Back in the Day: How the Internet Changed the Freelance Writing Business
August 4, 2008 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
by Deborah Ng
My first job in publishing was as receptionist for a busy New York City magazine boutique. After one week it was clear my two most important jobs were stroking editorial egos and telling freelancers the check is in the mail. This was 1985 and as a 20 year old I was in awe of the process. I’m still in awe but after 23 years it’s not hard to notice how the Internet has changed freelance writers.
Back in the day: A freelance writer queried or sent an article “on spec”. The unopened envelope was tossed to the top of the slush pile only to be opened when the editor had a free minute – usually a few months later.
2008: Writers submit electronically. While many editors still have an electronic slush pile, many will take some time out each week to quickly scan the first few lines of the email submissions and decide whether or not to save to read further or send an email of no thanks.
Back in the day: Writers had to rely on cold calls, pounding the pavement, unsolicited submissions and the occasional newspaper ad to find work.
2008: Freelance writing job sites and blogs abound online.
Back in the day: Articles were to be paid on publication (for my firm) which meant anything from 3 months to a couple of years. Just before the article was to be published, an invoice was requested. Payment would ensue – usually another 30 to 60 days after that.
2008: If your work is web based you’re paid on a weekly or monthly basis, often without having to submit an invoice.
Back in the day: The check is in the mail.
2008: PayPal and direct deposit.
Back in the day: Freelance writers spend half their day outside of the home meeting with clients, looking for work, buying supplies and more.
2008: Freelancers don’t even have to get out the clean underwear.
Back in the day: We met our clients face to face and spoke often on the phone.
2008: Skype
Back in the day: Freelancers were paid $250 – $500 for a 500 word article.
2008: Freelancers are paid $5 to $100 for a 500 word article.
Back in the day: Freelance writers spent hours, if not days, researching at the library and interviewing sources for an accurate, factual article.
2008: Google, baby!
What changes do you see in freelance writing in Web 2.0 era?
Image via stock.xchnge
Great article, Deb!
I came to freelance writing with the internet already in place, so I don’t know what it was like for freelance writers prior to its advent. However, on the grapevine, I heard freelancers talking about how the web has changed things – particularly how it has driven rates down to rock bottom, which is the sad part.
I am so grateful for the online publishers like Triond and others – they have really made my choice for a career in writing easier to attain.
Hi Nicki,
There’s a line in your signature where you can put links to your work. This is the second time you dropped a link for Triond in your comment – I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt but if you continue we’ll consider it spam and delete your posts. Thanks for understanding
Back in the day: Freelancers were paid $250 – $500 for a 500 word article.
2008: Freelancers are paid $5 to $100 for a 500 word article.
::cry::
I can remember paying about $30 for a Writer’s Market (every year). Now, I can access the database online and pay $2.95/per month. I’ll keep the subscription for two or three months, write down the publisher’s contact information and current needs, and cancel.
Fabulous article! I have experienced a little of the ‘back in the day’ and a lot of everything since. Isn’t it amazing how much things have changed? In some ways, its been wonderful – in other ways, not so much.
May I add an amendment to the pay for freelancers? *mischievous giggle*
Freelancers are also now paid ‘recognition’ and ‘revenue’(only).
Go further back: Good Housekeeping in 1960 paid (in today’s dollars) more than $5 a word. (NO, I’m not that old, I read this a couple of years ago and it stuck with me).
I still spend hours on the phone, and did so in the past. Never did much at library (the one hee is too small). Google searches still require checking. some google info is bad.
Still sumbit invoices. But clients are “iffy” regarding 1099s.
In the 2002 book “Careers in Publishing,” Good Housekeeping is listed as offering freelancers $1 to $2 per word. So they’ve declined their rate in the past few decades.
I was a teenager just starting out in the 80s, so I only experienced rejection slips. Your article really takes me back, but I’d like to add one thing:
Back in the day: You typed out your manuscript, and kept the Wite-Out close at hand. Accuracy counted, and there was no spellchecker except for the massive dictionary on your desk.
2008: Hello, delete key!
Ann G.,
It was probably 2004 or 5 I read that abaout Good Housekeeping. So they may habe been paying same word rate in 1960s, but in inflation adjusted dollars, that translated to $5 a word.
Yes, the internet has broadened the opportunities for writers butt is that good? I think one of the reasons that pay has decreased is because writing is treated as if anyone can do it. It is an art, that should be studied and practiced. I am a content editor and the days of well prepared, researched and “proud of pieces”, have faded.
Freelances are not paid $5 to $100 for a $500-word article.
Plenty of print (and some online) pay $1/word. Many writers command at least $500 for a 500-word piece..
@Kara – Actually your comment saying “freelancers are not paid $5 to $10..” isn’t correct. They are paid that much and less.
Yes, there are print markets paying $1 a word. But writers are more likely to find $20 gigs oer $500 gigs. Especially online writers.
Nice insights here, Deb. I’ve never written for print — then or now — but I have to say it still sounds like quite a bit of aggravation compared to online writing. But I had to chuckle a little about the receptionist thing. I started out as a law firm receptionist at 18, and my job was much the same: stroke egos and filter out anyone pitching a service. Taught me a lot though, and helped me move up in the law firm world, as it sounds you also did in publishing. Anyway, thanks for sharing this info. It was good to learn a little more about things from a broader perspective.
The three biggest advantages of the internet age over the snail mail days of yore are:
1) Writer’s Market & Media Bistro (whose ‘How to Pitch’ and Mastheads section are worth the price of upgrading to Avant Guild!)
2) Research at your fingertips. Yes you still need to verify information and corroborate sources, but you can do it from home without trudging off to a library
3) Speed — talk about instant gratification. I’ve had jobs where I’ve turned in my final copy and received payment and seen my work published online within three days (vs. the year and a half I waited for one print publication and payment.)
It’s interesting to see a generation of writers emerging now who know nothing but writing via the internet (and who may not really appreciate what life was like B.I. — just like microwaves and ATM’s!)
Great post, Deb.
Everything you write is so true. I also think freelancers are found now through their blogs. I’ve gotten several writing jobs that way. I still attend a couple of writer’s meetings a year to keep up with everyone in the industry.~~Dee
The big difference: I don’t think it takes as long to generate substantial freelance income now as it did back in the day. Years ago, a person had to spend money sending queries and clips via regular mail and wait for long periods of time before getting a response (or a rejection slip). Also, there were no e-zines or blogs!
Back in the Day: CC actually meant a carbon copy (was there a BCC option? I don’t remember)
2008: You can CC and BCC an email, but what’s a carbon anyway?
Great post and I love the graphic. It looks like something my school computer lab had back in 1987.
Regarding the pay discussion, it sure is depressing how the pay rates have deteriorated in the past 10 years – but is it really the ‘Net that caused this, or is it the skyrocketing numbers of writers graduating from writing programs creating competition, and driving the rates down?
One thing I do love about writing online is the instant feedback through e-mail or comments, and the ability to easily communicate with other writers on sites like this. Yay for Freelance Writing Jobs!
@ Amanda: Yes, there was a BCC and I’ve even seen people ask for BBCC’s where they wanted to blind copy someone without letting the other blind copy recipients know about it.
I hadn’t thought about the whole pay option in this light – but could the pay have decreased (particularly on the internet) because it’s so hard to protect copyrights on line?
Just a thought.
@Mike – I’m crying along with you!
@Valenica – Being able to access online databases is certainly more convenient, and sometimes cheaper, than buying the book or having to go to the library.
@Dani – There have always been people wanting freelancers to write for the glory. Not sure why writing is the only profession where freebies are expected – often.
@Phil – $5 a word? Oh if only…
@Stephanie: I hear you. Now online writing is treated as a “Work at Home!!!! Earn hundreds of $$$ a Week!!!! ” job. When employers go for quantity over quality it ruins it for the rest of us.
@Kara – I’m in agreement with Karen. While there are plenty of print options for $1 there are even more opportunities paying a lot less. Print is harder to break into and takes longer to pay so most writers would rather write for the web. Web pays a whole lot less than print – and there are a lot of reasons for this. Advertising is different and pays less online, for one thing.
@Amy – It’s a lot of work to get your name in print. And while the glossies may pay more, many newspapers pay the same as the web.
@Mary – The instant gratification certainly appeals to me!
@Dee – Blogs help some writers for sure and they’re a lot easier than the portfolios and clip files we used to carry around.
@Kendra – We do spend money though – we have to buy laptops and pay for Internet connections but I agree it’s probably cheaper in the long run. Carbon copies are bringing back lots of bad memories! Lordy, I remember having to type some pages over, and over, and over…
@Christine – There are many factors contributing to lower rates for writers – the number one factor is employers offering less money and writers accepting the lower wage without question.
@Kathryn – That’s a thought too. I personally think it’s because too many people want something for nothing.