Nothing for Money
12/02/08 10:36
A number of people will have seen this before, but if
there are any commissioning editors, producers,
anyone who ever asks for input from writers, could I
ask you to watch the following YouTube clip:
Harlan Ellison on 'pay the writer'
Requests for free work are all too common. A few years back I was asked to speak at a conference, as a small business specialist. OK, I said, how much are you offering? Oh, they said, I don't think it's realistic for contributors to ask for payment.
OK, take a step back. This man wanted me to add value to his conference - a business for his own profit, not a charity - and he wanted me to do it for nothing. Startup magazines often do the same. Think of the coverage, they say - automatically guaranteeing that only inexperienced writers will contribute, as people who already get coverage will not need any more.
It's not a thing that's fading away. Ellison puts it very well - I recommend the interview to anyone to whom the issues aren't clear.
Harlan Ellison on 'pay the writer'
Requests for free work are all too common. A few years back I was asked to speak at a conference, as a small business specialist. OK, I said, how much are you offering? Oh, they said, I don't think it's realistic for contributors to ask for payment.
OK, take a step back. This man wanted me to add value to his conference - a business for his own profit, not a charity - and he wanted me to do it for nothing. Startup magazines often do the same. Think of the coverage, they say - automatically guaranteeing that only inexperienced writers will contribute, as people who already get coverage will not need any more.
It's not a thing that's fading away. Ellison puts it very well - I recommend the interview to anyone to whom the issues aren't clear.
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