When to Hold Your TongueI have this new project (an ongoing one) that isn’t going well. It’s not the work – no, I’ve done some already. It’s the level of organization in my client (the nonexistent level of organization, to be precise). I do not like to “kiss and tell” as they say, so that’s…
Working for Ad Revenue One word – don’t. Oh, the employers offering you the ability to write for a percentage of the site’s ad revenue make it sound so great, but ask yourself this – when was the last time you clicked on an ad while surfing? How many times this week? Ooo, that little?…
No Spec Work! I was alerted recently to a website that is out to do good for the creative world – www.no-spec.com. This site is dedicated to creating awareness among writers and designers regarding working on spec. Give it a look. I feel so strongly about never working for free (unless it’s for your mother)…
Intelligent Spam FilterI think my spam filter is wiser than I am. I check it once a week, and today I saw that I received a “test” offer by a potential employer. I can write a sample article on a very vague topic (luckily, vague is my specialty) and after I write it, I’m assured…
Later That Day Some days it’s just a shame to limit yourself to one post, dontcha think? Especially when I run across a gem, as I did on Leigh’s page where she shows you just how much work goes into writing one of those “$2 for a 500-word article” articles. New and upcoming writers, take…
Response from “Employer”Ah, I love the smell of steamed pseudo-employers. Since my last post on the abominable rates offered by some “employers”, I decided I might just ask one or two what the rationale behind the pricing was. I asked, ever so politely, if the price they had quoted was a misprint. I did the…
Employers, Hear This!Maybe it’s an overabundance of caffeine in my system right now, but I can’t look at another ad asking for specialized writing skills that offer a measly 10 bucks an article. Today, I saw two of them, each one offering a new level of ridiculous pay. (Warning – rant ahead) The first –…
Ye Olde ImageI had the displeasure recently of working onsite for a client. The client wasn’t the problem – the caliber of the other hired help was. See, they were talented people, and they were contractors there for those talents, but oh my word, their actions! I was unfortunate enough to share space with these…
Working for RoyaltiesIf I had a nickel for every time a potential author wanted me to ghostwrite or edit for a percentage of royalties, I’d have more money than I would have earned from those fabulous offers. Why is it so unfathomable for some clients to understand that writers require payment? I guess because for…
Technology BitesNo, I don’t mean “bytes” – I mean that sometimes those programs that are designed to make life easier do nothing more than irritate, annoy, and make life living hell. I’m talking Microsoft. As you may recall, last week’s episode had me trying in vain to take a Word document full of addresses (seven…