The new face of writing
By DoriLentrich
@DoriLentrich (1016)
United States
September 6, 2009 2:16pm CST
Given that the trend in writing is towards the electronic, how do people feel about the shift?
It definitely opens doors that were once barricaded to the average writer, but in the glut of supply, had demand gone down? I've noticed more and more people complaining about the lowering of rates because newbies are entering the field at really low pay.
Since most writers hope to one day make a living via the written word, how does this changing landscape affect us?
2 responses
@compumom (738)
• United States
9 Sep 09
I agree with you Maryihla. However, the other aspect to online writing that I quickly realized is that the residual income payment model can really pay off in the long run.
When I first started writing online, I had to find clients willing to pay my going rate and find enough of them to keep the bills paid. I quickly found that the time spent finding more clients was better spent writing a few articles for residually paying sites. As the residuals grew, the need to find paying clients diminished.
Even with the poor economy, my writing income continues to grow. I no longer have to chase down clients. As a matter of fact, I’m at the point of turning down up front paying assignments in favor of residual income.
This did not happen over night, but if it weren’t for the internet, I would be writing query letters and searching for work.
Does quality of online writing suffer? Of course. It’s a numbers game; the more blogs there are, the more poorly and excellently written blogs there will be. I’ve also come across magazines, books and offline articles that were poorly written too. I guess there’s enough room for all writing levels on and off line.
In the meanwhile, I’m enjoying the fact that I can earn a respectable income passively through online writing.
1 person likes this
@compumom (738)
• United States
11 Sep 09
I honestly believe the only thing that is stopping a freelance writer from earning a lot of money as a writer is the freelance writer. Many of us get paralyzed because of the current economic conditions, the fact that there are so many new writers, because the rate of pay has dropped and so on and so on.
While all of that may be true, writers can still make money writing online.
I recently shared my earnings on my blog( http://www.nojobformom.com ). I’ve had this blog for a year and a half. I share how I made the big plunge of becoming a full-time freelance writer in early 2007. I was previously working at a part-time job. I needed to be home when the kids were home from school, but I also needed to earn money.
After several months at the job, I realized I could replace that part-time income working from home as a freelance writer. Since then I’ve more than tripled the income I made at the part time job.
Part of the beauty of it all is that my earnings are now all residual earnings. The more I write, the more I make. I write on my own schedule and I don’t have to drive to work to do it.
The economy had not improved from 2007 to now. Food prices are still high, the real estate market is still slumping, people are still losing their jobs and credit is still tight. The only difference for me is that I chose to follow a dream. Although I haven’t reached my goal, I’m on my way.
Earning $1,500 in residual income may not be enough to live on, but is sure helps to buy groceries. The other exciting thing about earning $1,500 in one month is that according to my earning pattern, I will earn more than $1,500 next month.
It doesn’t happen over night, but I am proof that it can happen in a bad economy when the odds are stacked against freelance writers.
1 person likes this
@DoriLentrich (1016)
• United States
12 Sep 09
Congratulations on your success. It is inspiring to hear that someone is making it even in the climate of today. And you stand as an example of what can work.
If you don't mind saying, how many hours do you clock a week? Are you working more than your part-time job?
You're right about the numbers game. The more out there, the larger the chances of lower quality. What I fear is that we tend to gravitate to the lowest common denominator. That is a generalization and there are ample exceptions, but the trend is clear. Quality is no longer (if it ever was) the major factor in determining what content is marketable. That can be dangerous not just for the writer but also for the public.
Still, congratulations again. Many hope to be you one day.
@maryihla (103)
• United States
7 Sep 09
Technology has affected many creative professions. I was a publication designer and typographer back in the 80s, and that industry changed dramatically with the advent of desktop publishing. Suddenly the companies and organizations I worked with were creating all their newsletters, annual reports, and brochures in house.
When I got into Web design in the early 90s, it was populated by professionals. All too soon kids with computers in their parent's basements and no overhead expenses became my competition. My friend once operated a professional photography studio, but was put out of business by untrained photographers with digital cameras and the availability of cheap stock photos on the Web.
Writing has suffered the same fate, with print newspapers disappearing and publishing houses offering fewer titles. Writers have to work harder, come up with more unique ideas, and promote themselves strategically in order to make a decent living.
However, the electronic revolution has also offered fledgling writers more opportunities. It's easy to set up a blog and write for a worldwide audience. Self-publishing has become affordable, and the Web offers a wealth of tutorials and review options for writers.
Your success in professional writing will depend on your ability and willingness to market yourself and your work. It won't be easy, but it's not impossible to make a decent living as a writer.
@DoriLentrich (1016)
• United States
10 Sep 09
No, it's not impossible. And it was never easy to begin with. But, I guess what I'm seeing is that more and more writers are forced to become jack of all trades, as opposed to a master of writing. The need to maintain a day job for professionals is more and more common in the current climate of the writing world.
The flip-side of that is that the internet provides endless venues for authors to present their work. However, the analysis of that work is declining. Everybody wants the cheapest they can get when profit is their motivator and normally that means quality has to suffer. Why should a writer work their bottom off for below minimum wage when they could turn their talent to something more lucrative?
It is the changing time and it's happened before and will happen again. Everything must change or stagnate. Hopefully, the baby won't go out with the bathwater as the industry reconfigures.
