters themselves, who are highly unlikely to change their tune any time soon (and we’ll get to why in a moment), you give up control of your financial future and put it in their hands. Imploring them to change their evil ways assumes writers play no part in this unfolding drama. Wrong.

Say you were looking for writers to crank out some writing (whether for a content mill or even any one-off project someone needs to have written). And say you didn’t know what to offer said writers. What next? You’d go to some job sites and see, 1) what your fellow posters were offering, and 2) more importantly, what writers were accepting. And when you see listings offering $5 or 10 an article and a long scrolling list of writers responding with various and sundry versions of “Me! Pick Me! I’ll do it for that! I’ll do it for less!” well, you’ve got your answer.

If that same poster went to a bunch of sites, and found nothing but writers saying, in essence, “I won’t write your 500-word, keyword-rich article for anything less than $250,” again, he’d know the going rate. And in that case, think he’d dare post a job offering $5 or $10 for that same article? Not bloody likely. The cyber-hills would echo with laughter.

Of course, that $250 response is a fantasy; it’ll never happen on job sites like these. When supply (writers) outstrips demand (jobs), the reality of competition driving rates down to nothing is as predictable as the sunrise. Econ 101.

But, let’s use the argument many make: that this is even driving down rates respectable entities are willing to pay. Maybe, but here’s what’ll happen. All excited that now they can get the writing that used to cost them a LOT more done for peanuts, they hire some of these writers. And soon discover they can’t cut it. If you pay a bargain-basement writer, and then have to hire another writer to redo what they couldn’t do, it’s no bargain.

One comment read: “This vile writing segment gives professional writing a bad name.” Why should it give professional writing a bad name? Does McDonald's give the Four Seasons (or substitute any top-tier restaurant here) a bad name? Does the No-Tell Motel give Marriott a bad name? Within many industries, there are different levels of practitioners, serving different client segments and for different rates. If it’s not your segment and not where you make your money, then what do you care what they do?

So, let me address a writer outraged by the folks placing these listings. I realize there are more issues than just price, but that seems to be the biggie, so I’ll focus on that. So, you believe you deserve to be paid more than $5-10 an article, right? Okay, fine. Question: Why do you think that? As I see it, and correct me if I’m wrong, there are only two possible answers to this question and only one with real-world validity:

1) Writers deserve to be paid a fair wage, and $5 - $10 isn’t a fair wage.

2) I deserve to be paid more because my skills are worth more than $5 or $10 an article.

#1? Sorry to say, but no writer deserves to be paid any more than the going market rate for a particular skill set, and that rate is determined by a back-and-forth process between buyers and sellers over time. Pretty much like anything else that’s bought and sold on the open market – anywhere, any time, any place.

And the key here is “a particular skill set.” Which leads to #2: that your skills are worth more than $5 or $10 an article. Well, in the case of those running content mills, they only need a certain level of writing – and no better. And guess what? Thousands upon thousands of writers have the skills to write at that modest level.

Translation? That level of writing has been “commoditized.” Think gasoline. Or milk. Or sirloin steak in the supermarket. There’s so much supply, and so little difference between one brand or another, so assuming it’s not some special variety (organic milk, grass-fed beef, etc.), prices will all be about the same. Same with this level of writing. 

That being the case, if those job listers have literally hundreds of writers lining up to bid on their projects at those rates, then why on earth would they need to pay any more than that? They don’t. And they won’t.

And please don’t say, “Because it’s the right thing to do.” That sounds really nice, and warm and fuzzy and all, but you don’t really believe that. Not if you indeed agreed earlier that you were a smart shopper. With rare exceptions, you won’t pay any more for something you want than you have to, and will often take time to ferret out a lower price on a particular item. Why should you expect different behavior from these job listers?

Here’s a serviceable analogy: McDonald's, again. Okay, so McDonald’s pays burger-flippers, say, eight bucks an hour. And given the relatively low complexity of that task, there are tons of folks out there who can do an admirable job at it. Now, clearly hypothetically, let’s say a world-class chef strolls into McD’s one day and says, “I’d a like a job flipping burgers, but given my formidable culinary skills, I deserve to make $80 an hour, not eight.”

To which, the hiring manager at McD’s is likely to reply: “Well, Chef Pascal or Luigi, I’m sure your skills are amazing, but the fact is, I only need $8/hour-burger-flipping skills. I’m happy to have you – geez, times must be tough, huh? – and I’m really sorry about this, but I can only pay you eight an hour.”

Same thing here. Content mill operators don’t need anything more than $5-10/article-writing skills. So, if you think you’re a world-class chef of writing, or at least a mid-talent short-order cook of writing, then stop applying at the McD’s of writing outlets, and instead go where the work pays far better, so your skills will, deservedly, be rewarded commensurately (like the commercial field, for starters).

And as many have accurately pointed out in their comments, those higher paying gigs are almost never advertised or posted online. You have to dig them out, which is why they pay far better. And those freelancers making the highest wages out there are usually those with a special skill or niche. In another words, there are far fewer writers out there with comparable skills. Just like our world-class chef.

If you decide not to bother seeking out better work (and it’s tough to retool your business, no question), thanks to inertia, uncertainty about next steps, or, let’s say it, laziness, that’s perfectly okay. But then stop complaining that these evil job listers won’t recognize and appropriately reward your stellar wordsmithing skills – skills which, like that McD’s hiring manager, they’re happy to have (heck, why not?) but don’t need, and hence, will be unwilling to pay for.

Oh, and as for other crazy conditions some of these listers ask for (e.g., free samples, on on-call 24/7, etc.) can you blame them? Given that writers, in droves, have already established their willingness – heck, eagerness – to be abused financially, it’s only natural to assume they’ll happily prostrate themselves again and again.

Not, that’s not exactly enlightened behavior on their part, but they’re simply reacting to the prevailing reality. In other words, in this scenario – no one abuses you. You allow yourself to be abused. And frankly, the sooner you realize and internalize that, the sooner you’ll be making the money you feel you truly “deserve” to make.

Yes, I know there’s been “rate fallout” in better-paying segments of writing, but I hear daily from writers having great years, some their best ever, and getting rates well above $100 an hour (and even more getting $75+). Not trying to be snarky, but if you want to believe the whole industry is in the toilet, it’s your right to do so, but it’s not the truth.

Adjusting my helmet, and settling into my freshly dug bunker, I await the inevitable “incoming”… ;)          

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Love to write, but hate to starve? Check out the free report “Why Commercial Writing?” at http://www.wellfedwriter.com/, home of the award-winning Well-Fed Writer titles by Peter Bowerman, on lucrative ($50-125/hour) commercial freelancing. He chronicled his self-publishing success (a full-time living since 2001) in the award-winning 2007 release, The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living. http://www.wellfedsp.com/. A popular speaker on writing and publishing, he is a professional coach for commercial freelancing and self-publishing ventures.