It's no secret in the art world that we're always at risk of dying. Now, I don't mean to sound dramatic, but have you heard of the term "dying art?" We see it happening every day. Do they even teach cursive in school anymore? The art of conversation has become digital. For writers, it's no different.
Websites like Upwork, and Fiverr offer great, convenient services for both parties, to the people who need short term work and the ones taking on the projects. It's certainly helped me through some financial lulls. And it can be a great source of networking, or even finding long-term clients.
But when you pay your writer's low wages, it's cheapening the industry, and well, slowly killing it. We're teaching people that they can find cheap labor and that they should accept poor quality.
If you're a writer or hiring a writer... consider these when you're searching:
Do not write trial articles, or ask for trial articles. A writer's portfolio should be enough to showcase their writing skills. Asking for an article on an application is free labor. Would you commission a painting and expect the painting before you pay?
Do not underpay or accept low paying jobs. When you accept a low paying project, you're making it okay for people to expect to pay less. Asking for cheap writing means you're minimizing the talent that goes into producing content. Writing is hard, it's a skill that not everyone has. Harness this.
Don't force it. Not everyone is meant to work together. Writing is about how you communicate something. If it's not working, find someone who does.
If artists continue to take labor that doesn't value them, the industry will continue to see a downward spiral of quality. Consider a higher budget. You'll get better quality work, likely get better quality clients and support an industry that we cannot afford to lose.
Comments