Residual Income and the Writers Strike
Chris Garrett, who blogs at chrisg.com has a good post called: The Myth of Freelance Pay. The gist is that many people have an inflated idea of how great we freelancers have it when it comes to our income.
But it’s the comments that really fascinated me, particularly the one by Nathania Johnson. She says, among other things that It would be crazy of me to ask my clients for a percentage of every sale of every page I write web content for. I accept my salary and I do my work..
Of course, I get a revenue share here, and adsense income from other websites - not exactly a percentage, or at least nothing like the residuals I gather at least some Hollywood writers make. And, of course, my websites generate clients. But I don’t make residuals from them either. Like many, I’ve been offered percentages of sales for a reduction in my fee or even in lieu of a fee altogether. The few times I’ve taken a percentage for a reduction have meant I simply took a reduced fee because the sales that would have generated additional income simply never happened. I don’t do that any more.
I’m wondering, though, if I’m missing some opportunities. What do you think?
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POSTED IN: Business of Freelance Writing
3 opinions for Residual Income and the Writers Strike
Chris Garrett
Nov 15, 2007 at 10:38 am
Thanks for the link :)
In the cases where I have been offered a profit share I have taken it but not till I have negotiated “enough” up front money. The best is equity but that tends to be extremely rare and have even more strings attached :)
The modern equivalent of profit share is a negotiated affiliate commission, they can be straightforward aff deals or purely used to track performance. Worth investigating for sales copywriters …
Nathania Johnson
Nov 15, 2007 at 11:04 am
Wow, someone actually read my comment! LOL!
I would also add, that my husband and I are “budding” indie filmmakers in NC. We have both thought through and talked through the Writers’ Strike. But also, even before the strike, we knew we didn’t want to move to LA and get caught up in that system. You shouldn’t have to force people how to do business. You can, however, forge your own path.
Also, my brother is a Production Assistant in LA and it doesn’t thrill my that writers are making his life harder.
Anne Wayman
Nov 16, 2007 at 11:08 am
Nathania - don’t blame you for not wanting to move to LA! (I’m in San Diego ;) )
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