Member-only story
When I started out as a freelancer writer I made a lot of mistakes (heck, I still make a ton of mistakes) and one of those was working for experience and not cash. I was willing to take on almost anything for the small chance that that business owner would love my work, tell people how awesome I was and maybe, just maybe pay me later — once I’d helped them make money for themselves.
The idea seems solid, but the outcome is not.
The Line
As I grew as a freelance writer and business owner in my own right, I knew I was making bad choices on this matter. However, I continued to tell myself that one day it would pay off. But one experience changed my mind.
It was an up-and-coming publication that was looking for edgy, local content that spoke to the millennial crowd. And, in my defence, their original posting said the pay would be low, not non-existent.
I love my local community, and I thought it would be a fun time and good experience (there’s that word again) to write about my local culture. So I filled out their application and not an hour later I got a login to their website — no discussion, no additional information, simply a login.
Later that night I got an email that said all writing was voluntary at that point, but some time in the future…
