My last day at my last job was Independence Day, 2021.
The significance of the timing wasn’t lost on me. I haven’t had a boss since I packed up my cubicle in The Post and Courier newsroom.
But in a capitalist country like ours, freedom isn’t just a matter of corporate hierarchy. It takes money to have any kind of real autonomy. I was lucky that Substack offered me a lot of it for one year. (The Food Section hasn’t had any external funding since that grant expired in 2022, so please buy a subscription if you’re not already helping to keep this publication afloat!)
None of that occurred to me when I bumped up TFS’ freelance pay rate on July 5, 2024. Having put it together, though, I can’t imagine a better way to honor the nation’s most significant holiday than giving a raise to creative workers. So, in what’s now officially an annual tradition, The Food Section’s cost-of-living adjustment will take effect next week.
Going forward, freelance writers will receive $1,084.61 for a feature story, which typically runs about 1200 words.
Sadly, this is considered a decent rate in contemporary journalism. Not long ago, a freelancer apologized for a first draft by saying “Getting paid so much messed with my head!” Our industry needs to do better by its writers, who deserve the confidence and freedom that comes with a living wage.
In the meantime, The Food Section will abide by its pledge to compensate contributors fairly, a stance made possible by paying subscribers. In other words, if you share this publication’s belief that writers shouldn’t be shortchanged, I hope you’ll consider purchasing a paid subscription today.
And if you’re a writer with a story idea, please know TFS’ inbox is always open. You’ll find the submission guidelines here.
Happy Early Fourth!
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