Articles

Bandit Fiction Doesn’t Pay Writers So Their Name is PERFECT! – by Roy A. Barnes

November 11, 2021

Bandit Fiction Doesn’t Pay Writers So Their Name is PERFECT! – by Roy A. Barnes
Print Friendly

ban·dit: a robber, especially a member of a gang or marauding band. an outlaw or highwayman. (dictionary.com)

It’s bad enough when publications don’t pay writers. But, when the publication is named BANDIT FICTION, it adds even more irony to the thorny issue of writers working for free. Unlike actual bandits, who take things from others by threat of force, Bandit Fiction doesn’t have to threaten writers to get its hands on their writing. No, writers willingly submit to them knowing full well via their writer’s guidelines that, if their work is accepted, they’ll get no money. And the justification that Bandit Fiction uses for not paying writers is the most bizarre of reasoning I’ve come across in my 17-plus years of freelancing:

Do You Pay For The Work You Publish?

After conducting thorough research and gaining feedback from those who submit to us, we have decided not to pay for the works we publish. Instead, any money we have (which does not go towards paying immediate running costs) is invested in growing our audience and offering the best services we can.

“Thorough research?” “Feedback from those who submit to us?” What kind of writers would not want to be paid for their work? Is there somehow a parallel universe of writers who think they should just give their work away for free, and another universe of writers who think it’s essential to get paid for their work? About the only words I write for free are for some of my social media group interests, which I share with others with common interests. But, when it comes to things like travel articles, fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, etc., which I submit to publications as unpublished, I do demand remuneration for it. I do not write for “free exposure.”

Since I’ve been a freelance writer for the last 17 years, I’ve come across many publications that do not pay writers. The biggest reason I’ve seen is that the editors claim they don’t have the money to give to writers for their work, while also claiming that they don’t make any money after paying all the expenses for creating and running a publication. They believe that we writers should be thankful for being published by them, given that we will get “free exposure” for our work even though our bills might go unpaid, or we might have to skip a meal or two.

The first two writing publications I came across as a fledgling freelancer in 2004 were WritersWeekly and Funds for Writers, both champion publications for seeing that writers get paid for their work. And, from the beginning of my quest to see paychecks for my writing, the founder/editor of WritersWeekly, Angela Hoy, preached on how important it was for publications to pay writers for their work because, of course, writers need to buy groceries, and pay the rent and utility bills like all other professionals who get paid for their work. She’s also often said that, if a publication can’t afford to pay writers, why is it even in business?

Like I said,  Bandit Fiction, despite its name, is NOT forcibly stealing the work from its contributing writers. Those particular writers are actually “bandit-ing” themselves out of a paycheck for their works rather than just submitting to paying publications. The bottomless pit of non-paying publications means lost money for aspiring writers.

To be able to say you’ve been paid for your writing makes you more than a rank amateur…something no “bandit” can take away!

RELATED

 

Roy A. Barnes is a past contributor to Writers Weekly and lives in southeastern Wyoming. His works have been featured at Chicken Soup for the Soul, Funds for Writers, The Writer, Breath & Shadow, and Travel thru History, and more.

 

Fall 2023 24 Hour Short Story Contest


 



90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy

Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.

We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!

Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor, which makes it fun for creative folks like you!

Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!

 



The Fearless Freelancer: How to Thrive in a Recession


Want to Recession-Proof Your Freelance Business?



Freelancing in a recession doesn’t have to be scary. The Fearless Freelancer gives you a proven, step-by-step process for getting steady, high-paying clients—from a freelancer who’s thrived during two recessions.



Whether this is your first recession or you’ve been through this before, discover how to:

  • Boost your confidence so you can stay calm and focus
  • Stand out in a sea of freelancers so clients choose you
  • Make freelance marketing as easy as tying your shoes
  • Find high-paying clients that still need freelancers now
  • Create marketing that will attract those clients
  • Succeed in a recession even if you’re a new freelancer


Free Bonus Content
Also get dozens of checklists, templates, and other tools to help you recession-proof your freelance business, including:

  • Simple Strategic Plan for Surviving the Recession
  • The Ultimate LinkedIn Profile Checklist for Freelancers
  • Awesome Freelance Website Template

 

 



So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter - How To Make Money Writing Without a Byline


Many freelance writers find it difficult to break into the publishing world. What they don't know, however, is that there's a faster and easier way to see their words in print. It's called ghostwriting, and it's an extremely lucrative, fun, and challenging career.

But how do you get started as a ghostwriter? How do you find new clients who will pay you to write their material? How do you charge? And what kind of contracts do you need to succeed? All these questions and more are answered in So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter...How to Make Money Writing Without a Byline.

Read more here:
https://writersweekly.com/books/49.html





 





 



7.625 STRATEGIES IN EVERY BEST-SELLER - Revised and Expanded Edition


At this moment, thousands of would-be authors are slaving away on their keyboards, dreaming of literary success. But their efforts won’t count for much. Of all those manuscripts, trade book editors will sign up only a slim fraction.

And of those titles--ones that that editors paid thousands of dollars to contract, print and publicize--an unhealthy percentage never sell enough copies to earn back their advances. Two years later, most will be out of print!

Acquisition Editor Tam Mossman shares seven essentials every book needs to stay in print, and sell!



Read more here:


https://writersweekly.com/books/5635.html