Work For Free???

via blogfortricks.com

This Poynter post by Jeff Sonderman really got me thinking.

Sonderman himself asks the question of when it does it ever make sense to write for free.

I don’t think I could do it. I have for a stipend while I was at CCSU’s The Recorder. I was working much more than I was getting paid, but it wasn’t for free.

To be honest, I haven’t thought about it much. Have you?

In today’s world, we can’t fiscally work for free. It just wouldn’t make sense, right?

How could I forget that I’m writing for free today. I have been for a long time now. This blog has stood as my journal, so to speak, since before I started at the Chronicle. I haven’t blogged consistently for all of it, but I’m almost up to 300 posts. I’ve done all of that for free and on my own time. It’s all my ideas and words in one large place. I enjoy it and it really helps to keep me sane.

Many have questioned why I do it so much, but I don’t have an answer for them. I do it for myself and I do it for everyone and anyone that reads my blog. I’m not getting money for it. If I had to guess, I spend about six to 10 hours a week on here, making sure everything is okay. It’s a part-time job for me.

I write for money, full-time, for the Chronicle. Both are my passion and both are who I am.

I encourage you to read Sonderman’s piece and see what other, well-known, writers have to say about the profession and making money, whilst writing. It’s pretty interesting that they all have differing opinions.

Would you write/work for free? I’m curious.

Jonathan