Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Money, Money, Money



With the recession biting I eagerly received my April copy of the Writer’s News, to see if there are any paid writing jobs out there.  Opening story was Tina Jackson excellent article ‘Woman’s Own backs down on no-cash comp prize.’  For those unfamiliar with the story, Woman’s Own who usually pays for its fiction organised a short story competition.  The prize - ‘to see your work in print!’  She goes on to ask why we writers are expected to write for free?

I’ve sold pieces of non fiction, but I’ve also done incredible amounts of work for free. I sometimes wonder if I am adding to the problem. Are people ever going to pay writers if we continually undercut each other and write for nothing except the pleasure of seeing our work out there and the possibility of being discovered?

For a moment I’m determined to write for free no more!

Until I turn the page of my Writers News and see a tantalising fun paid writing job.  Green Gecko Publishing (http://gecopublishing.blogspot.co.nz/p/home.html) refuses to murder trees and produce only ebooks.    I’m glad they can’t see my stack of first draft note books!  In their Passion series they’re asking for essays, stories and poetry about things like Spam and Ketchup.  Fab!  With a theme like Spam I can feel the inner poet in me. Payment no less than …wait for it…I know you want to know ¼ cent a word, minimum payment $5. 

On the other hand, I’ve always had a passion for Spam!

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