Sometimes life gets very busy and challenging. An employee in such a situation will talk to their boss and maybe arrange for some time off (hopefully with pay). A freelancer is the boss; they can have any day off they want, but they all come without pay.
Every day without a paying gig is a day off and too many days off in a month will make life uncomfortable unless there is another stream of income (like a pension) to keep soul and body together.
Days off to take care of family responsibilities are a perk of freelancing. Lack of suitable work is a hazard.
On any day there are hundreds of job postings for freelancers, but not all of these can be considered suitable.
There are several ways a job can be wrong. First is the rate of pay. There are postings for freelancers that offer no compensation; instead you get exposure and free copies of the magazine if it is even printed on paper. I am not opposed to volunteering but I limit my gratis work to charities and community groups I feel an affinity to.
Worse in my opinion than writing gigs that offer no pay are the ones that offer slave wages. I see many of these that offer one cent per one hundred words or even less. Often these postings also want the writer to produce five or ten articles per week, each article being one to two thousand words with perfect grammar. It can get worse; some companies then want you to post the work on your social websites and drive traffic to it so they can sell advertising via your site and your work. You become a modern day Indentured Servant.
Beyond the pay there are other problematic opportunities. I admit this next area is a matter of personal bias. As a member of the Catholic Writers Guild I have affirmed my assent to the Magisterium of the Church. Popes JP II, Benedict and now Francis have encouraged all Catholics to take part in the New Evangelization. This call seems especially demanding on us who claim the title Writer. While Catholics can be found who self-identify themselves as Democrats, Republicans, Independents, etc., it seems to me that we all must advocate for policies that are in line with the Dogmatic teachings of the Church.
For me this is non-negotiable so when I see a freelance posting offering 50 cents to one dollar per word for articles of 750 to 1500 words on Women’s Reproductive Rights I have to hit the brakes. Sometimes the Call for Submissions is not so clear and one has to do more digging. Articles About the Issues that Impact Families and Society – I have learned this banner requires more research. The result is often a Progressive outlet that pushes an agenda again in conflict with the moral teachings of the Church.
Other writing gigs that send up a Red Flag are for Ghostwriters for Term Papers and Theses. I recently saw one for an Ethics and Morality class. REALLY?
The above is for non-fiction writing but fiction and fantasy are also strewn with deadfalls. Each week I see Calls for Submissions for stories that seek to explore Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Queer and Transgender lifestyles. While discrimination is a sin pursuing an income from such outlets by praising these choices (which is often implied) is something I choose not to do. Then there are the more prevalent calls for short stories and novels that are labeled Erotica – I hit the delete button.
There is a third broad category of jobs that make looking for appropriate writing work frustrating – they all fall under Location. Many freelance writing jobs are geographic specific. Wanted: Writer with in-depth knowledge of New York City restaurants, recreation areas, family friendly venues and night life spots. Substitute Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Boston, etc., for New York City and you get the picture. Often living in the specific city is a requirement. Wanted writers for Parent Blog for (Name the City).
In looking for work for myself and for the Freelance Fridays posting on our Facebook page I have to weed through these selections as I normally only want true telecommuting opportunities.
Jesus said the truth will set you free. In looking for work I strive to stay on the side of truth and stay far away from the other side. This makes finding work I am comfortable doing or pointing out to other CWG members more time consuming, but I believe it is time well spent.
Dennis McGeehan
Dennis P. McGeehan is a husband, homeschooling Dad of eight, a Martial Artist, Freelance Writer, Author and Speaker. He is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild. His latest book is titled The Diaries of Joseph and Mary.