The Golden Pencil: The Freelance Writer’s Resource

14 opinions for Open Mic Comments Tonight

• Feliz
  Jun 12, 2008 at 5:42 pm

  I love to write…and I’m learning that I do it well. I have a knack for touching people in places they’d long forgotten they had.

  I’d like to break into the writing world..would love to. I’m just not sure where or HOW to start.

  Better yet, let me qualify that….

  I’m scared of potential success of sharing my writing. Any suggestions, motivations, comments thoughts..please…

  I always say, Imagine, nothing to prove, and no one to prove it to.

  I want to live those words and not just say them….

  Thanks!

• Anne Wayman
  Jun 12, 2008 at 6:53 pm

  Hey Feliz, you’re early… look for a new post in about 8 minutes for the official start, such as it is.

• Gayle Trent
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:11 pm

  Hi, Anne:

  I recently found your site and have been utilizing it often. Thank you for all the hard work you put into it.

  I’m currently at work on 30 400-word articles (with less than a week’s deadline) for $100. Looking back, I’m asking myself why I even took this job. 12,000 words for $100 is a pittance. But now I’m wondering if the job poster (it was a craigslist gig, I believe) could be working for one of those companies that pays $10-$15 per article or blog and will be getting $300-$450 for my work. Have you ever heard of this happening? Just curious…and wondering if I should back out of this agreement….

• Anne Wayman
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:15 pm

  hey Gayle… thanks… yes, it’s a pittance, and yes, it could be a subcontract… you could write say 10, make sure you get paid, then quit if you have something else going… giving some sort of notice of course, but, well… will you be able to claim credit?

• Gayle Trent
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:19 pm

  No, it’s completely work for hire. It didn’t really dawn on me that I could be…well, being used…until I signed up with Demand Studios and did a 400-word article (for which I will get credit) for $15. Granted, I was wearing my big girl panties when I agreed to do the job; but I’m beginning to wonder what I got myself into.

  Thank you for the suggestion of writing some of the articles to see if I do get paid for them before writing more of them.

• Anne Wayman
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:20 pm

  Yeah, and you know, it’s okay to quit when you realize you’re being exploited… and I think you are… you might want to ask for more… 10 cents a word maybe? You probably won’t get it, but who knows.

• Gayle Trent
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:23 pm

  Thank you. By the way, did you used to have the About.com Freelance Writing site? I know I’ve seen your name somewhere before The Golden Pencil.

• Anne Wayman
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:25 pm

  yep, that was me… thanks for remembering… I also now have http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com and http://www.writingwithvision.com

• Gayle Trent
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:28 pm

  Cool. I just made a new tab so I could check out Writing With Vision, and it looks terrific. I’m looking forward to taking a more in-depth look.

• Anne Wayman
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:30 pm

  sign up for the newsletter… I’m not getting it out regularly at the moment, but I will be again and I’ll be offering some classes and maybe an ebook or two you might like..

• Gayle Trent
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:32 pm

  Great. Thank you! :-)

• Anne Wayman
  Jun 12, 2008 at 7:33 pm

  you bet… and if you want to join the other conversation, take a look at the entry and comments that’s headed open comments starts now.

• Melissa
  Jun 12, 2008 at 11:23 pm

  Hello. Is anyone still online at the open mic tonight?

• Anne Wayman
  Jun 13, 2008 at 9:31 am

  Hi Melissa… try again next week… usually lasts about an hour.

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