Re: Public speaking

**E* Z* <e*@acmeplant.com>**

Graham rightly notes than when one of us charges too little, we all  
suffer.  On a related note, I recently had inquiry from one of my  
instructors at the NYBG.  He had seen my article in Horticulture and  
wondered if I'd share my contact info so he could offer the magazine  
free articles to publicize an organization he belongs to.

That set me off (of course) and I answered with a long explanation of  
how offering free articles hurts those of us who try to make a living  
writing.  I'm not sure he appreciated my p.o.v., but I feel strongly  
about this.  His point was that the PR he'd receive via the article  
would be more valuable to him than payment, and after listening to  
some of you who speak at least partly to publicize nurseries or other  
enterprises, I wonder how widespread this is.

I never wrote for free, even when I was starting out.  I firmly  
believe that part of being a professional is being treated  
professionally, i.e. being adequately compensated.  This is not a  
hobby.  We work and study for years, accumulating expertise; that's  
worth something.  Ask anyone who's been to law school.

Ellen Z.

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