Note: Some of the names I have used in the article are pseudonyms.
Young writers, you shouldn’t feel bad about writing for free. You’re probably wondering if you just read that right? You did. However, this article is probably not what you think it’s going to be. I won’t be sitting here in a privileged little bubble telling you that you should write because you’re passionate, not for a paycheck. No. And whilst I pop that bubble, what I really wanted to tell you is that you shouldn’t be made to feel guilty or problematic because you resorted to writing for free occasionally. Paid work isn’t in abundance. Competition is fierce. It’s a tough industry and sometimes working for free is what will make you stand out. Trust me, I’ve been there, done that. In fact, I’m doing it right now. Let me explain why.
“I was forced to reckon with my guilt as I gained bylines in magazines that didn’t pay me or could not afford to pay me. It was overwhelming.”
The first time I ever got commissioned was for Time Out London. I only found out through an Instagram page that mentored young journalists. Let’s call the person behind this page, Sally. Sally would post pitching call-outs from editors onto Instagram. I found out that Time Out London was commissioning writers, through her page. I loved Sally’s page at first. It was abundant with helpful tips and tricks for those starting out in the industry. Sally started posting messages about how writers should be paid for their work. The message was well-meaning and something I agreed with. However, soon, Sally started saying that young writers who write/do internships for free are part of the problem. I was forced to reckon with my guilt as I gained bylines in magazines that didn’t pay me or could not afford to pay me. It was overwhelming.
Sally would perpetuate that notion that it was so easy to get commissioned by national magazines. All you had to do to was attend one of her pitching workshops (these weren’t free) and you would be on the road to success. She was selling a dream. For every pitching callout from the Metro, Huffpost, or Vogue etc. You’re probably one of the hundreds of people sending pitches. That should never discourage you. However, as you can see, competition is tough. Commissions are rare. Rejection is common. It’s a stroke of luck. Your email might land in the editor’s inbox at the right time, and on that day, your choice of words might be just perfect enough for you to get commissioned. Often, those perfect words will get lost in the endless scroll of a busy editor’s email.
The worst part is that the replies are not guaranteed. Some editors will reply in a day, others will reply after a month. It is likely that your carefully crafted pitch will get ignored. Sally always said to never pitch the same idea to different editors at the same time. That meant waiting weeks before I took my ideas elsewhere.
“I love this idea, but it’s just not the one. Do pitch again!”
I got caught up in this exhausting cycle during the lockdown. I spent months sending pitch after pitch and constantly receiving “I love this idea, but it’s just not the one. Do pitch again!”. Sally made it look like a breeze. With her 10 years of industry experience, it’s easy to assume that things are just as easy for those starting out. We don’t have the connections and the years of expertise needed to easily get that spot in a national newspaper, especially when competing with thousands of others. My mental health was suffering and my growth was stagnant.
I was famished by the time August came around. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be a journalist anymore. How can I be a journalist when I’m struggling to get commissioned? Clearly, I’m just not good enough. That’s when an email landed in my inbox. It was a response from Anila Dhami, a journalist and presenter. I had emailed a month back asking for advice about getting into the industry. She wanted to set up a Zoom call to discuss my plans.
“I became so caught up in the race to get paid, I forgot about the various other options I had to enhance my CV.”
I had begun my birthday month feeling like shit, but it was on the exact date of my birthday, the 10th August 2020 that I got to speak to Anila. In that one Zoom meeting, my perspective shifted completely. As I explained to Anila, the struggles I had faced in the past few months, she suggested volunteering at my local newspaper or radio station. She had made her way into the industry through work experience, and volunteering. I became so caught up in the race to get paid, I forgot about the various other options I had to enhance my CV. It was such a simple suggestion that I had underestimated and put off for a long time.
Straight after that meeting, I emailed several local newspapers in my community offering to volunteer my skills. I got a reply within a few days from Hackney Gazette. They were happy to have me on board as soon as possible. Although I didn’t find paid work, I’ve learnt more in the last month of my holiday than I did during the five months of life in lockdown. I’ve done some cool interviews with film directors, musicians etc. in the past but being connected to my local community and interviewing the people in the shops and cafes that I pass by regularly has been the most meaningful part of this past year in journalism. I gained more bylines in the past two weeks than I have in the past six months.
Working for free isn’t easy. Volunteering isn’t something that everyone can do. Writing for free, although rewarding, isn’t going to help pay the bills. That’s the reality. I recognise that it’s a privilege that I can work for free and not feel the repercussions immediately. However, If I didn’t work for free, my portfolio wouldn’t exist. I would have no experience. I wouldn’t be qualified at all to apply for some of the internships in journalism. Why should I be made to feel guilty for doing anything I can to get my foot into the industry? The blame doesn’t lie with us. Just as it’s a privilege to work for free, it is also a privilege to reject certain unpaid work. That unpaid article or work experience might be the difference between being hired or being rejected at my next job interview.
One day Sally posted that students should refuse to do unpaid internships. I sent her a message asking for advice as I was applying for The Guardian’s unpaid Positive Action Scheme for POC. I asked her what was the right thing to do in this situation. She left my message on seen. Would you reject an unpaid internship at The Guardian?
‘The problem isn’t at the bottom, it’s at the top.”
It’s cruel and unfair to ask students to turn down crucial experience in the industry. Stop asking young people to give up valuable experience and instead take it right to the top, and ask them to pay up. Instead of bringing the fight to young people who are just trying to get their foot into the industry, take it to the people who fill their pockets and idly watch as we scramble for the pennies or… nothing. The problem isn’t at the bottom, it’s at the top.
Sawdah Bhaimiya
Featured image courtesy of Mel Poole via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
Love this post. it shows the importance of developing your skills first through work experience in order to land jobs at the top. Very well done Sawdah!