Beggars Can’t Be Choosers—Or Can They?

I am looking at the freelance writing job board for possible gigs. Many of them are low-paying—much lower than the rate I’ve calculated I need to make per hour to cover my expenses and earn a reasonable living. So I choose not to apply for them. It’s the right choice, I know. I need to have standards.

But I need work. I have bills to pay. I need something now. Isn’t minimum wage better than nothing?

These are the sort of dilemmas freelance writers face every day. These are the sort of dilemmas I’m facing every day.

Freelance writing rates have spurred some hot debates recently (see below for links to a few of the many posts on the subject). And for good reason. The rates many individuals and companies post along with their job descriptions on Craigslist, freelance job lists, and the like are low. Terribly low. We’re talking pennies per word. Ten dollars or less for a fully researched, well-written blog post. We’re talking much less than minimum wage.

And the thing is, people are willing to do that work for those rates. So more potential employers post their gigs with miserably low compensation. It’s a vicious cycle, and one I refuse to jump into. I am worth more as a writer than those companies are willing to pay. I am not that desperate. I will get a gig waiting tables on the side or will take on teaching more composition classes to pay my bills before I’ll settle for giving away my hard writing work for free.

Unless, of course, a publication I’m incredibly passionate about pays paltry rates. If I get a chance to write about a topic that means a lot to me or for an organization whose cause I believe in, that’s a different story. But to pour my heart and soul into a writing assignment for some nameless person halfway across the country who’s willing to send me a check for less than $10? Um, no.

Still, if it comes down to crappy payment for work or no payment at all, is it any wonder that fledgling writers are taking what they can get?

Where do you draw the line?

Learn More
Why Bloggers Should Be Paid More (Men with Pens)
Why Some Freelance Writers Accept Such Low Pay Rates (freelancewriting.suite101.com)
Freelance Writing Rates (ScrawlBug)
Why Low Pay is Bad Pay, No Matter the Rate (Erik Sherman’s Writer Biz)
Harlan Ellison: Pay the Writer (Freelance Writing Gigs)