Comments on: Colleagues Not Competition

By: Amy Derby

Amy Derby — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:39:12 +0000

I don’t consider most of the writers/bloggers I meet online to be competition. We all do different things, and most people wouldn’t want the jobs I’m after. The few people I do know who work in my main niche are folks I’ve met online, and we refer clients to each other frequently. I agree with Katharine; anyone who thinks of other writers only as competitors is only cheating himself.

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 07:55:26 +0000

I completely agree! I find writers in general to be naturally helpful people. Bloggers even more so, and I think that's because the blogging model actually turns your competitor into a comrade, with all the linking. You're right, it's a huge relief from office politics and cubicle hardball. -Melissa Donovan Writing Forward

By: Katharine Swan

Katharine Swan — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 07:53:11 +0000

Anyone who considers other freelancers competition — well, it’s their loss, and they have no idea how big of a loss it really is.

I’ve gotten referrals (and, subsequently, work) from other writers who had a full workload or a different specialization. I’ve given referrals, too.

I also once had a situation where a fellow writer helped me to get paid by putting the pressure on a client she knew better than I did.

I’ve had other writers direct me to good job ads, and vice versa.

But most of all, I’ve made friends who do what I do, when where and how I do it. When no one else REALLY understands the eccentricities of the job, it’s nice to talk (read: email) with someone who does once in a while.

By: Karen

Karen — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 03:02:36 +0000

I too completely agree! I have found the community of writers to be extremely supportive. We all understand rejection and seem all too willing to cheer on a fellow writer when they get a win. I love supporting other writers and when one succeeds well in my mind its a win for the whole team. I learn from the talents of others and am inspired by the successes of my “competitors.” We writers are truly a special group of people and I’m darned proud to call this my profession!

By: Erin

Erin — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 02:57:43 +0000

I’m a firm believer in “what goes around, comes around.” Every second of time I’ve spent encouraging, advising or listening to another freelancer has come back to me severalfold, not to mention the fact that happy, friendly freelancers are a GREAT way to get overflow work, referrals and support when times are lean!

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 14:11:31 +0000

I agree completely. I do something somewhat strange on my blog. I feature other freelancers bios and resumes. Some people might think that does not make sense to put competition on my own blog. Yes, I try to gain new clients for myself through my blog but if I don’t fit their needs, why not provide them with another freelancer that might? I like to make my blog a place that is a true resource for everybody involved in freelancing whether it is someone trying to find work or someone looking to hire. If anybody wants their freelance bio shown, all they have to do is ask. I do it for free, no charge or strings attached. All of the bios done so far have received numerous Google searches so I like to think that led to a job for one of them

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 13:24:48 +0000

I don’t see other writers as competition. When someone gets a gig I applied for I am genuinely happy for them. I do, however, see myself as my competition. I feel the constant need to improve to the point of driving myself crazy.

By: Rebecca Laffar-Smith

Rebecca Laffar-Smith — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 06:44:30 +0000

Writers love to read. We can never have too many blogs to catch up on. We know that every writer tells it different, even saying the same thing differently, and we can learn from everything.

There’s nothing to say that because ’such and such’ posted about dialogue and ’so and so’ did too, one over the other will get all the readers. Despite having the same topic we WANT to browse BOTH blogs because we’ll learn different things (and the same thing in different ways) from both. The only real problem is there aren’t enough hours in the day to keep up with ALL of the fantastic writers’ blogs on the web.

I think that sharing our challenges and experiences is another reason the internet is a fantastic resource for writers. We share common interests and experience. We can commiserate with each other and really understand each other.

It’s great to be able to create so many wonderful friends (and colleagues) around the world.

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 04:01:35 +0000

I don’t feel like other writers are my competition. I see them as a support network, one that is there to cheer me on and vice versa. Even when my friend and I both applied for the same job, I was so happy for her when she landed the gig.

Writers are walked on by many in the industry, the pay scale keeps going down for new writers, why in the world would anyone want to be in competition only to undercut that already low scale.

So many new writers have no idea where to go or how to make friends. I’m sure that is where this idea is coming from and every writer I know tries to help the new guys find more work and friends.

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 02:37:06 +0000

Ditto everything you said, Deb. I only started writing a year ago, and only got where I am now because of the kindness and openness of other writers. I was actually very surprised early on to find writers so willing to share.

I think that it helps that we are all so varied in our types of writing & subject matter. And that we know there’s way more work out there than we could handle – or want!