by Jodee Redmond
Good morning FWJ Friends! It’s Tuesday and I have leads for editors, greeting card writers, bloggers, and copy writers today.
The text in one ad caught my eye this morning. It looked interesting until I got to the part where this prospective client wanted any writers hired to “pay some dues before they start reaping the benefits.” I chose not to include it on today’s list, since it sounded like a fancy way for someone to try to get people to work for free. And the last time I looked at my “dues” account, it was marked “paid in full.”
Leads…
Telecommute
- Editors @ Simply English
- Freelance Greeting Card Writers and Artists @ Paradise Greetings
- Real Estate Reporter/Researcher @ Inman News – Contract
- Writers and Editors @ Hometowntimes.com
- Hyphen Magazine Pays $500 for Features
- Memoir Writing Instructor @ MediaBistro.com
- Market Research Analyst - Contract
- Freelance Copy Editors ($25 per hour)
- Superstar Writer to Write Events E-book and Book ($500-$1,000)
- Screenplay Analyst ($60 for 6 pages of coverage)
- Part Time, Work from Home Researcher/Writer – Sports/Games/Horse Racing
- Freelance Writers/Editors Wanted ($20-$40 per hour)
Blogging Jobs
- Blog Writing Position: French Riviera and Provence Topics ($40 per post)
- Entertainment Bloggers Needed
- Chicago Blog Writers Needed ($30 per post)
Site Specific
- Freelance Editor/Writer - Part Time – Charleston, SC
- Freelance Writer/Researcher – Irving, TX
- Temporary Factchecker @ Crisis Magazine – Washington, D.C.
- Freelance Food Writer for Florida Dining Blog ($150 per week)
- Copywriter – Manhattan
- Freelance Copywriter – Seattle
- Copywriters with Web and Print Experience – San Francisco
- Freelance Copywriter for Global Nutrition and Personal Care Company – Los Angeles
- Bilingual (English/Mandarin) Copywriter – San Francisco
- Web Copywriter – Philadelphia
- Copywriters – Seattle
Internships
- Internet Marketing Internship – Carlsbad, CA (College Credit)
- Intern Needed for Literary/Arts Magazine/Organization – New York (College Credit)
- Online Editorial Intern for Top Magazine Web Sites – New York (Travel Stipend)
- Financial Entertainment Website Seeks Interns – New York (Travel and Lunch Paid)
- Beauty PR Firm Seeks Blogger Freelance Writer Intern (Stipend or College Credit)
re: Hometowntimes
Has anyone worked for them? I applied and was accepted early in 2008, but backed out when I was told that after the first year you’re on your own and must pay some fee to keep your news site going.
I’d like to think they smartened up and took out that clause.
Great list this morning, Jodee! Thanks a bunch!
“Hello, is this AT&T’s billing department? Good. The reason I’m calling is to let you know the broadband connection is working fine, I’ve got all my cable channels, and the phone’s up and running. I’ll definitely pay your monthly bills in a couple of months, but for now you need to pay your dues.”
Just wanted to introduce myself and say thank you to Jodee for all the work you do on this! I lost my editorial job last week so will be pursuing the freelance life full-time. This site has been an invaluable resource, and I look forward to checking in here regularly!
Jodee and Deb,
I just want to say something to you in this new year. I started my writing career with FWJ at exactly this time last year – my husband brought the computer up to the kitchen on Jan 1 because he got himself a new computer for a different room. I was pleased to have a computer so handy, and I jumped right on the job-finding hunt.
Your site helped me get my best paying gig – got it in the spring and I still have it. So thankful for all that you do. And it’s been neat to see the progression of the site since last January. I remember when everyone was so excited when Jodee put up the location in parenthesis at our request. Made it simpler to sort out jobs that were relevant to you.
Now, you have it so nicely organized that I can look at just blogging, just telecommute, and still skim the location-specific. I live out in the Great Plains in a small city – never count much on location specific, but it’s nice for those who need that.
So here’s a celebratory “clink” to you for the great help you give writers, both experienced and new. My writing career is now officially (as of Jan 1) 1 year old.
Erika
Re: Hometimes.
This appears to be more of an entrepreneurial writer’s site, perfect maybe for a displaced print newspaper writer who wants to be involved in greater picture publishing. As you scroll through, you will find a place to get more information. One of the questions is “Capital.” It starts at $10,000.
Don’t know what it would look like in an area with a Hometimes already running.
The freelance writers/editors position almost sounds too good to be true. Great list Jodee!
I was referring to the one that says $20-40 per hour
Thanks Jodee — have a great day!
Is the memoir writing instructor a job or a class to take? All I can find on the site is a class to take that costs about 500.00. Anyone else find something I am missing? THANK YOU
Thanks for the leads..
Anne, that sounds shifty about Hometown Times.. I applied, so we’ll see what they say, if I’m accepted.
Wonderful list!!! Sent out for NY Habitat as I was previously a RE agent in the city that never slips.
The first link on the list–”Editors @ Simply English”–crashes my browser every time I try to click it. Anyone else having this problem? I’m using Firefox/Windows Vista.
Thanks for the list
RE: Hometown Times – I don’t think they are really looking for writers, per sae, I think the word entrepreneurial tips that off. I think it’s a business opp. more so than a job.
Sonya – I am using Safari and had no problem with the Simply English ad. This is what it says if you need the info:
Join Us
We are taking applications for additional qualified editors. As an editor you will work as an independent contractor. This work can be performed from your home or anywhere you can access the Internet. The hours and level of involvement are yours to determine. Our fees are competitive and fair.
This is a shared opportunity. We will provide you with the required instructions and information for each job. If there are any problems we will assist and support you.
This is an online business. You will need to be capable of handling the work on the Internet.
If you are interested in this opportunity submit your resume by email to us at [email protected]. Your resume should contain the following information:
Education and work history
Specific editing, proofreading and writing experience
Applicable areas of expertise
Availability
Word-processing programs on your system
Anne G – I just got approved for Textbroker as a 3…hoping to move up to a 4 as soon as I have done a few articles. I have written 3 so far and waiting to hear if they are accepted. I would love something more lucrative to come along, but at least this is a little money while I keep sending out my info. I was reading some reviews of TB yesterday and it seems that there are very few people who have gotten to the 5 level.
I was recently accepted to TB. I saw nothing of interest. Worse selection and pay than Demand Studios – and that’s saying a lot.
Thanks for the leads today, Jodee. I’m trying to decide if I have some greeting card verse hidden somewhere in my head.
@ Erica – I don’t know how the move-up process works. I was level 4 and haven’t improved apparently. This week the selection has been lousy. That’s one thing that bothers me. There seem to be half the requests that were there before the holidays. Either employers have moved on or things are really slow right now.
Anne G – I am writing about how to find court records for various states. Not too exciting, but it was one of the things I had to teach patrons when I was a reference librarian, so not too hard either. I agree with you and Mitch, not much looks very interesting over there right now, but it’s keeping me busy this week while the kids are at school and allows me to procrastinate on housework, LOL.
@Mitch – I’ve never tried Demand Studios and probably never will. It won’t let me access anything until I submit my profile and W9. When I go to do that I get an error message stating the pages have “incorrect loops” that cannot be completed. I’ve emailed a number of times to find out why this error is occurring and get no where.
But I find TextBroker to be far superior to Associated Content where I used to do very well until they had a policy/payment change over a year ago, or Helium that has proven to be a waste of time.
The freelance writer/editor job ($20-40) bounces back to me. Has anyone else had that trouble?
I’m new here and appreciate everyone’s comments and insights. I recently lost my fulltime job and while I send out resumes for “real” jobs I’m also looking to start freelancing. Jodee lists some great leads, but I’m leery of craigslist for some reason.
I’d love any tips for pursuing freelance gigs online for positions that don’t really give a lot of contact information.
As for the one that says $20-$40 per hour, that email address is bogus. I tried to apply and got a response from craigslist that the addy is an error.
Thanks!
I only recently discovered this site, and I appreciate the work that I know must go into it.
I passed on the “paying your dues” ad when I saw it earlier. I’ve done
that many times over..and over..
There are a number of ads here that look promising. Thatks, Jodee!
Alan
@Paul – I responded to it earlier this morning and haven’t received notice that it is bouncing.
@Anne -Don’t get too upset about that DS error. Don’t take this the wrong way but the last thing DS needs right now is another writer – there’s absolutely NO work.
Paul – I had the same problem. I tried sending it twice but it came straight back to me.
Jodee–
Thanks for the leads! That “pay your dues” lead sounds familiar. Was it for an Outdoors writer? I think I saw it elsewhere yesterday.
@ Anne–Is there any actual money in textbroker? I applied a long time ago and was a 3 or 4 which equated to like $5/article or something. From what I read, the lucrative 5 was somewhat of a false promise and very few actually obtained it. I didn’t think it was worth my while so I never actually wrote anything, but things have slowed down and I would reconsider. What kind of money can you actually make?
I have written for textbroker for about 5 months. I started as a 3 and after my first five articles was moved up to a 4 and have never gotten a rating above a 4. I haven’t written anything for them in about 2 months because the pay is pretty low. I think the reason no one ever gets to be a level 5 is because they have very few orders for level 5 writing. In my 5 months, I have only seen a few level 5 jobs listed.
I’m completely unfamiliar with this rating system that y’all are talking about. You get accepted and write for one pay rate, a rating, and then work your way up, is that pretty much it? Except that no one seems to be promoted to the top of the scale?
RE: Jennifer
Their rating system goes from 2 to 5. I’m not sure what a 2 pays, but a 3 gets 0.01 per word, 4 gets 0.015 per word and 5 gets 0.05 per word (if I remember correctly). You submit a sample to them and they give you a rating and then they rate everything you write. They take the average rating of your last five writings to figure your rating as you continue to write.
They have assignments listed under the different levels that you can claim. Apparently no one can get to the level 5 and there are rarely any level 5 assignments available anyway. It is hard to make any real money, but it can give you something to do during a down time and they have an automated payment system, so you do get your money.
@ John Lister: LOL!
You guys sure are chatty today….great to see that!
@ Amy: Welcome to FWJ. Looking forward to your comments.
@ Erika: Congrats on your first year of freelancing! Here’s to many more! Yes, there have been a lot of changes here in the past 12 months. I had forgotten about putting the location in parentheses, actually…..
@ Heather: CL does have some quality gigs. Employers post there because it’s a place people go to when looking for work.
@ Alan: Thank you for the kind words. Most appreciated.
@ Chris: I think that ad was for an outdoors writer.
@Chris – Textbroker isn’t a high paying gig by any means. I applied and got a level 4 rating which means pay is supposed to be 1.5 cents per word, but I’ve had jobs that paid 2 cents. You have to be very picky. I only take writing jobs that I know I can get done quickly and without research. One of them was writing hotel blurbs of 50 to 80 words for 1.5 cents each. You couldn’t name hotels, just had to be a general breakdown of why that country is a hot tourist attraction and then the keyword phrase had to be fit in. I was a travel agent, so I know every country’s main draw. I did a batch of those articles one day in about 15 minutes time. (I type at speeds of 80wpm, so that also helps.) In the end, I made $15 which had I kept going equates to $60 an hour, but I had other work that came in.
Re: Quentin Cougher:
I only applied to two ads yesterday – # Part Time, Work from Home Researcher/Writer – Sports/Games/Horse Racing & Freelance Writers/Editors Wanted ($20-$40 per hour)
One of them goes to Quentin Cougher. I’m not sure which it is though because he sends a new email rather than a reply.
General FYI: The Simply English page states: “This site was last updated 06/02/07.”
The Paradise Greeting Card site says nothing about rights, purchasing, contracts, etc. So I just emailed them to ask for clarification. I’d hate for one of us to send a poem or some prose over and have it used without proper documentation, etc. I’ll let everyone know once I hear back.