British English, American English

I was educated in the UK but have lived in a society which prefers American spellings and usages for more than 20 years. I've been writing for publications here in Taiwan for 16 years, and have gotten used to (in the UK, we say got use to) writing American English. From time to time, however, I'm asked to write something for a magazine which follows British spelling and punctuation rules. If you're not sure whether a publication follows British or American rules, do ask before submitting anything!

I consider myself fully "bilingual" when it comes to writing or editing British or American English. The differences between the two forms of the language have always intrigued me. It's no surprise, then, that this article on the BBC website really tickled my fancy, as we'd say in the UK. 

Deciding how much to charge II

A few days ago, I began explaining how I decide how much money to ask for when approached by a publication. Of course, the same principals apply when choosing whether to accept an offer from a outfit which says its payment rates are "fixed."

There's another factor which isn't coldy commercial: Personal interest. If the subject is dear to your heart, you may be willing to write about for very little money. That's fine if the piece is for a campaigning website or magazine - just don't let for-profit publications take advantage of your passion. For me, personal interest seldom means asking for less money. Rather, having no interest whatsoever in the topic is why I sometimes turn down work. 
 
More food for thought on this issue can be found here.