Comments on: Freelance Writing Jobs for Friday, March 28, 2008

By: Marc Evans

Marc Evans — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:54:21 +0000

Our test is quite short, and we use it solely to assess the quality of the editors we choose. The bar for editors is set quite high, so our test is tricky. It’s also only one page long, and there’s really not a lot we can do with that to turn any kind of profit. Any editors really familiar with common errors will recognize immediately that it’s a piece containing a series of deliberate mistakes. If it had been a “real” piece of writing, it would have contained the same mistakes repeatedly, which is the kind of work most error-prone writers produce. Asking editors to do samples is quite normal in the field. At any rate, there’s nothing fishy about our test. We just use it to assess potential editors to make sure our clients get the highest quality editing available online. (Incidentally, we never posted on this site to begin with because we’re looking for editors first and not writers foremost. The two skills are actually quite distinct. Our post was taken and posted here from Craiglist. )

Regards,
Marc Evans
http://www.editorsforstudents.com

By: Jeanne Roberts

Jeanne Roberts — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 11:27:26 +0000

I once contacted a writing job that wanted to test me by having me edit ten pages of absolute garbage! Then there are the ones who want 2-3 original samples – free content in anyone’s book, right? This week I’m dealing with a man who – in his original request – said he was being purposefully vague about what he wanted so that I could “find my own voice”. Apparently, he doesn’t like it enough to pay. Of five articles published, he has paid for two and rarely responds to e-mails complaining he is too busy. One thing to be wary of; if you get a contract to fill out, and the company hasn’t filled in its own blanks first (rate of pay, pay periods, deadlines, etc.), don’t fill out your portion. It’s an open-ended contract giving the company all the power, and they usually run you a merry chase when it comes time to write the checks.

By: Naomi

Naomi — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:47:56 +0000

Hi everyone,

Did anyone else reply to the Editors for Students ad a few days ago and complete their written test? I thought the test was rather suspicious, as it seemed like they were farming out materials to edit and using them for profit. I could be completely off base, though. If you took the test and either got accepted or rejected, could you please email me? I’d like to check with a few editors to see if we were given different documents as a test edit or not. Thanks! I’m at nrockler at hotmail dot com.

–Naomi

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:01:13 +0000

That does not sound professional to me at all. It’s also strange that three jobs requiring you to sign up somewhere to “look around” have all appeared at the same time. It is very “phishy” if you ask me.

By: Ann G.

Ann G. — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:46:43 +0000

The 8cent word one also emailed me back. You have to sign up for a free account with some travel site to “look around” first and there’s no promise of a job beyond that. Only that he’s received a lot of interest and will get back to people.

As a general rule, anyone requiring me to sign up first comes across more as someone who wants to boost site traffic or membership. So I get turned off with posts like that.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:26:56 +0000

I have reported all three of these jobs to the government, as I strongly believe they are part of a phishing scam:

http://www.online-writing-jobs.com/jobbank/job12847.htm

http://www.online-writing-jobs.com/jobbank/job12845.htm

http://www.online-writing-jobs.com/jobbank/job12835.htm

By: L.L. Woodard

L.L. Woodard — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:18:57 +0000

Thanks for the heads up, Ann.

I am starting to get a little paranoid here…lol…I replied to the leaflet posting before I read the admonitions here…and I did not receive even an auto reply. Yikes!

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:06:44 +0000

I saw that one from Jane as well. Had to laugh at the “auto reply” AND the CC info request…

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:06:26 +0000

Ann G

I responsed to those two ads you mentioned also. I received those automatic reponses too. I think the warning lights came on, ha.

By: Ann G.

Ann G. — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:51:30 +0000

Oh and the 50 cents per word for leaflets ad – Jane responded to me this morning. Her link takes you to a site that also asks for your credit card. I asked her about it since her email said there was no cost to enroll and haven’t heard anything back yet. I’ll keep people updated if I do.

By: Ann G.

Ann G. — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:48:45 +0000

A note on the Writers Wanted 10 Cents a Word (US only)

That’s the ad I posted about yesterday. I got an autoresponse from him. Clicked on the link he provided and had to give my credit card info, though he said the charge would not be processed, so I scrapped that.

By: L.L. Woodard

L.L. Woodard — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:40:14 +0000

Great list, as always.

Hope everyone gets to catch some R&R this weekend.