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Joined: Jun 2006
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Gecko
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Gecko
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 503
Not all the time. I think in order to get your name out there you always have to give a little to get a little and this usually involves "voluntering" your work. I am not a book writer but a pattern writer so maybe I view it differently.

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Shark
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Shark
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 311
Most editors I know encourage a certain amount of freebies. In some fields, like medicine, some of us donate huge amounts of writing for free as a public service. I've found writing for free very valuable personally and professionally. A writing friend of mine looks at it as a loss leader in the big picture.

If you think about, blogging is writing for free and there can be huge benefits by blogging to a writer's reputation and territory expansion. And, of course, we all donate our time for free to Bella and I've found it all good so far!

Joined: Jun 2002
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Chipmunk
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Chipmunk
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,462
Writing for free gained me several paid jobs and a book contract...they all found me, I didn't solicit work.

It's not a path I ever planned on taking, but it's worked thus far <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

meg


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Shark
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It all depends on whether you need to make a living or if writing is a hobby for you, too. In my case, I wanted to be a writer as my career, so I went the traditional path and got a degree in it, and my first job out of college was as a feature writer for a small newspaper chain. I loved that job so much, I felt like paying THEM to let me write my two feature stories every week. Since then I've had a variety of jobs all involving writing, whether I'm doing the actual writing myself, supervising it, teaching it or editing it. And sometimes I will write for free as a way of giving back, too.

In the "old days" (20 years ago?) writers were offered copies of a publication in lieu of payment. I wrote many articles for magazines in exchange for two or more "courtesy copies" containing my articles. That served as a form of payment and got me some publication credits. Literary magazines published short stories on that same "payment" basis. Sometimes it was so prestigious to get a story published in a certain literary magazine, no author would have hesitated to agree.

Barbara

Joined: Jun 2002
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Chipmunk
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Chipmunk
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,462
One of the mags I wrote for last year and another this year paid me in copies and free subscriptions. That's ok with me <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> My husband makes our income, what I add is just gravy until my kids are grown and I can make it full-time (and take a real course in proper grammar!)

Strangely enough it's evolving into a more full-time and paying career than I expected which is terrifying to me.

meg


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Shark
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Shark
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Sounds like we've all had similar experiences. The papers I write for now have provide me with amazing PR that has lead to other media venues and even a TV news spot. I figure the goal is to develop the craft and reputation and the pay will come.

Joined: Aug 2006
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Shark
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Shark
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Posts: 216
I was under the impression that "writers write"...

As with any art form, at least in my personal experience, you do it first and foremost to put the creative energy/images/words/music/food/movement outside yourself.

If the money comes, it's 'gravy'.

Even when there is no payment attached, I have a soul-need to create. It is so much a part of my life, I don't have a choice - I am deeply compelled to write/paint/draw/assemble/sing/arrange/scream and generally be a 'maker'.

Anyone else here so afflicted? <img src="/images/graemlins/rolling.gif" alt="" />


Well behaved women rarely make history.....
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 39
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 39
I agree, ArtGlam. I'll always write even if it's read by no one but me.

In fact, I often write additional scenes from my completed books just for my own entertainment. I guess it's like visiting with my characters periodically. Yeah, my family thinks I'm weird too. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />


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Koala
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I agree too. Apparently it takes a minimum of 10 years of regular practice to achieve expertise in something like art, writing, musical instruments, etc. So really you can't just sit around saying "I'm not putting one word on that screen until someone pays me!". A lot of fiction is written for the sake of writing it - because the story won't let go of you, and you're compelled to write. Very, very few authors earn what their stories are really worth at an hourly or per word rate. I think it works out to something ridiculous (and I've made this figure up) like 0.0001c per hour. Who works for that amount? It has to be love.


Elle Carter Neal
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Jellyfish
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Jellyfish
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 128
If writers didn't write for free, my website would have no articles. I think that writers should write for free to a point. It's a great way to get your name out there.

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