This makes it okay?

The more I try to talk to fellow writers about this issue, the more I realize the amount of fear and trepidation there is at simply admitting that paying somebody $3 for a 250-word article that would take, AT LEAST, an hour to write (if it’s going to be any good) is NOT FAIR.

As long as we hold to a standard of “well, it’s not as bad as they have it in XXX”, we will continue to degrade the industry and allow exploitation and unfair treatment to happen.

I think people engaged in mental activity will tend to hit a plateau after a certain amount of hours worked and much of your effort after that point will not good for much.

2. When I was in college I worked with a lady who worked as the head of the Central Services Cleaning Department of the hospital where I worked and four nights a week took two buses to work as an hourly janitorial crew in a hospital across town.

Sitting for hours on end in front of a computer may be tiring and it may weigh heavily on the body and mind but lots of people do things that are far more taxing.

Though you probably don’t want to make a habit of it, on particularly intense days (heavy deadlines, and only if you know ahead of time), it can be worth it to hire a sitter. I had to do that a couple of times when I had infants, my wife was a stay at-home-mom, but had to attend to health issues with her own mother.

But it’s easier to appreciate the priviledge of being a professional writer when the bills are fully paid and there’s money left over to cover family emergencies.

It’s also easier to appreciate it when you can actually sit back, take a sip of your drink of choice and think through the story you want to tell without feeling every minute speed past.

I also think that sometimes we writers fall into the “love of writing” trap. I know I did for years.

You write all the hours God gave, produce reams of copy and get paid little money, and it’s supposed to be okay because you love what you do.

Sure I love what I do, but I also need to sleep, spend time with my family, mess around in my vegetable garden…

And if I don’t get paid enough to pay bills and still be able to do other things that are meaningful to me, what’s the point of working hard?

I am SO there with you! I have my 4 yr old daughter still at home, 6 and 8 yr old daughters in school now (I might go into hiding in about 8 years when they’re all tweens or teens).

I’m also “dreaming” of the more ideal home situation when I’m not getting a constant stream of commentary in my ear from my DD while I try to work. I love that I’m able to stay home with her, but I know I don’t quite have a good work environment.

Trying to focus on getting as much done as possible in the mornings so I can have a change of pace in the middle of the day, or in the evening. The staying up to late part is what burns me out. I’m more on the night-owl side anyway, so that becomes a problem.

I know I’m not as productive then, but sometimes I am either required or I have a goal (to keep making progress) that I have to get to before my head hits the pillow. If I get delayed in the morning, that’s pretty tough on me.

I only started doing my freelancing seriously starting in January. I don’t even know what I’m going to do in the summer with ALL of them around. I suppose send them outside all morning long?? Maybe that will give my 4 yr old someone else to give her commentary to at times

The smallest jobs add up; the big jobs are the best $$$, of course. So, maybe it should all boil down to love and money? (Oh, OK, family and health, too.) Life is too short not to love every minute you’re writing.