A Writer's Rant on Why Consistent Support Is Important for All Entrepreneurs

My electric bill just shot up from $150 to $360 in one month because it's been 105 degrees every day and the AC has been running. Groceries, gas, and rent have shot through the roof and that's not including the rest of the bills that need attending...what am I going to do?

I know I'm not the only one feeling this kind of pressure. It seems like the whole world is suffering under the weight of life's endless string of misfortunes. Extreme weather, pandemics, war, and a rise in the price of everything are enough to make anyone completely lose their mind and run off into whatever is left of the forest. The thing that makes me sad is that as soon as of this happens, the first revenue to dry up are the entrepreneurs with businesses designed around "frivolities" instead of "essentials" because no one has the money to spare. Anyone from artists to writers to craft makers all get assed out because we aren't seen as a necessity unless it's the holiday season. Some people even think that we make an extreme profit from our work, which isn't always true. I always get so excited when I see people making six figures doing what they love. But for the rest of us out there, especially the writers, this rant is for you. Welcome to the truth of being a freelance writer in 2023.

A Freelancer Writers Life

Most people charge $0.01 to $0.05 per word. Say I land a ghostwriting job on Upwork for the $0.01 and get an assignment of 10k words. That's $100 for the assignment. Not bad for 6-7 hours of work, right? Well, we have to take 10% out for Upwork's side of things. Then another $2 to get it deposited into your bank. Then take out another 25% for freelance taxes. At the end of it all those $100 turn into $65. With an average of $1,500 a month in bills, I'd have to write 230,000 words a month, an average of 115 hours of writing and editing minimum. Let's not forget the free hours put in for rewrites. And because it was a ghostwriting gig, the credit doesn't go on my portfolio.

This is why most people's writing dreams die on the page. How can anyone even contemplate quitting their job to be a full-time writer if they can't even afford the basics? I see all of us out there being clever and trying to sell other things besides our books, but people don't always want to buy that either. We have blog subscriptions and merchandise. Some of us even go the extra mile and make a youtube channel. This isn't because we want to be narcissists and sell our amazing products to show you how amazing we are. We do this because we want to eat and pay the bills like everyone else does with their 9-5 jobs.

And if you think that living in the social age is a quick way to get money, think again. Here are the cold, hard facts.

• If you have a youtube channel, the only way you can even begin to make money is if you have a minimum of 1k followers or 10,000 views.

• If you have a Bigo account and do live streams, your income relies on other people's gifts and views and whatever else they give out that translates into beans. Also, you can only join their ambassador program if you have a minimum of 10k followers on Instagram.

• If you use an Amazon Affiliate link for products in blogs, vlogs, or posts, you only get paid if someone buys the item that's linked, not when the person clicks it.

• If you are a person who sells a physical good, you have to make yourself seen in the first place and spend money on ads, shipping costs, and the millions of other things that come with dealing with physical goods and services.

• If you want to make money from Instagram posts, you need 10,000 views per post and I'm not even sure how that works fully because I'm nowhere near meeting the criteria.

Let's not mention the hours of content creation that go into all of these platforms as a whole as well as the content for your own website or portfolio. On top of making sure that there are no grammar mistakes, and that you're posting on the right account on the right day at the right time.

There are only so many hours in the day and we are all just trying to survive at this point. There are a growing number of people quitting their jobs to fulfill their dreams. It is our job to support them. If you are in financial straights but still want to support entrepreneurs, a quick shout-out and share on social media is as free as it's gonna get. It may be difficult to ask the people closest to help and support us, but let this article sit as a reminder that entrepreneurs need to eat too. So show some love and support and let's get rid of the hate between small businesses and corporations. We are all doing our best. Isn't that enough?

I look forward to seeing you in whatever form I appear. Until next time!

About the Author

Crystal Cabrae is a storyteller who specializes in writing dystopian, romantic, and adventurous worlds for animation and fantastical fiction. She is a proud graduate of Full Sail University, AMDA, and New World School of the Arts. Her six years of acting training in both New York and Miami gives her a unique perspective when approaching her characters. She has a passion for sharing how to create stories with the world and inspiring the storyteller that lives within all of us. Follow her on IG or Pinterest to know the latest.