by Rachel Sanders
$5 per post. $0.02 per word. It’s numbers like these that make a freelance writer’s heart sink. And there’s no shortage of jobs with this kind of rock bottom writing rate being advertised on the internet these days.
For one writer, it all just got to be too much. Six months ago that person started a Twitter account called @crapwritinggigs.
Several times a week the account’s owner, identified only as “Freelance Writer,” posts links to poorly paid writing jobs along with grumpy comments and pointed observations about the company advertising the gig.
Time to re-examine the business model @quarksquasars. "Despite our large following .. we offer .02$/word." http://t.co/1MopfRCN6S
— Freelance Writer (@crapwritinggigs) June 4, 2015
Story Board contacted the owner of the account through a direct Twitter message and received an anonymous email response shortly thereafter.
“I’m a US-based freelance writer. I worked in the newsroom of a pretty big publisher before making the leap to internet marketing,” the email said.
“About a year ago I started freelancing full time. When I first started I spent many hours each day sifting through job boards. I was appalled at some of the rates I saw. $20 a post? Are you kidding me?
“These companies wanted the moon (1,000 words, quotes, photos) yet their rates were insultingly low. In their postings, these companies always bragged about what an honor it was to write for their site, or how much exposure they give their writers. It was like they wanted you to be grateful for their terrible rates. Or even worse, they wanted you to be grateful for the opportunity to work for free.”
“I started this Twitter feed to give an outlet to the snarky things that ran through my head when I read these ads.”
Hilarious. @KEYDifference is looking for "smart writers" to write 500-word posts for $5. http://t.co/tcKRDVcUYL
— Freelance Writer (@crapwritinggigs) June 10, 2015
The goal, says the anonymous writer, is to call out companies for their terrible rates, and also to remind writers that they’re worth more than the miserly fees that are being offered all too often for online writing.
“I’d like to let other writers know that $20/post is an insult and they’re worth waaaay more,” said the writer.
“The only way companies get away with offering these rates is because people are willing to work for them. I feel part of my duty is to make it crystal clear that writing a 900-word post for $15 is not acceptable.”
We couldn’t agree more. Give @crapwritinggigs a follow and add a little writerly snark to your Twitter feed. It’ll do your heart good.
And steering clear of the jobs posted there will surely benefit your freelance writing business, too.
Make $0.02/word writing for @thebabereport. Or write for a company that actually values your time and skills. http://t.co/mNBpCmukeB
— Freelance Writer (@crapwritinggigs) May 27, 2015