Sorry, I Don’t Work for Free
How to tactfully refuse a request for free labor and ask for payment instead
“I may sometimes be willing to teach for nothing, but if paid at all, I shall never do a man’s work for less than a man’s pay.” — Clara Baron
Imagine if everyone who asks for your expertise wanted to pay you for that work. Wouldn’t that be great? You could build your business and your reputation while earning a good living.
It could happen. Really! All you need to do is fall down a rabbit hole, drink the shrink-me potion, defeat the Queen of Hearts, and climb back out again. Or, you could just ask people to pay you when they request your services.
That’s the tough part, isn’t it?
I’m a writer and editor by trade. Most of my clients are small businesses and other writers. Although most people seem to get it that I don’t write news articles or create blog posts for free, some still ask me to “touch up” their writing as a favor.
