When to Write for Free
Forget what you’ve been told about writing for free.
You know: the “expert” advice that contends that writers should never write for free.
That doing so devalues our collective worth as professionals.
That it will brand you as an amateur and stunt your professional growth.
Not true.
Not always.
And it won’t keep you from the “Pearly Gates” either.
Though I have been in the business for over a decade, have garnered bylines (and pay) from national magazines and award-winning publications, and no longer have to write for “exposure,” I sometimes do.
The strategic approach to writing for free, however, takes into account some important contributing factors.
Lets’ examine a few today that should be considered…
The Why of Writing for Free
- Is it a cause for which you are passionate?
Like writing a newsletter for a non-profit organization that helps battered women in your area.
Or work completed on behalf of your church.
Sometimes making a “difference” is just important as making money.
Which is undoubtedly why lawyers sometimes perform PRO BONO work.
Let your conscience be your guide.
- Is it time consuming?
Will this free writing project compromise deadlines with your paying clients?
Keep you up after bedtime?
Require extensive research?
Since “time is money,“ it should always be factored into the equation.
For instance, I have often contributed essays to anthologies and creative projects that pay “only in copies” – if they allow writers to contribute previously published work.
The reason?
It requires a minimal investment of time, yet affords me the opportunity to reach new audiences and build my platform without additional work.
You should, too.
Besides, “recycling” is good for the environment.
The Wheres and Whos
In real estate, the mantra is: Location, location, location!
This principle can apply to your writing efforts as well.
Take for example, guest blogging.
Most top tier sites like: Pro Blogger, Men With Pens, and Daily Blog Tips offer no compensation for guest contributors.
However, these mega-sites boast collectively, hundreds of thousands of readers.
Many of whom hire professional writers.
So the R.O.I, (return on investment) can offer great rewards.
And I should know.
Some years ago, when I wrote a blog post for Pro Blogger, I had so much new “traffic” to my site, it could have caused a virtual “jam.”
And there’s a bonus here: within 72 hours, I had received three requests for work from business owners seeking my services.
I ended up making hundreds of dollars from what originated as “free work.”
Get the idea here?
The moral of the story?
Evaluate offers for “free” writing assignments on a case by case basis.
Some may be more “profitable” than you might imagine, and can “enrich“ you in personal and professional ways.
About Jennifer Brown Banks
Jennifer Brown Banks is a veteran freelance writer, creative strategist, award-winning blogger and columnist. Her publishing credits include: Pro Blogger, Daily Blog Tips, Write to Done, Men With Pens, Writing-World, Tiny Buddha, and other top-tier sites.
She holds a bachelors degree in Business Management. Banks teaches writers and businesses how to “work smarter, not harder” and increase their bottom line at her “Top 25 Writing Blog” – Pen and Prosper.
When you know when to write for free, you’ll also know when to charge for your writing. Learn how to make money blogging for other businesses.
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