Having a conversation with a new graduate recently, I mentioned losing two of my big clients to the R word (I won’t say it! I won’t admit to it!). He asked what I was going to do. I spelled it out for him – “Market, send out proposals, contact the temp agency….”
Of course he asked what happened if none of that worked. My answer, “Head to the mall and get a job.”
He said, “But that’s beneath you!”
“Dude,” I said (yes, I actually called him dude), “an honest job that pays the bills is never beneath you.”
He needed to hear that since he’s beginning his own search for a career. Mind you, he’s heard me rant endlessly on the lousy jobs and disgusting, insulting “pay” some of these jobs quote as a “salary.” So of course he was confused. I’d take a mall job, but not a job doing what I like doing that pays a few bucks here and there? What’s that about? It’s about all sorts of things, mainly dignity, not harming the writing world any more than others have already crippled it, not working myself to the bone for nothing.
It’s the vortex we’re sucked toward constantly – somehow we think writing ourselves sick and getting hardly anything for it is much better than making a low-but-respectable wage doing something outside our chosen field. But it’s not so. Right now, I have writer friends who are working their tails off. My particular situation is rocky, but I’m still earning. That simply means I work harder at marketing.
I will admit when one of the most prolific writers I know said he was sitting idle, I panicked. But then I realized that like every other writer, he was going through the same feast-famine cycle we’ve all been through, will all go through. It sucks, but it’s temporary. Unless, of course, we don’t work at finding new clients.
How about you? What’s your current situation? How’s the immediate horizon looking? What’s your lowest acceptable offer or situation?
10 responses to “Defining Your Basement”
I got another "offer" in my inbox, for a job that sounded great when I applied, expecting a free, project-specific sample.
No.
You can see what I've already published, or you can pay me a specifically negotiated rate, but I am NOT doing a project for free, being told I wasn't hired, and then seeing it on another site.
Buh-bye.
It's a shame, because it sounds like very cool gig.
If things get too slow — I can always go back to Broadway.
After a long dry spell, I just got off the phone with a new client. [Yay!] I let her talk me down to $25 an hour for a small job, with the potential for a larger job at a higher rate if this works out.
Can I still be your friend?
Here's my take. As I mentioned in our May assessment, my May was crap, but my June is looking great. I think a few things:
1. We always have ebbs and flows, and it's our job to remind ourselves and each other of that when we hit the panic button.
2. The first part of this year involved clients finding their sea legs in this economy. As long as the economy was in a freefall, they didn't open their wallets. However, I'm seeing that as the economy has stabilized, companies have become adjusted to the new normal. We may bounce along the bottom for a while, but at least clients can budget for stasis.
3. With companies dumping people left and right, they'll also turn to outsourcing more and more. We'll have more competition, but that's where our experience, professionalism, and new-client marketing comes in. The fact that we've been in it and are in it for the long run will sway some clients in our favor.
Chin up, peeps. This, too, shall pass.
Oh, and one more thing. This is the time for every one of us to nitpick over our own expenses.
Refinance your mortgage, cut your expenses, etc. For example, I just got a higher-than-normal Internet/cable/phone bill. I scrutinized it and called, and lo and behold, the company had started to charge me for services that used to be free. And they were services I didn't need!
I told them to cancel the services, which saved $20 per month (plus the taxes).
The point: It's not just about getting and keeping business. It's also about us operating our businesses as tightly as possible, too.
LOL! Kirk, yes, you can still be my friend. :))
Thanks for the pep talk, Gabriella. I needed it. We all need it. 🙂 And naturally, my work disappeared the week AFTER I bought the new car.
Devon, you're fortunate to have that option. It's too cool to give up!
My new writing gig still pays better than working at the mall or Home Depot.
And btw, it's fine to talk about being willing to take a job at the mall in a pinch, and I've certainly considered that… but don't kid yourself that those jobs are easy to get, either. People hiring for retail jobs are going to be more interested in hiring young people than aging professionals who are likely to quit as soon as the economy improves.
You callin' me old? LOL
I agree – the $25 an hour is damned respectable.
In my neck of the woods, the mall jobs are pretty plentiful. There are, how can I say it, OLD people stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and even Macys where young folks needn't apply.
If you weren't older than I am, why, I'd almost care enough to maybe be insulted. But at my age, I'm just too tired to bother. ;))
And yes, I'm teasing you mercilessly. :))
Believe it or not, some bookstores around here are hiring. I considered doing that — I've had a fantasy about working in a bookstore for years — until I remembered I should never be allowed in contact with the general public, and also realized that I'd spend most of my salary on books in the store!
Fortunately, the writing's picked up, so I don't need to think about it.
Gabriela, thanks for the pep talk!
I'm switching several of my services because rates were raised and when I called to discuss it, not only would they not give me a supervisor (which is illegal), but they said, "We don't HAVE to do anything to accommodate your needs.'
No, you don't. And I don't have to remain a customer and keep giving you money every month. Bye!
an honest job that pays the bills is never beneath you
hmph…. interesting