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WORKSHOP - Because You’re Worth It! If You’re Good at Something, Never Do It for Free
Sunday August 23, 2026 2:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Valuing Your Work and Negotiating Fair Compensation as a Professional Writer

Writers are often told that exposure is payment enough. But professional storytelling, whether through journalism, essays, books, photography, podcasts, branded content, or public speaking, is skilled labor built on years of experience, creativity, and hard-earned expertise. Your work has value. Learning how to advocate for that value is essential to building a sustainable career.

In this practical and candid workshop, award-winning author, journalist, and media producer James Edward Mills will lead a conversation about the business side of creative work. Participants will explore how to realistically evaluate the worth of their time, talent, and intellectual property while developing the confidence to negotiate fair compensation for writing assignments, speaking engagements, consulting work, partnerships, and multimedia projects.
Drawing from more than three decades of experience in publishing, outdoor media, brand partnerships, public speaking, and nonprofit collaboration, Mills will share real-world strategies for setting rates, navigating difficult conversations, identifying hidden labor, and avoiding the common trap of undervaluing your work. The session will also examine the unique challenges facing freelance creatives in outdoor and travel media, where passion is too often used to justify underpayment.

Topics will include:
  • Establishing professional rates and fee structures
  • Understanding the true cost of freelance work
  • Negotiating contracts and deliverables
  • Knowing when to say yes and when to walk away
  • Building long-term professional relationships without sacrificing your value
  • Leveraging expertise, lived experience, and niche authority into sustainable opportunities
Whether you are an emerging freelancer or an established storyteller looking to strengthen your business practices, this workshop will provide practical tools and honest insight to help you protect your work, advocate for yourself, and get paid what you’re worth.
Speakers
avatar for James Edward Mills

James Edward Mills

Executive Producer, The Joy Trip Project
James Edward Mills is a freelance journalist and National Geographic Explorer who specializes in telling stories about outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving, and practices of sustainable living. He has worked in the outdoor industry since 1989 as... Read More →
Sunday August 23, 2026 2:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
  Workshop

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