QUESTION: CHRISTIAN PAY SCALE?

Q - Why is the freelance pay scale for Christian periodicals so much lower than in the general market?

A - Basically it comes down to the numbers. First it is the number of potential subscribers. Because general publications, in most cases, can draw from a much larger potential subscriber base--and usually do--they have more dollars available to pay their writers. And secondly those dollars are greatly enhanced by the advertising they sell. Many Christian periodicals do not accept any advertising, and those that do pretty much limit it to Christian advertisers. For the most part those are small companies or ministries that cannot pay the fees huge advertisers in the general market are willing and able to pay. So, again, it is the difference in the advertising dollars they take in that keep those payments in the Christian market so much lower.