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

By: Gabriella F.

Gabriella F. — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 21:21:56 +0000

I'd like to put this one on the back burner, too, Paula! And Lori, your response made me laugh out loud.

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 20:15:01 +0000

I can't even repeat what Listicle and charticle sound like to me.

By: Paula

Paula — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 18:38:17 +0000

I've done a bunch of charticles in the last year or two, Gabriella. I think of them as glorified lists.

Actually, I have one on the back burner right now.

By: Gabriella F.

Gabriella F. — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 17:21:39 +0000

Boy, that first one has scam written all over it. Danger, Will Robinson!

P.S. I'm working on what the editor is calling a charticle. Oy.

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 14:50:01 +0000

Good for you, Anne! I'm a huge fan of the BS detector. 🙂

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 14:42:56 +0000

Great response, Paula... do let us know how/if he responds.

Lori, I have a BS detector after all these years that I honor.

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 13:54:24 +0000

Paula, I love it. That would give me the impression that you're not into solving his business dilemmas, but that you have business savvy. I love that you added "flip a coin" -- keeps it light.

Listicles just sound wrong, don't they? And like you, I have to get something out of the job, too. I don't think I'll be doing many listicles. ;)

By: Paula

Paula — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 12:57:15 +0000

Listicles. Love it. Makes the charticle I'm working on sound in-depth. (Although isn't a listicle basically an outline with pictures?)

Basically my limit is I need to get as much out of an assignment as the client does. That can be money, it can be getting into a big new market by writing a listicle. In the early days it meant I'd get a byline along with a little money. Sometimes it's simply that I really, really, really want to cover a subject.

A couple weeks ago I replied to an ad seeking a specialized type of writing. Yesterday I got an email from the contact at that company about how he was in a dilemma - there were several great candidates, but he couldn't afford to pay everyone for a sample, but he asked, "If you were in my position, what would you do?"

I replied: If I were you, I'd flip a coin to choose the writer and offer a 20% kill fee in case that writer doesn't work out. Better one person risk 20% than several writers risk wasting time writing something they might never be paid for.

And then I hit send.