Easy Come, Easy Go: Writing Job Woes

Six hundred-plus words written, possibly for naught.  Even in the world of freelance writing gigs that sometimes is a hard blow.  I was so certain that this one job that I got through a freelance writing site was going to deliver a steady few bucks each week. I don't mean that in a cocky way, just that I was offered a trial spot, was given a prompt and told to write something short. So, I wrote a 600 word article, sent it off, and....a week later I still hadn't heard anything back.

So I did a bit of poking around, and by poking around I mean I went to the website that had said they were going to hire me, but wanted to test my skills first.  There on the site I find an article with a theme similar to the prompt I was given that went up two days after they said that they were likely to hire me.  Now, opportunities come and go in this business.  Sometimes sure things are not so sure, some times you land something semi-steady.  Sometimes you see stuff dry up.  There are feast times and famine times.  I guess I would call this "food snatched off the plate times" if I had to put a name to it.  Funny thing is it would not bother me as much if I had been told by the client that they went another direction--like, incredibly short copy.

I wrote 600 words and spent a few hours on my article.  The article they went with on the site was roughly 150 and is something I could punch out in roughly 30 minutes. 

That kinda stings.  

Funny enough I put in that many hours, sometimes more, when I do an article for another freelance site where I am not even trying to do a contract.  You basically follow a writing prompt, put the work out there, and hope the client likes it.  Sometimes you wait weeks (or months depending on your place in the que) to here back on whether they've bought the post, seen the post, or rejected the post.  Maybe it is a pressure thing.  There is no pressure when I write those blog posts.  They may take it, they may not.  My feelings are not hurt either way.  However, I guess it hurts a little when you actually contact the person and talk to them rather than do all business anonymously.  

On to other projects I suppose.

The Junk Journals go well.  I think I've reached the end of what I can actually pare down in my home (for the time being) and now I have to take these numerous notes, essays, and observances and see if they work as well as I hope for self-help book to post on Amazon.  Maybe it will go well, maybe it will not see the light of day as sometimes happens with creative projects.  Either way, things are what they are.  I have my hopes for other projects, but I don't always want to talk about those things in a public way.  You have to keep some stuff to yourself until it is ready.  Right?

Anywho.  I'm working on another writing tips/advice article for tomorrow, so I hope to "see" you again tomorrow.  Talk to you then!

Turned Down from a Low Paying Job: Good or Bad?

So, I actually got a response the other day for what I think of as a "throw away" job.  As you can probably guess from the title of this post, I did not get said job. Here is just a little bit about the job that I was turned down for:

-The pay was ridiculously low, but wouldn't be that time consuming
-There was a "possible" bonus if the work was completed in less than a day.
-The client required a resume', cover letter, filling out a "why are you applying for this job" was required, and a writing sample (which although standard in most applications, seemed a bit over-the-top considering the other info they wanted) in order for you to be considered for said job.
-It took me about a half hour to apply for the job.
-Turn around time for hearing back from any job is usually around 24 hours, I got a response within 20 minutes.


I am left wondering whether I should feel insulted or grateful that I didn't get the job.  It wasn't like this would make or break me to do the job.  A bit of extra cash in the pocket is nice, and resume padding to show that I am working is also nice.  Should I keep trying to apply to jobs like this though?  They eat up about an hour, sometimes two, of my time when I get them and they pay next to nothing.  I mean sure, every dollar I make is a dollar more that I did not have.  Every dollar earned puts food on the table, helps keep the electricity running, and all of those other little necessities in life.  Occasionally I can use these throw away jobs for fun personal expenditures like an old Nintendo games, money toward summer vacation, and other such diversions.  But in the end is it worth it?

Should any writer be okay with taking the super-low paying jobs?  I truthfully do not know because I feel as if the case could be made for it being helpful or hurtful.  On the one hand, one could argue that the Joe jobs help writers to flex the literary muscles, get typing speed up or least in shape, and build character and knowledge.  I admit that through a series of lower paying jobs I feel like I have gotten to know a bit more about everything ranging from retro television to different facets of the culinary world.  However these were blog articles that were not exactly helping me to do a little something I call "meet basic needs."  Sure, I feel like the experience has helped me to keep my fingers limber and my mind churning, but in the end have I gained enough intangible benefits to justify continuing to take on a job that pays very little, monetarily speaking.

Yes, I am building character, but am I character building?  Is the willingness to take on the small jobs costing me the opportunity to work on personal creative writing projects in a way that may not cost money now, but may cost me later in a more personal way?  I guess any of us who write, draw, or engage in other artistic endeavors face this sort of time management question every day.  Will I be spending time on my work or a client's?  Whatever choice we make, we are committed 100% to getting the job done in the best way possible.  A 500 word article on gas grills for a client, or part of the first chapter for a new book, which choice should I make?  I truthfully am not quite sure at times which choice to make.  I wonder how often my artist friends from Woot go through this same sort of decision process.  Do I pick my stuff that "may" make money in the future, or a client's stuff that will make money now.  Do I start a project that I have high hopes will become known in my field, or do I tackle a sure fire job that will keep my name in the work pool?

For now I am glad to not have the landed the low paying job.  If I delay my own hopes and dreams too long they become a pocket full of never realized wishes.  I know that there will be plenty of days when I will take such a job because I need the work not just for a bit of money, but to keep my mind in shape.  Today I work on my stuff and my dreams though, if only for a short while.