If you’ve read this blog for a while, you know I come down hard on the side of never writing for free. If you’re a trained, professional writer, you shouldn’t need to write on spec or be part of a try-out where the publication investigates your writing skills by having you produce something that they own. And you never, ever, need to write for the exposure.
But, under the right circumstances, it can pay to do some things for free.
Here’s an example of what I mean taken from a different industry.
My husband the patent attorney has been on sabbatical for the past two months. In the past two weeks, while he was technically off the clock, he visited a handful of clients, including one in a different state. He made the gratis visits because during his regular work week it’s difficult – and very expensive for clients who pay him by the hour – to schedule in-person meetings. His clients loved it. They got his undivided attention for much longer than he’d normally have to talk about anything they wanted. The result: even before his sabbatical ended, he’d lined up a bunch of new work.
What does it have to do with writers?
You never need to write for free. But there are other things you can give editors or clients you work for. To use my husband’s example, schedule in-person visits. During a trip to California last month, I spent time with two editors that’s already paid off in multiple assignments. I’ve made the 3,000-mile trek to New York before for the same reason, and with the same lucrative results.
Other things you can do for free that pay off in the end:
- Tip off an editor to news happening on the subject their publication covers without expecting an assignment out of it.
- Send links to articles on subjects an editor is interested in, with no strings attached.
- Recommend another writer for an assignment you can’t do yourself.
- Send in stories with headlines, decks, keywords and other SEO elements, suggestions for art or photographs, charts and graphs – even if you’re not required to.
- Make yourself available to brainstorm story ideas, editorial calendars, web strategies or other subjects – it shows you’re a team player.
- Write LinkedIn recommendations for editors, copy editors, art directors or other editorial staff you work with regularly.
- Share links to your articles on social media – it’s good for you, but also a plus for the publication or website you write for.
- Send cards at holidays thanking them for their business.
Other than writing, what have you done for free for editors or other clients that’s paid off in the end?
I’ll happily review things writer/friends send me for free. One current example is from a friend who’s redoing her website and wants to describe a new service she’s offering. She’s looked at what she’s written so long she’s lost perspective and needs another set of eyes.
I don’t do this kind of thing expecting any direct return, but I’ve lived long enough to know that what goes around comes around!
Great example Jean.
Michelle
Great ideas! I’ll definitely be putting some of these into practice. I agree with Jean, too. I have done edits for friends’ work. I do it because I love it, and I know they need the help. But, it almost always come back around. Sometimes the benefit is a lesson learned for editing my own future works.
Have you read Chris Anderson’s latest book? “Free: The Future of Price” is a great read with plenty of ideas. The Prologue kicks off the book with the story of how the Monty Python gang used free to skyrocket their DVD sales. And it’s funny (of course).