Lots of clients you will come across as a freelance writer offer little to no monetary payment. Instead, they usually offer 'exposure.' There are only two instances where I would recommend doing this.
1) If you're just starting out and are desperate to find a client. This can help you find clients who are willing to pay. Fair warning: it probably won't.
2) If you're just starting out and need a portfolio builder. I have only ever worked for one client who paid below my minimums, and that's because I wanted the experience the job offered (and because it was a fun project.) Portfolio builders are good if you're looking to specialize in a different type of writing. If you're just looking to have something to show a prospective client, write for yourself and show them that.
So why not write for exposure, you ask? If it can help, why aren't I doing it? Here's why.
1) Most clients who offer exposure over money don't know what they're doing. Anyone who asks for professional work for exposure either has next to no budget or no clue. Either case, it's not the sort of client you want to work for.
2) You don't ask a plumber or a roofer to do half a job for free to see if they're any good do you? The same is true of freelance writers. You can't expect a writer to do a lot of work for free to see if they're good. That's what resumes and samples are for.
3) The people who pay the least typically demand the most because they don't know what the hell they're doing.
4) You can spend the time you use writing for free looking for a paying gig.
5) Think of writing for free as an unpaid internship. Can you afford to take it without compromising your financial situation? If the answer is no, don't do it! If the answer is yes, you need a time management class. I have yet to meet a working full-time freelance writer who claims to have enough free time (or motivation) to write for exposure.
6) Be honest: wouldn't you rather get paid? So would I.
Along with offering exposure instead of payment, many prospective clients will ask for an inordinately large number of samples and/or a trial period, during which you do not receive payment. Again, I highly recommend passing on jobs that require unpaid trial periods and boatloads of samples. You needn't write a new sample for each gig you apply for. If you find yourself doing this, STOP! The only circumstance under which you should be writing a boatload of samples for clients is if you have none to offer. If that's the case, go back to your day job and write more BEFORE you try to be a freelancer. Getting off on the right foot as a freelancer requires that you already have a portfolio of material to offer clients as samples. Think of it this way: would you show up for a 'regular' job interview without your credentials? Same thing.
NEVER write on a trial period. People who ask for unpaid trial periods are just looking for free content. Good luck getting picked up after the trial period. Be prepared to hear something like "The position has been adjusted" or "We don't think you're a right fit for the job." The jist of it will be: thanks for the free work sucker, now hit the bricks.
Let's recap, shall we?
1) Do not write for exposure unless you are new/desperate or you really like the material and want a new resume builder.
2) Have your samples ready before you try to start freelancing. Think of it as your interview credentials; the stuff you wouldn't walk into an interview without.
3) Do not write new samples for clients unless a) you think you will need the sample later on or b) it's your dream gig.
4) NEVER write for a trial period. Chances are very high you will get stiffed and waste your time.
5) Find yourself another job if you think you have enough free time to write for free. If you have the time to write for free, you have the time to find a paying gig.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
A Cure for WoW
My fiance and I were discussing our possible re-entry into the World of Warcraft a few nights ago when we came to a conclusion: WoW is a second job. Not that it's a chore to play (though it can be, particularly if you're honor-grinding) it just eats up so much time that it is, quite literally, a second job. Observe.
My friends and I played WoW every day (no joke, not a day went by when we didn't log on) for an AVERAGE of six hours a day (note: average. Some days were a lot more, some a lot less.)
If you figure that the average American works 40 hours a week for 50/52 weeks a year (2 weeks vacation is probably a little generous, but just for the sake of argument), that translates to roughly 2,000 working hours per year.
6 hours a day, times 365 days comes out to 2,190 hours of game time. I've got to hand it to Blizzard: no other game I've played has ever been a full-time job.
Having considered that I could have gotten a second full-time job in the time I spent playing WoW, I quickly dispelled the notion of returning to the game. It's fun and I met some great people playing it, but it is simply too large an investment of time. And it is an investment that I am no longer willing to make.
My friends and I played WoW every day (no joke, not a day went by when we didn't log on) for an AVERAGE of six hours a day (note: average. Some days were a lot more, some a lot less.)
If you figure that the average American works 40 hours a week for 50/52 weeks a year (2 weeks vacation is probably a little generous, but just for the sake of argument), that translates to roughly 2,000 working hours per year.
6 hours a day, times 365 days comes out to 2,190 hours of game time. I've got to hand it to Blizzard: no other game I've played has ever been a full-time job.
Having considered that I could have gotten a second full-time job in the time I spent playing WoW, I quickly dispelled the notion of returning to the game. It's fun and I met some great people playing it, but it is simply too large an investment of time. And it is an investment that I am no longer willing to make.
A Second Look at Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
I think I might've been a bit too hard on this game. A week has passed since I traded it in and I have a strong urge to play it again. Thank goodness for Gamefly. I also noticed that the second time through the game (I played it twice before trading it in) was much more enjoyable than the first. Once you know the trick to bringing down the Star Destroyer and where to find Jedi Holocrons, the game gets much more enjoyable. That and setting the difficulty down a notch helps too. I'm no newmeat to games like The Force Unleashed, but they're not my usual fare.
In it's defense, the graphics are in a word, amazing. I hadn't given it much thought the first time (mainly because I was gritting my teeth over getting trashed by Purge Troopers) but The Force Unleashed really does have amazing scenery. If you stop and take a look around (there are no respawning enemies; every area has a fixed number of opponents. Once they're dead, feel free to have a look round) the settings really are quite amazing, even if a few of them are recycled. And while the planets may be recycled, the levels themselves are not. Very little is the same between the repeats in levels besides the textures. If you need to recycle levels, this is the best way to do it.
I'll be honest and say I like earning Achievements. I've no delusions about that. It's not because I wish to appear more macho to fellow gamers; far from it. I like the sense of accomplishment you get by earning an Achievement. And The Force Unleashed has some pretty good Achievements. My hands-down favorite is available in the prologue, during which you play Darth Vader. To earn this Achievement, you need to kill at least 12 of your own Stormtroopers. The Achievement is called "Worst Day Shift Manager Ever". I read that and couldn't stop laughing!
In a revised review, I would still only recommend The Force Unleashed to fans of the Star Wars universe and people who like ninja action games. Hardcore gamers and KotOR fans will be disappointed by the unpolished gameplay and the rigid nature of the game (let's be honest; the only choice you have between good and evil is at the very end.) For all it's faults though, I find myself being drawn back to The Force Unleashed. Though I get no say in who he is, I do like being Starkiller. Had he lived, I think he could've made a very powerful Jedi.
Bottom line: rent it first. If you play it more than twice through, it's worth buying for you. If you play it through one time or less, it's not for you.
In it's defense, the graphics are in a word, amazing. I hadn't given it much thought the first time (mainly because I was gritting my teeth over getting trashed by Purge Troopers) but The Force Unleashed really does have amazing scenery. If you stop and take a look around (there are no respawning enemies; every area has a fixed number of opponents. Once they're dead, feel free to have a look round) the settings really are quite amazing, even if a few of them are recycled. And while the planets may be recycled, the levels themselves are not. Very little is the same between the repeats in levels besides the textures. If you need to recycle levels, this is the best way to do it.
I'll be honest and say I like earning Achievements. I've no delusions about that. It's not because I wish to appear more macho to fellow gamers; far from it. I like the sense of accomplishment you get by earning an Achievement. And The Force Unleashed has some pretty good Achievements. My hands-down favorite is available in the prologue, during which you play Darth Vader. To earn this Achievement, you need to kill at least 12 of your own Stormtroopers. The Achievement is called "Worst Day Shift Manager Ever". I read that and couldn't stop laughing!
In a revised review, I would still only recommend The Force Unleashed to fans of the Star Wars universe and people who like ninja action games. Hardcore gamers and KotOR fans will be disappointed by the unpolished gameplay and the rigid nature of the game (let's be honest; the only choice you have between good and evil is at the very end.) For all it's faults though, I find myself being drawn back to The Force Unleashed. Though I get no say in who he is, I do like being Starkiller. Had he lived, I think he could've made a very powerful Jedi.
Bottom line: rent it first. If you play it more than twice through, it's worth buying for you. If you play it through one time or less, it's not for you.
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