ALONG with my business partner, I lead training workshops advising freelance journalists on how to make more money. I've written a book which warns against writing for free.
Now I'm an editor of a family travel blog with no budget to pay contributors.
How the hell did that happen?
Would you expect a plumber or mechanic to do their job for free? No and neither would I. Nor do I expect anyone to write for Have a Lovely Time for free.
It does actually keep me awake at night, worrying that anyone would think they are being ripped off. So, I've tried my best to find ways to make it pay. Journalists and bloggers writing for the site are sharing opportunities coming our way and while I recognise that not all of them pay the bills, some of them do help.
What do I mean?
For example, we've been invited on press trips. When this happens, if the contributor is a freelance journalist, we can work together to identify paying markets and craft pitches. At least one writer reports a published piece in a newspaper they'd been trying to crack for a while came as a direct result of a piece on Have a Lovely Time.
At the same time, while some marketing people invite us on press trips, freelance journalists are finding others want guaranteed commissions before a place on such a trip will be assigned. We know we're not going to compete on reader numbers with a newspaper's travel section but if the PRs are after 'word of mouth' then reporting they can contribute may also prove a help for the journalist in this respect.
Also, I've been able to offer places on the workshops I mention above to contributors. I'm pleased that some have been able to take me up on it.
As well as this, the established freelance writers tell me that they are "happy" to contribute as it helps build their portfolio and boost their on-going chances of building a specialism in a very competitive field.
Ask any new writer and they’ll tell you how difficult it is to ‘crack’ that elusive vicious circle: You want a job, editors want experience. You pitch a feature; they want evidence of a track record – cuttings of already published work.
So what can you do? Writing for free is a harmless way of proving you have what it takes, isn’t it?
You must beware - for every publication offering you “exposure” as your sole reward, there’s plenty more experienced hacks who’ll tell you to tread carefully. As someone always firmly in this second category and now also being possibly being seen as fitting into the first, it's a really difficult line to tread.
I've written for free in a limited capacity. My career in journalism, which began at the Wolverhampton Express & Star, now spans 20 years and has seen work published in dozens of publications.
I started my own business called Passionate Media, which now has five members of staff. I've worked as an editor in Russia, a news editor on regional evening papers and contributor to various nationals.
So why did I ever feel the need to ‘give away’ my work?
All those years ago, it could be argued that I wrote for free during my time on work experience.
But a sharp reality check tells me my ‘payment’ was the invaluable on the job training I received.
Years on, while at home with two baby daughters, I volunteered to write for a charity’s magazine.
That helped me talk myself into the job of editing the magazine and doing the charity’s PR. I also offered unpaid ad hoc PR work for my local Chamber of Commerce.
The result? To this day, its senior personnel still recommend my services when contacted by firms wanting publicity.
Lichfield-based writer Nick Daws is the award-winning author of around 50 non-fiction books, including Living & Working in Italy and Start your own home-based business.
He raises a key point campaigned on by the National Union of Journalists and many, many more experienced writers – writing for free devalues the profession.
He says: “I’ve always avoided writing for free. Writers should be paid a fair wage and those who routinely work for free are effectively undercutting those of us who depend on writing for our livelihood.
“I recently did a small job to allow a company to assess my style and I could assess what the job would involve. I wouldn’t adopt this approach for anything more substantial. I might be willing to accept a lower than usual fee for writing say, a test article, if I genuinely believed it was going to lead on to better things.
"I’d definitely expect payment if the job was going to take me more than half a day or so. “You need to judge any offer carefully. If it’s just a small job to test your skills, and you’re confident it could lead to regular work, go for it.
"But if it’s more substantial, be prepared to negotiate. Point out to the editor that this will take a fair bit of work and as a professional writer you expect some recompense.
"If they are reasonable people, they should understand and accept this. If not, you’re probably better off not working for them anyway.”
Martin Drury, of Evesham, has written numerous articles for his university paper, tipped off the local press, appeared on student radio, and written reviews for various websites – but only started making a living from writing in 2005.
He has since contributed to Yoga Magazine, The Liberal, the Readers’ Review, Gloucester Citizen, Evesham Journal, and Spill Music magazine - and says he never could have got there without building a portfolio of ‘free’ writing.
He says: “If your first writing opportunity is a paid writing opportunity, you’re very lucky. If people are waving pay cheques- however small- in your face before you’ve even penned a single word, take the money and don’t consider writing for free.”
For London-based Michael Hewitt, who has an impressive clutch of cuts from the likes of the UK broadsheet press and prestigious glossy magazines, writing for fun kick started his career – by accident
Finding himself bored in his specialist PR job, he began posting messages to a bulletin board which was a precursor of the Internet.
He says: “A few months in, I received an e-mail from the editor of a magazine called Personal Computer World, asking me to write a column for him. “The resulting column ran for about nine years and I was twice nominated for Columnist of the Year.
But Michael too urges caution. He says: “Beware of any editors offering “jam tomorrow,” saying if you write for free now, when their publication becomes successful, they’ll start paying you.
What often happens is that, if the publication takes off, they’ll dump you and hire some higher-profile, established journalist."
Are you being ripped off?
* Ask yourself is this publication ripping me off or do they genuinely have a limited budget?
If so, why? If they can't afford to pay their writers, why is this and do you really want to write for them?
* Weigh up if the piece will genuinely have the possibility of leading to other work, building a specialism or boosting your reputation
*Be prepared to ask for a fee if a job is going to take a lot of work.
Ask for expenses at the very least
* Do you care passionately about an issue you are reporting on? Will it make a genuine difference? (And even then some would say remember – the resulting warm glow doesn’t pay the bills.)
How have things moved on?
For me, a complicating factor in all of this is that many bloggers don't consider writing a "job." Some may be aspiring journalists, some may be established journalists and some have no interest in journalism whatsoever.
And in travel journalism, mainstream publications are repeatedly saying there's no budget for UK travel features.
In February 2008, I reported the following for Press Gazette:
What were the chances of building a career in this competitive field for anyone who fancied it?
Author, journalist and trainer Dea Birkett said:
Forget it. The biggest misconception about travel writing is that it’s an easy way to make a living. You have to do other things to pay the mortgage.
Unlike other jobs, you have to be on duty 24/7. It’s exhausting. When you’re white-water rafting up a New Zealand river, you’re also watching yourself do it. In effect, taking notes about yourself. No-one else on the raft – unless it’s jam-packed with travel writers – is doing those two things at once. They’re just holding on.
You might trek around Kenya for a week but then come back to your electricity bill.
It’s a week away. A day or two to organise the trip, then another day to write the feature. That’s about 10 days for maybe £500.
Wannabe travel writers need to be realistic about what lies ahead, added Birkett:
The newspaper and magazine market is shrinking, as more sections rely on ‘readers' recommendations’, for which they pay nothing.
The trend is away from 1,200-word features towards listings, which are compiled in-house. Most people now go to the web for their travel writing. Newspaper websites all pay less than print pages, so again, income is decreasing.
Freelance travel writer and commissioning editor Vicky Baker also urged caution: “You have to remember that the same rules of freelance pitching still apply. It sounds obvious, but, for some reason, people often overlook this in travel.
“Some of the least convincing pitches I’ve seen come from experienced writers – ‘I’ve written for X, Y and Z, and I’m going away to Barcelona. Would you like a piece?’
“You need to offer an angle – preferably involving something new, topical, little-known or an inside perspective.”
William Ham Bevan, now freelance but previously deputy editor at Telegraph Create and a former deputy editor at The Sunday Times travel magazine, said: “it makes sense to keep travel writing as a sideline.
“Perhaps try the odd travel piece for an occasional market – one with long lead times to accommodate inevitable rewrites,” he added.
“Those wanting to get into travel get fixated on the supposed glamour and prestige – one to remember when you’re bored rigid in front of BBC World on hotel cable.
“They forget that they’re likely to be paid on the same linage rate as any other writer. So you might get the same amount for the same number of words as the bloke doing a feature on, say, wall plugs; but your piece necessitated a five-day trip rather than an afternoon of phone interviews and 30 minutes on the cuts file.”
A logical answer
I really didn't like the sound of much of this yet I've always fostered an ambition to do at least some travel writing and to make it worthwhile.
Past jobs have taken me to New York, Spain, Russia and various UK destinations so I do have some experience of travel writing, albeit what seems like a lifetime ago.
I've not pitched travel editors very often at all, have had some very encouraging and polite rejections (mainly due, I was told, to a lack of budget or a lack of interest in UK destinations.)
Starting a blog and finding ways to make it pay seemed a logical answer.
Just as I started Got Your Hands Full to provide information and support for families with twins, triplets or more as this is a group not served too well by mainstream media, I felt there was a need for information for UK families about holidays and activities that didn't have to break the bank.
Judging by the response, plenty of bloggers agree with me.
However much we respect and admire the knowledge and experience of high-flying travel journalists and editors, in many cases, their reports in mainstream media just aren't for us.
Our 'best family holidays' aren't in Marrakesh. All some of us can afford is a UK caravan park - which can be pretty good actually, I should know. Sometimes we judge a restaurant more by the quality of the colouring materials available than the menu.
The bloggers who have helped Have a Lovely Time progress understand this.
Amid all these kind offers of contributions, we've also been contacted by various companies pledging their services/products as giveaways to our readers. Not all of these offers are accepted, I hasten to add. And it certainly doesn't mean objectivity is lost.
So, in lieu of cold hard cash, and as well as the 'benefits' I outlined at the start of this post, I've been able to share the following with contributors:
Invitations to holidays, short breaks, theatre tickets and cinema screenings for them and their families.
Saying 'thank you' was one of the reasons I came up with The Great Panto Review 2009. Some 16 UK theatres have now agreed to let in bloggers for Have a Lovely Time to their media previews and we are also boosting The National Alliance of Childhood Cancer Parent Organisations.
As an "old school" journalist, trained on a local paper when time spent sitting in your nearby magistrates' court then sprinting after defendants/witnesses/victims was largely seen as a key to a career in news, it has been very interesting for me to see how that career path has changed and how social media is further shaping the new media landscape.
But there's not a blogging day that goes by where I don't ask myself if contributors to Have a Lovely Time are getting enough out of it.
Of course the real answer is to make the blog pay and have a proper business plan to include paying contributors. The original hope was to reach a point where advertisers could be approached.
Three companies have been in touch about 'affiliate schemes'. This is something else we are looking in to but opens a whole new can of worms.
Apologies for the epic post. If you are still with me, I would like to know what your view on this collection of thoughts is.
I suppose what I'm saying is that our travel blog has turned into something we believe could be successful enough to pay, so how do we go about that and is it really possible in the current climate? I'm really not so sure...
Not much of a question, I know!
Most of all I want to 'do right' by the contributors and not devalue a profession I've worked in for 20 years!
Thank you.
* Journalists' quotes included here were originally published in features for Press Gazette, Channel 4's Ideas Factory or my book on freelance writing.
What a brilliant discussion post Linda,so comprehensive and the issues you raise must be in the minds of so many journalists like me starting out.
I think that there is a very fine balance when it comes for writing for free but the questions that you pose under the heading Are you being ripped off if answered correctly should help a journalist decide whether to submit the piece or not.
I love the quote from Dea Birkett,she is one of my all time favourite travel writers and as an area that I ma desperate to get into,again I think that she is spot on.
Posted by: Nigel Barlow | October 15, 2009 at 04:03 PM
Thanks Nigel - really appreciate it, it's not a comprehensive post though - I was going to also try and say more about how objective someone can be when they have been on a press trip as opposed to paying their own way but that's a whole different ball game and one with lots of different views.
Posted by: Linda | October 15, 2009 at 04:11 PM
Linda, you articulate the issue and your dilemma well, no surprise.
As a writer, editor, blogger, ghostwriter and what-have-you I've used writers for no pay. It used to drive me crazy. I finally realized that their income wasn't my problem. I don't mean that unkindly, but every single one of them was:
+ an adult
+ knew before they put a word on paper they weren't going to be paid
+ felt there was some advantage to them to write for me or the publication I was editing.
When someone writes for my blog about writing for free I'm always careful to make sure their credits are clear and that they get a link back to a website or an email - have even waited for a site to be finished before I published.
I also suggest in various posts that writing for free should be done knowing what you're getting; it's probably okay for a newbie to do it to get a few credits and it's certainly okay to write free as a labor of love. BUT if you want to earn money at writing you've got to get paid.
That's how I see it on this side of the pond - the left side of the US too - San Diego.
Posted by: Anne Wayman | October 15, 2009 at 04:17 PM
What an interesting post Linda. As a new blogger, I am not a writer and do it as a way to journal my day to day life with my family.
What I do agree though is that a lot of the travel writing in magazines etc is just pie in the sky for me and mine, it can not even be classed as aspirational, as we could never in a million years afford a week in Italy with the MiniMads. A holiday for us a campsite with our trusty tent. A holiday is things that we can enjoy as a family, that has plenty of national trust of English heritage sites near by and not overrun by people wanting entertainment (like Haven)
I think a lot of people with children, wouldn't even call a week away with them a holiday!! What I want is realastic days away with my family.
I dont want to undermine or devalue your profession, but I need "real peoples" opinions which is why I often rely on customer feedback, but then you can never be sure if they post the bad things that people say. In some ways you cant win, which is why have a lovely time works.
Posted by: TheMadHouse | October 15, 2009 at 04:24 PM
I'm very happy to contribuute articles to Have A Lovely Time and have been from the start. I like to think that what I've written for the site are genuine, realistic articles for people that do enjoy travelling with their families - things that often don't make their way in to the national press.
I have never once felt ripped off and indeed, I do get a pay off in other respects. A post I was writing for Have a Lovely Time generated an idea for a national newspaper that commissioned it and whom I've now written for several times. I won a competition to go to Denmark with my family, clinching it by telling them I would blog about it. Next week I'm heading out to DisneyWorld on a press trip to report for the blog.
We all know that taking a family of five on a day out is expensive - to be able to have my family enjoy themselves for less in return for some wordage is fine by me. Would I have had these amazing opportunities without the site? I'm not sure.
I was also very pleased that you invited me to one of your commercial writing workshops. The skills you gave me there have also generated several hundred pounds of work for me.
Of course, writing for free isn't ideal and I certainly don't anywhere else (that's not to say I didn't do a couple of freebie pieces when I started out for the clippings something I liken to work experience) but I am getting a good trade off here that benefits me now and hopefully in the future too. I've weighed up the benefits and feel, for me, that writing for Have A Lovely Time has a great many benefits that makes me happy to contribute.
Camilla
PS don't forget to pop that £10 in the post. (Joke!)
Posted by: Camilla | October 15, 2009 at 04:25 PM
Excellent post, Linda, but I agree with Nigel - you just need to ask yourself the question 'am I being ripped off?' I'm happy to write for Have A Lovely Time, both because I love the site (and you) and because I know it will bring opportunities (like Blognor!) my way. I recently pitched to an established (albeit small) magazine before finding they pay £75 for 1000+ words. That's what I consider a ripoff and I won't be pitching them again.
I *was* lucky enough to be paid (and handsomely) for my first ever piece and so I haven't "had to" work for free. I did, however, work for a pittance for two years writing and editing various Shiny Media blogs. I knew the pay was terrible, but it brought a regular monthly income which meant I didn't have to worry about pitching and chasing. I could also fit the writing around the family, plus it gave me an online profile and, in the case of Trashionista, lots of free books and excellent publishing contacts.
I'm not convinced that working for free (or for the kind of rates Shiny paid) does lead to better opportunities. I think it just shows people that you don't particularly value your writing and can probably be taken advantage of. But I might just be bitter.
Posted by: Keris | October 15, 2009 at 04:37 PM
Hi Linda,
I think your concerns about paying contributors is very refreshing and possibly not shared by every editor under the sun. It's a great blog post and does throw up a very interesting dilemma. After nine years in local/regional journalism, I now work in PR for a Hospice while freelancing on the side. Fortunately, both parts are currently going well but my one main interest remains football writing. This is something I would do for free, up to a point, if I think there could be a decent and rewarding end product. And if i was just starting out, it would be very difficult not to take up one of the unpaid positions that you constantly see on job sites nowadays. On the one hand, it could be argued that these 'opportunities' give you more exposure than traditional work experience at your local paper (where you might get a few picture captions published). That said, the argument as to why you shouldn't work for free is equally strong. I think there has to come a point where you ask if your 'free work' is actually getting/heading somewhere. Apologies for the long reply - just a very interesting topic.
Posted by: Dave Gooderham | October 15, 2009 at 04:55 PM
I think in many professions there is the working for free element in order to get experience and/or contacts (eg White House interns). Sitting here talking to my husband he mentioned that he worked for free for a month in a non writing related field before being offered paid work. This is how he got his foot on the ladder.
I am a relative newbie to writing as a profession and have written for free in many instances. This included Trashionista, which Keris mentioned above, which then led onto paid work with Shiny media. Yes, the pay was small, but for someone learning and developing her craft and confidence, the small pay stopped me from getting daunted.
Now I am steadily building up a portfolio, I don't believe it has done me personally any harm, rather it has led to great opportunites. Would I have had the same opportunities without this free writing? Possibly not.
Posted by: Helen | October 15, 2009 at 05:01 PM
Interesting debate here and one that has been going in the museum sector for years and years. Its so hard to get museum work that people literally spend years volunteering and building up experience. The reason though is clear and simple, they love the work and I think this is the same with writing.
However, yes, I do find it galling that people are now doing jobs which they (or me) should be paid for, for free and over the years this has been discussed at various levels (a union issue!) I think it has had a bit of a detrimental effect, in that paid staff find it harder and harder to move on and get jobs as they cant get the experience as a volunteer is doing it. There are fewer jobs to go around and also I think people are being taken advantage of. This is the way the world works though, if you really want to do something for free, then why not!
I'd love to do loads of stuff for Have Lovely Time, its just finding the time...
Posted by: zooarchaeologist | October 15, 2009 at 05:03 PM
Great post, Linda, and this is something I've worried about too. Like you, I've written in the past about why writers shouldn't be expected to work for free. And, like you, I now run a blog which occasionally publishes guest posts from people who I can't afford to pay, and who do it either for the traffic it sends to their own sites (admittedly, this can be substantial) or because they want to break into that particular field, and they want the experience/credit. It does worry me sometimes that I'm being a hypocrite by accepting these contributions, but then, at the same time, it seems silly to say no to these people if they want to do it, know exactly what they'll be getting out of it, and it'll help me.
I also broke into journalism by doing mostly unpaid work experience, and I don't regret doing it: as others have said, you have to ask yourself if you're being ripped off, and I wasn't - the experience (and bylines) I got out of it were worth more to me at the time than I'd have been paid for the few hours I contrinuted each week. So I can't say I think working for free is always a bad thing - it's just something that has to be approached with a huge amount of caution.
Posted by: Amber | October 15, 2009 at 05:14 PM
It is so typical, Linda, that you care so much about this: that you are kept awake at night, worrying about how you are treating people.
It is a very delicate subject and not at all easy to answer.
On principle, it is wrong to expect people to work for free (the union would back that) but there are other issues at stake here. It's to do with how you, as commissioning editor, treat people.
As a travel editor on a regional broadsheet daily (The Birmingham Post) I was contacted every week by both established writers and wannabes desperate to get their foot on the first rung of the ladder to see if I'd accept their pieces for publication.
The answer was the same to writers at both end of the journalism spectrum: I'll consider it on its merits, but I cannot pay.
It felt horrible - I felt I was undermining my profession by accepting only free copy. I was pleased that correspondence was via email - actually saying it was just embarrassing.
Those who had dealt with many newspapers understood about newspaper budgets (or lack of), but were still happy to provide copy.
It was often those who less experience who were shocked at the notion of writing for free - some accepted it, others went away disappointed that their dream of becoming a published travel writer was dashed.
But - like a contributor above says - those who provide compelling and relevant copy and want to see their byline no matter what know what they are getting into.
And it might well help them develop a reasonable portfolio.
You are not promising anyone anything - you have told people what they can and cannot accept. Just because it is offered for free doesn't mean it has to be used - you make that clear.
Sites like havealovelytime are in their infancy - we love to contribute to them and we don't expect payment. We do it as an adjunct to the daily grind. If they pay one day - fantastic - but until then contributors will continue to do what they can.
People commenting here have already assured you that they wished they could do more - and I add my voice to that.
I think that also speaks volumes, don't you?
Posted by: Jayne Howarth | October 15, 2009 at 05:27 PM
I'd like to apologise for the length of my comment, above. it didn't seem like I was typing that much.
Posted by: Jayne Howarth | October 15, 2009 at 05:49 PM
This is a fascinating read, I'd love to make some money from what I write but finding a way in somewhere is tough. It means I'm happy to do some writing for free as it helps build a portfolio. It's very useful reading a warning such as yours because it's a reminder to strike a balance between building up experience and not being exploited. It's very early days for me and I've tried a few things which haven't come to anything yet. I know to be patient and not give up. Thanks for writing this, very informative!
Posted by: Whistlejacket | October 15, 2009 at 06:06 PM
And after re-reading that, using the word 'very' less would give me a better chance too!
Posted by: Whistlejacket | October 15, 2009 at 06:08 PM
I think I'm right in saying there are two areas of discussion.
1. Is it right to have writers who contribute but aren't paid?
2. The blog is becoming successful enough to earn money, what's the best way forward.
Point 1: If people want to contribute for no pay then that is entirely up to them, and not for you to worry about. Not everyone puts the pursuit of earning money at the top of their reason for being, and I think online savvy people seem to glean value in other areas.
There is value in earning money, gaining experience, making friends, receiving 'freebies', being given the opportunity to travel for free. Usually one of these is present for me to put some effort in. When I guest post there is one or more present making it worthwhile for me. I have been approached by larger websites to guest post where I just couldn't see the benefit to me.
As for 'devaluing the profession' I believe in survival of the fittest and if that means someonelse having to adjust then so be it, god that sounds harsh... I just mean that you can't not progress for fear of this scenario, progress will happen whether you're a part of it or not.
Point 2 (and the one that interests me most):
If this were my website I would approach businesses for private advertising. I would sell 25x25 or banner adverts quarterly and put them in the sidebar. I'd also try and build an email list and start a newsletter that you can have adverts in too.
I'd steer clear of affiliate programs as I don't think they convert well. Adsense is a waste of time unless pageviews are in the hundreds of thousands. You can't really sell products as such as it's not that type of site.
Yeah, so I think private advertising + an email list is the way to go.
Good Luck and good on you for the progress you've made so far.
Posted by: Littlemummy | October 15, 2009 at 06:12 PM
Hi - thanks everyone for comments, will be back to respond ASAP!
Posted by: Linda | October 15, 2009 at 08:07 PM
Great post Linda and I pretty much agree with what's been said. People make their own choices and like many I have loved writing for Have A Lovely Time and hope to do more. As someone just thinking about really giving freelance writing a go this has been such a brilliant piece to read, as have the comments.
I think Erica got to the point really well and also feel that selling adspace would be a good way to go, especially with such a broad market out there for.
You're developing a great site and it's a privelege to be a small part of it. The rewards are pretty fab too.
Posted by: Jo Beaufoix | October 15, 2009 at 08:30 PM
I think it is still quite a challenge to be able to pay writers as the pennies are just not there at the moment.
Ensuring that writers gain from links at the foot of pieces to their own websites is an important thing to do.
The newsletter list and focussed advertising are definite options, this lets you offer businesses different options.
I also wonder if more offline enterprises could be created to feed money back into the venture, allowing contributors to be paid.
Maybe a family travel show????
Posted by: Craig McGinty | October 15, 2009 at 08:48 PM
Great post about a difficult, and evolving, area. As a published author I write a lot of small pieces for free, but I get a link to my web site, which often leads to a book purchase. When I'm really lucky, it leads to an invitation to appear on TV and radio, which is great for the CV/resume and in turn, adds to my "author profile".
I would say, it really depends on what you're trying to do. If your aim is to promote a product (in my case my book), then you have to do a lot for free, just as the big stars go on the talk/chat show circuit to promote their movies, TV or books.
If you're trying to make a living as a freelance writer, being paid per word, then it makes less sense to write for free. However, if you're invited to write for a promising web zine, which may be able to pay in the future, go with your gut. If you think it will take off, then write for free until they can pay you - just don't take days to write a 500 word piece, and know when to let it go.
I would have to take issue with Nick Daws . "Writing for free devalues the profession" doesn't even make sense. It doesn't devalue the profession. If anything, the host of excellent writers that has been discovered through blogs should sharpen everyone's pencils and make us all try a bit harder. He should look at what's happening in the market - if people are willing to write for free (for whatever reason) it merely means that he's charging too much for what he's doing if he's getting less work.
Times, they are a changin'
Posted by: Expat Mum | October 16, 2009 at 07:36 AM
Well as you know I've been writing travel features professionally for over 20 years, much of it in my capacity as a staff member on various magazines. I've also contributed freelance travel features. From my point of view, a press trip is a lovely perk (although I am very choosy these days!) and to be honest, I've never expected to be paid as well as going on the press trip. Perhaps if I was a dedicated travel writer I might feel differently, but I'm paid to write about everything else, so it's all gravy as far as I'm concerned. I also know I'm incredibly fortunate. I've flown first class all round the world and stayed in the best hotels my money could never buy. I'm happy to write pieces for Have a Lovely Time (as with Chicago and Switzerland) whenever I can and I don't expect a bean x
Posted by: Liz (LivingwithKids) | October 16, 2009 at 07:43 AM
I think there's a big difference between people contributing to your blog and, say, being poorly paid by websites or magazines that DO have money but just don't like to share it with their contributors. You can't pay what you don't have and you're obviously committed to making sure contributors gain as much as possible from the experience - what more can you do? I think your conscience should be clear.
I also think there's something intrinsic about writing that's linked to people's personal sense of worth or value. That sounds flaky and maybe it's true of any creative or artistic endeavour - but the idea that someone values what we write enough to pay for it can be a difficult thing to believe, especially when you're starting out in a recession surrounded by people with lots to say to put you off your chosen career path! Originally I would have happily written for free because it didn't really occur to me that anyone would want to pay me. Sad, but true. I know I've been 'lucky' to crack writing for nationals in a relatively short space of time but it's only that experience and the ensuing boost to my confidence that made me realise I was short-changing myself. I'm already much choosier about rates but wouldn't have dreamt of being so confident even 6 months ago. That said, if I hadn't written for free or for sites just like yours, I'd never have aimed for the nationals, so without these 'free' opportunities I wouldn't be commanding the fees I can now. I'm still not convinced by the 'devaluing the profession' line or argument though...
Posted by: Heidijohanna | October 16, 2009 at 09:19 AM
Re: your blog. If you haven't got the money to pay contributors, and they know this and still choose to write for you, then it's their decision.
But, I do think double standards seem to exist between travel journalism and other markets. While some journalists wouldn't ever write for free, they seem willing to write for a free holiday. Which obviously makes it tougher for journalists who are trying to make travel their main source of income (ha!).
On a recent press trip, out of six journalists only myself and one other were being paid to write about it - the rest were either retired and treating it like a holiday, a sub getting a 'perk' or someone writing it for free for a large regional paper.
I'm not saying that writing for a free 'holiday' (press trips are never holidays!) is right or wrong - but it does annoy me when publications or websites that hark on about how successful they are and set out guidelines for how they want the copy etc, then say they don't pay or pay something insulting.
When I was a student I used to write reviews for free because I got to keep/sell on books, CDs and DVDs etc and was building up my portfolio. And if I came across an exceptional trip now that I really, really wanted to do and couldn't get a paid commission for, I couldn't honestly say that I wouldn't at least consider writing it for free.
Sadly I expect most websites not to pay nowadays - but when they are attached to a major publication stuffed full of advertising, it really pisses me off.
Posted by: AmyW | October 16, 2009 at 09:20 AM
Really interesting article Linda. Thanks for bringing up the issue.
My tuppance, as someone who is not a writer, is that there are so many careers where you need to volunteer for a long time before you get to the paid stuff. Usually it is the careers that are interesting - and generally poorly paid.
I'm happy to write for free, as long as I know beforehand what the score is, then I can decide if I have the time or motivation to do it. I'm enjoying the writing aspect, and see articles for sites such as yours as an opportunity to practice.
However, I do have an idea for an article (not for Have a Lovely Time!), for which I am uniquely placed to write. It is timely, relevent and noone else could write it. For this, where I have something individual to offer, I really feel that I ought to be paid. It is how to go about getting it published that I have no idea about.
Posted by: Brit In Bosnia | October 16, 2009 at 10:07 AM
That was really interesting to read, I must say I don't know much about how journalists work and it was interesting to get some insight into the 'pitching' involved (reminds me of my early days as a grubby recruitment consultant, always pitching candidates!).
PS. There is an award for you at my blog. x
Posted by: Ellen | October 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Very interesting post Linda. I feel that you can't always measure payment solely in terms of the cash it generates - some jobs pay well on paper, but end up feeling like they're costing you something, others give more in the way of intangible benefits.
On another tangent, I blogged this week about a company (McCain) that was offering to pay bloggers in vouchers for its potato products in exchange for writing blog posts:
Somehow writing for chips feels more offensive to me than writing for free:
http://joannemallon.typepad.com/joanne_the_coach/2009/10/the-mummy-bloggers-the-prs-and-working-for-chips.html
Posted by: Joanne Mallon | October 16, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Great post, Linda. And interesting to see myself quoted in it ;-)
I think you make some excellent and important points here. And yes, I absolutely agree that the whole media landscape is changing.
My perspective is maybe a little different from yours, as I'm not really a journalist but an author/copywriter. I find that a growing amount of the work I do these days is not paid for directly, e.g. blogging. However, it contributes to sales of my books and courses, so I get a financial return that way.
What I *definitely* wouldn't do is take on one of the many 'jobs' advertised for bloggers paying a ridiculous amount such as $1 per 1000 words, often without so much as a link or byline. Indeed, I can't really understand why anyone would take on such a commission. You could make more money by writing the articles for yourself, putting them on a free Blogger blog (takes five minutes to set up), and add some Google AdSense ads to make money. If you're able to drive even a modest amount of traffic to this, you will soon earn more than the pathetic fees on offer, and it will carry on for months or years.
Indeed, I think writers and journalists will need to be increasingly entrepreneurial to survive, setting up their own websites and publishing their own work. The Internet makes it easier for individuals to compete with established businesses in the publishing sphere, and I can see more and more of us turning to self-publishing, print-on-demand, and so on in the coming years - not as second best, but because it pays better.
I'm no expert on travel writing, but I can see the logic in what you are saying here. It's certainly true that the more time you have to devote to researching an article, the less remunerative it is likely to be. And, by its very nature, that is obviously a particular problem with travel writing. If I was offered a one-off chance of, say, a paid weekend trip to some exotic destination in exchange for writing about it, however, I'd almost certainly take it. I spend ridiculous amounts of time sat in front of a computer, so it would be a welcome diversion/adventure for me. But equally, I can quite see that I wouldn't be able to make a full-time living from this. And travel writing isn't something I would recommend anyone new to writing to focus all their aspirations on either.
So I certainly don't think you should beat yourself up about 'exploiting' writers on your blog. I really don't think you are. As I see it, if you get invited on a promotional trip to Disneyland, say, you are getting a benefit worth hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars. OK, it may not be money in your pocket, but as a self-employed freelance, I would see this as part of a portfolio of things I do, not all of which have to be paid for in cash. At the end of the day, I chose to be a writer not to make as much money as possible, but to enjoy an interesting and (hopefully) varied lifestyle. If money was the only thing that mattered to me, I guess I would have become an accountant or a banker.
So keep up the good work with your blog, and by all means look at other ways you can make money from it. But in my view there's really no need to worry that you are exploiting writers if you're not able to offer them NUJ rates!
Posted by: Nick Daws | October 16, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Hi, thanks all.
I hoped this would generate some discussion so I am blown away to see people commenting so fully and thoughtfully.
In the past when I've written travel pieces these were passed down by a newsdesk on a regional as a reward or in one case I was jokingly told a 'punishment' - it would never have occured to me that this could be seen as writing anything for free as it was part of a job I was paid for, and when I went on one it turned into a news story.
Then when I was editing a charity's magazine I was invited on press trips with my family, again as part of a job I was paid for.
Since blogging here about twins etc I was invited, again with my family, at small hotels etc, which was an unexpected but welcome bonus.
Latest trip is a press trip alongside broadsheets and PA I think to the Bahamas, for me and my family.
I think this fits into the "amazing opportunity" category and I would be hard pushed to find a commission to cover the cost of taking a family of four there.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect for me of this discussuion is how it illustrates the different approach from people who have found blogging a good way to help their writing along and those who have always comes at it from making a living point of view.
My problem - if you can call it that - (hardly) is that I can see all sides. Not sure that's a good attribute for a blogger!
In my streams of consciousness I didn't really say anything about the different perceptions of how objective readers will think you are if you have been on a press trip and this affects journalists and bloggers just as much, I reckon.
The latest blog post on this family travel blog is clearly described as resulting from a complimentary trip.
Virtually straight away a paying customer has gone on and shared their experience of the same destination and also thrown up an angle - about holidaying with an autistic child - that I would hope could make an excellent piece for a paying market but I'm sure it has been pitched a million times, so for me, I'll possibly look to blog about it instead. I won't get the money for writing it in a newspaper but it will help the blog grow etc.
Sorry have gone on a bit.
Thank you again for all the comments so far. I hope that the advice given by the senior travel journalists in this post and the "are you being ripped off?" pointers may be useful.
From my point of view the comments here have helped me so thank you again.
Posted by: Linda | October 16, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Nick - just seen your comment - thank you :)
Posted by: Linda | October 16, 2009 at 10:46 AM
And bloody hell Camilla, go you. x Thanks, please make it £20.
Posted by: Linda | October 16, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Great article, Linda. I totally agree.
I fell into travel writing about 6 years ago, I used to run a travel website and an editor friend asked me to attend a press trip in St Lucia for him. I wet myself with glee for the whole five day trip as I thought I'd finally found my vocational nirvana. I assumed I'd get paid handsomely for the article (I didn't)as the journos I met on the trip were obviously making a living out of it. Six years down the line, I have realised that that is certainly not the case.
The reason I am more than happy to contribute to Havealovelytime is that I like and respect Linda and her work, and I know that if she could pay her contributors she would. Also, I usually rehash or re-angle a previously published article (in a very different market) and it works for me to get more coverage for it.
What does irk me is the numerous glossy magazines I approach that supposedly have 'no budget' for travel but would happily consider the idea if I could write it for free.
Carry on with the great work Linda, again I am always more than happy to contribute (email to come!).
ps: And as for writing for chips...ridiculous!
Posted by: Tracey Davies | October 16, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Hi Liz and Expat. Thank you for responding so thoughtfully! AS you can see, I have had lots of comments from different points of view and someone somewhere has said: "You worry too much." Now I am worrying about worrying too much. I think I need a lie down. I do think it's an interesting and to some, important discussion. Expat, really interesting to see what you say about new writers being found through blogs...Liz I think I have always agreed with you but that there are people who see themselves as travel writers first and foremost and don't see a trip as a reward in itself, I can see where they are coming from, but for the likes of me, and without wanting to put words in the mouth of anyone who has written for this site, and them, a trip abroad for their whole family may just be 'payment' enough. x
Posted by: Linda | October 17, 2009 at 09:04 AM
I wanted to pick up on the comment from Tracey above. How many publications do actually pay for travel articles these days anyway? Why should you worry as a new site that has just grown a little worry when glossy magazines with massive ad sales not pay?
Also, while I am sure we would all love to 'make a living' from travel writing, what planet are these travel writers on? Of course journalists and bloggers are going to be prepared to write about a trip with their family if they are lucky enough to be invited. If they then can't sell a feature about it, it doesn't take away the experience of going. I'm sure many of us would like to "make a living" out of sampling food and wine, or being a film critic, but it aint gonna happen!
Good luck and well done to any travel writer. Sounds a dream job to me. Oh to have the luxury of debating whether I should be paid for going to the Bahamas! My heart bleeds...:)
Posted by: Paul | October 17, 2009 at 09:22 AM
Tracey, Keris, Jayne, Camilla, Liz, Erica, and everyone - thank you so much. Paul yeah I can see why it could sound pretty ridiculous. Anne, Dave, Nigel, Brit, Ellen, thank you ever so much for your thoughts. I'm going to have to come back to this! x
Posted by: Linda | October 17, 2009 at 09:42 AM
@Brit in Bosnia - I'm sure either Linda or myself would only be too happy to point you in the right direction to help get your feature placed (and paid for!) - if you want to email me I'm on lizjarvis1@yahoo.co.uk
Posted by: Liz (LivingwithKids) | October 17, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Interesting post, Linda. Good to have editors that are actually thinking about this and questioning it. Some are all to quick to *expect* people to work for free and shrug off any objections.
I'm finding myself in a new moral dilemma at the moment. I moved to Argentina and the jobs I turned my nose up to when I was in the UK suddenly look a little more appealing. Those few pounds or dollars go further here. But I worry if I accept them, I will be, as Nick says above, 'devaluing the profession'. But at the end of the day, I have my bills to pay and I have to make my own personal situation work. I don't work for free, but where do you draw the line beyond that?
Posted by: Vicky Baker, goinglocaltravel.com | October 19, 2009 at 07:22 PM