viewpoint Nick Inman says working unpaid is acceptable in some instances
There are advantages in working for free
T
en or even five years ago, I would have been the first to argue that no one should work for free. The internet,
however, has undermined the old notion of value and I find myself in a marketplace that demands a more flexible attitude than the old strictly “cash for words and pictures” model. No two transactions I make are
alike and sometimes I am faced with a difficult choice: do I write what I want for who I want for free, or do I bung an idea into a file marked “unsaleable”? First, let me get two things straight: 1. I cannot afford to work for nothing. I am a freelance in the most extreme sense. I have no steady clients and live far from the nearest desk job. I must make every sale I can.
2. It is not desirable for a professional
to work without payment. If I have a choice between a job that pays and one that doesn’t, there’s no question. There are many grey areas. No one gets paid for writing a letter to the editor or commenting on a blog. What determines whether payment is required or an optional extra? The length of the composition, the context, intention or some other factor? Rather than a blanket “nothing for
free” policy, I consider the response to each pitch I make on its own merits. I believe there are at least three circumstances in which a freelance can write for free, without feeling exploited and without criticism from peers. • A beginner who wants to build a portfolio to impress future clients. • A freelance who needs publicity to sell a product. I am promoting my latest book. I’d like to get paid for writing about it but many editors see a credit line as payment enough.
• When a point of view needs to be expressed but the media won’t pay for it. Opinion pages should be open to anyone with something to say on equal terms as paid columnists but they are not. The common factor in all these is the need of the contributor, not the editor. There are, however, strict provisos
that the NUJ might like to dignify with a charter. If I am going to write for free. I must:
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I have no steady clients and live far from the nearest desk job. I must make every sale I can
1. Be as certain as I can be that the publication doesn’t pay for this kind of work. I do not want to take bread out of another freelance’s mouth. The best safeguard against this is good communication between freelances, facilitated by the union. 2. There must be a sufficient pay-off in kind. A minor item in a corner of a website that no one visits is worthless. I don’t want to supply content about my book unless it is going to reach a substantial number of potential buyers. 3. There mustn’t be too much work involved. It certainly mustn’t take time that could be used for paid work. 4. There must be an agreement between me and the editor. This is still a business transaction. The details of format, delivery and publication must be set out. 5. I must feel appreciated.
It must be clear that I am providing a favour. I’m not going to work for anyone who thinks they are taking
advantage of me. It must also be clear that this is a one-off arrangement. With these precautions, there are
advantages in working for free. I am in charge of my time and my product. My primary purpose in being a freelance writer is not to run a one- man business but to communicate with others however I deem best. Writing for free can be a way of keeping my inspiration flowing unchecked by the need to convince people of its merit. Creativity does not enter on a balance sheet nor should it ever.
Nick Inman’s book A Guide to Mystical France (Findhorn Press), was reviewed in the last issue of the Journalist
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