One of the first people to visit this blog — in fact, the first person ever to comment, was Devon Ellington. Devon is an exceptional writer, a master of multiple genres, and a true friend. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Devon on more than one occasion, and it’s always like a meeting of kindred spirits. We talk about freelance writing, but we talk about all sorts of interesting things — astrology, relationships, and all those things you’d talk about with a close friend.
What I love about Devon is her cut-to-the-chase way of getting to a point. Plus, in true writer fashion, she tends to illustrate through example rather than just tell us what she’s trying to say. In this post, she combines her no-bullshit way and her show-don’t-tell prowess to urge us not to give it away.
“But It Will Be
Fun!” and Other Ways People Try to Avoid Paying You for Your Work
Fun!” and Other Ways People Try to Avoid Paying You for Your Work
by Devon Ellington
Two of the most toxic, manipulative statements made to
freelancers to try and get them to give away work are “But it’ll be
fun!” and “It’s for the good of the organization.”
freelancers to try and get them to give away work are “But it’ll be
fun!” and “It’s for the good of the organization.”
When we are starting out, we pay our dues, as it should
be. We learn the protocols of our chosen
field, we learn the craft of our chosen field. We build our careers and our reputations one piece of work at a time,
and sometimes we work for free. That’s
part of it.
be. We learn the protocols of our chosen
field, we learn the craft of our chosen field. We build our careers and our reputations one piece of work at a time,
and sometimes we work for free. That’s
part of it.
Once we are established, there’s lots of talk of
“giving back.” There are
plenty of ways to “give back.” You can write a check. You can
donate goods or services. But remember,
it needs to be on YOUR terms. You are
not obligated to give in the way you are asked. You are allowed to say, “No.” Not “no” with a convoluted, detailed explanation, but just
plain, “no.”
“giving back.” There are
plenty of ways to “give back.” You can write a check. You can
donate goods or services. But remember,
it needs to be on YOUR terms. You are
not obligated to give in the way you are asked. You are allowed to say, “No.” Not “no” with a convoluted, detailed explanation, but just
plain, “no.”
I’ve spent most of my professional life in the theatre. While I’ve taken temp jobs here and there as
I worked my way up to Broadway, I still made it to Broadway and into the
union. A very, very, VERY small
percentage of the population who claims to want a career in the theatre gets to
Broadway. I was lucky enough and worked
hard enough to be one of them. I loved
it while I was there, and I also knew when it was time to leave — before I got
old and bitter. Well, can’t avoid
getting old, which was one of the reasons I left– my particular area of
expertise required strength and stamina. I could feel myself slowing down as I aged.
I worked my way up to Broadway, I still made it to Broadway and into the
union. A very, very, VERY small
percentage of the population who claims to want a career in the theatre gets to
Broadway. I was lucky enough and worked
hard enough to be one of them. I loved
it while I was there, and I also knew when it was time to leave — before I got
old and bitter. Well, can’t avoid
getting old, which was one of the reasons I left– my particular area of
expertise required strength and stamina. I could feel myself slowing down as I aged.
I moved to my current location without knowing anyone; I
moved here because I liked the locale and had always dreamed of it. As I met people, they all assumed I would
work for free. I was expected to do what
I did to make a living in New York, for days or weeks on end, without being
paid, whether it was theatre or writing. “But it’ll be fun!” they cried.
moved here because I liked the locale and had always dreamed of it. As I met people, they all assumed I would
work for free. I was expected to do what
I did to make a living in New York, for days or weeks on end, without being
paid, whether it was theatre or writing. “But it’ll be fun!” they cried.
Fun? Yes, I love my work. Yes, I do find joy and “fun” in it. But it is my PROFESSION. It is how I make a living. They don’t expect landscapers or lawyers or
plumbers to work without being paid. Why
do they expect me to?
plumbers to work without being paid. Why
do they expect me to?
Because they don’t see it as a “real job”. I got some of that attitude in the suburbs of
New York – that resentment, that sense of “if you like your job, it can’t
possibly be real work.” This attitude usually comes from those who hate their
jobs, but don’t have the courage to make the necessary changes. They resent anyone who manages to make a
living by working in their dream job. I’ve been lucky enough to do something I loved
and earn a living at it. Not going to
stop now.
New York – that resentment, that sense of “if you like your job, it can’t
possibly be real work.” This attitude usually comes from those who hate their
jobs, but don’t have the courage to make the necessary changes. They resent anyone who manages to make a
living by working in their dream job. I’ve been lucky enough to do something I loved
and earn a living at it. Not going to
stop now.
The other toxic remark is, “for the good of the
organization.” One of the things I did
when I relocated was to volunteer with several organizations, to meet people
and get a sense of the community. I was
very clear, talking to them, about what I do and what I do not do. Except for one organization, which was rude
up front (and later had a Board coup and fired all their employees), every
organization with whom I spoke said what I had to offer fit their needs. And immediately tried to force me into doing
other things that they needed “for the good of the organization.” Honey, if what is “good for the organization
is painful and/or makes me unhappy, I’m not doing it because you want me to –
especially if I’m not being paid. I’m
going to leave your organization. Period. These are my boundaries. This is what I’m willing and able to offer
and when. If it does not meet your
needs, that’s fine, but be honest with me, and we both need to accept we are
not suited to each other. Buh-bye.
organization.” One of the things I did
when I relocated was to volunteer with several organizations, to meet people
and get a sense of the community. I was
very clear, talking to them, about what I do and what I do not do. Except for one organization, which was rude
up front (and later had a Board coup and fired all their employees), every
organization with whom I spoke said what I had to offer fit their needs. And immediately tried to force me into doing
other things that they needed “for the good of the organization.” Honey, if what is “good for the organization
is painful and/or makes me unhappy, I’m not doing it because you want me to –
especially if I’m not being paid. I’m
going to leave your organization. Period. These are my boundaries. This is what I’m willing and able to offer
and when. If it does not meet your
needs, that’s fine, but be honest with me, and we both need to accept we are
not suited to each other. Buh-bye.
I’m a big believer that, if you wish to do unpaid work, pick
a non-profit about whose mission you are passionate, and do it, with the
stipulation (in writing) that you can use the work you do for them in your
portfolio. Or, if it’s a creative piece
(I wrote mission-specific entertainment for an organization as fundraisers),
hold onto your rights and license it to the organization for the fundraiser. Put everything in writing about what you will
and won’t do for them. Make it
clear. If you have the need to modify it
down the road, do so IN WRITING.
a non-profit about whose mission you are passionate, and do it, with the
stipulation (in writing) that you can use the work you do for them in your
portfolio. Or, if it’s a creative piece
(I wrote mission-specific entertainment for an organization as fundraisers),
hold onto your rights and license it to the organization for the fundraiser. Put everything in writing about what you will
and won’t do for them. Make it
clear. If you have the need to modify it
down the road, do so IN WRITING.
Don’t expect the pro bono position to turn into paying work
from that organization. In the best
possible worlds, yes, they’d hire you as soon as they could afford you. But, chances are, they’re used to looking at
you as “free” and, when they can hire someone for the position, they’ll hire
someone else. I had that happen to me –
I donated the equivalent of $150,000 of services to an organization over a
period of five years. Not only did they
bring in a stranger for the title and the position, but they tried to force me
into doing things I did not enjoy or want to do “for the good of the
organization.” Buh-bye, and you can bet
I’m going to have consequences to such actions in upcoming fiction!
from that organization. In the best
possible worlds, yes, they’d hire you as soon as they could afford you. But, chances are, they’re used to looking at
you as “free” and, when they can hire someone for the position, they’ll hire
someone else. I had that happen to me –
I donated the equivalent of $150,000 of services to an organization over a
period of five years. Not only did they
bring in a stranger for the title and the position, but they tried to force me
into doing things I did not enjoy or want to do “for the good of the
organization.” Buh-bye, and you can bet
I’m going to have consequences to such actions in upcoming fiction!
What’s the moral of this? Boundaries. Know your
boundaries. Set them. Hold them. If you don’t respect your own boundaries, no one else has a reason to
respect them either.
boundaries. Set them. Hold them. If you don’t respect your own boundaries, no one else has a reason to
respect them either.
Devon Ellington
publishes under half a dozen names in fiction and non-fiction, and is an
internationally-produced playwright and radio writer. She has published dozens of short stories and
hundreds of articles. Visit her blog Ink
in My Coffee at http://devonellington.wordpress.com
and her website: http://www.devonellingtonwork.com.
publishes under half a dozen names in fiction and non-fiction, and is an
internationally-produced playwright and radio writer. She has published dozens of short stories and
hundreds of articles. Visit her blog Ink
in My Coffee at http://devonellington.wordpress.com
and her website: http://www.devonellingtonwork.com.
Writers, how have you handled requests to donate your time?
Have you ever had a paying client expect you to either start for or do a project for free? If so, how did you handle it?
How would you educate any organization that would expect free work from you?
9 responses to “Writers Worth: Redefining Professional Boundaries”
I was cheering as I read this, Devon, having been part of many of those conversations. Learning to say no was one my greatest gifts to myself and my writing career.
Oh, Devon, how I've missed you here. Your voice and conviction was a great influence on me when I started freelancing in 2008. And for that, I thank you.
I had one non-profit representative who was passionate in what she did. I love that because it makes my job (and it is a job) so much easier. Creating content that shared her passion was easy – and, yes, fun. But when she started pushing me to share her passion to donate my services (with promises of great things to come), I said No, I could not do that, and we soon parted ways.
Great "seeing" you here again, Devon.
Thanks to all of you here, Devon included of course, I'm getting better at setting my boundaries.
I'm two weeks into working with a new-to-me client who initially said he'd assign a block of blog posts about two weeks out, and he's already saying, "How soon can you get this turned around. I need it in three days." Um. No. You don't pay enough for me to drop everything to write your promotional blog posts. Instead, I told him when I could get it done.
Isn't she spot on in just everything? 🙂
Yeah. And she didn't even mention charging clients for phone calls, something I shall be implementing the next time this one new client wants to chat.
Boundaries always seem to be difficult in the beginning, but I'm much firmer now that I'm more confident in the business. I occasionally donate my writing time for my church's regional newspaper, and I'm happy to do it. The editor knows, though, that paid work has to come first, and he's always agreeable to work with.
One of my biggest pet peeves (and I'm sure many of you will agree) is someone telling me the work is "easy" and "shouldn't take very long" to justify their low-ball offer. Some clients even say that when the rate is fine. I have much more respect for clients who don't tell me the work is easy because they tend to have more respect for what I do and value my work more.
Charging for phone calls is vital. Most phone calls are because the client hasn't thought things through and wants to do it on my time. If you need a brainstorming session, I'm happy to set up an appointment. There's a fee involved. If you call it a phone call and it's the same thing — there's a fee involved.
The minute a potential client starts trying to tell me how much time something will take, I correct them. Sometimes I'm polite: "That's not a realistic time frame". Sometimes, it's more along the lines of, "oh, if it's so easy and it doesn't take any time, then you'll be able to do it yourself and save the fee."
Boundaries are difficult in the beginning. They can also get difficult in long-term situations where the client knows you well – -and starts asking for favors.
As usual, your comments are spot-on, Ms. Devon. Initially, I was so flattered to be asked, acknowledged, that I did a host of presentations and teaching assignments for free. Libraries on Cape Cod are notoriously frugal (CHEAP) with authors yet think nothing of asking for donations of books.
I learned the realities of writing life and revised my philosophy accordingly.
It is a matter of respect for me and my profession.
Arlene, welcome to the blog! And yes, flattery soon turns to "Hey, wait…" doesn't it? It did for most of us.
I love how you say "I learned the realities of writing life and revised my philosophy accordingly."
I'm framing that statement. 🙂