tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post9144480989066928254..comments2023-06-03T06:10:02.612-05:00Comments on The Writer's Blog By Dana Prince: An Opinion On Penny A Word Writing GigsDana Princehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07039144757399178470noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-79246448319071064212008-10-08T21:46:00.000-05:002008-10-08T21:46:00.000-05:00Great post. I have some low paying gigs and some ...Great post. I have some low paying gigs and some higher paying ones as well. It's nice to have the lower paying ones to tide me over.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-75751955049192544702008-08-29T16:50:00.000-05:002008-08-29T16:50:00.000-05:00Hi Jack,Maybe not magazine publishers but online p...Hi Jack,<BR/><BR/>Maybe not magazine publishers but online publishers, yes. $0.01 and less, even. <BR/><BR/>I guess writing for the web is seen by some as the bottom of the writing totem pole so some pay even less than .01/word. Not long ago there was an e-book circulating to internet marketers suggesting they should visit work at home mom forums on the internet to find great $3/article writers.<Dana Princehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07039144757399178470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-66035591687750438682008-08-28T23:17:00.000-05:002008-08-28T23:17:00.000-05:00Do publishers still pay a penny a word? Hard to b...Do publishers still pay a penny a word? Hard to believe. This was the rate 60 years ago, before I wrote my first book. I'd thought, with all the inflation since then, times had changed.Jack Paynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02838385417692720281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-6220757930902574182008-08-25T18:14:00.000-05:002008-08-25T18:14:00.000-05:00Thanks, Jeanne. I know I've evolved in two years o...Thanks, Jeanne. I know I've evolved in two years of doing this and that's one of the things I love about this job :)<BR/><BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/>DanaDana Princehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07039144757399178470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-15342054469592346902008-08-25T17:03:00.000-05:002008-08-25T17:03:00.000-05:00Dana,Very balanced approach to a tough topic! Eve...Dana,<BR/><BR/>Very balanced approach to a tough topic! Every writer is different, and every writer is at a different point on the writing road, so there's no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how little pay is too little. Different writers--and a single writer at different times in his or her writing career--will answer this question differently. And that's the way it <I>should</I> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-41246330227306810092008-08-25T07:00:00.000-05:002008-08-25T07:00:00.000-05:00I think it's up to whoever to accept whatever. The...I think it's up to whoever to accept whatever. The lowest rate I accepted was $1.75 per 100 words. It was worth it until the topics became such that more time and more time was required to research them, thus lowering the hourly rate.<BR/><BR/>I gave it up eventually. I think I'd rather have a little less money and with less eyestrain, less headaches (staring at pc) and less frustration for not Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05854721996562308787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-24286245058231494472008-08-20T11:43:00.000-05:002008-08-20T11:43:00.000-05:00That's the thing, Diana...In some cases writers re...That's the thing, Diana...<BR/>In some cases writers really hurt other writers when they belittle them for the amount they're paid. <BR/><BR/>I'm definitely a fan of networking with other writers but sometimes an environment gets a bit toxic and if it doesn't nurture you, it might be time to find a new virtual water cooler for a while.<BR/><BR/>Chin up :)<BR/>DanaDana Princehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07039144757399178470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-60305942557949767912008-08-20T11:36:00.000-05:002008-08-20T11:36:00.000-05:00Great post Dana. I just tracked down your blog fro...Great post Dana. I just tracked down your blog from a very old WAHM post. =) It can be incredibly frustrating when you're being told not to accept certain offers, simultaneously being turned down by better paying ones, and seeing others do so much better than you in certain formats. Deep down, I know I have solid writing skills but boy has my writing self-esteem taken a huge hit the past week...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-9838563526753151392008-08-20T08:40:00.000-05:002008-08-20T08:40:00.000-05:00Thanks, Jen. I've done low paying work that I coul...Thanks, Jen. I've done low paying work that I could practically do with my eyes closed while turning out a product that clients were thrilled with so it made it very worthwhile so I know just what you mean. I also have a client that started out as a low paying gig 18 months ago and who has given me 3 raises in my rates due to loving my work so they're now one of my highest paid clients. Dana Princehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07039144757399178470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-6346884387347473932008-08-20T07:52:00.000-05:002008-08-20T07:52:00.000-05:00Good post Dana. As a new freelancer, I've written...Good post Dana. As a new freelancer, I've written for a fee of anywhere between a penny and twenty five cents a word. To me, the per word fee is less important than how much I can make in an hour. If the penny a word gigs are relatively easy and fast then I've found they make sense for me at this stage in my writing life.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04981623960877353418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-43711063548578553602008-08-19T19:15:00.000-05:002008-08-19T19:15:00.000-05:00thanks Sharon. I agree!thanks Sharon. I agree!Dana Princehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07039144757399178470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-1391285020125582632008-08-19T18:45:00.000-05:002008-08-19T18:45:00.000-05:00Well said, Dana. I don't think writers should writ...Well said, Dana. I don't think writers should write for that rate long term, but sometimes accepting that rate will gain you necessary experience.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-72204605027308628502008-08-19T17:57:00.000-05:002008-08-19T17:57:00.000-05:00Thanks Jenn. It's also the fact that not everyone ...Thanks Jenn. It's also the fact that not everyone needs to earn the same amount of money. Many factors like where you live, whether it's your only income and other things come in to play as well. <BR/><BR/>I've had .05/word gigs that have taken me days to write instead of a few minutes so sometimes the job isn't just about the rate. <BR/><BR/>Sometimes it's about: how fast you're going to get Dana Princehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07039144757399178470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7959871275557650433.post-31767069480047868652008-08-19T17:53:00.000-05:002008-08-19T17:53:00.000-05:00cYou couldn't have posted this blog on a better da...cYou couldn't have posted this blog on a better day. I've been facing a lot of "you shouldn't be doing that because it doesn't pay you enough" flack lately and it's exhausting. I've been in the business since 1999 and, to be honest, there are times when I take the lower paying gig because I really love the topics, because I really like the employer, or because there's nothing else really going Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05752504199556834991noreply@blogger.com