1. If the pay is lower than what you feel you need to survive – don’t take the job.

2. If you’re feeling like you are getting the bum end of the stick – quit – go back to a nine to five job.

3. Not all organizations that offer web content (written by writers for them) are scum. The few that I work for are fair, honest and have a lot of integrity. If you’re not smart enough to figure out who the good guys are – you have no business working in this market.

4. Pay an administrative fee – nope, not me. There are jobs out there where you can write and get paid without paying anyone for anything.

5. You rail against the $10.00 an article pay – but here’s reality – I work, maybe 4 hours a day, 5 days a week (20 hours total) taking jobs like this. Where has it got me? Well lets see, in the last year – a decent used car, a new laptop, diapers, formula and clothes for my grandson oh and money to blow on eBay. Not bad – couldn’t make that kind of money working part time in the brick and mortar world, for sure.

So my suggestion is this – if you don’t want to do content writing, fine – don’t do it. But don’t blast those that do – most of us are doing just fine, thank you.

@Everyone else- I mentioned trying out a bidding site just to see if I’ve been too predujiced in my views. I joined yesterday an with this experiment I’ve already landed two new clients who want me to take over long term assignments. Surprisingly, I was the lowest big on one and in a PM worked out a higher fee than my original quote. Both clients mentioned my style of writing compared with others as a selling point. Plus, this is where I asked for a deposit for good faith.

I will have to pay a small commision, but in the end, I may stick with this site to fill in those gaps in the month when I need cash. The good thing is I can just do an initial bid, accept payment through their escrow, then afterwards work more assignments from the same clients on MY terms without commission. For now, this is looking lucrative.

At least, until I get my name in lights.

Note that both of the typists that you mentioned were using a DVORAK keyboard and not a QWERTY layout. Big, BIG difference in typing speed.

But it’s still damned fast

Please. Let’s be respectful. Just because we don’t agree with someone doesn’t mean we have to be insulting/

Most writers need half an hour to write a good article, and more if it’s to be high quality, backed by research and stats – and most importantly, if it isn’t rewritten or plagiarized off the Internet.

Of course, those who scrape content, rewrite, and pass it off as their own can certainly write faster than that.

Immunity to Kryptonite does come in handy, though, I suppose.”

Well, of course now. This is why it does no good to discuss things rationally with most of you people. I try to explain to you why it makes sense for me to do what I do. And what do I get in return? Sarcasm, insults, and jokes at my own expense. Is it any wonder that I came into this discussion without giving my real name? You’d have to be stupid to comment a major dissenting view under your own name here. You guys are so set in your own ways and believe so much that the way you do things is the only way to do them that as soon as someone presents a view that is different from your own you must knock them down, accuse them of either cheating or doing the job poorly, and tell them that not only are they shaming themselves by working like they do, but they are also damaging the profession.

Pamela, thanks for your logical thoughts on the matter, you are absolutely right.

Because of their opportunity, I have further my own writing career to include writing for myself and advertising my services. If I would not have spent the last few years building a reputation for myself, I would never have been able to get my career off the ground.

Not everyone is born into making top dollar off the bat. I have listened to many recording done by some off the most successful website owners on the Internet and they did not start off rich, they had to pay people to do things for them and many times give their products away free or at a huge discount to grow their business.

That being said, this is exactly what A&C offers writers. A chance to make money that is acceptable and gain a style of writing before being rejected over and over again without knowing why.

They do give feedback and support to the write, which is needed to become successful. No one starts out successful, not anyone, I do not care who you are, you need a start somewhere.

It’s also inaccurate to make sweeping statements that all buyers on all bidding sites always award only to the lowest bidder. Not true. Not true at all.

I don’t see being charge a membership fee as unethical. Don’t golfers pay membership fees? What happens when it rains all summer and they can’t golf? It makes sense to pay for a premium service. It’s deciding what benefits you get from that service that determine its worth.

But I’ll agree with everything else you said

Obviously, the client will go for the lowest bidder, which usually turns out to be an Indian who will do a 1000 word article for $2.

And for those bidding sites that charge a fee for membership…even worse!

These are unethical.

And the whole bullshit story about how paying $10 for guaranteed work is ‘ok’…well sorry but that is unethical from the A and C provider’s point of view.

Punishing writers just cos they need their costs covered?? That is utter balls.

If none of you writers took the pitifully low-paying jobs and conditions that are ethically questionable, there would be plenty of higher paying work for everyone cos the lower paying providers would be pushed off the scene.

It is people like acsupporter that keep wages lower for writers. We’re all trying to make a living here ya know! Your gullability and lack of your own standards just makes things worse for everyone else.

James – I think that is another good point. What kind of articles are these people rolling out? Crap articles will get you nowhere apart from going from one crappy paying, low conditions job to the next.

Wake up people!

The articles I write are related to alternative health; however, I still need to back up what I know with facts so I always refer to a variety of sources such as books, internet, and professionals.

Most writers need half an hour to write a good article, and more if it’s to be high quality, backed by research and stats – and most importantly, if it isn’t rewritten or plagiarized off the Internet.

Of course, those who scrape content, rewrite, and pass it off as their own can certainly write faster than that.

Immunity to Kryptonite does come in handy, though, I suppose.

****

To prevent being misconstrued, please note that when I say I make generalizations based on observation, I meant observation as a whole and not an observation of this thread. I network extensively and have seen lots. Writers and data entry personnel WOULD pay to get work. Some get scammed, some don’t. Some would kill for the amount those who don’t get scammed, earn.

@ AC Supporter – I won’t comment on my opinions of that quantity of writing in that period of time, unless you’re working about 10 hours straight with no breaks.

I think I understand the A&C writers’ side more than majority of the people posting on this thread do, having worked with outsourcing companies before, myself. The only difference between them and me is that I never paid a monthly fee of any sort for having had the privilege of working for my erstwhile bosses.