by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2
When I pictured my
life as a professional writer, I imagined bylines in prestigious magazines,
interviews with celebrities, and a big fat salary. I assumed I’d start out small
(like volunteering on my high school newspaper), move up to a paying position
(like maybe the editor-in-chief of our local newspaper), and then agonize over
which plumb job offer to accept—the one at World
Magazine or the one at Christianity
Today.
My real life as a
professional non-fiction writer is currently hovering somewhere between Step 2
and Step 3 and has included something I didn’t envision—writing for free.
Although donating my writing seems contradictory to the goals of a professional
writer, I’d like to share nine reasons why I think it’s a good idea to give our
writing away.
