I have noticed that some freelancers post their monthly earnings or discuss how much money they are making, either on their own blogs or on message boards. Have you ever noticed that the people who are willing to post how much they make are posting figures in the thousands each month?
To be honest with you, I’m not sure what I think about that. It seems like the topic of money is the last great taboo in our society. People seem more willing to open up about their sex lives than discuss how much money they are making…or spending, for that matter.
I was taught that to ask someone how much money they make is tacky and that volunteering that information is also in poor taste. When I was a little girl, my parents took me to a fair and a veterinarian was doing a presentation that day about what the job is like. When he asked if there were any questions, my eight-year-old self asked him how much money he made! He did answer with a figure that I have long forgotten now, but I still remember the severe dressing-down I was given after we walked away.
When I see someone posting what their earning are, I wonder about their motives for doing so. Are they trying to give themselves an ego boost by revealing this information? Are they trying to encourage existing writers not to give up or those sitting on the fence to give it a try?
To be honest, I don’t spend much time wondering how much anyone else is making. We all have different backgrounds and levels of experience and it’s not fair to compare the earnings of someone who has been freelancing for several years with that of someone who is just starting out. How much you can make will depend on many factors, including how much and how well you market yourself, as well as your writing ability.
I am curious to find out what the readers at FWJ think about this topic. Should we reveal how much we are making or is that still a no-no? Would you like to know what your fellow freelancers are bringing in? Would that knowledge help to spur you on to keep working or would you be discouraged if you found out that other people were making more than you?
Discuss.
This is a phenomenon that has my hackles up from time to time. I used to read a writing blog faithfully until the earnings challenges and postings started up. Why? Up to that point the writer had been going on for a good while about how they were barely making ends meet and constantly begging people to leave a tip.
I am in the economically depressed midwest; I have one weekly gig I can count on, my part-time job crashed with the housing bust and this person making how much needs me to pay for their blog. I’m on Google because I don’t have money to throw away on blogging but I love the blog world so I would rather blog on Google than not at all.
Sorry, this isn’t a very good first impression. I forgot how much energy was linked to this topic.
I once heard a theory that if more people talked about how much money they made, inequalities in pay would be less frequent because people would demand to be paid the same as their peers. I’m not sure I fully agree with that (and I think the theorist was talking about work on defined pay scales) but I do appreciate freelancers talking about it in the context of helping each other out. Especially since I’m just starting out and am still learning what’s fair and what’s typical.
I’ve told people how much I make. Usually when asked by a new writer who wants to know if all blogging jobs are low pay, or to encourage someone who is feeling discouraged about their income. But I’m generally forthcoming about everything — sex life included. LOL I don’t feel like it needs to be a secret. I know there are folks who earn more and folks who earn less. To me, it is no big deal.
It seems to me that posting incomes for freelancers will encourage new players in the arena. It is general knowledge that the price for gigs is governed by supply and demand.
I would also like to enter the playing field and I need the rulebook-rates etc.
@Catherine – I’m not unsupportive. I think my point is if someone is going to say “I earned $7500 last month and you can too” I want to know how. Knowing a broad monthly figure won’t tell me anything – What kind of writing does this person do? What are her rates? What kind of work was involved with each project?
With Carson, he issued a challenge to himself (with much fanfare) to earn $100,000 in a year and posted updates. His rates were also listed at his website so we could see what he charged. We knew what kind of writing he took on and how much time he spent on different projects. He didn’t just go to different forums and say “I made $7500 last mont.”
Please don’t read into this that I’m not supportive, because I am. I applaud the writer for surpassing her goals. I just feel if a someone is going to post income as a motivator for others, they’re going to have to tell how they came about that total. Are these academic papers? Does she sell PLR? Is she a journalist? Do all her clients pay the same fee…and who set the fee?
Lots of considerations..and support.
In all fairness…
I didn’t look at the blog at first because it was down. I saw the post at WAHM at it was very vague.
The writer did say her income was from 21 writing projects. I don’t know what types of projects or the rates though.
For 21 gigs that’s not a huge amount. Kind of average.
Great topic! Although what I will share is a little off base, it still runs parallel to today’s topic.
My partner’s aunt is CONSTANTLY asking us how much money we have for income. And I am not talking about questions such as ” do you make good money at your job?”! No, I am talking about direct questions such as ” how much money do you make an hour?” or ” how much money do you bring home every month?”! To me, it is appalling that they ask! They are much older than us, and have much more money than we do, so what concern is it of their’s? The only thing I can think of as to why they ask is because we rent from them, and they want to know if they can charge us more in rent! Of course, when they do ask, I always answer with my famous line of “I make enough to pay my bills”! I just do NOT understand where people feel so comfortable enough to ask another individual, related or not, how much money they make! I have never cared to know how much others make at their job, and I wish that others would feel the same way about mine!
@ Working Hard: That is so rude!
When someone asks my father a question that he thinks is too personal, he just says, “Well if anyone asks you, you just tell them that you don’t know…” This might work for you, too.
Hi Deb
Not everyone who posts up their monthly earnings is making money in their thousands. I’m such an example. Sharing or not sharing that info is a personal choice.
One of the things you mentioned here is that you were taught that talking about money was tacky – you’re responding from that place. I was taught that there’s never enough money, that you need to work yourself silly over 3 low-paid jobs rather than get one well-paid job. The realisation of what I’ve learnt from my parents is one thing – whether I choose to do something about it (unlearn it), or whether I feel I need to do something about it, is another.
take care and thanks for broaching the topic…
Pingback: All Freelance Writing » Blog Archive » Should You Share Your Freelance Writing Income?
Pingback: 5 Freelance Writing Links For You
Pingback: Inkthinker | Freelance Writing Blog » Should Writers Share Their Income and Rates?