Aaron Crowe

Why do people try to lowball writers? Or get them to work for free?

I was approached this week by an entrepreneur who wanted to hire an editor and writer to blog for his website.  It was in a field I’m very much interested in, but I wasn’t going to do the work for a low price. I offered a fair price, and he countered with half of that. I told him I could write and work as an editor, finding and editing blog entries for him from Bay Area journalists who are well qualified and would have to be paid a living wage.

At least he didn’t throw in the idea of me working for free for exposure in the field, as too many people or businesses are doing to get writers to work for free. As Harlan Ellison explains well in the video above,  the person doing the asking doesn’t work for free, so why should writers?

Forbes magazine, started by a billionaire, is asking for media bloggers to write for it for free and the “exposure” of its readers. What? Who would do that? And why?

Writers deserved to be paid,  just like everybody else. And the people who do it for “exposure” on the Internet should think how they’re undercutting themselves and others by writing for free.

It’s why I couldn’t get the blogging job. I had the gall to ask for twice as much money as the website owner was willing to pay.  I guess if I were just out of college, had no experience and no job, it would be enticing. But I’ve got bills to pay, just like everyone else.