I’m back. Let’s just say the fishing was adequate but not great. I did manage to catch two northern pike that measured up nicely. I won’t bore you with details as they weren’t all that impressive. But it was nice to see the parental units again and equally nice to spend time in the wilds of Ontario.
We came home a few days early, which allowed us to catch up on the rhythm of the house again before launching into work. It also allowed us to clean up the garden and the house a bit. Now for cleaning up the work.
I turned down work before I left. I hate doing it, but in this case it was necessary. I have been working for a magazine that pays on time, but pays very little compared to the effort it requires. I was sent a list of assignments through January. It was then that I said I simply couldn’t take these assignments because I was very busy the next few months with intense, higher paying projects. I said if the pay were higher, I might be able to justify the time it would take to complete the articles. Sadly, this one isn’t budging on price. I say sadly because they really are a pleasure to work with. However, the kiss of death is the price.
And it should be. While we can sometimes get away with writing for a lower rate if the workload is light or if we’re between projects, it’s not a pattern that will serve our careers well. We have to remember that. We are in business and our goal is to turn out a good project and make a profit. Ten cents a word may work for blog posts, but not for articles that require research and interviews.
As we slide into August and work begins to pick up again, it’s time we take a hard look at the projects crossing our desks. Do they pay well? If not, does the effort justify continuing? How are any of these projects aligning with the goals we set back in January? Don’t think that a low-paying job is something you must settle for because you’re hungry or bored or afraid nothing else will come along. It’s not. In fact, it could be an indication that some more targeted marketing and networking is needed from you in order to attract something better.
This post has great timing for me, Lori. I’m always volunteering for one nonprofit organization or another, and just this morning I got an email from one of these editors along the lines of, “There’s nothing wrong with these articles per se, but I need them re-written.” Right. I believe in your cause, sister, but my good will only goes so far, especially when I have well-paying assignments lined up right behind you.
You tell ’em, Amanda! It’s not that we don’t care – or, well, maybe it is that we don’t care. But why should we? We have little to gain and a lot to lose by helping out someone on the cheap.