@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.

Just a thought.

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!

2008: You can CC and BCC an email, but what’s a carbon anyway?

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.

Yes, there are print markets paying $1 a word. But writers are more likely to find $20 gigs oer $500 gigs. Especially online writers.

Plenty of print (and some online) pay $1/word. Many writers command at least $500 for a 500-word piece..

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.

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!

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.

May I add an amendment to the pay for freelancers? *mischievous giggle*

Freelancers are also now paid ‘recognition’ and ‘revenue’(only).

2008: Freelancers are paid $5 to $100 for a 500 word article.

::cry::

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

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.