freelance writing

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Are You Sure You Want To Do This? A Short Review of Clients From Hell

Posted by george on January 10, 2012
Posted in: Writing. Tagged: , . 7 comments

When folks first start looking at becoming a freelance writer, they typically have bright, shining enthusiasm. They are excited. Some have expectations of fame and fortune. Others would be happy just making a bit of money. I think when I started, I was somewhere in between. I will say that in the last four years, I’ve experienced some up times and a few downers. Probably not too different from most any other profession.

It’s important that any relatively new freelance writers not interpret this post as a cynical attempt to get them fleeing into the hills. This review of Clients From Hell will hopefully serve as an eye opener into the real world of serving clients. The anecdotes seen on Clients will make you laugh. Or cry. Or maybe scare you a little. No matter which way you feel, there is no denying the entertainment value here.

I’ve known about Clients From Hell for a while. I follow them on Twitter and whenever I see a tweet, I just have to go and read the pithy little conversational excerpts that are posted there. I would be less than honest if I said I’ve not had similar experiences.

The web site does not have a lot of doo-dads, side-bars and information overload. It is refreshingly clean and simple. One of the pages I do enjoy is the Clients From Hell shop. Stickers, tee-shirts and even stress balls all emblazoned with the pencil drawn face and the devil horns.

I’m not including any of the excerpts here because I do not have permission to do so. They are simple enough to get at, though. Just click through to the Clients From Hell website and there ya go.

Finally, although I’ve not read it yet, there is the Clients From Hell: A collection of anonymously-contributed client horror stories from designers book available at Amazon. It is soon to be added to my Kindle collection and I just know it won’t disappoint.

If you go over there and poke around a bit, come on back and let us know what you think.

Still A Textbroker Fan

Posted by george on January 4, 2012
Posted in: Writing. Tagged: , . 3 comments

My very first post on this blog was about Textbroker. At the time, I was a fresh-faced, enthusiastic freelance writer. Not so certain about my face being fresh these days but I am still a freelance writer. And I am still a fan of Textbroker. I spent a lot of time there after not visiting for a year or so and I was pleasantly surprised.

Here’s Why

  • It’s not a bidding site. The jobs are listed and categorized. I go through the list, find something I want to write and get started right away. I have control and I don’t have to wait and submit sample articles to the client.
  • There is an expanded author profile section that allows me to add a photo, writing samples, a resume and my interests/hobbies. This is important because Textbroker clients can find me directly and request my services as the writer for their project.
  • I’m paid monthly through PayPal, no muss, no fuss. UPDATE! The folks at Textbroker just tweeted me to let me know that now, weekly payouts are available!
  • I get paid based on my hard work. When you first start with Textbroker you may only accept jobs based on your current rating (a 2-5 scale). The higher your rating, the higher the pay per word. If you do a lot of jobs, you can move up fairly quick. Also, there are a lot more level 5 jobs now as opposed to a year or so ago.
  • Direct orders from clients have the potential to pay even more and can lead to long term client relationships.
  • I can take on as many jobs as I like, although one job has to be completed before another can be taken on.
  • You have the ability to rate the client instructions for each job. Thank goodness because in the past some of the instructions were so convoluted you couldn’t make heads or tails out of what the client wanted.

I encourage you to check them out. If you are a brand-spankin’ new writer then it is a gentle way to cut your teeth. If you are a seasoned freelance writer, it is a quick and easy way to supplement your income during slow times.

Have a peek and come on back to let us know what you think.

An Interesting Guest Post

Posted by george on June 20, 2011
Posted in: Writing. Tagged: , . Leave a Comment

Image from itrelease.com

I’ve got an interesting little guest post for you today. Mariana presents a fresh voice and has a little different take on freelance writing. Enjoy!

Freelance Writing: Tips and Benefits

For those of you who enjoy writing but are unable to find full-time work, freelancing may be the perfect way to build your writing expertise. If you are not interested in working as a full-time writer, you can try freelancing on a subject area that appeals to you. Start doing your research on publications or magazines hiring new part-time writers. Usually, companies post part-time job openings in many classified sections in local papers or even on Craig’s List. If none of the available jobs interest you, try writing to the managing editor or human resources department of a publication. Don’t be discouraged if you do not hear responses right away. You will probably get feedback after sending out a few resumes and cover letters. Make sure to emphasize your expertise or interest in working on a particular subject, be prepared and ready to send in writing samples. Companies usually hire their freelance writers to work on web content or print copy based on their needs, so make sure to explain why you would be an asset to their team. Below are some added benefits of freelancing.

Developing Your Interests

Are you unsure of what career path you would like to take? Are you interested in working for a mining corporation, an oil and gas company, or even in the fashion industry? There are dozens of great publications which specialize in particular fields or industries. Writing about subject matter you are interested in can help you gauge the work involved in that line of business. You will usually be required to do a great deal of research before you write, and this research can help you become acquainted with the field. You may come across a position you would like to do full-time while writing about it!

Working From a Remote Location

A full-time job, based in a specific city or country can tie you down, perhaps even keep you there forever. Freelancing allows you to be a citizen of the world. You can work from your computer at almost any location! This is particularly great for recent college graduates or traveling enthusiasts, wanting to experience different countries and cultures.

Good Work Can Lead to Permanent Job Offers

If a publication company is content with your writing, they may offer you a full-time job at their copy desk or base office. This is especially beneficial for those looking to go into a full-time writing career. The best part: you will already have experience in the company. You can decide whether or not it’s the right fit for you, based on your experience working with the publication’s journalists and editors.

Extra Cash

Prestigious publications can pay hefty sums for important articles. Editors will usually let you know pay rates per word beforehand. There will be no surprises, and you can use the money to supplement your regular income. Or, if you aren’t working, you will probably have time to do more posts or articles!

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.

The Two Sided Writer

Posted by george on February 28, 2011
Posted in: Writing. Tagged: , . 6 comments

I’m a writer. When I first started out trying to get clients and making a living from this, I don’t think I I could have called myself a writer. Nearly three years later I’m pretty comfortable with the moniker. I’m at the point that I have clients that I write for yet there there is another client that always has their stuff put on the back burner. That client would be me.

At the end of the month, every month, I play this little game with myself.  I finish up the remaining bits of what work that needs to be done for my current clients and then I vow to do a better job doing some writing for me in the upcoming month. So here I sit at the end of another month and the writing for me still sits simmering on the back burner.

As a two sided writer, I seem to have developed two sets of standards in terms of what is acceptable for writing goals and deadlines.  For paying clients, the standard is gold and unwavering.  Work is delivered on time and I give my written best. Me, I’m all back of the bus and a-thing. I know that it should be as simple as applying my freelance standards to myself but it never seems to work out that way.

I’m afraid it may have something to do with instant gratification. My clients (God bless ‘em) all pay me on time and I can count on my PayPal account being a tad more full at the beginning of each month. With my writing, money is a serious unknown. When one of my books does get picked up, I know it will be a matter of months/years before I see anything from it. The truly sad part of this is that if I had been working as diligently on my writing as I had my clients, by now I would be hosting martini cocktail parties whilst engaging in droll conversations with those in my publishing circles.

It’s not that I’m not making any progress on my writing, it’s that I’m not putting the passion and hard work into it like I should. In fits and starts I’ll move forward. Spend a weekend sending manuscripts to agents and then not go near a listing for months. I’ve got a completed novel in draft form that I can’t seem to bring to the forefront for the revision process. And I’ve spent some time reading pieces of it and I think it’s wonderful. Yet it sits. And sits.

I keep thinking that some major inspiration will fall from the sky and set me on fire for my writing put thus far that has not happened. A little itch in the back of me brain tells me it may not.

I want to pose this to my fellow two-sided writers. Do you feel the same? Does the writing for you languish? If so, what do you plan on doing about it? If you have conquered this  problem, how did you do it?

Breaking into freelance writing

Posted by george on December 12, 2008
Posted in: Writing. Tagged: , , , . 22 comments

Ok, the first thing you kinda need to do is think about what kind of freelance writing you want to do. Obviously there are a lot of different things out there and you can dabble in all of them or immerse yourself in any one of them.

There’s:

  • Web content
  • Magazine articles
  • Articles for SEO
  • Blog posts
  • Ghost writing
  • Copy writing
  • Darn near anything else you can think of where the written word is needed

Now, in general terms I’ll tell you that finding the freelance work can be a bear.  There are a lot of job boards out there and what you’ll find when you go to most of them is that they just re-hash Craigslist postings.  And Craigslist can be kind of a drag.  I mean, it’s a great place to buy or sell a car or a pair of skies, but it is chock full o’ crap writing gigs.  When you get the chance, just poke around your local Craigs – Look closely at the writers wanted ads and you’ll soon be able to pick out the putrid ones.

There are lots of site such as e-lance that offer big promises but they usually don’t deliver.  I signed up with a few of these in my early days and now I avoid them at all costs.  My strongest advice is that if you sign up for a freelance writing site and it turns out they work on a “bid” basis then back away slowly, turn and run as fast as you can.  Here’s the scoop:  They are open to nearly anyone.  Worldwide.  This means you are competing with writers in a third world country who have a much lower standard of living than you or I.  Here’s an example:  Client wants 20 500 word SEO optimized articles.  Needs them in a week.  Has a budget of $35.  The winning bid  from the twenty or so people who bid on the darned thing, is $20.  For work that will take you a good week to complete.  Sound like a bargain?  Yeah, that’s right.  Pretty stinky.

Here’s what I did:

I signed up with Textbroker.  I submitted a sample article and then they rated my writing ability (they rate on a 1 – 5 star basis) and then I could accept work orders.  The good news is there is no bidding.  Clients post to a single board what it is they need done.  If you see something you like, you accept the job and get to work.  Now, you have to understand that most of these jobs are pretty small time.  Anywhere from 100 to 500 words.  So with each one you make $2 to maybe $6.  Not a lot of money, I know.  But here’s the thing.  Most of the clients want the piece SEO optimized, telling you exactly where they want the keywords.  When I started with Textbroker, I had to go to freakin’ Google and look up SEO!  So writing the articles really got me in the SEO mode.  Here’s the other thing it did for me:  Any client you do work for can choose you in the future to do direct order projects.  The rate of pay is significantly higher and the jobs quite a bit larger.  One of these was worth nearly a thousand dollars, and I’ve had several that were about $100.  I’ve only been with Textbroker a little over three months.  The other good thing is that I can head over whenever I want and do a project or two.  No long term commitments.

Finally, pay attention to some of the freelance writing blog sites and go visit and comment frequently.  I just completed a deal with a site that had too much work for them to handle and because they knew of my style through my comments, I landed the gig.  I don’t have to go looking for any more freelance work for a while.  You know that you’ve got a great personality and writing style – take advantage of all those traits. Follow the freelance writing sites, comment everywhere and let your personality shine through.  I’ll bet you’ll be up to your ears in writing gigs in no time.

Any of you Freelancers got a story to tell?  How did you Break in?