The business side of being a writer

“One of the more vexing things about working freelance [as a writer] is not knowing how much money you’re going to make a year. So you kind of live on a month to month feast or famine. There is a top tier, of course. Those journalists who, say, have a 4 piece/yr contract with a major magazine. They are still freelance but they know [what] their floor is. Over the last three years my floor and ceiling have gone up and down wildly. Two years ago I made double that thanks to a book deal. I have no idea if I’m going to make another penny this year. Makes long term planning difficult the upshot is the tremendous flexibility. I know few outlets who will pay reporters more than $300 dollars for online only pieces. In the print world, with magazines who REALLY invest in long form it’s usually $1 to $2 a word.”

-Natasha Vargas Cooper

(Source: thebillfold.com)