Freelance Writing Jobs for Tuesday, July 22, 2008
July 22, 2008 by Jodee
Filed under Freelance Writing
Good morning FWJ Friends! I’ve got leads for reporters, bloggers, and translators for you this morning. There are some opps for content writers and technical writers as well. A couple of internships also made today’s list. A number of the ads on today’s list specify that the employer wants to hire local applicants; where the client prefers applicants from a specific area but is open to applications from other areas, I’ve tried to indicate that as well.
Leads…
- Freelance Reporter @ Banker and Tradesman – Boston
- Freelance Reporter @ The Erickson Tribune – Saint Louis, MO
- Writer/Bloggers @ greenUPGRADER.com – Boston Area Applicants Preferred
- Travel Blogger @ Atlas Web Service ($20 per post)
- Consumer Reporter – Online Education Beat @ GetEducated.com – Telecommute
- Magazine Freelancers Needed @ SRQ Media Group – Southwest Florida Based Applicants Preferred/all US Applicants Considered
- Freelance Writer @ Knock Knock – Los Angeles Based Applicants Only
- Web Site Business News Editor ($50 per hour)
- Senior Online Finance Writer
- Proofreader/Admin Assistant - Toronto Area Applicants Only ($10 per hour)
- Russian Student Translator Needed
- Writers/Editors Needed – Adult Content ($10 per hour)
- German Translator Wanted ($200)
- Like Shopping and Bargain Hunting? Write for Us?
- Freelance Writer @ TheWorldInReview.com
- Assistant Fashion Writer and Feature Writers Wanted – London, UK
- News and Content Writers – Boston Area Applicants
- Freelance Reporter - Keller/Dallas ($50/article)
- Contract Technical Writers/Editors Needed Immediately - Houston
- Writer Needed for Interviews for Gay/Lesbian Web Site ($150 per interview)
- Intern Needed for Regional Association Magazine – Los Angeles – School Credit
- Editor/Writer/English Teacher Needed
- English to Mandarin Chinese Translation Needed - Miami
- Writers Wanted for Client Projects
- Need 1 Strong Writer/Editor – Writing Teacher/Grad School Preferred - New York
- Memoir/Non-Fiction Ghost Writer Needed – Philadelphia
- Newspaper Internship @ The Spirit – Philadelphia
- Freelance Writer with Knowledge of Braque d’Auvergne French pointers – Philadelphia Area Applicants Preferred
- Writers/Stringers Wanted – Phoenix
- Seeking Phoenix Guidebook Writer
- Technical Writer – 5 Month Contract – Bellevue/Seattle
- Business Newsletter Writer
- Web Writer Internship – Georgetown ($10 per hour for 40 hours/week
Good Luck!
Hi! Thanks for the leads Jodee.
I just wanted to comment that the Writers/Editors Adult Content job is posted by a company that I’m working for. And I’m actually doing the interviews.(Nothing like being on the flip side!)
Lindsey:
Thanks for posting your comment. Makes me feel like a company is a little more reputable when one of the other writers that visits this blog works for them and doesn’t have any negative things to say.
Nice list of leads! Couldn’t come at a better time either. I’ve been teaching an online class at Universal Class for the past five years, and they notified me that they are cutting the amount instructors earn off their class from 60 to 30 percent. So I guess I’ll be out of a job once that change comes into play. To make up the difference, I’d have to double the enrollment fee and I don’t feel that is fair to the students.
The “writers wanted for clients projects” is a fake. They request $6.75 as a “reasonable amount” to blah, blah, blah.
What’s w/ these psychos?
The Shopping and Bargain Hunting post is legit, but it is not high paying for those who won’t work for a small amount. He told me he was looking for bids under $5 per post or article.
Yes Wendy, the “writers wanted for clients projects” is a scam of some sort. I have unknowingly answered this guy’s ad three times in the past two weeks. His name is Quentin Cougher. It’s the same guy some were talking about last week, but you had to only pay him $5.00 then. The fee is supposed to allow you to bid on projects. I hope no one has sent him any money.
How do you guys keep up your motivation when things get tough? I had an amazing month in May, but things have been slow since then. Any hints from the experts out there?
This is TOTALLY OT and I apologize up front but I’m desperate! I’ve written small grants successfully for my library for five years (as part of my salaried job). Today I was offered the chance to do it for our entire school district! Write grants (big ones!) and also review/edit the ones teachers write. I’m supposed to write a proposal (and turn it in ASAP) and I haven’t a clue how much to ask. Online I find grant writers who charge by the hour, charge a percentage of the grant if it’s funded and a combo of both. What do you suggest? Anyone with experience out there to help guide me? I live in KS so I can’t charge NY prices but on the other hand, I don’t want to be robbed when I know I have what it takes to do it…I just don’t know what to CHARGE to do it.
Thank you!
Marie,
I look at my bills. They’ve got to get paid. If that doesn’t work, try motivational tapes (Tony Robbins, et al).
@ Lisa: This link will give you an idea of what other grant writers charge per hour/per day.
http://www.grantsalert.com/grant_writers_directory.cfm?pg=3&orderby=city,state&start=41&display=10
As someone who is not a grant writer but who gets that you really want to do get this gig, I would suggest that you work up a proposal with different payment options. Offer to do the work for so much per hour, or a different rate if they are interested in a combo. Unless you are really comfortable taking a straight percentage, I wouldn’t offer that as an option.
I hope that helps.
Lisa,
A former visitor to this site, Erik Hare, is a grant writer, but I haven’t seen his name in a while — maybe Jodee or Deb could help. He’s in Mich., so he would also have a “Midwest” sense of pricing.
Re: Quentin Cougher.
I didn’t send him any money, but he keeps sending me his lists anyway. In the end, all he is doing is compiling a list of Craigslist jobs from what I’ve seen. On his last “list,” every single one of them were posted on Craigslist.
Just a follow up on the Quentin Cougher issue. I sent him an email earlier and he replied back to me.
Here is what he said:
Thanks so much for your email. I’m aware of the discussions about the “scam” aspect of it around the web. The fee has gone up because the response was so high that we have started to create more barriers for folks to get in. Wouldn’t it only be logical that the price would go DOWN if this was a scam? It’s more the opposite, that we don’t want the list to be too huge, and therefore have decided to charge more per person to slow down the number of signups. Realistically, we might raise the price to $10 or $15 if the number of writers starts to increase faster than the number of clients.
In any event, we work with plenty of “qualified” writers, as you say, and both our clients and writers are happy with the service they are being provided with. Certainly no hard feelings that not everybody wants to get involved — it wouldn’t work if everyone did!
Best,
Q
@ Steve M: This guy is good; I’ll give him that….
Thanks, Jodee and Phil!! I know FWJ has talked about that grant writing website before but in my panic of happiness and terror, I forgot about it. It helped a lot plus made me feel like the rate I was leaning toward was more than acceptable. I’m definitely going to do as you suggested, Jodee and offer two scenarios–both of which I know I’m comfortable with. I really appreciate you helping me! I’ll keep you posted!
Thanks for the links, Jodee!
Just wanted to say a big thank you for these awesome links each week. I finally landed my first writing gig thanks to you!! I’m on my way now!
Lots of love!
Hi everybody,
I see a lot of discussion. I just want to clear up that none of the jobs I sent out are listed on craigslist as well…not a single one. They are all jobs for clients that are part of my web business.
Best regards to everyone,
Quentin
So, Quentin, prove your legitimacy. What is your Web site address? What is your Web business? What’s the name of your business? I have serious doubts about you.
Although we run about 25+ sites, we don’t have a website for this service, it’s email based. Clients email me weekly saying “I want X articles about this or that, etc.” Writers sign up for the mailing list. Then, writers receive a compilation of all client writing requests.
It’s a very simple concept, almost too simple. Some folks don’t like us charging, but the reality is, we receive about 150 emails per day from writers inquiring. If we didn’t charge anybody, the list would have 2000-2500 writers already, and then it would not be viable…why send 10 projects to 2000 writers? The odds of getting any work would be way too low.
Charging makes it so that it’s not first come first served for writers, it’s for whoever wants to pay, and makes it so the ratio of projects to writers makes more sense. Of course, it becomes an additional revenue stream for our business as well.
Talk your way around it, you still haven’t answered any of my questions. Does the IRS know about your “revenue stream”? Have a nice day.
AA,
It seems you are extremely upset, and angry about something, because questions about tax-related issues that related to an organization whose business entity status and details are completely unknown to you seems unrelated to the issues of whether a ’scam’ is taking place or not.
I don’t think I’ve talked my way around anything. There is no web address to give, as this is an email based list. Our web business includes:
-Content creation, within which joining clients and writers is included
-Website development, including websites and web video
-SEO and web marketing
There is no unifying business name of any relevance.
Lastly is this concern of yours about tax issues, which as I said is unrelated to any issues of a specific writers list, and quite frankly makes you seem angry and bitter, although certainly I would never hold that against anyone.
No, Quentin, I’m not upset or angry or bitter. I’m an investigative journalist and ask these questions often. I’ve heard all I need to know. Good bye.
Thanks, certainly no hard feelings. Hopefully you’ll be part of our service at some point.
Jodee & group,
Thanks for the posts re: Quentin Cougher. The threads here are the only hits Google came up with, and they saved me a bit of aggravation. I won’t bother approaching him.
Great list, BTW. Thanks for all you do, Jodee!
Our old buddy Quentin Cougher emailed me with some stunning offers to write hundreds of articles for laughable money. He also offered to set up a blogger account for me with up to fifteen articles for only $249.00.
It’s really pretty funny if you think about it.
So, my question is:
If Quentin Cougher charges both sides (clients and writers) , yet has no business name to speak of, and no advertising…where do the clients come from? A mysterious email address is bringing in clients?
His evasive answers and passive aggressive attitude when answering simple and understandable questions is not only undesirable but clearly shows he has something to hide.
I would avoid!
@Widow1:
I stopped reading his emails that he sent me anyway after I refused to pay him, and most of the listings I’ve seen come straight from Craigslist or Freelance Writing Web site’s Online Job postings.
Hi again everybody…
I really don’t mind the general trash talk about my service being “spam,” but the one thing that is patently inaccurate is this issue of “the jobs come from craigslist.”
Not A SINGLE JOB listed on my program has come from craigslist. Also, and maybe I’m going out of my league here, but if I were listed contact info for craigslist jobs, wouldn’t the contact emails be job1239812398@craigslist.org, or however they are structured.
To answer the question of where the clients come from…there are many folks involved in our web business, and we have, not only more than one computer, but — believe it or not — MORE THAN ONE EMAIL ADDRESS TO CONDUCT BUSINESS! We’ve been doing web work for over 5 years, and as such, have a large database of clients who email us weekly when they have writing requests. Then, we put their requests in an email to our writers.
This is just SO SIMPLE that I can’t believe there is this much controversy!
In short, these postings on FWG seem to have only inspired interest from folks in “seeing if it’s a scam,” as interest in our program has more than tripled over the last 3 weeks. Moreover, not a single person has requested their money back, nor asked to be removed from the list.
Best regards,
QC
So, again, the name of the business is what? The license the business is in is what city and state?
I am happy to business with you…if you can only show that you run one. Anyone in ANY industry would want to know these things and if you cannot provide this basic information, then you have something to hide.
Generally, not a good sign of a legitimate person to do business with. ON either side of the coin.
This is JUST SO SIMPLE.
You got that right QC!
I’m here to defend Quentin Cougher. I too was sceptical when I paid the fee, but he sent me the list of jobs exactly as he said he would, and, as a result, I am now in talks with a very high end client about copywriting for them. He did exactly what was promised, and I think it’s wrong to slander him on this site if you haven’t tried his service. He seems completely honest to me, and I’m really hoping to get the job I’m applying for, one I would never have had access to were it not for him…I’m a writer with a book coming out in February, and I would hate to think you are damaging his business with this message board.
Great Heather! Feel free to post the name of his business and city it is licensed to do business in. Also, you can post your city and listed/verifiable contact number for verification. Until then, you both remain…
It isn’t difficult to prove authenticity. Why hasn’t QC done so?
Doesn’t seem very bright to let this continue over something so simple really.
Hi everybody,
Thanks Heather, glad you might have some new projects ongoing.
I should mention that I’m posting here simply for entertainment value, because I’m fascinated by detractors like Notbuyingit.
I’m not sure what notbuyingit wants to hear exactly. Although this is way beyong what most people would even deserve or care to know about a $6.75 writer’s list, the business is a sole proprietorship and therefore has no formal business name. Sole proprietorships often do business under a personal name and SSN — a number which obviously I would never post here.
I don’t know what type of business you are thinking of that is only licensed to “do business” in one city, but we do business all over the world. It seems like a strange question…imagine if we could only do business with one town! We’re located in the Springfield, Massachusetts area, as a point of reference.
hi
after such hot discussion,i am not able to decide what to do..I am recieving emails from cougher and once i though of investing money in to his venture…but now i am totally confused..i am a daily visitor of FWG and i loved this site.I got my first lead thru this and want more..please lemme know what u think
Thanks so much for pointing out the truth about this guy – Quinton. He said he doesn’t work from craigslist, and that “Not A SINGLE JOB listed on my program has come from craigslist. Also, and maybe I’m going out of my league here, but if I were listed contact info for craigslist jobs, wouldn’t the contact emails be job1239812398@craigslist.org, or however they are structured.”
Proof to the contrary – this is an email I sent to him from a list I found on Craigslist.
from tomi wiley hide details Aug 11 (3 days ago)
to job-786877852@craigslist.org
date Aug 11, 2008 11:04 AM
subject Writers for article projects
mailed-by gmail.com
Good morning! I am a newspaper editor and freelance writer, and I’m very interested in your post on Craigslist. Please send me more information at your earliest convenience. I will send writing samples per your request.
Thank you,
Tomi L. Wiley
I’m glad I googled him before I sent any money. Legit or not, I’m just too skeptical to run with it.
I’m confused about what Tomi is talking about…it seems he’s confusing our post on craigslist looking for writers, with accusations that the CLIENT JOBS listed are copied from craigslist somehow.
This, combined with the fact that a presumed writer has spelled my name…a name that is spelled in a very common way, and even INCLUDED ON THIS SAME PAGE SPELLED CORRECTLY, as “Quinton” is, to say the least, odd.
It’s called a mistake, darling. I made a mistake, which is hardly what I’d call odd.
Oh be quiet, Quinton. If you send me a grand, I’ll build and SEO a website for you complete with keyword-rich content.
Yeah, sure I will.
Really.
No kidding.
By the way, I need 600 original articles of at least 400 words on freelance writing by tomorrow. I’m willing to pay up to twenty-five cents an article.
Opportunity is knocking.
Okay – here’s my take on this…and I just signed up for Quentin’s service, by the way. If I give him a measly $6.75 for this “mailer” or whatever it is, and I don’t have to root through all the crap on Craig’s List – assuming this is from where he compiles it – it is STILL worth it to me. Even if nothing comes of it it was only 7 bucks – the cost of a sandwich at a low-end cafe!
I think I can afford to find out at that price…
Now I’m going to have to ask everyone to calm down and step awayyyyyy from their keyboards!
@Quentin C.:
There’s a beautfiful saying back on the Old Continent.
We say: The fish starts stinking from the head.
(The problems start at the top.)
I agree with Notbuyingit, Aa and others: It is not understandable the least bit why you are so hotly refusing to provide name and contact verification (there’s no need to give out your SSN – how about a business e-mail account, a fax number, a listed phone number, a listing with on of the leading business networks such as LinkedIn or such). And if you were indeed legit you would welcome positive exposure – anybody running a successful business model will gladly be exposed as the genius he or she is, media exposure included. Your shying away from revealing any fact-oriented information doesn’t make you look honest or serious. It makes you look shady.
But first and foremost I am not buying your excuses … um … “explanations” for yet another reason that hasn’t been brought up yet: If your “mailing list” were already too large as it is and if you indeed had the need to keep additional writers from signing up – why in the world would you keep advertising your “mailing list” on Craigslist (and possibly elsewhere) as aggressively as you do? Over the past few days alone I’ve come across your CL ads on at least 15 local sites – and I am not checking them all.
Your intense CL advertising doesn’t make any sense whatsoever – unless all you were looking for were additional pennies to collect from new “list” members after the old “list” members dropped out. 150 people on the list, 7 bucks a month – not bad for copying and pasting some Craigslist jobs. I should seriously think about a career in bogus mailing lists…
@Jodee:
I appreciate your job listings very much. Overall this is a great blog!
Thanks for your excellent service. While I am hardly ever using it
Oh for the love of-WILL YOU PEOPLE GET A LIFE?!?!?
Leave the guy alone already! Here’s a new subject: ROOTS was not about vegetation – discuss… go on – why are you still here? SHOO!
@Jeffela:
> Leave the guy alone already! Here’s a new
> subject: ROOTS was not about vegetation -
> discuss… go on – why are you still here? SHOO!
Anger management issues?
If you are so concerned about Mr. C. to be left alone why don’t YOU help clearing up the matter? Since you have signed up to his “mailing list” about a couple of weeks ago you will doubtlessly have further information about (i) his identity and (ii) the nature of his service. As a true insider you can doubtlessly share that valuable insight in defense of Mr. C. So just go ahead and share. Your audience is listening.
To Quentin defenders:
Has anyone actually found a legitimate, verifiable job that they would not have found elsewhere through this mailing list service? I see several people defending him and one who was “in negotiations with a high end employer”, but haven’t really seen much of anyone who’s landed a great job that they couldn’t have gotten somewhere else. This would really be the value of the service, if indeed it is a service. Without a website, or the verification information that Mr. Cougher has failed to provide, we’ll have nowhere to obtain any kind of testimonials or find any legitimacy.
I see one poster who said that it was a small amount to pay for the list, even if just to root through Craiglist postings–there are already plenty of sites like that for free, including the one we’re posting on. I’d prefer that deli sandwich.
I find all of this about Quentin Cougher highly interesting. Having myself answered Lord knows how many ads of his off Cragislist in the past couple months. I keep getting bombarded with his teaser emails but I am highly hesitant about sending him money via Paypal as if it were a donation. Like I have money to donate to HIS charity? I am more concerned about my own!
It makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE that he is trying to tone down his mailing list if he keeps sending me emails for months on end that I have not responded too. Oh! And that is to 2 of my email addresses at that. I swear his ads are in the North Carolina Craigslist ads at least once a week.
Yes $6.75 a year is paltry to Get A Freelancer fees in the same length of time. But he doesn’t even have a company website? Please!
PLEASE QUENTIN – GROW UP! On the amount of money you rake in off your supposed emailed writing opportunity list… surely you can afford a mere $70 a year to get yourself a proper freelance writer’s website with GoDaddy. You say you build websites? Well please sir do yourself a favor and stop dithering around hiding in the bushes! Be a man, make your self known to the Web and become a real company.
Don’t hand me this cockamamie crapola about being a sole proprietor. Dude, I had bigger kahunas than you as a flower farmer on one stinking acre of my own back yard conveniently located at the corner of nowhere and nothing.
Grow some hair on your chest Quentin.
Come out of the closet and face the world head on like any upstanding entrepreneur would.
Sniveling in here will get you nada … zilch … zippo. Present yourself to the world at large and you wouldn’t have to worry about negative and insinuating posts to ruin what little creditability you may have.
I for one won’t pay you a dime until you stand up on your own two feet and become a website – a creditable source and a bonafide company. You can do that without doing any more than filing a DBA at your local county courthouse. It will cost you about $10 USD … you can even keep some money off the next two mailing lists you sell into the bargain.
Otherwise … can you spell SCAM? The scent is wafting about on the cyber breeze, Quentin. Come clean or be ye shall remained demeaned and bear the stench forever. Spouting off as you have done in here without nary a redeeming and concrete location will only fool the newbies. May the Lord have mercy on their uneducated souls.
Just wanted to say that indeed, Quentin Cougher solicits those listing in Craigslist for writers. He sent me a spam-like note today offering me “access” to what he claimed were exclusive articles on his site…for a monthly fee. No info about what those articles may pertain to or anything else. Sounds pretty vague for a professional, but with so many people willing to spend under 10 bucks before doing any research, well, seems he is the master of the fools.
Quentin advertises and solicits via Craigslist. My suggestion is forget the middleman. Especially the middleman who vehemently denies he is the middleman, as that is someone with something to hide.
kf
I have also been spammed by Quentin Cougher of http://www.thewriterfinder.com. I have asked him four times to stop spamming me to no avail. His solicitous emails are also not in compliance with applicable laws because there is no way to unsubscribe. He “harvested” from Craigslist.
The good news is his site is registered with Godaddy and you can report the abuse here:
https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/spamreport/spamreport.asp?ci=6159
Then they will pull his site. Best of luck all!
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.
Contact your credit card company and have a stop put on the charges and bring any documentation you have of previous requests as they may be able to recoup some of the loss.
Ron (or anyone else who can help),
Do you have an email address or other contact info for Quentin Cougher? I am trying to cancel my “membership” before it renews and of course his website is no longer functioning… and there’s no contact info for him anywhere. Any help is appreciated, so I can at least document that I requested my membership be canceled.
Best,
Kelly
Hi Kelly,
This is what I have on file—> thewriterfinder@gmail.com
However, don’t expect a reply – this guy is a low-life and needs to be exposed publicly. But I have no suggestions as to how to do that. I was successful in reversing the charges through PayPal – if you want to take that route.
Good luck, Ron
If you feel motivated, you can figure out where his business is registered, and then make complaints to the (1) BBB and (2) District Attorney’s (or Attorney General’s) Office. Not much, but its a start.
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