I am a professional. I do not work for free. The dentist, the grocery store, and the insurance company all expect payment for services, and so do I.

However, writers sometimes need clips to move on to better assignments, and sometimes our schedules are lighter than we would like them be. In addition, professionals support their communities. My dentist expects me to pay, but she is happy to go to local schools to teach kindergarteners about tooth brushing or to explain her job to high schoolers on career day.

If you are slow, or if you need to build up some clips, call up your favorite non-profit organization and volunteer to prepare a brochure, draft a solicitation letter, or write an article for the newsletter. I've often done this over the years, and it's been great fun. In addition to great clips, you'll get happy references and sometimes even referrals to paying jobs. And you won't be a pathetic newbie, you'll be a professional giving back to the community. That's a selling point when talking to paying customers.