Are Brokered Firms Devaluing the Freelance Writing Industry?

If you search the internet for reviews on brokered writing firms, or "content mills," as they are often called, you'll find a myriad of posts from disgruntled writers whining about scams and scanty pay. You'll hear tales of favoritism in assigning writing gigs, unpredictable "droughts" of client requests, and meager pay below minimum wage. Yes, these things can happen. But consider one writer's refutations to common claims about this sector of the writing industry.

Claim No. 1: Content mills devalue writer's work.

If you're a devotee of Peter Bowerman's The Well-Fed Writer, you may very well believe that getting paid 1.4 cents per word is squandering the good name of content writers everywhere. We're supposed to bank a minimum of $50.00 per hour, right?

Proponents of this claim assert that companies will stop respecting what writers do and stop paying higher prices if they can get the content they need for peanuts. I disagree for three reasons.

1. There will always be those who appreciate quality. When companies use content mills, they often know very little about the writers of their content, and some mill writers are, sadly, second rate. However, when a company uses a mill and youimpress them with superior work, they are likely willing to pay a higher price to have you work for them in the future. This can be a successful means of networking.
2. There will always be those who are too cheap to pay $50.00 an hour. This is one reason why mills are no threat to established freelancers. Many of the companies who use content mills are small, new, or not interested in paying higher prices for superior work. Mills advertise to a slightly different demographic than professional freelancers.
3. Freelancers themselves are responsible for upholding their niche. Every good freelancer knows that during negotiations, it is important to let a client know just how much time and research is involved in their project. Why? Because clients often don't know how involved good content writing can be. It's our job as freelancers to remind them. Then, they'll see why are prices are what they are. This is also why freelancers typically offer a rate per job, not per hour.

Claim No. 2: I'll never make it as a writer at content mill wages.

This may be true. I've written mill articles for - sigh - as little as $5.00 an hour. That's not even minimum wage! But, I also went into freelance writing with the understanding that I'd have to work my way from the bottom up.

Consider an example. Did the Apple CEO Tim Cook, successor to Steve Jobs, waltz right out of college and into the Corporate Executive Officer's suite? By no means. He first had to climb the corporate ladder at IBM. Similarly, a freelance writer shouldn't expect to land on easy street, making six or more times minimum wage, the first time he hands out resumes. Consider the brokerage firms as an analog to your entry level job at the local burger joint, only you're dropping blog posts instead of french fries.

The bottom line: No doubt about it, content mills definitely have their downsides. While brokered firms may not be your first choice for bread and butter, they are a good means of transitioning easily into the freelance writing industry. They also make a good filler for those times between more promising jobs - steady, albeit smaller, income if you're willing to engage in a professional version of "busy work."

Originally published on Linked In on December 30, 2016.