Read on Twitter
Here’s a story about my trajectory through freelance writing...
1/15 was the editor of a successful consumer magazine. Had to leave in unfortunate circumstances, as you do. At that point, I had no money to start any kind of business, so I used my last paycheck to buy a MacBook.
1/15 was the editor of a successful consumer magazine. Had to leave in unfortunate circumstances, as you do. At that point, I had no money to start any kind of business, so I used my last paycheck to buy a MacBook.
2/15 I figured I was decent at writing (it remains my only skill) so I would write articles for magazines and newspapers. By luck, I managed to secure some work, and even a regular column with a national newspaper. But writing for consumer publications pays poorly. R3 a word...
3/15 Has been the rate since time immemorial. SA freelancers Association surveys determine that most freelance writers’ earnings barely creep into 5 figures pm. So I joined @safrea in hopes of broadening my network and finding work. It proved a worthwhile move.
4/15 I was hired to ghostwrite a business book for a successful business person. In the meantime, I had written a popular blog, which was turned into a book and published. Publishing a book under your own name pays a bit, but ghostwriting pays far better. You also get paid on...
5/15 Invoice, not via royalties a year later. I did a screenwriting course and through that was able to get some scriptwriting work. Through these four or five sources of income, I was just about able to scratch together a living with my partner, who was earning way more than me
6/15 ...back then. At this point I came to the insight that I was not a journalist, though I had done some of that, and even won an award or two. No, I was a writer. And I had better find as many ways to monetize that as possible and not be so bloody precious about it! As I was
7/15 ...coming to this epiphany, a friend who ran a publicity and PR business asked me to write for her. PR is often condescendingly regarded by editorial writers, seen as some kind of selling out, some violation of writerly impartiality. This is rather a mythical concept, but..
8/15 Ultimately, I had long realized that beggars can’t be choosers and I would take any bloody typing gig I could find. It was also becoming clear that corporate writing paid better than editorial writing by a factor of 2 or 3 or 4 or 5. I had now published about 10 books
9/15 Of my own and 5 or 6 for other people, so that ego wank was wearing thin. My wife had also lost patience and our divorce was firmly in the post. As it happened, I found PR writing interesting, and I got to be involved in a fascinating, successful campaign. But just then,
10/15... and too late to save my marriage, a job was advertised at a leading global PR firm. At this stage, print journalism had shrunk to a mere hint of its former self, so publishing was niche, TV was bedeviled by non-payment and executive absconscions and basically I
11/15 was on the bones of my arse. I applied for the writing job, and got it. It was the greatest relief I have ever experienced. It was the saving of my career and my finances, tho not my marriage. I would have to rebuild my life, basically, but...
12/15 At least with a reliable monthly income. I have almost achieved that now, 3 years later. I was a freelance writer for 5 years and it almost broke me. I am good, someone once called me the best writer in Joburg. Maybe I’m top 5 in a certain space. But let me tell you..
13/15 Trying to live off writing in South Africa is incredibly difficult. People who succeed at it need to be skilled, experienced and versatile, but also business savvy and proper hustlers. Talent is useful, but no guarantee of any kind of success. If you can make a...
14/15 Career out of freelance writing - and many people do - you have my eternal respect and admiration. Some succeed by becoming top specialists, while others do what I did, a bit of everything. One good thing about writing tho...
15/15 We still need it. Ideas need to be expressed in writing. So if language and communication interests you, by all means, develop your writing skills. But that doesn’t mean you need to become an actual writer. Good ideas and clear, effective communication can be the...
16/15 Key to success in any number of fields. In fact, you need to be able to write to some extent to succeed in most careers. If you’re reading this, you’re a writer too. It’s quite amazing, isn’t it? I guess we do it because we have to. And we need to. FIN/
