Comments on: Worthy Stuff: This Job, Not That Job

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:54:16 +0000

But Paula, you don't believe them? LOL

Denise, glad you added your two cents! (And by the way, that's probably more than you'd be paid per word for those articles you mention!) I've often wondered too how writers can be enticed by such crap. I love how you say it - can you really work for peanuts for a long time? Answer is definitely no, but there are writers who will try!

By: Denise Gabbard

Denise Gabbard — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:06:05 +0000

Love this article— and I had to add my two cents. Don't you just love these "great opportunities?' How about ads to write for the whopping sum of $1.50 per 500 words– with the enticing promise of lots more work! LOL— really, I can work for peanuts for a long time?!

By: Ashley

Ashley — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:01:30 +0000

Wow, what timing. I read an article earlier today about what not to say to your employees, and "This is a great opportunity" is one of them. If it actually is a great opportunity, that fact will be easily recognizable in the job. If what you have to say needs the preface, whoever you're saying it to will know they're getting a crappy job dumped on them. Putting sprinkles on it ain't gonna help.

I had someone tell me recently that "this would be a great opportunity to get your name in the masthead." I almost fell out of my chair laughing. I wanted to say, uh dude, I have my name in the masthead of magazines all over the city. But I restrained myself. Barely. Go me!

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:02:02 +0000

Yay! Jake is guest posting! :))

Paula, there's that to consider. LOL

By: Jake P

Jake P — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:29:39 +0000

Sure, LW, I can cook up something for ya.

By: Paula

Paula — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:10:53 +0000

Jake's experience, and the healthcare travel mag you mentioned, prove how with a creative pitch you can slant specialty articles for what on the surface are unlikely markets. Just because a magazine focuses on, say, lawncare doesn't mean they might not love a creative pitch on lawncare tips from the person in charge of the lawn and garden at some huge, famous resort. The result: a hybrid lawncare/travel piece.

As for the bad ad, it didn't help to see them refer to writers as "that" instead of "who." Writers are more than providers of (in this case, free) content. We're people, too.

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:46:22 +0000

Jake, I do remember. Sounded like a super plan, too. Interested in putting that together for a guest post?

I saw one similar to your approach - a healthcare travel magazine. I'm curious enough to go back when I have time and explore that!

By: Jake P

Jake P — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:26:16 +0000

Even my *mom* doesn't care about my bylines anymore.

Travel is a rough sector, because there are so many people who are willing to write for free or pennies. The compounding factor is that many FLers fantasize about winning a Condé Nast or Travel+Leisure golden ticket. Which is why my vision of Hell would be an eternal stint as the submissions editor for one of those magazines.

My success querying in travel has been for trade or custom mags, golf (because I've got a deep resume in it), and the sailing magazine that I told you about during our coffee klatch.