The Ethics of Freelance Writing: What is Wrong with This Post?
The talk of freelance writing forums this week is a Craig's List ad allegedly posted by a freelance writer soliciting other freelance writers to basically do his work for him.
From the ad:
"Looking for an experienced article ghostwriter that knows how to meet deadlines:
I do the marketing and editing, you do the research and writing. I am an experienced and published freelance writer with credits from more than 20 national publications including Woman's Day, Oxygen, Business 2.0, For Me, Cooking Light, Men's Journal, Backpacker, and Robb Report and I can't execute all the ideas I have. That's where you come in.
You will ghostwrite some of the articles for me and I will give you anywhere between $0.25 & $0.35 per word. If you dazzle me with your work, you'll get $0.35 per word. Over time, that fee may increase to $0.40 per word."
You can see the full ad here: http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/wrg/303516234.html
Now, before any of you say, "Wow, that is brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?" or "Wow! Where do I sign up?" This is at the very least deeply disturbing on many levels and really, violates writing ethics.
- First of all, here's a writer who is encouraging other writers to craft articles for way below the going market rate that many larger consumer magazines pay. In the ad, the writer is asking other writers to do all the work and then sign over all of his rights to the writer. The writer doesn't even gain that all important "exposure" in clips.
- Second, most contracts contain the pledge that the work is the original work of the person signing the contract.
- Third, if editors catch wind that this is happening in the industry, it could make contract terms even worse for legitimate freelancers.
There are other considerations this writer should be taking into consideration, such as tanking his career if his editors find out he is violating their contract by sub-contracting the work out. How will he answer fact checkers who call sources who tell them they talked to so-and-so when the article is bylined by someone else?
There are appropriate circumstances when ghost writers are acceptable. They have become acceptable in the book publishing industry (I mean, no one actually believes most of those celebrities can write their own memoirs do they?) and most corporate work.
There are also acceptable jobs for research assistants and interns freelance writers hire - such as doing actual research and some argue that interviewing some sources is ok. However, having someone else pen your work for magazines and newspapers?
Never!