Marcie Writes

6 responses to “Harlan Ellison: Pay the Writer”

1. 

   Diane McCarthy

   July 15, 2010

   Everywhere we turn, someone is willing to produce something like our products for nothing, or next to nothing!

   I have been supplementing my income with mystery shopping–you know, going to a store, restaurant, professional service office, act like a customer, and report on how they treated you–not terribly difficult, but time consuming and basically a writing job! Some companies pay pretty well, but some want to pay you like $2.00 with NO reimbursement for your purchase because they want a report on the return as well. So you spend 2 hours doing the work, up to an hour doing the report, and make a couple of bucks! basically NOTHING!! But evidently people keep submitting to such slave wages for some reason. I’ve been participating in the biz for a couple years, and their rates haven’t gone up!

   I don’t do those jobs, but it makes me wonder what people are thinking when they accept treatment like that.

   I have another problem! How do I get people I know to pay ME instead of hiring some supposed professional who lives 50 miles away and carries a briefcase!!!

   1. 

      marciewrites

      July 16, 2010

      You should write a story about the mystery shopping experience paying slave wages. Put that with the immigration law issue. That should be good.

      The only suggestion I have on getting people to pay you is to continue to build your worth. Ezine article marketing is not that bad. And stay in their faces with what you are doing.

      1. 

         Diane McCarthy

         July 29, 2010

         I have discovered another area where people want it for nothing–event planning.

         My friend and I have planned 5 pow wows in the last 3 years as well as numerous other events for the group we belong to–as volunteers. We have no complaints on that point because we believe in the organization and are working to build it up, but when others ask us to help plan their events and we ask how much their budget is for the event AND the planning, they are suddenly struck mute. They act like paying for a planner is a totally foreign subject.

         We have added up the hours we put into these events and how much work they involve and calculated our efforts are probably worth $5,000-$10,000, but those who benefit from the effort act like it’s nothing.

         Of course, they have no idea where to begin and when they try to do it themselves, they fall flat.

         I think it may have something to do with the small-town mentality of our area. We have 100s of thousands of people in the metro area, but they all think their one small city is the extent their world and act like we all are “one big happy family”!!

         Guess I may need to move to a bigger city to find more opportunities if I want to make a living of this type of work. So I’ll just keep on being a volunteer–but only where I truly believe in it.

         1. 

            marciewrites

            July 30, 2010

            I think a lot of people have that mentality, especially when you know them. So, the next time someone asks you for tips or advice, say, “My consultation fee is $100 an hour” or “I charge $100 an hour for a brainstorming session.” Just because they have a small town mentality doesn’t mean you have to feed into it. Start charging and they’ll either stop asking or you’ll get your business up and running. 🙂 Blessings to you.

      2. 

         Diane McCarthy

         August 16, 2010

         I know I need to do that! My husband tells me all the time! I just have to get over feeling guilty about it!

         I have many friends who are disabled and on limited incomes and I just can’t bring myself to charge them. But I have to get in the habit of charging others. I know once I get started–and have success–it will be easier to do. So wish me luck and put a new spine in your prayers for me!! LOL

         1. 

            Marcie Hill

            August 17, 2010

            Ok, to get over your guilt, just tell them to give you $50 for your time and expertise. Let them know how much other people charge and your almost free. In the meantime, we praying for a new spine for you. 🙂