Freelance Writing Jobs for Friday, May 16, 2008
May 16, 2008 by Jodee
Filed under Writing Gigs
Good morning FWJ Friends! It’s Friday and I have a number of internships for you today. There are some opps for bloggers, some content writing jobs, and technical writing gigs. If you live near Phoenix and are interested in teaching creative writing, the local correctional institution is looking for someone to work with inmates. I also have a listing from someone who wants to add some content to their stand up comedy routine. As always, I hope you find a great gig on today’s list. Have a great weekend everyone!
Leads…
- Freelance Senior Copywriter with Insurance Experience – Contract – Chicago ($35-$55 per hour)
- Web Copy Writer with Retirement/Benefit Experience – On Site – White Plains, NY
- Marketing Director for Top Personal Finance Blog - Telecommute
- Apple/Macintosh Blogger @ b5 Media
- Summer Intern @ New York Magazine - Paid
- Editorial Intern @ New Jersey Monthly Magazine
- Dog Blogger @ Dogster, Inc. – Telecommute
- Freelance Content Researcher @ Zagat Survey – New York
- Editorial Interns @ MediaBistro.com – New York – College Credit
- Freelance Blog Editor @ Harvard Business School Publishing – Part Time – Watertown, MA ($50 per hour)
- Music Journalist @ Jupitermedia - On Site – Norcross, GA
- Associate Editor @ FastCompany.com – On Site – New York
- Content Editor @ Girl Scouts of the USA – 18 Month Position – On Site – New York
- Experienced Mother Blogger Needed for Baby/Kids Blogging
- English Editor for Print News – Contract – Ottawa
- Technical Writer – Client/Server Software – 3 Month Contract – Telecommute
- Health and Wellness Reporters ($75 and up)
- Poker Writer – Telecommute
- Article Writers Needed – Telecommute ($10 each)
- Technical Writer – Contract – On Site – Plano, TX
- Stand Up Comedy Writer Needed ($1000 for 10 minutes)
- Writing Intern for CoolJunkie.com and ClubPlanet.com – South Beach, FL
- Freelance Writer for Media Company – Interviews will be Conducted in NJ
- Press Release Needed ($100)
- Teach Creative Writing to Inmates at Federal Correctional Institution – On Site – Phoenix ($15,000 stipend)
- Summer Editorial Internship @ DRAFT Magazine – Phoenix – Paid
- Web Writer Intern – Part Time – Gold River/Sacramento – Paid
- Pierce County Community Newspaper Group Hiring Freelance Writers – Seattle
- DRUM! Magazine Seeks Interns – San Francisco – Unpaid
- National Non-Profit Seeks Talented Researcher and Writer – Telecommute ($150 per week)
Good Luck!
Jodee
Dog blogger! Brilliant!!! Now if only I could teach my dogs to type….
@ Fiona: LOL!
@ Fiona
Maybe you need to use the Sit Means Sit method…
This is question for those more experiences than I. Over the last few weeks, I’ve gotten several gigs from here (Yeah), BUT, then at the last minute the poster pulled out of the arrangement, sometime with explanation, most times not. Any body else having this experience? Is this common to this sort of work (I’m just getting started in freelance – old goat in fiction).
It reminds me of the old Ron White joke about his bulldog wishing he had opposable thumbs.
Kathy, I’ve had it happen from time to time. It’s very frustrating and there is not much you can do about it if you haven’t actually written anything for them. If you have, then there are some things you can do.
I think that some people pull out because they aren’t really ready to start the project or they don’t have the money they thought they’d have to pay writers.
Others, unfortunately, get an offer from a writer who tells them they’ll do the job for less than the advertised price. Let’s say they offered in their ad $20/500 words. They like what they see from you and hire you. Then, they get an e-mail from someone saying, I’ll do it for $10/500 words. Sometimes the client takes the person up on the offer. It’s a subject that’s been dealt with on this blog before, but not for some time.
Keep on applying, applying, applying. There are some very good clients out there looking for quality writers. You’ll find them eventually.
Fiona: I’m sure you could teach your dog to blog. I mean, look at all those monkeys out there who blog…
@ Robin, Thanks for the encouragement. And, yes, it is discouraging.
Kathy, you’ve brought up a peeve that has been niggling me for a few weeks now.
I recently applied for a job as a columnist in a new glossy magazine. They have a great new website up in preparation for their first issue. I received a reply within a day from the editor telling me how much she loved my work and how I was just the kind of person they were looking for and I was in. All I had to do was send her my rates, which I did along with a note saying that with them being a start up I was willing to negotiate my rates, perhaps start lower if need be and revisit after three months. Not a word. I tried following up several times and she has not had the courtesy to reply. It has happened several times recently and I think it’s especially rude when they have told you they like your stuff and want to hire you.
I noticed also that Sit Means Sit want you to rewrite a section of their website as part of the interview process – but they don’t disclose how much they will pay for the ‘real’ job.
Kathy,
This happens to me…a lot. I’ve learned to just take it as part of the job. At this point, I don’t actually believe I’ve gotten the job until I have an assignment in my inbox.
And Fiona, I agree. At least have the courtesy to cut me loose so I can keep looking. Last year, I signed a $6,000 contract with a company. They gave me $300 worth of work. I didn’t hear from them for a while, so I emailed to see what was up. This was in December. They said the project would be starting up again during the first quarter of 2008. Nothing. Emailed them last week to confirm the project was cancelled and was told that they ‘thought it was still going ahead.’ Coulda fooled me. I also have a company that’s been stringing me along for months now, and so far, despite all their promises, I’ve only completed one assignment. They take weeks and weeks to answer a simple question. I swear I’d strangle the person I’ve been dealing with if we ever met. He’s in Korea, though, so it’s not likely to happen.
Phew. Sorry for the rant.
@BooBoo, Kathy, and Fiona,
I’ve had somewhat similar situations that are also extremely frustrating… I think the economy is one reason behind what we’re observing.
I also agree with Robin: some companies think they’re ready to hire writers, but they’re not. I recently spent several hours speaking with a prospective client about a project that sounded interesting, but he’d never thought through certain processes and procedures associated with the writing, so everything stalled.
I just keep writing applications and LOIs… and am thrilled when I find people who know what they want and how much they can pay!
Lisa
I have dealt with many companies and individuals that were a breeze to work with up until it was payment time, now I stick with those that I know are hassle free. I may be losing a few new jobs here and there or higher paying ones, but at least I’m not worried or in turmoil because of payment crises.
Jodee oh boy I need to stop applying for blogging jobs I already have five blog jobs and my brain can’t take it anymore ( but finding out what else is out there is becoming incredibly addictive)…whoever said there was no marketplace is craazy. A lot of pet blogs lately i guess it’s the new marketplace. Weird coincidence that my today.com blog is about pets. ( http://www.puppyeyes.today.com)
And yes kathy, i find sometimes people give lame excusese to not accepting work or take too long for edits and then don’t accept re edits. Unfortunately the internet is a spit and chew business and a big disadvantage is that job security is not a big thing in this industry.
i find that it’s best to have regular paying jobs which will help you with the higher paying jobs, so i still write for demandstudios and other websites because i know it’s a quick and easy way to have money even if the other jobs fall through.
Kathy — I feel your frustration, too. I’ve had a couple of jobs where I’ve signed contracts and all, but the assignments have yet to come. I’ve lost track at the number of times I’ve had a positive communication with a potential client, never to hear back again. There was one who called me, we had a long chat, she loved my samples, asked if I’d be available to travel. I said yes. She mentioned a trip she wanted me to take to cover a convention. I was all for it. But the date was on the tail end of our spring break, and we were planning a trip to Aruba. I thought the best plan would be to fly straight to the convention from Aruba, so we delayed scheduling that trip. I never heard back from the editor and when we went to schedule Aruba, the costs of flights skyrocketed and everything was a 2-day flight. So I didn’t get either trip. I learned a valuable lesson about the worth of my time. And I still haven’t heard from the editor, despite my follow ups.
Well, here’s my rant: beware of Travel Zoo. I found their job posting on here a couple of days ago for a writer with PR expertise.
I wrote a great email and received a great response.
Here’s the catch: they want to pay nothing for “60 to 90″ days and then they will compensate.
I pushed about compensation and was finally told that they pay “$5 a post”.
$5?!?! On what planet is that compensation?
There. I a little better now.
I’m sorry, Freudian slip: they’re not called Travel Zoo, they’re called Talent Zoo.
And they should be called Too Tight to Pay Zoo.
it seems we all got the same thing for talent zoo, i had agreed to work for them but now i am having doubts…i wanted to expand to pr writing but that takes a lot more research than regular blogs… i need to stop saying yes to everything.
did they say five bucks per post after three months? t hat seems a bit extreme.
Hi Mary,
This what Christina emailed yesterday to me. Made me mad because a) she wasted my time and b) the pay is offensive to professional writers (not to mention writers who have a long background in public relations):
“I’m not 100% certain what the compensation rate would be, but I’m guessing that our budget would be around $5/post with a cap on max # of posts … possibly up to $100/month.”
She’s “not 100% certain” and then uses the word “possibly”. These words are vague and ultimately let them wiggle out of any “agreement”.
Thought I’d get the word out.
Wendy
I just want thank this site for posting the blogging jobs at HART EMPIRE way back in Sept/Oct 2007. I didn`t get the job then but was on the shortlist. But I finally got it!!!
As of today, I am the official blogger for Battling Heart Disease & Stroke http://heart.battlingforhealth.com/
It only goes to show that a little patience can pay off. Thank you, Deb and Jodee.
Raquel – let us know how that works out. I’ve just applied for a blogging position with HART.
AWESOME to hear such great news, Raquel!!
Have a margarita for me!
Wendy
Does anyone happen to have a tip on getting to compete for a Guide position on About.com?
There’s an open position that I’m really qualified for and I’m hoping to get the chance to compete (they have several writers/experts compete before they choose one).
If anyone has a tip or an “in”, there’s chocolate in it for you! ~ Wendy
ah good to know, wonder why such a reputable site is being so shady. The website layout is pretty good too, funny because i just started blogging and get paid 5-10 dollars a post but this isn’t on something so specified for pr or advertising which takes a whole lot more research and time… i still might do it just because i don’t have much pr in my ” online” resume. Wouldnt blog more than a couple times a month though.
Bear in mind , blogs get revenue depending on traffic, and if you are getting money off of it like adsense then it would make sense. not sure how it works though…
Hart empire seems like a cool place, I applied for the dog lover post, let’s see how it goes.
Thank you all for your wonderful posts about the wriggling out clients. I spent many, many years in the book length fiction business sending out proposals and waiting, waiting, waiting. Then, the call comes, they want my book! Then . . nothing. I was so hoping this would be different, but it feels good to find out this is happening to others. Misery loves company, you know.
Wendy, I know you weren’t talking to me, but I’m gonna go with your suggestion anyway and have a Margarita.
As for the guide site, good luck. I did two tries there on different but similar topics, which is how I came to e-know deb. Been here ever since and am having way more fun than I would have been if I’d have got the About jobs. Pay is better and I have more freedom of schedule.
My advice is to get a good guide mentor person, and hope they like you. But then again, my advice probably doesn’t hold much water considering I don’t work there.
The good thing for me is that I created lots of good content that I’ve been able to use elsewhere. Again, for better money than I would have gotten at About.
Good luck!
Thanks Matt. I can’t even seem to get in the door to get a guide mentor.
The reason the About jobs are so appealing is that then I don’t have to query editors week after week. It would be a topic I know: nice and reliable work.
But if I can’t even get a toe in, the whole point is moot anyway.
Thank you!! It’s hot here in California — a marg sounds wonderful!
Wendy
Wendy,
On this loooong thread for about.com, there is a lot of information about the application and prep process: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52188
I was accepted into the prep process and went through the training period. They picked someone else but I found that thread to be a great resource. It’s a great community with current About.com guides and those going through the application process.
That dog blog position requires a lot of work. And then they don’t even tell you what they pay. It’s just “based on level of experience and blog traffic.” Well, I’m qualified to do it, but I know that it’s a significant amount of work that also requires more knowledge than just writing (which I have). But I’m not willing to work for pennies.
I see so many positions where they have a list a mile long of things they want you to know, qualities they want you to have, yet they want to get you to work for less than what you could be flipping burgers. Seriously…jobs without many skills pay more than some of the techie and writing jobs out there. Ugh!
I second what LJ is saying and want to add that it devalues all of us when some of us take these low paying or no paying jobs.
If we don’t value our writing, nobody else will either.
To me, the dog blog looked like full time work which should also deliver a full time salary.
Wendy
I’m feeling let down too. I sent my work out to a literary agent. I made sure it was well drafted and in good print quality. I also let them know that I had sent the manuscript off.
Three months later, I chased them up asking if they have reviewed my work. I received a ‘read’ receipt via my email transmission but did not get a reply. I followed up again and still no response.
Are these people professionals or not? That is my question. All they had to do was let me know of their decision… er, unless they have lost my work and cannot comment of course!
$1000 for 10 minutes of material. If only it were $1000/ten minutes of writing.
In response to Kathy’s question: I found some good leads and a long standing blogging assignment that’s turned into other work with this particular editor. Karma must be on my side but things are rolling along for me. I’ve had some weird experiences too. There was a food blogging job (I think it was via this site), but the person wanted a dissertation and it was fishy–she wanted basically a project for free and there was a disclaimer about giving up your rights for the “sample”–no way, no thanks. It sounds like she was trying to obtain content without paying for it.
I also landed some more work through another editor (I’m writing for a health/wellness site–this was a freakin’ lucky gig–I’m writing yoga articles and yoga is my lifelong passion–yeahhhh!) Anyway, she noticed I’m trying to promote myself as a writer and asked me if I was interested in more writing for another project (different clients). I’m starting to feel like a real journalist/writer finally. I’ve had some amazing interviews with some fabulous people (and landed a publicity gig out of it too–I have a PR/marketing background as well).
Anyway, don’t be discouraged. It’s a crazy world out there! Just keep writing!