Update on commissioned writing at RWJ.

Moving forward all commissioned pieces for my in-house publication will be paid $1/word (previously $0.50/word).

I know per-word pricing can be a point of debate in writing spaces. In my view, there’s nothing inherently wrong with it when it’s done fairly. The issue has never been the structure itself but the normalization of extremely low rates that don’t reflect the time, skill, and thinking the work requires.

This is part of a broader effort to better align RWJ with the value of the work being produced.

This initiative is fully funded by paid subscribers which is what makes this kind of commissioning possible. For those who want to help sustain fair pay for writers, the most direct way is by upgrading for $15/month or $120/year.

Because of that support, the next commissioned pieces are now in development and I’m genuinely looking forward to sharing them with you soon. (You can read the first published story here.)

I also want to say thank you for the courage it takes to share work and for the labor that goes into putting ideas into the world. The amount of pitches I’ve received has been massive and I’m doing my best to get through them. I’m prioritizing the pieces I’m moving forward with first but that doesn’t mean stop pitching if you don’t hear back or aren’t selected this round.

Have a story to tell about the craft, culture, or business of writing? Find out how your voice can be part of RWJ. (And if you need more support shaping your idea before submitting, refer to my pitch guide The Perfect Pitch.)

From curating opportunity to creating it,

Melissa Tripp, Founder of RWJ