Writing for the Web = Instant Gratification
March 6, 2008 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
When I worked in publishing, most of our freelancers considered themselves paid "right away" if they received a check in the mail within 60 days of publication. You see, "payment on publication" doesn’t mean you receive a check on the day your article is published, it means your details get sent to accounting who will generally schedule you for payment about 30 days after publication – and you’ll receive the check within a month of that. Nowadays writers still have to wait 30 days or more to get a check from a print client, but many web clients are a lot quicker to publish and quicker to pay. In fact, many freelancers prefer writing for the web because of the instant gratification.
Same Day Publishing
If you work for a content site or as a blogger, your work is published as soon as it hits send. Other sites require you to send your work to an editor for proofing and fact checking, but generally these articles are posted within a couple of days of submission. This is encouraging for many writers who enjoy seeing their name in print and makes them want to write more.
Pay Pal and Direct Deposit
Many web clients pay the same day work is received. Others pay once a week or once a month. Having money directly deposited into a bank account or Pay Pal is much more appealing than having to wait for checks. Keep in mind though that you may have to worry about Pay Pal fees. For many freelancers however, Pay Pal fees are worth the convenience, especially since they’re tax deductible.
A Sense of Community
The web provides more opportunity for interaction. Thanks to blogs and forums, many places publishing content allow their readers to comment on articles and features. Granted, there are trolls to deal with but for the most party this builds up community. The more members a site or a blog has, the more lively the community. Community is the main reason I write for the web. I love interacting with my readers.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
I love writing for the web for all of the reasons mentioned above. I don’t have to send out queries or wait months for a response (usually), nor do I have to wait forever for payment. I do give a few things up though. Web clients tend to pay less than print clients. The reason for this is generally because ad revenue is different. Print clients can gets tens of thousands of dollars from one well placed ad. On the web, unless you’re Perez Hilton or John Chow, you won’t get as much in ad revenue. You can’t pay your writers as much if you’re not making as much.
Also, some editors don’t see writing for the web as having the same prestige as print markets. They’re getting better, but there is still a snobbish attitude towards web and content markets.
What’s your writing preference and why?
While I’ve learned to like web based writing more in the past year (it’s where I make the majority of my money), I think there’s some old fashioned quality that still makes print more attractive to me, even with the slower process, payments, etc.
Oh, I have to agree that writing for an instant medium is much more gratifying. I had to send out an actual paper query not long ago. I’d forgotten how time-consuming that process is!
I don’t really have a preference. I do tend to work more with people who pay on time (within 30 days of receiving my invoice), and those who don’t waffle at paying a portion of my fee upfront. I LOVE working for companies and clients that utilize direct deposit. PayPal is great, but the fees can be mighty steep, depending on the amount. I guess that was the long way of saying I choose clients based on a bunch more factors than the medium they’re using.
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As much as I love seeing my name in print, I love writing for the web. It’s so much easier to access clips, have a proven track record, and communicate when there is a problem. Well, at least this is the case for me.
Having started off writing for the Web, I wasn’t really prepared for how late print payments arrive. It doesn’t really take the shine off having your name in print, but it does get a little frustrating when you’re balancing your monthly accounts, and there’s a check from a month ago still not in the mail. For that reason, I prefer web writing.
The actual pay for print is far, far better though, and I do find magazine writing more enjoyable, although getting a gig can be hard.
Exclusively on the web–fewer hassles, faster pay, simpler work. Fits my life best at this stage, but maybe that will change with age (the kids’, not mine–4 kids under 8 you need some flexibility & simplicity somewhere).
Hi! I think it depends on the publications – some print pay publications do pay faster than web writing. (and vice versa)
However – I tend to work for “pay on acceptance” terms versus “pay on publication” terms when it comes to print publications.
Even many online sites pay no more promptly than print.
@Scribette,
Glad you’re successful with pay on acceptance. I write for some national print pubs (trades, mostly) and it’s pay on publication — even if article gets held for some time.
My writing is primarily web-based these days, but even before that transition I wasn’t a magazine writer. Working for corporate clients who have payroll departments in charge of cutting my checks, I’m lucky not to have to wait too long. Ironically, my biggest late payer — one I no longer write for — was a web-based PayPal payer. So go figure.
For Phil and the rest who write for trade pubs and such, I don’t envy your bookkeeping tasks.
My background is 15 years in print. It’s funny to me how some people think print is the ultimate for writers, and you somehow settle for web writing or do it to get started. I did the reverse. I spent 15 years as an underpaid and overworked newspaper reporter, and I freelanced for mags. It took MONTHS to get paid for most print gigs, and that was for a good publisher.
I have finally gotten to the point where I actually prefer Web. I’ve seen my name in print enough that it doesn’t get me all aflutter anymore. I do like the instant publishing with a click, and I do like that online work I do gets paid either same day through Paypal or within 30 days on the long end. What I love even more is that web writing finally pays nicely. I’ve been doing it since the early 1990s for the fun of it! Now that it’s so in demand, I prefer it.
I’ve had both print and web-based clients. I don’t always admit it out loud, but have to say I do swell with pride to see my byline in a print publication more so than a web-based one.
I was recently given the opportunity to make a weekly print magazine I contribute to my main writing gig, downscaling my online writing.
I said no, because I didn’t want to give up the benefits of online writing. I love the fact that my work reaches internatinal readers, not just local ones.
Articles also remain accessible through archives, and have a longer shelf-life than a print article.
Most importantly, online has helped me grow to become an international writer in my niche, rather than just being a national journo.
I know there are print veterans who look down on online writers, but when you consistently bring out quality stories, they do end up respecting your work.
Validation for my choice was shown when Reuters and a couple of international niche pubs started picking up some of my stories. They would never have found my work if it was buried in a print out here in South Africa.
Kelby,
“Underpaid and overworked” and “Newspaper reporter” are redundant. Spent 13 years on dailies myself. Going to a magazine was a $5,000 annual raise, plus monthly rather than daily deadlines.
Was tough when magazine job went away, but I’ve earned more in 16 years of freelancing than I would have made in 30 years at the magazine (which was actually my biggest freelance client for several years).
I have to say, I was just amazed. I wrote an article for Earnshaw’s magazine and received payment within two weeks. Meanwhile, I’ve been writing for a really well received online company and they say they never got my first invoice, so now it’s been two months since I’ve been writing for them and I still have no money to show from it.