Database Instant Hits
One of our members, Michael Maynard, sent me a note yesterday saying within hours of the database going live, he had two inquiries from editors, one of them from The Boston Globe. During that same hour, I received a note from another member saying she had been contacted by an editor with an offer to pay her .18 cents a word. I also rejected a potential job lister this morning because their rates were as low as .06 cents a word and they wanted all rights.
I spent the entire day yesterday away from my assignments fielding calls and emails from editors and freelancers alike. Editors wanted more information on how to find you - the perfect freelancer for their project - and freelancers who aren't members wanted to know how to join.
This is all good news, even the members who are rejecting jobs - at least the word is out. Editors and publishers know we are here. And even with the seemingly low job offers, we don't know when those low-paying jobs might be turned into reprint sales, or if they aren't too low, when they might negotiate upward. Remember to always to try to negotiate when you are contacted by an editor and take a look at your per hour rate as well to see if it worth your time. Also to always try for FNASR (First North American Serial Rights) on your contracts.
The really good news is that we're getting many success stories. Stay tuned - and if you're going to be at the ASJA conference in New York City, stop by and say "hello" to Beth King. SPJ will have a table there promoting our new freelance directory and Beth has done a lot of work to help us promote this.
We've already turned in suggestions for a broader search criteria than what is now allowed. If you have any other suggestions for the database, please make a comment here.
Thanks!