Blockheads Writing for Free

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Sat Jun 6, 2009 10:35 PM EDT

excerpt:"No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money," Samuel Johnson is alleged to have told his biographer, James Boswell.

Welcome to a world of tweeting, blogging, iReporting, opining blockheads.

The print media is struggling to survive. One survival tactic, in the guise of "reinvention," is to fill some space with free stuff. Snippets from bloggers or expanded reader responses take their place alongside boxes indicating "most e-mailed articles" or "most read articles," the latter two being two additional free space fillers of questionable value in any print edition. (Who really cares how many times a piece has been e-mailed or read beside the writer who wrote it or the editors who want to know what people are reading?)"

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Scott (Scoop) Butki's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: Media Watch, Mediavine
Regions: none

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2.6

{"commentId":7502604,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

Hmm, interesting piece and it resonates with me as someone who has written for web sites that didnt pay or paid in credit (as in when we make money you'll get some) and at newsvine where you're paid but in a way that i'm not sure is how this author means.

Put another way I hate the possibility someone might not get paid to write because there are so many bloggers willing to write things for free - on the other hand does that mean i shouldn't jump at the chance to interview authors?

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#1 - Sat Jun 6, 2009 10:36 PM EDT

{"commentId":7502636,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

On the other hand i'm tired of simplistic thinking namely blaming the death of print media on bloggers.

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3 votes

#2 - Sat Jun 6, 2009 10:39 PM EDT

{"commentId":7504663,"authorDomain":"robertlyn-schultz"}

robertlyn-schultz

Hey Scott,

Interesting, not really relevant to us folks who write, just to contribute to the NV community and communicate with others here, with no interest in actually making any real money from what we do. It does give me a bit of a pause however, when I think that it might impact the earning potential of folks like you, who have or are actively making a living writing.

That is not saying that I'm going to stop writing anytime soon, but I do think the death of the print dailies, and other print media sucks donkey balls. just me 2 cents. :^)

Have a good Sunday my friend,

Aloha

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1 vote

#3 - Sun Jun 7, 2009 2:47 AM EDT

{"commentId":7515087,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

thanks. you too, r-s.

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#3.1 - Sun Jun 7, 2009 10:48 PM EDT

{"commentId":7507641,"authorDomain":"edwardwood"}

Ed Wood

I know there are a few fiction writers out there who have made it by putting there work online for free. David Wellington for example. Cory Doctorow reads many of his works on line, fiction and nonfiction, without charging and he is very successful. I think it takes a little talent and a lot of hard work to make a buck no matter what you do. Writing for free on the internet has created more opportunities for amateurs and professionals alike, and it has likely led to more amateurs becoming pros than ever before.

As for newsvine, I think it is obviously an amateur venue. I kind of feel like I get paid by being able to rub shoulders with "real writers." It has also guided me to web sites where the writers are pros, and I have began following those writers and sites, thereby adding to their revenue streams. Just my opinion, but I think unpaid writing for net sites has been a boon to writers in general.

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#4 - Sun Jun 7, 2009 11:56 AM EDT

{"commentId":7515111,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

Good points. Thanks, Ed.

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#4.1 - Sun Jun 7, 2009 10:50 PM EDT

{"commentId":7515173,"authorDomain":"DarthVSchw"}

DarthVSchw

Lots of musicians are putting their tunes on website for a free listen, why can't a person put their writing out there?

I always spell and grammer check my work, and read and reread and edit...

Personally I like to think that someone besides me is reading my stuff, even if I don't get paid for it.

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#5 - Sun Jun 7, 2009 10:57 PM EDT

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SCOTT (SCOOP) BUTKI

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