Stop Writing for Free: When and How to Say No

Exposure doesn’t pay the bills. Stop giving away your time.

“Can you just write a sample?” “We don’t have a budget now, but we’ll pay later!”
If you’ve freelanced for more than five minutes, you’ve heard these excuses. They waste your time and signal one thing: this client isn’t serious.

Quick rule of thumb? If they won’t pay you now, they probably won’t pay you later. And once you set the precedent of working for free, it’s tough to reverse.

Let’s talk about turning free work into paid opportunities, instead

Next time a client asks for an unpaid test piece, flip the script:

“I’d be happy to do a short paid trial at my standard rate. Let me know if you’d like to move forward!”

Serious clients will respect it. The rest? Not worth your time.

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20 Red Flags to Avoid in Freelance Writing Job Ads & Negotiations

👉 Full subscribers: Get word-for-word scripts to handle these requests—without burning bridges. Plus, when should you consider writing for free? (Hint: There’s only one scenario where it makes sense.)