I ask myself this question often: when is it okay to give away my work for free?

I started to get paid at the outset of my writing life. I was an editor at my university paper for three years, which was a paid editorial job. The days (and many, many nights) were long and the money wasn’t much for the hours we put in, but what I earned in skills and experience and relationships more than made up for it. I would have done that job for nothing and still felt like I walked away rich.

Lucky for me, I learned early on that my writing was worth something, even if it wasn’t much in the beginning. But there are times when this rule can be bent, slightly.

Here’s my personal list:

-For the good friend strapped for cash who has a great idea and could really use some great words to communicate that;

-For your immediate family (can’t tell you how many resumes and essays I’ve read over the years);

-For a barter exchange, which, I should warn, can be tricky, since the value of time and skills are subjective. But it can work;

-And, finally, when the opportunity is so enormous that you’d be a fool not to take it, like The New York Times needs a writer asap, but has no extra budget this month… um, take the job. But these are rare opportunities and, unfortunately, because most people who approach you will have “the best idea ever” but no capital to pay you with, be very aware of companies, start-up magazines, blogs or people that want to work with you…but have no money. It happens all the time, especially here in Toronto, and especially with the explosion of online writing.

Decide early on what your bottom line is when it comes to writing: are you looking for exposure to millions of readers and just a chance to write for a reason every day? Or do you want this to be what you do for work – as in, your bread and butter? Making this distinction is important, since the lines can get blurred very quickly. Be clear on how you want to be perceived as a writer, because it counts.

To sum it up: when it comes to getting paid for your writing, the first person you’re going to have to sell is yourself. If you manage to convince yourself that your work is worth something (and being honest about this isn’t easy – this takes time, usually) then it’s the first big step in considering your writing “worth it” and determining when it is a good time, if ever, to give it away for free.

I wish you good luck and confidence,

-sandy.