Q&A: Is it Worth My Time to Freelance Write for Free or Low-Pay?
“Is it really worth my time to write for free or low-pay, when I could be billing clients for legal services?”
A. This is a good question. The answer turns on the lawyer’s goal. In my view, it’s often worth a lawyer’s time to write on the side of law, particularly if her goal is to generate business (e.g., drive traffic to a firm’s website or to get noticed by potential clients in the local community), gain recognition as an expert, beef up a resume, or to keep active in the law while on a career detour or between jobs. If making money is the goal, though there is money to be made as a freelance writer, a lawyer might find it helpful to keep the money rolling in from her day job, while she builds her writing business. In other words, don’t quit your day job yet, at least not until you’ve done some research and maybe built up your savings. At the very least, read this L.A. Time’s article, Freelance Writing’s Unfortunate New Model, to see where the money is–and isn’t–at in 2010. If the goal of freelance writing is to follow a writing dream, for restorative purposes, or to improve work/life balance, writing for free or low-pay may just turn out to be the winning lottery ticket to the life of your dreams.
