Comments on: If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys How to communicate Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:09:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Bad Language / How to make money writing for the web http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-408081 Bad Language / How to make money writing for the web Tue, 13 May 2008 16:32:08 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-408081 [...] to say no. Not all work is good work. There are crooks out there who will try to get you to work for peanuts. Just say no. Also, try to avoid busy-work. Stuff that makes you think you’re working hard [...] [...] to say no. Not all work is good work. There are crooks out there who will try to get you to work for peanuts. Just say no. Also, try to avoid busy-work. Stuff that makes you think you’re working hard [...]

]]> By: Peanuts and monkeys » blog.frei! http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-391828 Peanuts and monkeys » blog.frei! Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:29:35 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-391828 [...] stieß ich auf die Seite von Matthew Stibbe. Matthew schreibt PR-Texte und berichtet von den aberwitzigen Honorarvorstellungen einiger Unternehmen. Sein [...] [...] stieß ich auf die Seite von Matthew Stibbe. Matthew schreibt PR-Texte und berichtet von den aberwitzigen Honorarvorstellungen einiger Unternehmen. Sein [...]

]]> By: If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys « brisebois blog http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-353268 If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys « brisebois blog Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:49:09 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-353268 [...] 26, 2008 · No Comments A brilliant title to Matthew’s post. It is an excellent example of the speaking/talking [...] [...] 26, 2008 · No Comments A brilliant title to Matthew’s post. It is an excellent example of the speaking/talking [...]

]]> By: David Bowman http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-353194 David Bowman Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:58:47 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-353194 We often find that potential clients don't have a good understanding of the time, effort, and skills needed to write or edit. However, most clients, after seeing the work we do for them, realize that they have been charged a very fair price. We often find that potential clients don’t have a good understanding of the time, effort, and skills needed to write or edit. However, most clients, after seeing the work we do for them, realize that they have been charged a very fair price.

]]> By: ourman http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-351685 ourman Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:53:58 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-351685 "If you were an experienced professional - say a lawyer or an accountant - and you received an email like the one below, you would probably find it somewhat insulting. " Maybe so but your average lawyer is infinitely more qualified than a writer. It costs nothing to set yourself up as a writer and you have no documentation to prove your skill. That might be why people choose to test it. And let’s face it, these businesses wouldn’t get away with it unless it was common practice for people to accept these terms. Probably because the world is full of aspiring writers. As for: "It also takes a day or two to write a good press release, get it approved and proofread. " Absolute rubbish. That's just what PR companies say in order to jack up their prices. It takes 30 minutes to write a press release - the rest is strictly admin. With a fair wind, and providing you make a decent stab at the first release, it can be done in less than two hours. I'm entirely in agreement with you as regards people wanting something for nothing but you shouldn't confuse that with the agency tall tales of the time involved or try to compare the chargeable time of a lawyer to a copywriter. “If you were an experienced professional - say a lawyer or an accountant - and you received an email like the one below, you would probably find it somewhat insulting. ”

Maybe so but your average lawyer is infinitely more qualified than a writer. It costs nothing to set yourself up as a writer and you have no documentation to prove your skill. That might be why people choose to test it.

And let’s face it, these businesses wouldn’t get away with it unless it was common practice for people to accept these terms. Probably because the world is full of aspiring writers.

As for:

“It also takes a day or two to write a good press release, get it approved and proofread. ”

Absolute rubbish. That’s just what PR companies say in order to jack up their prices. It takes 30 minutes to write a press release - the rest is strictly admin. With a fair wind, and providing you make a decent stab at the first release, it can be done in less than two hours.

I’m entirely in agreement with you as regards people wanting something for nothing but you shouldn’t confuse that with the agency tall tales of the time involved or try to compare the chargeable time of a lawyer to a copywriter.

]]> By: Sarah Dillon http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-351329 Sarah Dillon Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:08:47 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-351329 This post made me grimace because I could feel your frustrations across the blogosphere :) I face this ALL the time as a translator (in fact I wrote a post on it with almost this exact same title here http://nakedtranslator.blogspot.com/2007/03/what-are-you-worth-dont-be-monkey.html). If it's any consolation, we're even lower on the food chain than writers. After all, the writer has done all the work already and I'm just typing in another language, right?! LOL! I reckon put a price on your time and stick to it. It can be really hard sometimes, but like you say, if you want to work for minimum wage, then at least go somewhere you'll get your lunch paid... This post made me grimace because I could feel your frustrations across the blogosphere :) I face this ALL the time as a translator (in fact I wrote a post on it with almost this exact same title here http://nakedtranslator.blogspot.com/2007/03/what-are-you-worth-dont-be-monkey.html). If it’s any consolation, we’re even lower on the food chain than writers. After all, the writer has done all the work already and I’m just typing in another language, right?! LOL!

I reckon put a price on your time and stick to it. It can be really hard sometimes, but like you say, if you want to work for minimum wage, then at least go somewhere you’ll get your lunch paid…

]]> By: Tom Chandler http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-351311 Tom Chandler Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:42:49 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/if-you-pay-peanuts-you-get-monkeys#comment-351311 I'm getting more and more of those "offers" each month. There are far more bottom feeders (clients and writers) than ever before, and I'm guessing the former "low end" of the market. It's gotten so I don't do *any* significant estimate/proposal work until I've qualified the prospect. I was simply wasting too much time on $50/article scams. I’m getting more and more of those “offers” each month. There are far more bottom feeders (clients and writers) than ever before, and I’m guessing the former “low end” of the market.

It’s gotten so I don’t do *any* significant estimate/proposal work until I’ve qualified the prospect. I was simply wasting too much time on $50/article scams.

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