Frustrations of a Freelancer (Edited)

I'm no stranger to writing for free. As a writer, I recognize the importance of building a solid portfolio of clips to present myself effectively. Done that. Now it's time for the payoff. Unfortunately, the opportunities for paid writing positions are limited due to the the bounty of qualified writers who are in the same boat as I am: struggling artists looking for the next gig to pay the bills.

Therefore, before I even entertain conversations with publications, I ask up front what they pay their writers. Most are honest in saying that they don't have the cash flow. Others are simply selfish and would prefer to hire interns while they collect ad dollars.

The latter really heats my pot.

I recently had a back and forth with an "Editor" (I use the term loosely b/c her grammar was ridiculous) who was disturbed by the fact that I prefaced our conversation about future projects with a question about payments. She'd given me a "test assignment," which should only be given to amateurs, and had the nerve to attack me for asking about money before I'd "written a single thing."

Look, visitors of this blog, potential clients, and fellow freelancers, writing is an art. It's an art that some people refuse to even classify as an art because they don't understand that creating creative copy out of blah information, abstract ideas, or nothing, is a skill that takes years to hone and perfect.

For this "Editor" to say that I hadn't "written a single thing" was an insult to the bevy of clips I've accumulated over the years.

So note: Writers, know your worth, and clients, respect our worth.

Nuff.