I browse the writing sections of CraigsList periodically to see if there are any projects or clients I’m interested in pursuing. I ran across this little gem earlier this week:

I’m looking for someone to ghost write my tweets and FB updates. I have a lot of friends and followers but I often lack the time to be creative and witty.

You will send me clever things to post on my pages so that I will appear hip, funny, in-the-know. An overall fun guy that people want to hear from and be friends with.

I will pay based on number of tweets/posts I use ($2 per via paypal)

To be considered, please send 10 sample tweets so I can see your style and if it matches my persona.

I am male, 32 yrs old, single so write from that point of view.

subjects of interest:
life in Boston, food, music, movies, funny observations, current events, politics (I tend to lean left politically)
I don’t have any pets

My first impulse, sadly, was a very literal laugh out loud. Then, I had to share it with my SO, who happened to be sitting next to me at the time. After we both had a little giggle, it led me to reflect a bit on how sad this person is, and how my personal ethics come into play in something like this.

I have no problem Tweeting or writing Facebook posts for a business, or even a professional individual, who doesn’t have the time to do it himself and needs to maintain an online presence for business purposes. But I draw the line at using my writing skill to make someone “appear hip, funny, in-the-know.” This sort of personal deception is abhorrent to me, and it’s something I would never do.

That got me thinking about my ethics as relates to writing for businesses. Most of the writing that my clients hire me for is marketing-related; I’m creating copy to make the clients sound good and inform potential customers about their service offerings or products. I’ll certainly use my skill to promote these businesses – within reason.

I would never lie in any writing project, regardless of how much the client paid me. I would never use my skill to mislead consumers and trick them into paying for a product or service that can’t deliver on what it promises.

I view my writing skill as a talent that comes with responsibility. I task myself with not misusing this skill to the detriment of my fellow man. Hopefully all freelance writers feel this way, although I suspect that there are people out there (particularly some noteworthy sales letter writers *cough*) who would sell their souls for a high enough price tag.

This is where my personal ethics set me apart.

I’ve only had to turn down jobs a couple of times because I was unwilling to write persuasive copy about the specified product or service. But I have been in a position to make this call before.

This sad man who is looking for writers to help him mislead his “friends” and “followers” is just another type of ethical dilemma for writers. Personally, I wouldn’t go near him with a 39-and-a-half-foot pole, and would hope that he doesn’t find someone who will fill this role for him. But the cynical side of me knows that he probably will.

I accept the responsibility to use my writing gift for good – not evil. Words have power, and I vow to use my power only for good.

But I do feel sorry for the poor schmucks who are “friends” and “followers” of this guy.

The website lists all the details about the September writing challenge, including what to expect each week, how to view the day’s assignments and information on joining our Tumblr community to share your work with other participants.

Check out the 30 Day Writing Challenge Website!

Visit us on Tumblr!

Follow us on Twitter!

Or you can email info[at]30daysofwriting[dot]com to join a mailing list that will include each day’s assignment.

I hope you’re looking forward to the September 30 Day Writing Challenge as much as I am! Please share the word with your writing friends and help us make this a fun event!

This is a real writing exercise, designed to help you think more critically about creative writing and delve right into a project. It’s great backstory for setting up a novel (if you participate in National Novel Writing Month, November will be just around the corner!) or short story, or just getting you to think more critically about the creative writing process.

I’ll be announcing more details when the time gets closer, but the 30 Day Writing Challenge will begin on September 1. If people enjoy it and it develops a following, I’ll put together “themed” writing challenges for future events (i.e. fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, romance, etc.)

Save the date, folks! Tell your writing friends and spread the word. We’ll be setting up a Tumblr blog where people can share their work, and if people want to formally sign up, I’ll track their progress. I’m even looking at putting together Web badges or stickers for people who complete the project!

Are you excited yet? You should be! Sharpen your pencils and get the creative juices flowing!

Here’s my prompt and entry:

Prompt: Plasodium Molecular Tools

Entry:

“It’s just plasmodium again,” Anna replied to a barely-heard query. “Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing to worry about.” She knew Jorge would be relieved, as they were all dreading the first real mutation to appear. It was only a matter of time; the infection was taking hold in the outside world and it was up to them to try to figure out what was causing it, and how to deal with it.

As she moved on to the next sample, Anna murmured a quick “Thank you” to the scientists who had come up with the plasmodium molecular tools that enabled them to study this pesky parasite. Without the systems that let them analyze plasmodium, they wouldn’t stand a chance at studying the parasite and doing something about the outbreak.

Holding her breath, Anna scanned the analysis from the next sample. Her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes suddenly refused to focus.

“Jorge!”

Her voice sounded strangely muffled to her own ears, but he heard. She felt him move to her side, but she couldn’t look away from the results. “I need a second opinion.”

Anna felt him move in close; saw him lean forward in her peripheral vision. Felt his body stiffen as he looked at what she was seeing.

He exhaled an explosive breath.

“This is it.”

“Shouldn’t we try one of the other systems? All of them? Let me check it with Flp/FRT – let me try the tet-based transactivator system. We have to make sure.”

“No.” His voice was grim. “This is it. No more manipulation. We have to quarantine the sample immediately, and get it downstairs for study.”

Anna looked at him. Jorge met her gaze, unflinching. “This isn’t plasmodium. This is the mutation.”

 

What Constitutes Internship vs. Employment?

The important question for determining whether a job posting is in violation of the FLSA is whether the position constitutes a valid internship or employment. According to the United States Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division:

The following six criteria must be applied when making this determination:

1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment;
2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;
3. The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff;
4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;
5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and
6. The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

If an unpaid internship does not meet these criteria, it constitutes an employer-employee relationship, and failure to pay the employee is a violation of federal law. According to these guidelines, the vast majority of writing “internships” I’ve seen posted are in violation of the FLSA.

The really useful criteria to look at seem to be items one through four, with most employers violating the FLSA by replacing regular paid staff with unpaid interns. According to the FLSA, unpaid interns may only work under the supervision of paid employees for the benefit of the intern – unpaid interns can’t work in the place of regular, paid staff.

The other major criteria that many employers violate is: “the employer that provides the internship derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern.” In many cases where an unpaid internship legally constitutes employment, the employer directly benefits from the services of the intern.

What to Do if You’ve Been an Unpaid Employee

If you’ve been unlawfully retained as an unpaid employee under the guise of an “internship,” you have some legal recourse options available. First, report your employer to your local Wage and Hour Division. The United States Department of Labor has a list of Wage and Hour Division by state here: Wage and Hour Division Local Offices. Contact your local office and report the violation. The Wage and Hour Division office should give you some more information about dealing with these situations.

Depending on the circumstances, you may be eligible to pursue a civil case to recover unpaid wages. There is legal precedent in some U.S. states for unpaid interns to recover employment wages when the courts have ruled that it was unpaid employment instead of a valid internship. The Wage and Hour Division office can advise you if you should pursue legal action to recover lost wages. You may be eligible to recover two to three years of backpay, as well as legal fees and court costs.

Additionally, people who violate the Fair Labor Standards Act may be subject to criminal prosecution and a $10,000 fine. Repeat offenders may be imprisoned for violating the FLSA.

So if you’re an employer looking to score free labor, think again. You might be paying far more than a reasonable rate if you’re reported for violating the FLSA. And if you’re a writer who has been a victim of an unpaid internship scam, you have a right to recover wages – report your employer. Don’t let them keep getting away with this egregious abuse.

“Marc Wayshak – Barrier Basher!

Provides inspirational speaking services all over the U.S. The primary speaker lectures to colleges, schools, companies and conferences about empowerment and leadership.

The past year has been explosive for the company and now the principal is in the process of writing a book on how others can find success in their own lives. A lot of content has already been created but we are looking for an intern to pull everything together. This will include editing, supplementary writing to fill in gaps, research on additional content, and then helping to bring the book through the self-publishing process.

Candidate’s Requirements:
-Must be an excellent writer with writing samples that show clear but conversational writing.
-Must be able to thrive in a highly entrepreneurial environment.
-Must be a self-starter that can create and then implement a plan for pulling the book project together.

As an intern, you will learn a number of critical skills necessary for today’s editor and writer. You will learn:
-how to research and write a book on a self-help topic
-how to self-publish a book from start to finish
-how to manage a project that is critical to the future success of a business
-how the inner workings of entrepreneurship works.

Feel free to look at our website: http://www.marcwayshak.com/.

If you are interested, please send your resume, cover letter and a writing sample to info@marcwayshak.com.

• Location: Boston
• Compensation: Unpaid Internship”

Shame on you, Marc Wayshak!

This is a classic example of someone trying to take advantage of new and aspiring writers. More and more businesses are asking writers to do things for free, or under the guise of “internships.” But what he’s asking for is not intern-level work. He’s essentially asking for a writer/editor to come and put together a book for him for free. He doesn’t want to do the work himself, and instead of paying a professional to do it, he’s trying to take advantage of an inexperienced or aspiring writer (because no professional writer would take on this job).

Writers Beware

If you’re an aspiring writer, never agree to jobs like this. You’re being exploited. The things this job is offering you an opportunity to learn are things you can learn on your own, writing and self-publishing your own book – which will generate revenue for YOU. This type of project is a one-way street; the employer is getting everything and you’re getting nothing.

One of my friends is an administrator of the graduate program in Science Writing at MIT. She’s told me on numerous occasions that she’s had students come to her about these types of jobs, and that they’ve been ready to take them just to “get exposure” or “build experience.” She tells her students never to work for free, under any circumstances. There are a lot of legitimate ways you can build work experience while getting paid, even in the writing industry. Another Boston-based writer I know (Susan Johnston – The Urban Muse) has written an eBook about writing marketplaces, many of which are open to new writers who are looking to begin their careers.

Botton line: if you’re a writer who is looking for work, wants to get noticed or even just develop experience – steer clear of projects like this. Have confidence in your abilities. Treat yourself like a professional. Look for paying projects where you can build your skills and gain experience and exposure. They do exist.

And for unscrupulous individuals and companies looking to take advantage of writers: shame on you. Shame on you, Marc Wayshak. Shame on you and all unethical employers for trying to get something for free, and couching it in these terms. It’s a sneaky, underhanded trick, and hopefully one that doesn’t succeed in exploiting the time and effort of any writer.