Shut up and pound yer keyboard! 
With apologies to Frank Zappa …
Last week, I read a post at Deb Ng’s Freelance Writing Jobs site that got me thinking. In the post, Deb discusses the reaction of several writers to lower-paying jobs that are posted on her site (and, by extension) elsewhere. The storm of indignation is a sight to behold.
But as Deb writes:
By all means, discuss wages, talk about what you think is fair and why, but be respectful. When clients are being put down or insulted I have to draw the line. Don’t show up at their door with the pitchforks and torches because it makes people not want to come here with their jobs and it makes them not want to hire members of this community. It’s also giving me, this blog, and this community a very bad reputation and that’s starting to piss me off a little.
While I’m often offended by some of the low rates that employers offer freelance writers, I don’t go ballistic. At least, not in public. I do what I hope any sensible person would do. Instead of whining or yelling for blood, I ignore the ad and move on to the next one.
Unfortunately, many employers don’t understand the value of good writing. They figure that anyone can write, and they don’t have to pay much. You get what you pay for. If an employer wants to pay a writer $10 for an article (or even $10 an hour) and are expecting highly polished and effective prose then they have another thing coming. And that thing is an inferior product.
I’ve heard of people trying, and even have tried myself once or twice, to educate someone on the real value of writing and on how much a writer should be paid. I can’t think of any instance in which this was successful. The usual excuses came out: We don’t have the budget, I know a lot of people who will do the job at that price, (Some company or publication) pays that much so why shouldn’t we? In the end, it’s a zero-sum game.
Instead of wasting your energy on venting and having a go at employers or even freelancers who accept low wages, do something productive. Write.
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Well said.