Will (Not) Work For Free (Forever)

There is a time and place to write for free. I think we all understand that. And there's a time to acquire your skill, be a lowly intern -- basking in the bottom-dwelling ranks of the work place -- and we're generally okay with it because we know that's how it works; that's how we get to be paid one day -- and of course, how we hope to move up to a slightly higher rung of the ladder.

However, there comes a time, when we get past that; where we are at the higher rung, and now looking down at those below us with a smile. When and if we work pro-bono, it's because we're helping someone else, or we feel the cause is so worthy, we just have to donate our time or risk feeling like a loser.

I have a writer-friend, who also happens to be a snazzy French-to-English translator, who has her own business AEG Translations-- in other words, she's a PROFESSIONAL. Also meaning, she gets paid to do the job; the one she studied and worked hard for. Yet, to her dismay and the absolute hilarity of it all, she seems to get a lot of people asking her to work for them ... for free.

Her rebuttal to the latest request was on her blog, and I laughed and agreed so much, that I had to repost it. No, she didn't actually send this reply (I don't think) but it sure made me smile.

Here it is:

Dear John,
Thank you for the message! I am happy to provide test translations to potential clients. I understand that this is a test translation, that I will not be paid for this work, and that it does not guarantee that I will ever receive paying work from you. I know how important it is to verify that the people you work with can perform as promised.

To that end, while I'm working on the test translation, there is something that I need you to do. In order to ensure that clients can meet payment deadlines and that there will be no problems with the chosen payment method, I require a test payment from all new clients. To make sure that your account has not been flagged by the chosen payment service the test payment will need to represent a reasonable sum of money. Please send US$600 to my account before the end of the business day tomorrow. (This test payment is non-refundable.) My payment information is included at the end of this email.

I'm sure you will understand why such measures are necessary.
I look forward to working with you!
Sincerely,
Anne

If you too have had one of these "experiences," share it! We'd love to hear about it. Anne, thanks for writing out what we really want to say sometimes.

-HJS

Characters That Work

I’ve heard countless times that agents, when looking for the next great manuscript and readers, looking for the next great read, want compelling characters. But, what does this mean? Compelling? And why have I never thought of characters as compelling when I can’t put the book down? Sure, these characters are amazing, and sometimes I want to be in the middle of the stories as if they were my own experiences. But why? Compelling characters make me --force me-- to be in love with them as they find their way through trials or charge fearlessly down hidden hallways and dark forests. This makes for wonderful literature, and for fascinated readers. But how do we do this? How do authors create compelling characters -- ones that not only we want to read but others too -- and convince our readers that they should care about them? Here’s a tiny list by which I try to strive: Make them human: This is a given. And most writers would tell you this is. Give your character flaws that lots o

Increasing Your Vocabulary │ Overused Words

My husband and I have this running joke that if we played a drinking game for the first -- and only the first-- five minutes of any news segment, anywhere in America, we'd be under the table in two. Why? Because this drinking game is based on the repeated use of the word "impact." It's okay if you can hate me now. Because after this post, you will notice this word EVERYWHERE and how overused it is. I get it. The word is impactful. It makes a point. Pulls a punch. But ... it's beyond this, my friends. It's overwhelmingly beyond this now. I also understand that each decade has it's colloquial and trendy words. Totally understand that. I can dig that, yo. But, there's an all-out assault on this word. And most of the time, it's used incorrectly. Do you know what the word impact means? Per Merriam-Webster, it means 1. a.: to fix firmly by or as if my packing or wedging b.: to press together 2. a.: to have a direct effect or i

Make a List │ Getting Things Done

Like many of you, I am a list-maker. I find them to be one of the most rewarding things I can do in my little life. Well, that and drinking coffee and wearing vintage. But, I digress. List-making really only consists of three things: paper, a pen, and your brain. While there are myriad articles and books on tidying up and minimal living (both of which I fully embrace), living a simple and minimal life can also start just by making a list. So, why should you write a list? Three reasons: it's simple, it's in front of you, and anyone can be master of their world with one. Yes, dare I say master of your universe. Pretty amazing, right? That little list holds your sanity, order and clarity. And those are all we really need. Check out this list I wrote the other day: I listed the errands I had to run (go to post office, then to Salvation Army and Goodwill to find my vintage to sell). I listed the work I had to do (list two items items for sale on my vintage Etsy site,

A Work in Progress

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