WritingThoughts

26 responses so far ↓

• 1 Matt Keegan // Oct 16, 2009 at

  That depends — what are you willing to pay me?

  I spend a lot of time on my magazine articles, far more time than I do with mostly everything else. Why is that? Because the pay is much better and the exposure is greater.

  Still, I try to present a good read no matter where my words show up for my personal pride and self worth.

  As far as what type of writing writers should focus on that’s easy: whatever suits their style best.

  My favorite topics to cover include automobiles, consumer tips, college and campus, Christian and inspirational and writing tips.

• 2 Laura Spencer // Oct 16, 2009 at

  I hear you Matt!

  It’s difficult to be an excellent writer if the pay is low – most of us just can’t afford it.

  I really liked this part of your comment: I try to present a good read no matter where my words show up for my personal pride and self worth.

  However, the dilemma occurs when one is asked to write for low pay and therefore spend less time on the piece.

  The piece then comes out with your name on it. Could be a problem if the writing you just completed is less than your best work, since it has your byline.

• 3 Is Your Craft Just Adequate or Excellent? : Blisstree - Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles // Oct 17, 2009 at

  […] Spencer has written a thought provoking post on this topic at her blog, Writing Thoughts.  In Are You an Adequate Writer or an Excellent Writer, Laura talks about writing.  However, I realized, as I read the post, Laura’s points could […]

• 4 Is Your Home Business Adequate or Exceptional? : Home Biz Notes - All about home business. // Oct 17, 2009 at

  […] Spencer has written a thought provoking post on this topic at her blog, Writing Thoughts.  In Are You an Adequate Writer or an Excellent Writer, Laura talks about writing (one type of home business).  However, I realized, as I read the post, […]

• 5 Ledward // Oct 18, 2009 at

  Some of the best examples of excellent writing I’ve found are written by direct response copywriters. This breed of writer typically gets paid by the results they bring to the table for their clients.

  In nearly every case their assignment involves setting a writing goal (a sale, a store visit, a lead, etc.), writing to specific audience, telling a great story, and provoke a designated response.

  You can’t pull this off effectively without thorough preparation, research and striving for excellence.

• 6 Laura Spencer // Oct 18, 2009 at

  Good point, Ledward!

  I agree with you that you can’t write effectively without preparation, research, and striving for excellence.

  A good question for a writer who is trying to improve their work to ask themselves might be: if I were going to be paid by the results of this work would I be satisfied with what I am turning in?

• 7 Vivienne Quek // Oct 18, 2009 at

  The excellent writer has a choice not to take up the assignment if the pay is low. Why compromise his integrity to put up a sub-standard work for a meager pay? Of course, talk is cheap if putting bread on the table is more critical.

• 8 Laura Spencer // Oct 19, 2009 at

  Hi Vivienne!

  I think you’ve put your finger on a dilemma that many writers face – what should you do if all you can find is low paying work.

  I don’t have an answer, myself.

• 9 Jeanne Dininni // Oct 21, 2009 at

  Excellent points, Laura!

  The fact is that the companies that pay the lowest rates are generally more interested in quantity than quality, because they are either posting or supplying extremely high volumes of SEO content, the only real purpose of which is to attract tons of website traffic along with huge advertising revenues. This is one important reason why cyberspace is becoming overrun by mediocre to terrible content.

  I actually had an editor at one of the article mills I once worked for (before I knew better) tell me that she could write three or four how-to articles in an hour. The very thought of this kind of artless article proliferation troubles me greatly as a writer who strives for excellence. I could never write that way and, in fact, had a rough time while working for this company because I spent far more time than I should have on articles that paid far too little, simply because my standards were too high to produce the kind of work that would have satisfied them and that their prices warranted.

  Such low prices and low standards of quality seriously devalue writing as a profession, not to mention writers themselves. The truth is, though, that there’s a vast difference between a real writer and a mere content producer. Unfortunately, content production has become so widespread on the Internet that it’s replaced real writing in many people’s minds. It’s such a shame!

• 10 Laura Spencer // Oct 22, 2009 at

  Thanks Jeanne!

  I don’t necessarily fault those who write poorly or quickly. People do what they have to do.

  However, if you have a byline and your writing is merely adequate you are sending a message to potential customer (whether you intend to, or not).

• 11 Jeanne Dininni // Oct 22, 2009 at

  I totally agree. People do what they have to do. And just because today someone’s options may be limited to content production, that doesn’t necessarily mean that individual isn’t a competent writer or that tomorrow those options won’t expand. It may simply mean s/he is currently settling for less than his/her talent warrants due to lack of opportunity.

  One thing that’s worth remembering about content production is that in many cases such content does carry the author’s byline. So, it’s always important, when using content production as a stepping stone to better things, to keep writing quality high enough that it won’t reflect poorly on the writer down the road when s/he moves on to other types of writing.

• 12 jan geronimo // Nov 6, 2009 at

  Excellent points. Couldn’t agree more. I’ve got a question though: Do excellent writers blog? Aren’t blogs a cop out for budding writers, or in your words, the line of least of resistance? Isn’t writing the first order of business, and not blogging?

• 13 Holly Jahangiri // Nov 6, 2009 at

  Very well put, Jeanne.

  Some clients only want content production – because the price is right. When you can get keyword-dense content for pennies, it may get the results you want, at least in the short term.

  We shouldn’t forget that some very good writers are willing to settle for horrendously low pay, because they don’t have the confidence to hold out for something better, and will fall all over themselves in gratitude for the “exposure.” The word “exposure” always makes me think of shady writers hiding their nakedness under trench coats, flashing the unwary reader.

• 14 Laura Spencer // Nov 7, 2009 at

  Welcome to Jan Geronimo and Holly Jahangri!

  Jan — I’m not sure that I fully understand your question.

  My take on it is that not all bloggers consider themselves to be writers. Some bloggers start a blog simply because they are passionate about a subject. However, there are also many blogs by writers. A writer who creates a blog should strive for excellence on that blog, along with anywhere else that they happen to write.

  I hope that answers your question.

  Holly, I think that writer confidence (or lack of it) is a huge problem. I’m not really sure what the answer is. No matter what steps we take to encourage writers to do their best, it seems that there will always be some writers who will settle for less.

• 15 T.W. Anderson // Nov 11, 2009 at

  The first order of business when it comes to writing is simply that: business.

  It’s all well and good to have an opinion. Everyone has one. Everyone has a different one. What you (the other person; not singling anyone out) consider low quality someone else might consider to be high quality. What some people consider drivel, other people consider the BEST THING EVAH! (I’m thinking Twilight series here….personal opinion of course).

  The thing of it is it’s not up for you or me to determine whether or not someone is “adequate” or “excellent”. The only determining factor is success.

  I’ve always liked the Stephen King approach to writing. If you wrote something and you got a paycheck for it, and that check didn’t bounce, and you then went on to pay the utility bill with that check, then you are successful. It doesn’t matter what Blogger_101 thinks about your work, nor does it matter if someone in the local newspaper writes something bad about you. It doesn’t matter of Joe_Blogger_500 thinks you are a hack, or if if someone is calling you the greatest thing since sliced bread. What matters is whether or not your CLIENTS are happy with your work and if you are getting paid. If you are getting paid, and subsequently paying the bills with those paychecks, then you are an EXCELLENT writer by every definition of the word because your work is being read and paying the bills.

  I’ve notice a really disturbing trend among many bloggers…the “speck in the eye” trend. That is…bloggers and writers who think that just because they have a little corner of the Internet to call their own they can suddenly label other people’s work as “quality” or “not quality”. The only thing that matters is if you are successful. Period. If you can put a roof over your family’s head and food on the table and still have money left over to enjoy life then you are an excellent writer. Period.

• 16 Laura Spencer // Nov 11, 2009 at

  Welcome back T.W.,

  It’s nice to have you as a regular reader.

  Actually, I agree with you when you say “The first order of business when it comes to writing is simply that: business.”

  In fact, that’s actually the whole point of the post. Producing work that is just barely adequate is a bad business practice that can lead to the loss of clients.

  A freelancer might be going about his or her business, thinking they are okay, and suddenly, voila – some clients are gone and the freelancer can’t figure out why. Merely adequate work could be one cause.

  I don’t actually say who is doing merely adequate work and who is not. I would have no way of knowing that anyway, would I? I’m just saying that the temptation is there (I know, because I’ve been tempted).

  From your own comments, it sounds as though you have nothing to worry about. You say you are doing well, so your clients must be happy. This post probably doesn’t apply to you. 🙂

• 17 picart // Nov 13, 2009 at

  This question – it is “to be” or “not to be” – I think…

• 18 Words on a page » Blog Archive » A few links for the end of the week - A blog about writing, in its various forms // Nov 27, 2009 at

  […] you an adequate or excellent […]

• 19 Marcia Passos Duffy // Dec 3, 2009 at

  This is a very interesting discussion and I’m glad I stumbled upon this blog.

  I’ve been a professional writer for over 20 years and some of my best work has been written quickly and with little editing. Of course, the topics I can write quickly about are always near and dear to my heart. But even stories that are “bread and butter” for me I can churn out quickly if I’m under deadline — I was trained to do that as a newspaper reporter many years ago. That said, I think that fast writing does not necessarily translate into “bad writing.” It all depends on how much experience you have under your belt.

  If any one of you have read the book, “Outliers” you’ll know that if you have done something for a long, long time — more that 10,000 hours (i.e.,8-10 hours a day for 10 years) — you become a “master” at what you do whether you realize it or not. You cannot help but be “good” at it if you have done it for so long.

  I think the problem occurs when those starting out in this profession feel they must write quickly to earn that 10 bucks a story — or whatever they are getting — in order to make a living. Yes, when I first started out I wrote stories for dirt cheap (at a newspaper), but I felt that I was “earning my stripes” there and I was also getting mentored by seasoned writers and editors. The problem with some content mills is that no mentoring goes on at all and bad writing get unleashed into the world and the beginning writer never has a clue and never learns.

  Writing is not making widgets — it is a craft that needs many years to master. And to become a master you do need: 1. To put in the hours, and 2. Someone who can guide you.

  JMHO 🙂 — Marcia

• 20 Laura Spencer // Dec 3, 2009 at

  Thanks Marcia!

  You do provide some food for thought…

  I’m not familiar with the Book “Outliers” (although it does sound interesting). I would think that within the time period of ten years most people would either figure out how to excel at something or move on. So, the concept makes sense.

  I particularly liked your last comment about writers needing someone to guide them. I’m a big fan of mentoring and feel that it can help most professionals, including writers.

• 21 cake decorating books // Jan 15, 2010 at

  I feel like i write too casually most of the time and just focusing on “getting the message out there” rather than creating a very quality piece of content, just because i feel it’s better that, for example, 100 people see the 80% polished product than it is for 3 people to see the 100% polished and refined stuff, as you can just keep working on it and never publish…

• 22 OnGoBee // Feb 21, 2010 at

  We would like your feedback on a new website. It’s designed for writers to share information. Let us know what you think. Thanks!!

• 23 Ralph Fleming // Jun 17, 2010 at

  Very interesting article. In my opinion, even if you are an excellent and very talented writer you are likely to be hired to follow a formula and write in a certain way about a specific subject and if you write for a living, there is no other option than to just forget your talent and get to work.

• 24 Laura Spencer // Jun 17, 2010 at

  Thanks everyone!

  Naturally, if you are hired for project you do need to follow instructions. However, you often have the choice to provide feedback about what will improve a document and what will not.

• 25 Bakari // Jul 13, 2010 at

  One important issue in response to your question is how much is the writer earning to produce quality content? Some web producers expect a lot from writers for little pay. It’s hard to justify spending three or four hours on a 1500 piece when you’re only getting paid say $35 or $40. Even if you wanted to produce quality writing, it would be difficult to make a living producing lots of content for very low wages. By the same token, it seems to me if you want to get paid more you need to study the craft and business of writing so that you can demand more for what you do.

  By the way, I just discovered your site a few days ago. You have really great content, especially for someone like myself who is looking to make freelance writing a full-time job. So I will definitely be visiting your site on a regular basis, and may even purchase your e-book.

• 26 Laura Spencer // Jul 15, 2010 at

  Thank-you Bakari!

  I agree. It’s important to look at the work required and not just the dollar amount when accepting a project.

  It’s sort of a dilemma for writers. If you accept the low paying job and produce a lesser quality of writing, then others will assume that is all you are capable of doing.

  I’m glad to have you as a reader.