by Pam Baker
Every writer out there is trying to go over the transom and through the spam filters to get to the editor with the big dollar assignments. Less than one percent of the writers trying for those jobs will even get a two-line filler assignment. Yet that is where the dreams lie and the writers flock.
It doesn’t make sense really. Why go down the ego-bruising, rejection-laden path when you can make it big easier on the road less traveled?
The secret works on the same premise as the trick question “had you rather work for a small amount doubled everyday or get a half-million dollar a year paycheck?” The correct answer is take the smaller doubling sum – it adds up to far more in the end.
Instead of pining for the big paying jobs, make your own. For example, if a wire posting assignment pays $10.00 a story (which is the average) most writers will not bother to even apply. So the competition is minimal, relatively speaking. But, if you can take that measly assignment and convince the editor to let you take over the wire posting hassle then you can make a very decent living. By posting 10 wire stories daily (making minimal edits from stories pulled directly off wire services) at that same $10 rate you will make $500 for a five day work week. That’s $2000 a month for very little effort. Yet, all your competition saw was $10 a story.
Another good road seldom traveled: look for people who are required to generate a great deal of writing, yet who aren’t writers. Analysts at research firms are usually terrific at number crunching and making market forecasts, for example. Yet they are typically lousy writers. Fortunately for good writers, the analysts have to generate market studies which are then sold and generate income for the firm. It is easier for the firm to sell studies that are easy to read, well written works then it is to sell cumbersome, wordy technical pieces.
Pitch research firms on letting you write the studies and reports for the analysts. Everyone wins! Typical pay for a writer to write the qualitative portion of a market study is $10,000 to $25,000. In the normal course of things, the writer is paid 1/3 at contract signing, 1/3 at midpoint, and the remaining 1/3 of the fee on final delivery.
The same applies to professors and scientists at large universities, and compliance departments at big corporations.
Start by going after the cheaper assignments like a marketing brochure or a press release, whatever you can get. Once in, start pitching the big deals. Don’t overlook the human resources departments. Often they have to translate legal pieces into easy to read pamphlets and manuals for an undereducated workforce to use. There’s your opportunity.
Once in, look around and then go for the mundane work that pays big. None of this work is ever advertised, yet it’s easy to get as the people stuck with the writing never want to do it. They’ll gladly pass it on to you.
Writing for analysts, professors, scientists and human resources departments has its drawbacks too. Usually you don’t get a byline or credit and you can’t use the work as a clip since its really secretive stuff most of the time – not to mention that analytical firms sell market studies for $6,000 dollars or better a pop. They don’t want you to give away the goods just because you’re looking for more work, especially if you are pitching their competitor. But you can usually get a reference letter or someone at the organization to stand as a reference for you.
In any case, $10,000 a pop or better buys you a lot of comfort while you seek fame for that novel you keep threatening to write.
