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What Should You Do If A Publication Wants To Run Your Article For Free?
I’ve sold lots of articles to high-paying media — but I’ll sometimes give one away. Here’s how I make the call.
The other day Standalonemom asked a thoughtful question over at @TheShortform: What should you do if a publication wants to run your article but not pay you for it? This always is a personal decision. But — whenever I have to make that call — I ask these questions before I do.
How timely is the article?
If the article is newsworthy and you wait to find a paying market, you might miss the chance to have it published at all.
How close is the subject to your heart?
As a household of one, I can’t afford to write for free. But I’ll occasionally do for no pay an article that I see as a form of volunteer work for a cause or group I support, such as my college alumni association.
What rights to the article does the publication want?
This is vital to understand. I’m not a lawyer — and this post isn’t legal advice — but publications ask for specific types of rights, the names of which may vary.
