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Contributing Writers are
a Great Resource
No matter how talented and versatile you
may be as a newspaper publisher, you're still only one person.
Even you get a spouse involved, and even your children or other
family members, you cannot be in all places at all times. More
importantly, you cannot see and hear all things. Other gifted
people can help to make a small newspaper a truly great publication.
I like the term "contributing" writer.
I like it because it's accurate. The contributing writer makes
an important contribution to your newspaper. He or she adds
something to the paper you cannot give it: fresh perspective and
fresh talent. A breath of fresh air. Expertise in a
given field that you simply don't have. A bit of good labor
that you will not need to produce. Another voice and another
way of seeing things. Readers in the area(s) you serve may
hate what you say and how you say it, yet love the contributing
writer who serves with you to produce a good paper.
For the reasons mentioned above, and
others, you need to value your contributing writers and reward them
in every way you can. They're every bit as important to your
paper's success as you are, as the advertisers are, as the readers
are. So talk them up, encourage them, pay them what they're
worth, promote them and their books, newsletters, pet projects and
causes. You may not have a lot of cash to hand out, but you
can find out what they want and need from you, and do your best to
make it happen.
Student, Part-time, &
Beginning Writers
I was recently asked by a
new publisher how to go about paying contributing writers. This paper had been
approached by a high school student who wanted to submit sports stories
from his school. I shared the following comments:
Writers are very often
paid by the word, and given a range of the number words accepted for each
column or article. For example, if you assign this young man 500 words,
and then pay him $.02 a word, that would be the same as giving him about
$10 per submission.
But newspapers also hire people for certain assignments, or buy columns by
the issue, etc. In which case, a flat payment for each piece or photo is
fine.
As for how much, that's going to be different in every case. You need to
decide what the paper can afford, what the material is worth to you (how
much time will you or someone else spend editing the article?), and what
the writer will need in order to give it his very best.
Many new and/or young writers will write for nothing. What they really
want and need is to see their work in print and their name on a byline.
I've even had local adult and experienced writers work for me just to get
their work in the town paper. Some were accomplished, professional writers
with best-selling books to their credit.
What I would Do...
If it were me, and I wanted to encourage a young HS writer along, I'd
probably work a deal. I would offer $7 per article submission, to start
with, along with a byline (his name in print as the contributing writer).
I would promise $10/per after the work has improved to the paper's
standards, and proven itself. If the work is very good, I would later
raise him to $12 or $15 per article -- after about 6 months -- sitting
down with him and telling him exactly why I like his work, and why his
contribution to the paper is worth the maximum amount.
Make Sure Everyone Wins
I've seldom had work submitted that needed no editing or polish.
With my first small town newspaper, I had
one guy's work that I always had to completely rewrite. He often got lots
of praise and pats on the back from the readers for his "great" sports articles. I got all the work of
re-writing at 2 AM in the morning. I thought it was funny, but I
didn't mind. It worked well for the paper at
that time, so I
was content.
How did it work well for the newspaper?
He was present to gather the actual eye-witness details of games and
events that I simply didn't have the time to cover. His
writing was not good, but the facts were all there. So I was
able to do my part, and we both got the benefit. He got his
column each issue and I got what I needed for the paper. The
community got the information, the players and coaches got their
mention and photos. It was an all-around win-win for everyone.
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