I built on to Irreverent Freelancer’s comment about self-esteem.

Self-esteem is OUR job. WE set it. We can’t be dependent on the employer so to do.

If the job’s not a living wage and not the be-all, end-all, one-shot appearance to vault you into the big time — walk away.

Looking foward to tomorrow’s post.

I’ve said it before, but I think it’s important to understand how long a project will take. Sometimes the per-word rate is deceiving. I consider ten cents a word to be worth my while if it’s quick to write and requires no research.

Don’t forget to consider how much effort you’ll have to put into appeasing the client, too! I’ve also had seemingly good-paying projects work out to ridiculously low wages, once I figured in researching, writing, and constantly having to field emails and requests from the client.

That’s made me slightly less busy, but I refuse to contribute to two perceptions that will damn us.

The first is that anybody can write. Baloney! And most smart businesspeople know that’s baloney.

The second is that there’s no difference between a penny-per-word writer and one who has expertise in a subject combined with an ability to write well. Again, buh-loney!

As I’ve said before, when you walk away, often clients end up following you after they realize they can’t get your skill for dirt rates.