A long long time ago, when the internet was still mostly made of people writing code, I was writing a blog. It eventually moved from pure raw code, to a site hosted by Geocities and finally ended up on Blogger; so a few of the first hundred or so posts have been lost.
Of all the people who I knew who kept a blog, I am really the last of anyone who generates things anymore; I think that the reason for that is that writing as a craft does require a certain amount of time and skill and if you don't want to spend effort on those (because your time and effort is valuable, and life happens in the meantime), then you will not.
As with anything, there are always people wanting to make money from the thing. One website (who I shan't name) has tried to monetise the efforts of other people who write for them by charging subscription fees and I do not know to what degree that they are successful. I found it somewhat annoying that they want to charge me money to see my own stuff. Suffice to say, I did not post very much with that website.
There is one particularly knavish media organisation who wants to profit from the efforts of other people writing for them, who I will refer to as BigWrite (because I do not want to be sued), who have now contacted me not once; not twice, but thrice. I haven't yet accepted the offer by BigWrite to write for them, for the rather obvious reason that if anyone is going to profit from my work, then I would like at least one person of that collective anyone to be me. There is a pretty fundamental adage that says that 'the workers deserve their wages' and I do not think it unreasonable to be paid a wage for my own work. I am not a charity and neither is a for-profit media organisation.
I found it really weird last week when BigWrite again asked me to write for them, as yet again they do not seem all that interested in paying for the content which they want me to generate for them. I suspect that I must be on a list somewhere and that they give that list to some newbie in their office; which explains why having previously rejected their request to write for them, they want to ask me again.
As I do not want to embarrass someone who is more than likely an unpaid intern, I have withheld their name and email address. I imagine that being inside a media organisation and not being paid because they want to use the excuse that their 'experience is valuable' is even more torturous than being on the outside, looking in.
Hi Andrew,
We have recently become aware of your blog at rollo75.blogspot.com and would like to take the opportunity to connect, share thoughts, exchange content and develop ideas of mutual interest.
We would like you to submit a piece of no more than 1000 words, for evaluation, so that we can assess if you are an ideal fit for BigWrite Australia.
We look forward to hearing from you,
Jo Banana¹
("Hi" is never a good start. Since I am of an older generation who thinks that there should not be a difference between email and formal letter writing, I find this kind of casualness disturbing).
Dear Jo,
Thank you for your email and taking the time to notice my work.
I understand that you would like for me to write for you and naturally I would be honoured to do so, however, may I enquire as to what your current rates of pay are for written pieces? How is this structured?
Could you please send a copy of your current pay rates for written pieces?
Thank you,
Andrew Rollason
(This reply is curt but still polite, I think)
Hi Andrew,
During the initial evaluation phase, our writers gain valuable exposure on a high-profile platform in return for stories which are succinct, shareable and satisfying. We are always looking for pieces that are saying what nobody else is saying, or a personal story everyone will relate to.
Please feel free to pitch a piece on any topic you like:
(They attached a form).
Proposed headline. The proposed title for your article (120 characters or less).
Your pitch. A brief summary of your proposed article followed by a final draft (500-1,000 words).
Your name. Your real name.
Your bio. A short personal or professional bio.
Your email address. Your primary contact email address.
Topic. The general topic area you're pitching to: "News", "Impact and Innovation", "Entertainment", "Lifestyle", "Voices".
We look forward to hearing from you,
Jo Banana¹
(There wasn't a direct reply to the questions that I asked; probably because that would mean admitting that they do not want to pay for the work that other people do)
Dear Jo,
Thank you for your swift reply. There is something that I am unclear about. In your email you explained that writers for BigWrite Australia are given "valuable exposure on a high-profile platform in return for stories" but you did not respond with what the rates of pay are for those stories.
Could you please send a copy of your current pay rates for written pieces?
Thank you,
Andrew Rollason
(I already feel that I have wasted my effort at this point)
Hi Andrew,
As we have previously said, during the initial evaluation phase, our writers gain valuable exposure on a high-profile platform in return for stories.
During the initial evaluation phase, our writers write for us because they want to write it. They write because it is neither out of obligation or paid for.
Our writers gain access to the massive platform that BigWrite provides and they also gain access to a huge audience. They do not have to pay for, advertise, maintain, or moderate that platform. We hope that you too will be happy to join our network of more than 100,000 writers.
Yours Sincereley,
Jo Banana¹
(They no longer 'look forward to hearing from' me at this point.)
Dear Jo,
As I currently understand the situation, you would like me to submit pieces for BigWrite, however you are not willing to pay me for said pieces. Have I understood the situation correctly?
Thank you,
Andrew Rollason
(I have tried to express annoyance here. I am wondering what the name for a question to which you already know the answer is called)
Hi Andrew,
Many of the writers who write for BigWrite do so because they can see the benefits in being exposed to a worldwide audience of many readers. We hope that you too, will see that benefit and choose to join us.
Thank you,
Jo Banana¹
(This is beginning to sound a bit like a cult)
Dear Jo,
Thank you for submitting your request. I regret to inform you that it does not suit our present needs.
Thank you,
Andrew Rollason
(I expect that this reference will completely go over Jo's head. I hope so. Snoopy received a stack of these form rejection letters c.1972)
I should point out that I am 100% absolutely prepared to 'sell out'. I am not in any way a purist who thinks that writing is an art form for art's sake; quite the contrary. All artists who work hard deserve to be paid for their craft. If someone wants to pay me to write, then I will happily do so for the most part. What I find annoying is that very big media companies think that they can get away with offering 'exposure' as some kind of magic trophy.
Exposure does not pay the bills. Exposure does not put food on the table. Exposure does not keep the rent collectors at bay.
Offence² but if your company is so successful, why can't you afford to pay people? Artists are not there to be taken advantage of. Writers are not there to be taken advantage of. Bloggers are not there to be taken advantage of. If you are an openly commercial operation, then you should be paying people for the services they provide.
I have one more reply.
Dear BigWrite,
Whilst I write because I want to, and like to, that desire does not extend to writing for you for free. 'Exposure' has a monetary value of nil; you have backed that up with the amount that you are prepared to pay to provide it.
You wouldn't ask your mechanic to work for free. You wouldn't ask your doctor to work for free. You wouldn't ask your plumber to work for free. Why ask writers to?
I have the honour to be your obedient servant.
A.Rollason.
¹Not their real name.
²not 'no offence but' because I hope that I cause some
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