Hot topic: When to do Pro Bono Work?

Are you talking editing or writing services? For friends, random passersby, or professionals?

For me, it really depends on the work. I beta for some people. This includes spelling, punctuation, and constructive feedback on story, characterization, pacing, etc. But I don't do it often because it's a lot of work. This is my "pro bono" work. I also freelance editing services professionally. Both happen when the opportunity presents and I'm interested and available.

As far as writing, if I'm not writing for myself, then I should be getting paid.

You have to figure out where to set your boundaries. If you're looking to get experience, then giving it away for free can help, but consider how difficult it will become later when you want to start charging that client/business for work you've previously done out of the kindness of your heart. Have an arrangement in place. "I'll edit a sample chapter for you, and if you like what you see, we can discuss rates."

I don't usually get requests from friends to edit or write anything for them. You have to gauge what you do under those circumstances. Are you establishing expectations in those friends that they'll always be turning to you for free writing/editing? Or does everyone understand that you're doing it because you have time and you want to help - no strings or implications for later down the line?

You might get more replies if this thread were in the "Freelancing" Forum. Maybe a mod will move it.
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I'm getting back into freelancing after a long time away, with moves to two other states between. So I'm not part of a network here, and a lot of what I like to do (video scripts) involves who you know.

Last fall I met, by chance, a video producer and gave him my card that said I was a writer. He said, "Oh, I'm looking for a writer." That led to my first job with him, in which I wrote a script for free. We met to go over the project, he later emailed to ask what my rate was, and I said, after considering, that I'd do it for free because I was trying to re-establish myself and also because I liked his project and I knew he had a small budget.

Ok, so did that, everyone was happy, got a new script credit to my name. Fast forward a few months and he emails me with a new project with a generous scripting budget. He wanted to offer it to me first. Yep, of course I took him up on it, gave him a good product, and I know he'll use me again.

Between the two scripts for him, I made about the going rate, I think (not really sure of what the market rate is here in my new area).

If your pro bono work could lead to future paid gigs, then I'd say go for it, if it's not too extensive. Just do as good a job with your giveaways as you would with paid work.

Pro bono and free are not the same thing. Pro bono is doing something for free for the public good.

For example, writing your church's newsletter is pro bono writing. Writing your company's newsletter for your Fortune 500 company without compensation is unpaid work.

Many top professionals do pro bono, receiving nothing but satisfaction. Top professionals never give their work away for free, although money might not exchange hands.



Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

jclarkdawe said:

Pro bono and free are not the same thing. Pro bono is doing something for free for the public good.

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Ah, those pesky semantics. My work was for a non-profit social services organization, so I guess that would qualify as pro bono.

Since the OP is not a "top professional" but is just starting out, what would your advice be for her?

Juniekat said:

Since the OP is not a "top professional" but is just starting out, what would your advice be for her?

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The consensus here seems to be unpaid work does not count as a publication credit. The fact someone pays to publish your work is all that matters. I've never heard of an editor doing any background checking or reading your previous work when you submit. I have a few unpaid fiction pubs, but I'm moving into paid markets and hopefully moving upwards from there. However, being that I have a day job that more than meets my needs I'm not as "hungry" as a full time writer would need to be.

I do contract editing and proofreading. As a result, I do very little unpaid editing work. You need to be family or a close friend for me to give it away. I'll occasionally provide editing in SYW, but I try to keep my involvement there to bigger-picture issues.

Unpaid work can still lead to paying jobs, which is what freelance is all about. You have to decide if building up your network is worth a bit of of your time - self promotion, you know.

"Pub credits" are more important for fiction, I think. But I could be wrong. Has happened a couple of times.

Pro bono work, in areas that you are an expert, care deeply about, or both, usually isn't without reward. As jclarksaid, if nothing else you gain satisfaction. And in areas, where many of the sources are non-profit, it's expected. And you are expected to keep doing it even after you have moved up to paying gigs.

In non-fiction, sometimes it's how you get to the point that you can build a platform. It helps you get to know who is who, get speaking engagements, allows you to help out those that can help you out, etc.

jclarkdawe said:

...Top professionals never give their work away for free, although money might not exchange hands.

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This is an excellent line and an important distinction. If you write for a living, you might not be so keen to give your work away for free. Like any other business person who is or hopes to be successful, your time is valuable, and you should be justly compensated for whatever work you produce that isn't charity driven.

And be especially wary of family and friends who will take advantage of your skills and expect you to write everything from job resumes to family histories for little or no compensation. Set an hourly rate for your time (mine is $150.00 per hour), tell them the cost in advance and bill them accordingly for your efforts.

It's interesting to note that the writing profession, in a general sense, is one of the few industries where so much is expected in exchange for so little monetary reward. In almost every other job sector, at least a living wage is expected and appreciated.

Besides satisfaction and money, there is prestige (read: resume building). I wrote a pamphlet for an Education Honor Society. They also have (might be had now) a professional journal and magazine. Their name looks good on my resume, and I use the pamphlet as a clip when I apply to educational presses. I haven't taught in ten years, but the pamphlet keeps me in the education game as an author.

So can you find another use for what you're writing for free? Is there added value for you to do the job?

-Debbie

Whether you work for free or not also depends strongly on what kind of writing you do. For example, the script writer above works in a very tight community and doing quality work for free for this editor was the best course for getting a good name and future work. Doing web content for free just gets you a name as a sucker, if you even get that much, and forget using it as a clip, you'll be laughed at. Magazine writing is a toss up, and some do it for free, but I never have and doubt I ever will. I have done business writing at a steep discount for family (I might consider it for free if there was dire need, also), and do beta reading for friends in the writing community because I know there is reciprocity (and good karma) there.

WildScribe said:

do beta reading for friends in the writing community because I know there is reciprocity (and good karma) there.

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Okay, this.

jclarkdawe said:

Pro bono and free are not the same thing. Pro bono is doing something for free for the public good.

For example, writing your church's newsletter is pro bono writing. Writing your company's newsletter for your Fortune 500 company without compensation is unpaid work.

Click to expand...

Doing pro bono can depend on a lot of things like what you hope to gain from the experience and why you're choosing to do it. Most of my pro bono work has been with non-profits or community organizations.

When I first started freelancing, non-profits and community group work helped me build my profolio and keep my skills sharp while I was pounding the pavement for paying gigs. I like doing volunteer work and using my skills to help others but pro bono can also be a good way to expand your experience and skills into areas beyond your current skill set.

I'm a huge fan of Michelle Goodman, author of The Anti 9 to 5 Guide. She did a great article on this very topic that might be useful: http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2010/06/19/how-much-pro-bono-work-is-too-much/

when the co-signatory calls in the Faustian pact.