Comments on: GiantWow.com is a GiantRipoff: A Guest Post by the Craigslist Curmudgeon

By: Jesse

Jesse — Thu, 01 May 2008 02:52:58 +0000

I have more mildly interesting news for you folks. I was in the band Giant Wow. At one point, up until a couple of years ago, that was our website, just dates and info about our band. I let it lapse. This is the result. We played CMJ Cleveland, and a bunch of shows around the Cincinnati area. No big whoop. I was in a more well-known band when I was younger, and so we had decent traffic there. When I saw what had become of our old url (I considered re-forming under this name), I showed it to my old bandmates. They found it hilarious.

By: InkwellEditorial.blogspot.com: The Freelance Writer's Blog

InkwellEditorial.blogspot.com: The Freelance Writer's Blog — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:46:54 +0000

To every new (and experienced) freelance writer — don’t ever be this desperate. Just like in a relationship, you teach people how to treat (pay) you.

As many others have said here, spend your time buildling your own site/blog with your own original content and marketing that to potential clients.

Now, where’s that person who wanted to start a union … with the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday upon us, I’m in the mood to start a “civil writes movement!”

By: RLD

RLD — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:57:24 +0000

I don’t know if I should laugh or cry!

Great post

By: Dana

Dana — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:11:16 +0000

A$$!

Great guest post. It’s been awhile since I’ve visited CC.

By: Kate M.

Kate M. — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:20:29 +0000

The C.C. is some guy but I forget who. I wish I could remember where I saw his real name. He’s been around for a while now.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:46:12 +0000

I think Craigslist Curmudgeon said it best regarding this ‘gig’:

WTF!!??

By: LC

LC — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:23:53 +0000

Isn’t the Cr Curm one of your blogs?

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:23:33 +0000

Writing is a skilled profession, and it really frustrates me that people don’t grasp that. These days, the only time I would take $40 for a 1,000-word article is if the artice can be completed in two hours–three, tops. Otherwise, no. Heck, can anyone imagine telling a mechanic that you’ll give him $10 to replace your car’s head gasket?

By: Deb

Deb — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:20:51 +0000

Just a note:

For those of you who have been writing to ask who owns the site, and for those of you who are trying to post the site owner’s personal information, we’re not doing that.

The information isn’t secret, you can find it out yourself. But I’m not forming a lynch mob nor am I setting myself up for a lawsuit.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:37:15 +0000

Thanks for sharing this. This is the first time I’ve heard of this site. Perhaps this guy really thinks he is doing a service with this *pay*.

@Jennifer…I agree. It’s sad that there will most likely be people to send material in to this guy and think the dime he pays is heaven.

I think MRS. Curmudgeon rocks!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:21:24 +0000

I almost have no words. Except for maybe that Mr. Curmudgeon rocks. This has to be one of the sadder situations I’ve seen. What’s really depressing is knowing that some writers will send stuff in.

By: Craigslist Curmudgeon

Craigslist Curmudgeon — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:58:29 +0000

I surrender. Upfront is now an accepted usage. I don’t have to be happy about it but it is what it is.

I do (not so fondly) remember receiving a public smackdown from a college professor for using the one word version and it stil smarts to this day. You win.

Yours in crankiness,

C.C.

By: James Chartrand - Web Content Writer Tips

James Chartrand - Web Content Writer Tips — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:52:01 +0000

Upfront can be written as one word, a hyphenated word or two words.

We ask for payment up front.

We request upfront payment.

We prefer up-front payment.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:48:02 +0000

@ Star- Honestly, I’ve always written upfront as one word too, and apparently some sources have it as an acceptable alternative. Not everyone likes it hyphenated, I guess. I learned something new too- my kindergartener knows the word. I had no idea. I thought we’d be stuck with four-letter words all year It totally shocked me when she saw me typing it and said the word.

By: Star

Star — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:35:25 +0000

Mudgie! Pace yourself–you are a national resource, no strokes allowed. These idiot bottomfeeders are amusing–nothing more. Certainly they will not be OUR employers, if you call it employment. Upfront isn’t one word? See? I learned something. Stay as sweet as you are!

By: Sharon

Sharon — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:46:31 +0000

Wow, I don’t know if he’s trying to prey upon vanity and the desire people have to get published or stupidity. I’m sure it won’t take long for a novice to figure out making any decent money at that rate/pace would be absolutely impossible. I’m at the point where I almost want to cancel my DSL. I don’t want the web in my house. It’s overcrowded with way too much garbage.

By: Catrina

Catrina — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:15:23 +0000

Ok, I know I tend to be willing to go cheap — but 10 cents… wow, I just can’t wait to jump on that site! I can’t wait to bust my butt attain my position among the online web greats like deb!

By: Marijke

Marijke — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:41:25 +0000

Let’s see…. at 10 cents an article…. I can retire in…. oh boy, I don’t have enough fingers to count how many years….

By: Brandi

Brandi — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:21:16 +0000

This one makes me sick to my stomach more than anything. The fact that it’s coming from someone who writes is even worse.

By: Ann G.

Ann G. — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:20:20 +0000

Re: Picking Up Cans

You know I have a retired neighbor who does this. He walks around our neighborhood every Monday morning and again on Friday morning and then drives the loop along Lake Champlain (about 5 miles when all is said and done). He nets $150 after the weekend and $100 on a Friday. So there is decent money to be made if you have a big enough truck!

By: Ianto Everett

Ianto Everett — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:41:09 +0000

Maybe the Craigslist curmudgeon should register for the site and post a series of articles on why you shouldn’t write for sites this this! He could make a few cents while giving his two cents!

By: Shell

Shell — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:25:55 +0000

@Andrea… send this guy some cans? Perhaps we should just send him a message in a bottle, at least he would get the message loud and clear

By: mark knowles

mark knowles — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:34:26 +0000

Well, I though I had been offered some poor paying jobs, but this one takes the biscuit. They are at least paying in dollars. The last one I wrote about on my blog was paying in their own version of money

Has anyone tried sending them 10,000 articles taken from an article directory? Here are a couple more that need to be avoided:
http://markpknowles.com/wasting-time-applying-for-jobs-that-dont-exist-part-2/
http://markpknowles.com/wasting-time-applying-for-jobs-that-dont-exist/

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:36:17 +0000

Maybe we should all send this guy some cans so he can afford to double the pay for the writers.

By: China-Matt

China-Matt — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:34:09 +0000

Hadn’t heard of the before and I’ll be sure to avoid them now. That’s absolutely pathetic. Hell, I can write garbage and sell it to AC for more than that. I might be willing to hand them some plagiarism for a dime, but no original content for that.