Will Not Work for Free

Seeing your work in print has got to be one of life's greatest pleasures for a writer. Better still is having your work solicited and editors thinking of you when they want a feature written. Shoefie's savouring her first published/paid for story. Her columns are very well-written too. Watch out for more work from her.

What is it about writers and writing that makes publishers think that they can get away with asking people to submit their work for 'free'? Or the eternal 'gives-you-great-exposure' scam?

It's a question I ask myself (and Mr.R, and writing forums...) just because one is a novice, does it mean that one should not be compensated for work? Would you not pay a novice carpenter, plumber, electrician or maid no matter how untrained or inexperienced they are? So why the double standards for writers?

With the rapid rise of the Internet, everybody is a writer. Maybe that accounts for the drop in standards as most people equate being literate as being able to write. Publishers and editors, however, have been kanjoos much before the days of the Web. How does one tell them that work, even for free, takes time, effort and a lot of brain power? How does one make the point that even writers have families that have to be fed, children to put through school and a life to be run?

While most newbie writers are advised not to give up the day job, some people DO manage to survive somewhat with the strength of their words alone. Staff writers aside (those on the payroll of magazines and newspapers) freelancers are still going strong, which is cause for celebration.

Breaking into the Western press is hard, because there is so much competition from fantastic writers the world over who have discovered the Internet and new markets as a result.

If I was back in India, I know I will do well with writing alone. It's just a question of being committed to coming up with fresh ideas, angles and carving a niche for yourself.

September / October sees five articles in an Indian in-flight magazine. Every one is paid for.

Seeing your name in print is wonderful. Holding a cheque for those words is heaven.