Good morning FWJ Friends! I hope everyone had a good weekend. I’ve got opps for bloggers, technical writers, and copywriters for you this morning. There’s an ad for a music writer, a PR writer, and someone who can write test questions. An editing position made the list, along with a job for a press release writer.
I hope you find something on today’s list that you are interested in applying for.
Leads…
- Link Bloggers Wanted @ Vimu.com
- NY1 News Writer @ Time Warner Cable – Part Time – New York
- Desert Rambler Accepting Submissions ($15-$50)
- Technical Writer/Researcher - Contract – Glendale/San Francisco
- Technical Writer – Contract – Los Angeles ($30-$40 per hour)
- New Media Interns – Glendale/Los Angeles
- Copywriter @ Mercury Ventures – Telecommute
- Professional Content Writer Wanted - Telecommute
- Music Writer - Contract – Telecommute ($50-$150)
- PR Writer – Part Time – Hartford
- Blog Editor and Developer. Do You Like Beer?
- Write Test Questions from Home
- Food Writer Needed – Telecommute
- Writers Needed for Internet Projects – Telecommute
- Content Creators Needed – Telecommute
- Scholastic Sports Writer Needed @ CBS Maxpreps Inc. – Telecommute ($50 per submission)
- Writing Assistant – Full Time/Part Time – Omaha
- Correct Mistakes on Adult Web Site ($25 for 1-2 hours of work)
- Freelance Reporter – New England
- Book Critic Reviews – Baltimore
- Technical Writer – Contract – Eagan/Minneapolis
- Senior Executive Editor - Contract – New Hampshire
- Looking for Freelance Journalists/Writers - Telecommute
- Press Release Writer – Contract ($100 each)
- Professional Translators Wanted – Many Languages
- Technical Writer for Website and Marketing Consultant – On Site – New York
- City Paper Arts and Entertainment Internship – Unpaid – Philadelphia
- Freelance Writer Needed – Austin ($40 per assignment)
- Economics Writers Wanted
- Editor Needed with Some Writing Contributions - Milwaukee
Good Luck!
Jodee
Thanks for the posts Jodee! What time do you wake up in the morning? And here I thought I was getting up early!
Thanks for the early leads, Jodee. I applied for four of them, all before 7:30 a.m., thanks to you!
@ Lindsey: My alarm goes off somewhere between 4 and 5 a.m.
And you are both welcome.
I absolutely love this blog, it is a massive help in the endless search for freelance work. Thanks.
Just a note. The Writers Needed for Internet Projects listing-I just got an email back and they asked me to pay $5 so I can be included in their ‘database’ for jobs.
A beer blogger! I do love my beer. To bad I’m pregnant.
Good Morning Everyone
Lindsey, you beat me to it. I just came back here to post the same warning. I love how they say you have to pay $5 so they can make sure you’re not “doing it as a hobby.”
@Lindsey – me too… I wasn’t sure if that was a bad sign or not.. but I’m guessing yes? lol New to the writing world and looking for guidance.
I exchanged a few emails with him, asking several questions, and he “seems” geniune… just a fascade to get everyone to send him $5 with no real work to come from it?
@ Amelia: Don’t pay the $5! If you were interviewing for a brick and mortar job and the person asked you for $5 to prove you were interested, you would run the other way. Do the same thing online. You don’t have to pay anyone to work for them; it should be the other way around.
@ Rachel: You don’t need to be drinking beer right now to write about it. I did a few posts for a beer blog and I only drink on special occasions. Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving…not it’s Tuesday.
If you are interested, I’d go for it.
Yeah, the $5 Writer’s job is questionable…Here’s the return email:
Hello,
Thanks for your response to our ad for freelance writers. Logistically, our service sends out the mailer to our registered writers on either Thursday or Friday. Usually, 5-7 requested assignments are listed, with contact information for each project.
Sometimes the client will list a specific offer for payment, while other times they will solicit bids. Either way, you will be able to contact them directly. Following are two examples from a recent mailing of clients:
Description: Unique articles on an ongoing basis, but to start with, based on the keywords “animated graphics”
Length: 500 words
Other Notes: Articles must pass copyscape.com testing
Bids/Offer: This client is interested in receiving bids from you for this project.
Contact Name: n/a
Contact Email: n/a
——————————
Description: Unique marijuana and drug-related articles
Length: 250-750 words per article
Other Notes: No prewritten content please
Bids/Offer: This client is interested in receiving bids from you for this project.
Contact Name: n/a
Contact Email: n/a
To move forward, we prefer:
1. Two writing samples, one shorter (under 100 words), and one longer (over 250 words)
2. The email address that would you like to be contacted at with the weekly assignment descriptions.
3. There is a one time, $5.00 lifetime listing payment required via paypal. Yes, we do charge an inclusion fee for this list. We have many regular assignments available, and feel that a one time $5 fee to be included in the database is more than reasonable. Our clients offer much work, and this ensures both that we have truly interested and qualified writers who write as a job rather than as a hobby, and it makes the list much more attractive to higher end clients. The payment can be processed via paypal by using THIS LINK.
Once your email and payment are received, you will be added to our registered writers immediately, and you will being receiving assignment requests upon the next mailing — again, typically Thursdays or Fridays.
Thanks so much for your interest,
XXX
What’s funny is, I applied for this gig about a week ago and they already sent me a job listing last Thursday. Maybe they *think* I paid the $5?
Hey everyone! Did anyone get an actual company name for that gig for internet projects at $5 a sign up? If so, we can check to see if it is some sort of scam. Let me know if you got a company name in that email either at the end or in his email address.
best to every writer out there,
Tasha
Tasha:
He uses a Gmail address and there is no company name listed.
I received the same response for the 5.00 fee gig and while I share others’ sentiments on the concept, I also find it noteworthy that the listed assignments say “must pass copyscape”. If this were a company used to dealing w/professional writers, there would be no need to include that tidbit as it should be a given. My thoughts are it’s probably not very well-paying work, if it is infact work at all, but then again, what do I know?!
@ Jen: I have worked with a number of clients who mention that any work done will be put through Copyscape before I get paid. (Since everything I do is my own work, I don’t worry about it.)
I have been checking out this website for months now, but have yet to post a comment. I wanted to say that, like Leigh, I received a list of available jobs from this man as well. It contained the two projects listed in the email Bridget posted, as well as a few others. Maybe he got a good response with his ads last week, and realized he could start making a little money off of this?
Last week I got the same message as Leigh and Bridget, and I also didn’t pay $5. Googling the name in the e-mail address didn’t bring much.
I also applied for that $5.00 fee gig. When I got his initial response (his name is Quentin Cougher, it seems), I asked a few questions. Here’s what I got back re: compensation and whether twelve thousand other writers would be receiving the same weekly assignments:
“There is a broad range of compensations. The first projects offered by our clients may be smaller or larger, and may or may not lead to long term work with them, which you negotiate on your own at a later time. The assignments are sent to our list as a whole, so it will often be a situation where many writers want one assignment. Typically, each client wants multiple writers for each of their projects, not just one.”
Perhaps needless to say, I didn’t pay the $5.00.
The $5 “membership fee” is one I saw last week and mentioned it. The funny thing is that I never paid the fee, yet some how got included on his list on Friday anyway. There were a couple possibilities then, but most of them require him to be the “go-between” to get the job, and I have a feeling that if you haven’t paid the fee, he doesn’t consider you for the job.
I’ve seen this, too. I don’t think it’s necessarily a scam, but a case where folks simply choose whether they want to pay for such a list. I’ve seen several lists over the years — reputable ones — where folks charge freelancers for access to their jobs. Similar to an online situation such as Elance or other sites that charge a membership fee, is the way I look at it. I don’t classify these as scams, but probably a waste of money since most of us have no trouble finding work without paying for such a list. After all, we have Jodee.
@ Amy: Thanks for the plug!
The jobs are already too old to apply to if they are dated two days ago! And the $5 fee one IS a scam!
Has anyone asked directly what the name of the company is? While I wouldn’t pay $5.00 blind, there are websites that require a fee to bid on work such as elance and guru.com. Granted these type of bid sites have problems of their own, I’ve gotten leads on freelance writing work that has more than paid for the fee.
Oh yes…I would also have concerns about any professional that signs and email ‘XXX’. I suppose it’s not XOXO..haha…
One ad was paying something like $5 for a 500-word article. Yikes.
Overall, I can’t complain. I’ve made a significant chunk of change from this blog.
And the $5…I would be like, no no no. I don’t pay YOU…you pay ME.
@ Richard: Every now and then, one of those low-paying ones gets past me. Sorry about that.
@ Kathy, -I- placed the XXX in the signature and not the gentleman’s name so as to avoid any problems. I was just sharing the email he sends out, not giving out his name. You never know who’s who in the WWW.
Re: $5 freelance listing on Craig’s List. Has anyone successfully gotten work from this individual?
Thanks.
$5 fee for “Writers needed for Internet Writing projects???” On the Craig’s List here in hampton Roads, the “one-Time-Only” fee is $7.50 via PayPal. Thank goodness for your website. I was actually considering sending it! Love you guys.
The fee is up to $7.50. I have been unable to find out anything about this guy.
j
yah, i wouldn’t get involved with this guy and his “internet projects”.
I also saw the posting on Craigslist and received the standard response from Quentin. I sent an email–pasted below–asking for more information. I doubt I will receive a response, but if I do, I will share it with you. It might help to mention that my ‘day job’ is spent investigating consumer complaints and drafting responses to various agencies, such as the PUC, FCC, Attorney General offices, etc. I work for a telephone company, but some questions are just plain ole good sense!
**********************
Quentin: Thank you for the information. I am interested in pursuing this, however I do have a few other questions that I would like to have answered. I apologize in advance, but with the vast number of scams floating about these days, it is sometimes best to proceed with caution. Buyer beware, and all that.
To that end, what is your company’s name? Is it incorporated, an LLC, sole proprietorship, or? Is the company a member of the Better Business Bureau, and if so, in what region? Is the company registered with the appropriate state authority, and if so, in what state? What references can you provide that I could have vetted?
Thank you for your valuable time,
Joseph
***********************
I googled “Quentin Cougher” after getting this fishy sounding reply and found this site- some nice mind manipulation in his note (basically, if you have to ask any questions about the company then you must not be very smart b/c it is “all in the email”…etc).
Hello,
Thanks for your interest in joining our network for freelance writers. This email should contain everything you need to know to start, so please read it carefully. Our service sends out an email to our group of writers each week, typically Friday afternoon or earlier. Assignment are listed with contact information for each project.
Sometimes the client will list a specific offer for payment, while other times they will solicit bids. Either way, you will be able to contact them directly. Our mailer will tell you the topic, the format and length, and often additional information like turnaround time, special requests, etc.
——————————
So, how to get on our list? We require:
1. Two writing samples. You don’t have to write anything new, just send us something that’s already been published/posted/written for another project. It’s so we can honestly tell clients we’ve reviewed samples from all writers in our database.
2. The email address that you would like to be contacted at with the weekly assignment list.
3. There is a one time, $6.75 lifetime listing payment required via paypal. Yes, we do charge an inclusion fee for this list. We have many regular assignments available, and feel that a one time $6.75 fee to be included in the database is more than reasonable. If you do not believe in paying for work, we totally understand. Freelance services like Elance and Guru also charge (more than us!), and it’s not for everybody. The payment can be processed via paypal by using THIS LINK.
Once your email and payment are received, you will be added to our registered writers immediately, and you will being receiving assignment requests upon the next mailing — again, typically Thursdays or Fridays.
Thanks so much for your interest,
Quentin Cougher
I just found this blog googling the guy after getting the same “inclusion fee” e-mail. Flat out – do not pay to get work -ever. I’ve done some of the bid sites, which do take a percentage after the fact, but that was more for providing a service of holding the payment in an account until the work was completed and sent to the client, protecting both the client and myself. NEVER pay in advance for work.
I sent him a reply, thanking him for his quick response and asking what the average pay and word count is per article, as I’ve done other content work and want to make sure that the pay is appropriate for the work expected, as many content writing groups underpay their writers by quite a bit.
I have repeatedly asked to be removed from Quentin Cougher’s list and asked that I not receive a second annual registration fee. This was ignored and the other day I received another billing from PayPal in the amount of $6.75. I am assuming that while the dollar amount is small, he thinks people won’t fight him on this. But in so doing, we are adding thousands of dollars to his coffers – and his service is not worth it. In one year, I never received one bite on any of my bids, and I bid low just to stimulate interest. How do you stop this guy from ripping off writers. We make very little as it is and to have scam artists like this guy keep your credit card info on file and continue to bill you is something that has to be stopped. Please advise who has been successful in making this happen so I am and other writers can benefit.
If you want him to stop charging your credit card and he doesn’t contact your credit card company and they’ll stop the subscription and remove the charges. PayPal also has an option for halting subscription payments.
Quentin Cougher is a cheat. I was also taken by his scam.
I hope to meet him some day. I have a little something for him other than $6.99.