Reading Emily Speed’s last couple of blog posts made me think about why freelance writers are often as broke (and bad with money) as artists.
I agree it’s about all of those 5 points that Emily mentions – ignoring money, doing the bare minimum, low rates, bad clients, and spiralling expenses – as well as being about magazines paying peanuts. This confirms that we not only need to get savvy about money, but that we also must communicate more truthfully between ourselves about finances, as artists, writers and creative people. We’re all in the same boat here.
I have an additional problem (or challenge, if I’m going to frame it positively) right now. I’m from the UK, but am living for a year in Philadelphia, USA, in order to have a proper relationship (less air travel, more hugs) with my lovely partner, Mike. I’m doing unpaid training at a fantastic gallery on a J-1 visa that prohibits me from working in the conventional “dayjob” sense. I’m lucky in that I’m living here with my American boyfriend, with financial support from his and my family, my writing work, and my massive overdraft. (Let’s be honest: partner/family support is the way most freelancers and artists get by to begin with, no? If and when we achieve success, this kindness usually gets edited out of the story of grit, business-sense and buckets of determination.)
This shamefully dependent position gives me a slightly different perspective on unpaid work. If I’m to work at all in this country – to meet people/network, to gain valuable experience, to prove myself, to keep my skills sharp, to pave the way for a future here – I must accept that upfront financial gain won’t be part of it. I’m glad that I love teaching workshops, meeting artists, and crafting articles for the sake of it. My teaching and writing skills have opened Philadelphia to me in a way that would have been much more difficult if I wasn’t willing to share my abilities. My unpaid activities so far have included lecturing to MFA students at the city’s University of the Arts and writing for a local blog run by two very influential women. I understand what a privileged position I’m in for this 12 month period (June 2011-June 2012), but rather than whining about it, I’m going to absolutely make the most of it.
While I’m here, though, my main aim is to grow my writing business in order to regain my independence – both freelance for magazines, and for individual artist and gallery clients. Given all of the unpaid work I’m doing, I don’t have a lot of time. I’ll focus more on the paid writing side of things next time, but wanted to be truthful about my (not so unusual) current circumstances.
Anyone identify with my position?
