A Message to Freelance Writers: Sharpen Your Pencils

As a new freelance writer, one of the things I do every chance that I get, is read the blogs on all of the writing and writers' websites I visit. In this way, I stay tuned to the pulse of the freelance writing industry. I have come to know, for instance, that most published, professional writers consider writing for freelance writing sites on the web to be a joke. It is felt that we web freelance writers except too little for payment, thus deflating the professional freelance writers' market. In addition, the professionals feel we often produce content that is poor by academic standards. It is a hard lump to swallow, but one that has been true for the most part.

One rarely reads an article on the web that is on par with those found in the New York Times. That is, until now. I believe all this is about to change. I believe the bar will be raised virtually overnight for web freelance writers everywhere. Many of the newspapers and magazines in the country are on the brink of bankruptcy and collapse. A combination of technology (the ability to read periodicals on the web) and economics (masses of people aren't renewing subscriptions in these tough times) has precipitated this situation. John Loughlin, the general manager of Hearst magazines has been quoted as saying, "Fifty percent of the distribution market has just evaporated". (Reference #1)

With many of the newspapers and magazines in the country in such serious trouble, the professional writers who find themselves on the street after twenty or so years will have no choice but to come to the web in a wave to find work. At first, they will kick our collective freelance writing butts. Let's face it. They have been writing great copy for years! Take a deep breath and prepare yourself. Instead of spurning this wave of professional freelance writers, look at the positive effects their presence en masse will have on the web.

First, they are the best of the best, right? So let's learn from them! Whenever a new professional freelance writer surfaces on Associated Content or other sites you are affiliated with, read and learn all you can from their content! Study their grammar, their styles, and their formats. They paid to acquire all this invaluable professional experience. Learning from them will be free to us web freelance writers!

Second, these professionals are not going to put up with the dismal pay we often accept as web freelance writers. Let's face it; we take lower paying gigs because we have a lack of writing credentials and experience. Web employers revel in this fact! This is all about to change, as professionals with years of writing experience hit the web in a wave. They will not accept the pay we have been putting up with, recession or no recession. Be happy about that, because it means everyone will benefit as rates for writing on the web will go up!

Within a few years, I predict that the perception that web freelance writers are a joke will disappear. So, too, will substandard writing on the web. The pool for writing jobs will just be saturated with good writers - the displaced professional freelance writers and those of us who learn great writing skills from them. Therefore, the freelance writers who do not brush up on their skills will starve! So sharpen your pencils and get ready to embrace the wave, everyone! I don't want to see anyone left behind!

Source: Silber, Fell, Stableford, & Mickey, foliomag.com/2009/breaking-source-interlink-anderson-news-shut-down, 2/3/09.