Comments on: No one is forced to write for free http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/ What is uttered from the heart alone, will win the hearts of others to your own. Sun, 24 May 2015 10:44:27 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.11 By: Anna Tarkov http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-647 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:25:31 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-647 Yep, it’s a ton of people that write for them for free for various reasons. However, it seems that most of the time the free stuff isn’t as valuable: http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/the-economics-of-blogging-and-the-huffington-post/?partner=rss&emc=rss Not surprising of course since, like with many things, you get what you pay for.

]]> By: Anonymous http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-646 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:08:48 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-646 I didn’t know HuffPo had sooo many unpaid contributors especially after the revenue and valuation of the company. Tells you how ignorant I am.

]]> By: Anonymous http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-645 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:49:30 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-645 I started writing about soccer for a website for free because I had a full-time job that paid me well enough to do so. I chose to write for free because I simply wanted to build a body of work. Has it led to paid opportunities, sure. Has it led to enough to make it solely on writing, no.

We all have a choice in this. If we don’t want to write for free, we don’t have to. Writing for free isn’t necessarily a bad thing but one must understand why they are writing for free and if it is worth their time or resources to do so.

]]> By: Anna Tarkov http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-644 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:08:15 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-644 Wow, Jeanne, that’s amazing (and I’m super jealous of your Greek travels! I can’t wait to go there one day). I find the same is usually true of many high-profile people. They’re seen in a certain light, but then you get a completely different story from those that actually know them on a personal level.

]]> By: Anonymous http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-643 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:25:53 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-643 Yes, Anna, I was neighbors with Arianna in NYC long ago so know her, her sister, knew her mother and have met her kids later. We are not best friends or anything, but I know her heart well enough to respect her very much. It’s really an amazing and impressive family. Despite what the press assumes about her, she has a really good heart.

Actually, that does makes sense to me, Lucretia, because you “know” me and how I think, so I can see that validating my experience of Arianna. I am quite ordinary so I think it shows that Arianna is also like the rest of us…just an ordinary person. I am a heart focused person and Arianna has an amazing hear…. not to mention ALWAYS an extraordinary ability to influence people. & focus on what she wants. I’m an extreme introvert in many ways, so I would die with her life, but I’m glad that she does it.

I actually know her sister better as we were both actresses at the time we met, so had more in common. Their mother was one of the most interesting and loving people that I have ever met. I can not go to Greece without thinking about them all because they all taught me a lot about the warmth of that culture & made me addicted to those home made wine leaf wrapped goodies. 😉

I haven’t written much for Huffpo yet, mainly just because I do not have the time between constant travel, raising a fluent trilingual ( as monolinguals), 2 deaths this year of fathers/grandfathers, and my paralyzed arm for a year injury….my plate is full.. BUT I do see the extraordinary opportunity that it is ( IF one puts the work and effort into it) so hope to do more.

BUT I also do not have to write to live, so that certainly gives me more leeway than many writers.

]]> By: Lucretia Pruitt http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-642 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:48:34 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-642 I love that Jeanne showed up over here too! Didn’t realize you were writing for HuffPo too Jeanne – but it makes sense both from your point of view and from theirs – your nomadic lifestyle writing makes the rest of us wish we could just break free and join you!
Didn’t know you knew Arianna. Is it weird that you saying that gives *her* more positive credit with me than the other way round? 😉

]]> By: Anna Tarkov http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-641 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:34:57 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-641 Whoa, you personally know Arianna? Do tell :-)

]]> By: Anonymous http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-640 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 06:50:32 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-640 Excellent points! We were discussing this on my Facebook page and someone linked to this because you agreed with my perspective. Fun to read Lucretia here too as I agree with you both! 😉

I am an accidental tourist to the writing field, yet find myself considered a top “influencer” in my niche of travel and was recently interviewed by the BBC about how social media is changing travel.

It’s mind boggling how the publication world has changed in the last 5 years and writers need to pay more attention to the REALITY of writing today. Some unknown writers have done REALLY well by writing for “free” on Huffpo. One of the things special about it is the community and the social media aspect in the comments. Smart writers ( including many from the old school as well as newbies) are using Huffpo to their advantage in a win/win way that works for all.

Writers need to think about more than pretty writing and pub writing fees, but also things like video, photos, SEO, their own platform, information products, PR, social media, connections etc.. There are many ways to gain value besides “payment”.

I love the freedom that writing for Huffpo gives me, I can write as little or as often as I want and control what content I want to add there. I decide if I want to re-post one of my own evergreen blog posts there ( in total or part) and when. I’ve been writing in the lifestyle/travel section since Jan 2010, but since we traveling the world non-stop, I don’t use it that much just because of my time. ( I happened to break and paralyze my dominant right arm for a year during that time, so not great for my writing) That said, just being a Huffpo writer is beneficial and opens doors.

I’ve known Arianna for over 30 years, so I am prejudiced, but I think she has done an amazing job ( and yes if it was so easy, everyone would have done it). Kudos to her for building it and for selling it at this moment in time.

]]> By: Anna Tarkov http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-639 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:28:03 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-639 Thanks so much for the comment Michael! I especially like what you said about it being a brave new world now with fewer to no gatekeepers. While that certainly brings with it some pitfalls, it also opens up lots of opportunities.

]]> By: Anonymous http://annatarkov.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free/#comment-638 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:14:28 +0000 http://annatarkov.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/no-one-is-forced-to-write-for-free#comment-638 Totally agree with you on this post. I write for HuffPost, as a travel blogger. It is a great opportunity for me. I get to new eyeballs. I get great links with high PR back to my page. I get great exposure. The old format of “pay to write” is dying. If you are a writer now, you need to get used to (and embrace) the concept that YOU are the distribution source. It is a great, new world to be writing in these days. It has opened up for everyone, without the old gatekeepers to keep people out.

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