Chapter 8
It's all about the money!
Dear writers,
Welcome to another edition of your friendly neighbourhood newsletter.
It’s Valentine season so how about showing your neighbour some love and support? And if you don’t like your neighbours, take that affection and support to the nearest protest. The country is still burning and divisive forces are out wreaking havoc. We need to hop off that fence and stand up and be counted.
This edition is the first of many that will be focus on payments. Let’s be honest, as much as we may love writing/ editing/ ghost-writing and the satisfaction of seeing our name in print, etc, we need the money. There are rents to pay, mouths to feed, responsibilities to take care of, de-monetisation to recover from, and never-ending bills. I would say even if you do this as side hustle, money should still be an important factor.
I got a few fellow journalists/ content writers/ freelance writers/ friends to share some survival tips and advice on dealing with money and payments. There are some job opportunities, a new section (it’s a fun one!) and an update about the newsletter.
This is going to be a long newsletter so, strap yourselves in!
Let’s begin.
NEED A JOB?
Arre is seeking an intern (for three months), preferably from a journalism/mass communication background. Interns are expected to familiarise themselves with the backend and are expected to write. It’s a paid position. They are also looking for contributors (freelancers) who can write on Hindi cinema, pop culture, lifestyle and beauty. (They say rates are on par with industry standards). Email karanjeet@arre.co.in and gauri@arre.co.in.
HungerInc is looking for a Public Relations Coordinator to develop and implement PR and marketing plans and strategies for their brands (O Pedro, The Bombay Canteen), organize and support PR activities and ensure effective communication with stakeholders, media and the public, support marketing / PR managers on projects to develop, and execute marketing, PR campaigns and social media campaigns. Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in journalism, PR, marketing or related field, strong and effective written and verbal communication skills, proven experience as a Public Relations Executive, proficient in MS Office and social media. Email resume and cover letter to careers@hungerinc.in with PR_HungerInc in the subject line.
Zirca Digital is looking for a freelance writer – either on time-based contract or pay per article – in the education space as part of a marketing strategy for an institute. The focus is their distance learning program for both PG diplomas in management and MBAs. The writer needs to have a published body of work in this beat. Exact articles will vary between discussions on syllabus foci, skills you can pick up with this kind of course, and the wants and needs of employers hiring these graduates. Email gwynd@zirca.in
STRAIGHT TALK
I was thinking of repeating a list of 10 commandments but, everyone breaks commandments and I would rather you take these guidelines seriously! These are just basic guidelines based on my experience. I will get into detail in forthcoming issues.
Do not write for free. Ever.
No, even if it’s a friend and needs a small written sample that you can churn out in half an hour.
This is one rule for freelancing I vociferously endorse. Tattoo it on your arm, if you wish. Print it on a tee. Write it on a banner and paste it above your laptop. Do anything that helps you remember it.
If you don’t value your work, chances are no one else will. Exposure hasn’t yet paid a bill. Some think that writing for free is better than doing it for a few paise or rupees. To them I say, it’s easier to negotiate from Rs 1 than from 0.
And if you like writing for free, keep a blog or open a Medium account or start a newsletter*!
PS: From the calls for pitches I’ve sent out, I’ve been informed that Urban Asian and LiveWire do not pay writers. Keep that in mind if you think of pitching them.
Have a monthly income goal. Consider it your salary.
Writer and freelance journalist, Kamala Thiagarajan says: “Have a monthly goal. Then work towards reaching it. This would mean reaching out to publications that can help you achieve those goals. For instance, if your monthly income goal is 40k, you need four 10k assignments, or two 20k assignments. Pitch accordingly. You don’t have to receive all the money that month, but you do need to land that value in assignments.”
I have a monthly goal and it’s a good reminder on the amount of work I need to do and how smart I need to get when pitching.
Do not start work without discussing a rate. Hindsight won’t pay bills.
Your pitch got accepted — well done! But, don’t start working just yet. It’s now time to talk money: the rate, when will it be paid, is an invoice involved, is there a contract to sign (read this thoroughly), and is there a stipend for travel/ photographs. Once the terms are clear, and agreeable to you, then go ahead and work on that story/ project.
There’s no reason to feel shy about asking about money – most editors will be expecting this question. This will ensure there’s no heartbreak later when you realise that 1,500 work piece you turned in will be paid for in exposure.
Decide on a rate. Because you’re worth it.
I cannot tell you what your time, experience, expertise is worth. You have to decide your ‘rate’ on the basis of the hours of work you put in, the amount of research/ reportage involved, the interviews required, and your own experience.
It’s always good to keep a rate in mind. It can be slightly flexible (see next point). Determine if you want to be paid per word/ per hour of work/ per project. There will be people willing to write 1,000 words for Rs 200. Only you can decide if that is really worth your time and effort. (Rate shaming is a thing. Don’t get bullied.)
Most publications/ clients will have fixed rates – in this case, your choice is whether to accept their rate or not. Indian pubs (most of them) do not pay well. Expect a range from Rs 3 to Rs 10 per word or flat rates starting from Rs 2000.
Freelance writer Sushmita Sundaram says: “There still seems to be a sense of gratefulness that their work is even being published. I loathe this idea. We have a skill. A skill that is time consuming to develop, difficult to replicate and in demand. Do not undervalue yourself and your work. Ask for fair compensation. Do not let anyone guilt you or demean you into taking less. You are doing work and work must be compensated. If someone has a hard time asking for fair compensation for themselves, please remember that you are not just doing this for you - you are doing it for the many writers (largely women!) that are part of your community now and will be part of your community in the future. Do it for them.”
Writer and editor Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma adds: “For newbies in the content creation circle, do not let terms like ‘long-term’, ‘payment will increase after X time’ confuse you. The work we do is not easy-peasy (for the rest of the world) and, requires a lot of attention to detail, long hours, and hard work. You need to be paid for the work on hand and the payment needs to justify the work you are submitting. If you work for 2rs/word, a single assignment is >>>>> than 2 months of work at 50p/word. Respect your work, never sell it for less than what it deserves.”
Negotiate. Negotiate. Negotiate.
You have a rate and want to stand by it? Good. But sometimes you should be open to negotiations. It could be a company/ brand you want to work with, a newer company doing good work but on a smaller budget, an easy to do gig. Keep your rate fair and also think about what other perks you could get out of this opportunity. Also, don’t settle or give in too quickly while negotiating.
Freelance writer Mithila Phadke says: “A mistake even seasoned freelancers make is assuming all rates are final, especially for stories that require a good amount of reporting. If the rate seems low, it's worth asking if they'd be able to bump it up to X amount (one within reason, obviously, not any random sum). I've had editors come back with a higher fee on a number of occasions, purely because I checked if it was possible. Bottomline: It never hurts to ask.”
Always follow up. Don’t let publications ghost you!
It’s good practice to send across invoices as soon as the story is filed. Every company has a different payment timeline – you could receive your money in two weeks or three months. It’s best to get the paperwork cleared at the earliest.
Companies are notorious for not paying freelancers or ghosting them after getting the copy. You have to follow up, via email or phone calls or in rare cases, calling them out on social media. Remember, it is your money and even if a small amount, you deserve it. You worked hard for it. If you’re afraid of ruining a relationship with an editor with constant questions about payments, you can either be extremely polite in your queries, or throw caution to the winds and call them out. I’ve burned bridges with some publications doing the latter. I realised that I am better off working for people who value my time and skills,.
Freelance writer, author and brand consultant Ganesh Vancheeswaran says: “Don't be afraid of chasing payments after the due date. Be polite, but clear in your follow-up mails. If a pub/org, with whom you are on a retainer, has not paid your dues for quite a while (this depends upon their policy and your judgement of the delay), don't hesitate to stop the work. By this time, you should have anyway followed-up with them. If the dues still amount to a large sum, politely warn them once and if the situation is unchanged, call it quits.”
STORY TIME
This is a new section I decided to introduce after a conversation with Shruti Sunderraman, a freelance writer, and the executive editor of Current Conservation. She had a lot to say about freelancer payments and I didn’t want to limit it to a simple Q&A. Hence, this delightful rant that I am certain most of you will identify with.
It’s so bad, even the columnists are here
By Shruti Sunderraman
As I type this, my amygdala is having yet another invoice-induced panic attack. We have reached an agreement now. Till I hear that elusive message from my bank saying XXX amount has been credited to my account, my amygdala will panic in silence. I am beginning to feel like I have made a terrible mistake renouncing alcohol this early in my freelance life.
And early it is, as far as freelance writer lifespans go. We will last till 50, tops. And then we start committing insurance fraud. Or worse, calling our exes.
I have been waiting on a payment from a massive publication which often has my heroes on its covers - think Serena, the M Obama business acumen, and Sarah Jessica Parker’s completely affordable NYC life. The wait has been excruciating. I mean, really. It has been over six months since I filed my invoices and still no sign of my money. The frustration is – I have to be incredibly polite every time I send them an email asking for an update, when what I really want to say that Paris Fashion Week has cancelled them.
But haha, haven’t you heard the saying ‘when someone holds the money, they hold all the cards?’. No, you haven’t. I just made it up. And freelance editing and writing employers have been holding all the cards for a very long time.
Newbie freelance journalists sit at the bottom of the editorial food chain, and you can tell a lot about a publication from the way they treat their interns. I have been both. A joyride, truly. I have been told by multitudes that this is how it works. You work and “prove yourself” for almost-free, until there comes a day you can graduate from no/per word to Rs. 4 per/word. You would not only have mastered the art of writing pitches, but also that of how to ration your snacks. Snacks are important in the early stages of freelancing. It is all you can afford. If you get paid on time.
What really stops publications from paying their freelancers on time?
I know of and have worked with some publications that try to do some sincere work. Like, staunchly stick by their ideals, grind their noses against the ground to make ends meet, and put out quality journalism. The consequence of this sometimes looks like unpaid internships (not an excuse, only an explanation) and delayed freelancer payments.
While some other independent publications I have the privilege to write for, ask you for your invoice the same day of article submission. There’s one editor who sends me my money the very next day. I will name my kids after her headlines.
These are severe exceptions though. Multinational publications refusing to pay a freelance writer a 4-digit payment on time is ridiculous. Fellow writers I know have had to wait for months - one waited for a year, he has now left the country to grow oranges in Denmark - with no sign of bank notifications.
For someone who thrives entirely on freelance payments, not receiving our money on time is beyond an inconvenience. It is a deficit in the healthcare we are due, the kind of food we buy (and as this lovely piece on Long Reads states, grocery shopping is when you know whether you are broke or poor), and the frequency of human contact. And if, like me, you have non-negotiable medical expenses every month, my elusive invoice sitting with a chartered accountant who doesn’t know what she’s doing in a newsroom, remains unfulfilled.
The ways in which publications frustrate freelancers, are as creative as the sub heads they change – There’s the a) ‘we will keep you updated’ method, where it takes 3 weeks to get updated about the process of initiating a payment. Then there’s the b) ‘sorry, we’ve had some shuffling in staff in the office’ excuse. There’s the very famous, very reliable c) ‘please speak to xyz from accounting for further details’ trope, where the accountant is desperately trying to become a Radiohead song and disappearing completely. When this doesn’t work, publications usually d) ghost you. Thought it’s difficult waiting for a text from a sexual interest? Try waiting for the source that will buy you condoms.
The most frustrating practice though is the payment-after-publishing rule. Most spaces pay freelance writers only after their piece has been published. Since publications hold the right to publish pieces at any time, this could mean that the think piece you wrote about Greta Thunberg could be published after Greenland has melted. Which means your grandcat will have to file your invoice. Which also means your great-grandcat will be “receiving” an update. If you’re lucky, you’d be dead by then.
Over the years, however, I have developed several tools to deal with payment frustrations. Here are just a few simple ones (note: I edited out some of her suggestions that have already been covered in Straight Talk):
1. Tag more than one person in emails about money. Usually editors will copy another member of the team while discussing pitches. Tag said persons in your email about filing an invoice and checking on updates for the money. This helps maintain transparency and opens several windows of communication.
2. Speak clearly about what you are owed. Don’t dance around it with maybes and ifs and plisplisplisplis.
3. Ask about the payment process and request for a timeline, not an expected date of transfer. Many editors won’t be able to answer when the money will reach you. When you request for a timeline, you are essentially asking them to run you through the process, which they are usually cognizant of.
4. Hire a financial advisor. Yes, it’s incredibly difficult to get to a point where you can hire people to manage your money. And that you “don’t have any money to manage” is even more reason to find a way to hire an advisor who understands freelance life. Their job is help you double your limited income.
5. Rely on whisper networks and let fellow freelancers knows in private about companies that practice ethical payment structures and ones that don’t. Look out for each other.
6. Work part-time or have a steady project. Even if one steady paycheck comes from a corner, it helps you set your priorities in motion. Bite your tongue on this one and look for steady payments from a single source.
7. Ask for a hike every year. If they refuse, they refuse. But asking for a hike helps editors understand that you value your work, and aren’t afraid to ask for what you deserve.
Good luck, fellow sufferers. God bless your invoices.
*Time for some real talk. I have loved doing this newsletter every other week, and responding to people’s queries about freelancing and am thrilled to learn it has been productive to some of you. But, curating this is eating into my productive time. I get a lot of queries, over email and Twitter and other social media and replying to them can get overwhelming. Come March and this newsletter will become a paid service (it will be affordable, I know journalism pays peanuts). I do believe I am providing a service and something of value to freelancers.
The future editions will feature interviews with editors of newer, bigger markets – Indian and international, and interviews with respected journalists. There will be examples of successful pitches, letters of introductions, email formats for every situation, tips on negotiating rates, and all the little things that make up a freelancer’s life. I also want to branch out to different fields that have freelancers: content writing, illustrations, graphic design, social media work, photography etc. The job listings will continue, as will calls for pitches.
It will all be worth it, I promise.
I will share details of cost and how to subscribe in the next edition. Thank you for being so supportive and for your positive feedback.
Until next time then, adiós.