Comments on: What All Those Freelance Writing Job Ads Really Mean

By: p1nk g33k

p1nk g33k — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:14:42 +0000

Anytime I see that line or a variation (“this can be done in 20 minutes for a pro.” Ohhhh, really???), it really strikes a nerve! I get so ticked off and offended. Who are these people? They’re hiring someone to do something that they can’t do (very few of them are actually experienced in the field and are only posting because they’re too busy to do it themselves), and they’re telling us that it’s easy and telling us how long it will take.

Obviously, I’m not a writer. I’m a programmer. But, I see these things in ads all the time and it just gets to me. When I come across these ads, I like to bid more than I would have had the poster not added the idiotic line.

By: Bridget Deehr

Bridget Deehr — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:32:39 +0000

I came across this post upon a recommendation from a e-mail blast. The post was written back in Feb of this year, and I hate to have to say this, but the situation for me has not improved within the last 6 months. I find listings for writers, contributors and bloggers for topics which I enjoy writing about, and offer no pay. I see the same type of “explanations” as you listed, Deb. I laughed at your translations, because that’s how I see their lousy excuses too. I am frustrated by these constant type of job ads, since they appear everywhere, including Ed2010, Craig’s List and other boards. I currently have a nonpaid internship, and I hate that I have to weed through ads that intrigue me until I come to the realization that they are not willing to pay for my work. I hope that these sites go out of business, and that writers looking for have a career will reject their offers and gain the respect they dserve.

By: Omar

Omar — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:42 +0000

Thanks for the heads up. Yeah I see many of these ads. It’s as if writers are on the lower rung of the ladder.

By: Meghna

Meghna — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:08:15 +0000

I have myself lost gigs to writers who would do write for half the amount I charge. It is frustrating.

They generally reply back with “They are not as good as you, but they are less expensive so we would prefer to keep you only for a ‘niche’”

and so i end up doing 2 articles a month instead of 20 articles. I have seriously considered lowering my prices instead of having to put in only a couple of hour’s work each day.

By: michelle

michelle — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:41:35 +0000

I am glad that i read your article about poeple not wanting to pay for your writing work. I am new to this business. I have been doing alot of research on the freelance writing market and have visitied this web site often. I was just on craigslist and 2 of the 3 job postings i saw for writers were “start – up” companies who said that they would start paying when business got going. this statement i think refers back to the comment you made about working for a restaurant for free because it is new! whats up with that! Do these people really get writers to work for free?

By: Carol

Carol — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:48:08 +0000

I’ve been a freelance writer for 18 years and have made a good living at it until now. I can’t tell you how discouraged I am about the current state of affairs. The economy is about to cost me a really great client and in trying to find new work, all I can find are ads for people wanting to pay 2 cents are word on a 500-word SEO article that they plan to run through software to ensure its originality! You all know the ones I mean. I am seriously rethinking my career. There is more need than ever before for content because of the Web, but for some inexplicable reason, no one wants to pay for it!

By: Allison

Allison — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:43:33 +0000

@Krista:

Thanks so much — your words really mean a lot! I certainly appreciate the smile on a cloudy Friday morning.

I was totally irritated about ContentCurrent. Not to mention that I did a free test article in order to qualify, whatever that means. I figure if we all just get through these tough times (and they WILL get better) we’ll know who to court and who to avoid like the devil.

Have a great weekend!

- A.

By: Krista

Krista — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:28:26 +0000

@Allison,

I just wanted to say I absolutely love your website. It’s funny, clever, and professional. Your personality really shines through. I’m a writer myself, but if I was looking for one…I’d hire you.

Also, that blows about ContentCurrent. That sort of thing has happened a few times to me. Now I won’t do anything until I get an answer about payment upfront. That way, if it’s something like $6/500 words, we can both just stop wasting each other’s time.

By: Laurel Bowen

Laurel Bowen — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:28:20 +0000

I am trying to break into writing about green technology. I’ve been an editor for federal publications (mainly environmental) for a number of years. I decided to build my portfolio by offering to write a set number of articles for free for a friend’s website. At least that way, I feel I am not feeding into the cheap article frenzy. But I’m not sure. Is this a good way to build a portfolio?

By: Allison

Allison — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:34:21 +0000

I just did a test article for ContentCurrent, not knowing how much they pay for a 500-word SEO article. Turns out it’s $6 a throw, and they puff their chest quite a bit about having editorial standards. Some days you want to be able to reach through the screen and just — bam! Slap em.

By: Cheril Vernon

Cheril Vernon — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:52:33 +0000

I’m so glad you wrote this post. I love how you translated all of their “reasons” for not paying.

By: Maia

Maia — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:49:57 +0000

This is to the posters who wanted to know how to “discourage” newbie writers from accepting low paying jobs. Well, as a newbie writer, I’m already pretty discouraged. It seems like there isn’t any decent work out there for people without a long list of paid experience, and no way to get that experience- the eternal catch-22 of the job hunt world. So we hope that at least taking a couple of these rock bottom jobs will let us flesh out our resumes a little, saying “See- someone paid me to work for them!” even if the payment is laughable.

I don’t know any alternative- I’d love to hear one.

By: Alberto

Alberto — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:38:43 +0000

Just quit my revenue sharing “content mill” position, thanks to this post.
Appreciate the advice and support for those of us who are just starting out.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:32:06 +0000

Marc,

I have written a couple of ads for this type of site – and they do pay. You have the option of writing the ad or not, and you post it on your blog.

I guess if you don’t mind the ads, it can help your blog produce more money. The ads are short – only about 150 words each.

By: Rachael I

Rachael I — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:06:26 +0000

I think it is possible to earn a little money from these types of sites. I have been writing for the Examiner (ducking under a chair…) since Feb 3 and have made some actual money! I like it because I can post, and then spend several days looking for work and still earn revenue while I am not activly working on that site. But I am also new, so it is serving me well in that I am able to practice and get my juices flowing.

By: Marc - WelshScribe

Marc - WelshScribe — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:34:55 +0000

Thanks James. That’s what I thought it was about.

Has anyone had any experience with this sort of strategy? I’m interested in learning more.

By: James Chartrand - Men with Pens

James Chartrand - Men with Pens — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:14:09 +0000

@ Marc – That’s a strategy to boost PR. The more sites pointing to your site, the more Google thinks you’re a good site, and your PR goes up. There’s also a double whammy, because your site talks about this site and points to it, so readers who land will have more of a tendency to put trust in the site.

They’re basically saying, “We’ll pay you to help us be popular.” They get sales, traffic, readers…

Kind of like a paid review to boost PR. It’s legit, but whether you feel it’s right or not depends on you. There are pros and cons.

By: Marc - WelshScribe

Marc - WelshScribe — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:54:02 +0000

I’ve had one guy try to get me to work for free to which I replied “Sure when you can get my groceries, gas, electricity and water supplied for free I’ll be more than happy to work for you.”

I have been stumped by one ad recently though, could do with an explanation/translation please.

“…We’d like you to publish 2 well written articles per month to your own blog, which you will write yourself based around a topic set by us – linking back to the original source.”

What does that mean exactly?

The ad was placed on a respectable site so I didn’t think much of it until I reached the payment part.

“The payment will vary depending on the popularity and strength of your blog but there is potential to earn up to $10 per post with an incentive to earn more!!”

Am I being too paranoid here? As I said, the ad was on a respected site and the advertiser would have had to have paid some money to place it there.

By: T

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:32:24 +0000

@Jodee: I’ve seen those as well. I also love the blogger jobs where they ask you to write ten “sample” blogs as a “test.” No way. They are going to take those blog “samples” and turn around and publish them. I’ve heard that’s a big scam that these big scammer companies do to generate blogs for free. Then they skip out of town and never hear from them again and they just have 100 plus blog posts written for them (at no expense).

By the way, I have just started a new blog (that’s a rant/tirade type blog) about writing (and marketing). I’ve been so ticked off lately with how freelancers have been treated that I decided to start venting and sticking up for the rights of writers and consultants.

By: T

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:23:34 +0000

@Food Writer: I’m jealous! That’s a niche I would love to break into more. I write a food and wine blog. Food and wine are my passions. I can’t believe people would approach you to write recipes (test, etc.) for FREE! I would think that with your food expertise, you would be held in high regard – how insulting. Good for you for sticking with your principles. I wouldn’t take a non-paid gig either!

By: T

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:20:08 +0000

Please note: there are LEGITIMATE gigs out there. As a copywriter, I am working! Also, remember the energy that you put out there – what you put out there is what you’re going to get back. If you think negatively and aren’t proactive, then you won’t find gigs but if you think positive and put good energy out there (and keep actively looking), good things (and gigs) will happen! There are writing jobs out there and I’m staying busy!

By: T

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:16:57 +0000

Here’s a good one, but it was an actual phone interview I had. Talk about major scammers. When I initially received the email response from the company, I emailed them back and made it clear that I was not interested in ANY type of revenue sharing type writing (it was a for an alternative health wellness site). I was led to believe it was a regular assignment.

When I talked to the guy on the phone, I knew something fishy was up when I got around to payment. He hedged and said those dreaded words “revenue share.” He tried to talk me into it by boasting they were going to be the “best alternative health site in the world. (yes, in the world). They were a “start up company.” Translation: we want you to work for free and we have no guarantee that our site will even make it.

I was annoyed that my time was completely wasted and I politely told him that do not put revenue sharing on legitimate freelance writing sites as freelance writers will not work for free. He understood why I declined (duhhhhhhhh!) I grew more annoyed as he tried to talk me into writing for the site with all these crazed promises about being the best alt. medical site “in the world.” No thanks!

By: Sirena

Sirena — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:51:35 +0000

Great point Arlyn. My question though would be, “How do you “discourage” experienced writers from accepting that price?” I have lost jobs to “experienced” writers who will write an article for $5. I was ranting about it today to my dh and going on about how those are really the “amateurs” that Harlan Ellison was ranting about. I probably sounded like him too. ;o)

By: Karen

Karen — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:03:51 +0000

I don’t know that there is anything you can do to stop writers for writing at rock bottom prices. I think all you can do is hold firm in your unwillingness to do so. At some point the people who pay rock-bottom prices realize (if only briefly) that they get what they pay for. Occasionally I’ll pop onto a bid site like Elance and bid something at a real price just so some of these bozos who only pay rock-bottom prices will see that there are people out there who want and deserve real pay for real work.

There are way too many bait and switch advertisers out there who say in ads, “This is what we pay,” and then when you actually are offered the work the pay is drastically less. I walk away. I’m not going to waste my energy on poorly paid work that could be applied to getting jobs that pay real money.,

By: Rachael I

Rachael I — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:30:48 +0000

Great article, thank you very much. I am brand new to the freelance world and while I now wake up excited again every day…staying away from the scams and wolf’s in sheep’s clothing can be a bit daunting. This was one of the first sights I stumbled upon in my initial research and I am so grateful for it! So thanks again.