You Ask, We Answer: Should I Write for Free Now for Possible Pay Later?
I got this question in the Comments section but thought it would be good to answer it on the blog.
Sarah wrote:
Hi Linda, I have a question and didn’t know who else to ask. I am an accomplished magazine freelancer who has been approached by a semi-public figure to co write a book. However, he doesn’t want to pay me at all, even though writing a proposal and a book would be a ton of work. He says I could just get half of all the royalties. But this doesn’t seem right, and I have no idea how this works. Also, if the book does well, I could get famous, so that’s a reason I don’t want to immediately turn this down…it could be great for my career and lots of writers have approached HIM saying they want to write a book w/him. Should I stand firm about getting paid for my up front work? Thank you, thank you!
My answer:
Sarah, don’t do it! Dangling the idea of future fame and fortune in front of a writer is the oldest trick in the book. What’s great for your career is not writing for free in hopes of some future payout — it’s getting paid for the work you do now. You should get paid for the proposal and you should get a portion of any of the advance and royalties. Another option is that you get paid a flat fee for the proposal and the book and little to none of the advance and royalties. If this celeb is so certain the book will be a hit (which he must be or he wouldn’t be offering you royalties) why doesn’t he pay you now and then make up for it out of his massive royalties later?
I’m not a ghostwriting expert, so please do further research on contract/payment options.
Please come back and let us know what happens! [lf]
My answer to Sarah’s question is “Whut ????” DON’T even consider doing work for free. If this “semi-public figure” is legitimate then he should have the money to pay for your services. I have been a professional ghostwriter for many, many years – this doesn’t sound kosher. Charge a professional rate for the book proposal and sample chapters – IF the proposal lands a literary agent and IF the agent lands a publishing contract, then you can negotiate an agreement to co-write the book for a percentage of the royalties. Good luck!
Run, don’t walk! I agree. This is so dirt common–almost as common as those who think their life is a movie and all you have to do is write it. If this person is so durned famous, let hiim or her pony $10K for the proposal.
Thank you, Linda, and others…I look forward to hearing what others think. Here is what is killing me, and I am sure this could be another blog post idea for Linda: I know if I turn him down, he’s famous enough that he will easily find another writer to do this for little or nothing. He is in talks with a major tv network for his own show, and if it pans out, then I know the book will sell. So I am scared that if I say, “pay me $3500 for a proposal, period,” and he says no, and finds someone else and the book does great, I will kick myself.
Linda, thanks for empowering me. We writers never want to take on something that isn’t fair, but that little voice feeling like something better might not come along is tough. My magazine work has really slowed down lately and it’s been making me feel “less worthy” as a writer.
Also, he wants me to co-write the book w/my name on it, not ghostwrite it, so I was thinking I would get a little bit of that “fame” and that maybe I could be paid less since I’d get some career credit and perhaps better paying gigs in the future.
Thanks in advance for all your comments, writers! i can’t wait to hear more.
Sarah,
Can you afford to devote xx amount of hours to this project when there’s really no guarantee of getting paid? That he wants you to write for free tells me that he has the potential to be a giant PIA. Can you afford the emotional toll that would take?
We teach people how to treat us by the way we treat ourselves. If you think this is the best you can do, it probably will be. Don’t let a rut eat away at your self-esteem. You need to cultivate new business opportunities (that PAY) and the time you’ll spend on this project is time you won’t be able to do that.
I’m guessing Mr. Semi-Celebrity didn’t attain this status by giving away his work for free.
Terri
Thanks, Laura, Star, and Terri. This is great advice.
If the proposal is for someone else, it seems only fair to get paid for it. Of course, it sounds like you want to take the gamble. People have done crazier things and succeeded. Best of luck.
It’s painful to read how this unethical egotist is trying to play you.
I hope you don’t do it.
To bolster your spirits, watch this video rant from Harlan Ellison http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5IV23g-fE I never tire of watching it!
Lorraine, I’m so glad you had the link to that video. I couldn’t remember his name, but it crossed my mind when I read this post.