Scam Behind Article Writing
If you browse craigslist everyday, there are a lot of offers in wrtiting/editing section of every City/Country and if you are a newbie, you might get lured into these fake offers. The more you look for an opportunity where you can make small amount of money, the more you lose if you are not careful enough.
It easy to write if you are creative and I believe many of us can write a good and unique content. These scammers, not only stealing your money but also stealing your time. Here are some steps on how to beat them and play fair and square.
1 . Especially in payment, ask your customer to place at least $20 in scriptlance.com escrow. If they ask for an article sample, try to send a ready-made-article and do not write a special article for them. They will usually ask you to write at least 3 articles in different topics, mostly difficult topics. Do not do this and instead, refer them to this page so that their shame will be washed-up upon reading this. No customer could argue on this because this idea of scamming has been widely used for a couple of years now.
2. We are freelancers and we do not work on monthly or weekly basis. Payment is first and foremost thing that we need to consider so make sure the payment process is transparent. Never engage in any transaction that involves weekly , bi-weekly, or monthly payment system. You can only do this if there is a written contract between you and the customer, and if the customer is a well-known company.
3. Make sure you know who are you dealing with. Don’t let others steal your precious time buy not paying you your service.
Here is a warning posted an hour ago by fellow Filipino on craigslist. This is very common and typical.
To all Filipino writers,
Please be advised from answering posted jobs of ” Writer, Internet Marketing Writer, Blogger, Journalist, copywriter, SEO writer, article writer” you often find in this section.
Most of these posters are plain and simple scammers.
They will require you to send them a sample of your work. Then they will email you to write them 3 or 4 additional articles.
After that,they WILL NOT PAY YOU and you will no longer hear from them.
I’ve been a victim of such scam.
In addition, please don’t reply to posted writing jobs promising you $150 monthly. That’s preposterous. Usually, these posters come from other countries whose writer’s compensation is $25/ PER HOUR.
They have the guts to shamelessly demand 10 well-written articles a day for a measly &150/month?Shun them.
Honest and legitimate companies that need writers pay an advance $50 as deposit fee. I know. I have around 5 companies that I submit articles and they gave advance payments of $50.
If an individual or a company refuse to give an advance payment, shun them.
On the average, a good writer can only write 3-well written articles. You should charge $18-$20 per article. That’s the writer’s fee nowadays.
Anything less than this is NOT ACCEPTABLE and a painful INSULT TO US AS WRITERS.
Tell them to post their jobs elsewhere and here in the Philippines.
From a concerned Filipina writer.
Again, make sure the customer has placed an advanced payment at scriptlance or getafreelancer.com escrow service (either site will work but scriptlance is more cheaper). Both of you must have an
account at scriptlance (as a programmer and as a webmaster) and the cx must post a special project just for you. You will thn place your bid on that project and the customer must select you. This is then the time he/she can place an escrow payment for you and this payment cannot be touched unless you (as provider) would cancel it. Explain this to your customer that this is for the safety of both of you. If he/she will not agree on this process, then he/she is just planning to rip you off!
March 25th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
This must be a be good reminder to all esp. like me who really wants to earn money from writing articles.
I am glad you’re back and hope this time you’ll be sweeter.
Thanks for these tips.
March 28th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
It works both ways as well. The common problem when it comes to hiring a writer from the Philippines is the difference of English word applications. Some of my American affiliates who used Pinoy writers in the past complained that the articles have to be re-written most of the time because it just doesn’t meet their criteria.
A lot of the terms or English word learned from the Philippine school hardly make any sense in a typical American lingo. A good example are those training that call center folks need to go through before they get hired as permanent call center person.
It’s true that the average rate for article writer could be $10-$12. Again, these are for the folks who have proven themselves that they how to write for the internet readers. And writing for the internet reader is a complete different science.
These articles have to be search engine optimized, keyword enriched and will answer the readers question, “what’s in it for me?”. I know these things because I’m a Pinoy too but I know the writing style needed for internet are not taught in school.
Pinoy writers could command whatever rate they want to make. But the higher they asked the lesser chances they will get any writing assignments.
Would it be better to start somewhere a little bit lower and gradually work your way up. The bottom line, the writer whether Pinoy writer or not…you have to prove your worth first!
And if there are scammers who hire writers, there are non-compliant writers as well those who ask for advance payment. It works both ways remember?
March 28th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Thank you so much for this blog! This will serve as a stern warning not only to Filipino writers but to scammers.
I’m so glad there are people like you who still care for the welfare of others.
To you, my sincerest thanks!
March 29th, 2008 at 2:54 am
Hi Rose and Ager,
Thanks for visiting this blog. yes, internet writing (SEO) writing is totally different. I am working at call center as well and the ACE or Accent and Conversational English is totally different from what we learned from schools during our schooldays.
But of course not all writers are honest as well. That’s why I suggested to use at least simple escrow system to put both parties in safe…
BTW… I’ve been writing for quite a long time for SEO and recently, an one company from US offered me to write some academic articles like thesis and report but I had to decline the offer because the requirement is too far beyond my writing skills. The offer was actually $15/page of 280 words…
There are a lot of companies and individual customers who offer fair to excellent price if they know you are real and honest..
Writing is one of some online opportunities where you can make some extra $$ if you have dedication and time.
March 30th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
*sigh* If only getting high-paying jobs (such as the one described in the CraigsList post) were so easy…
As well meaning as Concerned Filipina Writer was, it’s simply not the reality for most freelancers starting out today. Unless you happened to land a spot on a prestigious magazine or got on board with a high-profile writing team, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll get such rates. That’s why many writers settle for measly $2/article rates - that’s all to be found online. As for the honesty and integrity, that’s fairly difficult to prove over the internet, especially since money is involved.
However, thank you for the post. All writers need to know how to start out properly without putting themselves in too much risk. There’ll always be risks when writing online, but those risks are minimized with your suggested procedure.
March 31st, 2008 at 1:58 am
Hello! Thanks so much for the warning. Your tips are so helpful to writers like me who are just starting to explore the internet as a possible alternative for making money. I have just been recently hired as a writer for academic papers, and they pay a minimum of P100.00 per page (depending on the submission date), payout date is every 15th and 30th of the month. Frankly, this is okay for me, because it augments my income.Helps a lot in paying the bills. My 8-5 gov’t job doesn’t pay much, so this freelance project is a big help, despite the underpayment. Poverty is one big factor why writers like me accept the underpaid project anyway.Pardon me for using this cliche: Sad, but oh-so-true.
March 31st, 2008 at 5:59 am
I just happened to read the above information about writing job scams AFTER I posted to ads on craigslist asking for writers for $100-150 USD per month for about 20 hours per week. I am NOT a scammer, but I do see the reasons for your concerns, and I have beem the victim of such scams myself. For example, writing three articles as part of the application process, article that I am sure were used but I never heard from the company again.
I would like some honest feedback on what I have posted below. I would like to know what part you think is fair and what is not. I tried to research what the cost of living is in the Philippines, the usual pay for journalist (which I see from an article in the Manila Times is HORRIBLE!) and to offer a wage that is affordable for my small publication but fair to someone living abroad who has the right skills. I was not aware of the escrow website you mention and I will check that out immediately. I would like your feedback and I am willing to make changes to my approach accordingly if reasonable. Here is the ad that I posted on craislist, under Manila, writers jobs, but I haven’t seen it go through yet. Plesae let me know what you think. I appreciate it. John Earl, editor, Orange Coast Voice newspaper, Huntington Beach, California.
Craigslist ad:
Online reporter needed
The Orange Coast Voice newspaper in Huntington Beach, California, USA, is looking for someone with good journalism skills to work about 20 hours per week via internet, reporting on local government news in several communities in Orange County, California in the United States.
The Orange Coast Voice is a printed and online journal. The print version has a local circulation of 15,000. You can view our blog at http://www.ocvoice.wordpress.com or our web site (being remodeled) at http://www.ocvoice.com. PDF files of past print versions of the paper are available online.
The Voice is a politically progressive newspaper and we are looking for a politically progressive reporter.
This will be on a freelance and experimental basis for three months starting in June, 2008. If the trial run proves to be efficient and your job performance has been good, there will be the possibility of regular freelance work for you with our paper for more hours and more money.
Specifically, you will be reporting on local government meetings that are broadcast live and on video archives on local government web sites that are open to the public. You would be writing 2 or 3 800-1,000 word stories per month. Most of the information you need for these stories will be available in the videos and in documents provided from official web sites or from the editor. If needed, local staff can do story related interviews or you will conduct the interviews by e-mail or Skype Internet phone.
You will need a webcam and (broadband) cable or DSL connection as well as Skype (downloaded for free) and MSN Messenger, latest version, FireFox browser and a gmail account (google.com).
You will also need Word, OpenOffice (free) or StarOffice (free from google.com).
The pay would be approximately $100 (no less) USA per month paid through PayPal every two weeks. After 1 month of satisfactory work the pay would go to $150 USA.
Basic and preferred qualifications:
*politically progressive person preferred
*must have a basic or better knowledge of the American political system or the willingness to learn more.
*2 years journalism experience or more preferred
*excellent written, verbal and research skills (using the Internet)
Contact me at ocvoice02@gmail.com and attach your resume with references and 2 3 writing (reporting samples). I will contact you for a live, online interview if you qualify.
Thank you
John Earl
Editor
Orange Coast Voice
U.S.A.
Location: Online
March 31st, 2008 at 6:13 am
wow. the craiglist poster says that she has around 5 companies she’s working for at a rate of $18-20 per article. That’s sounds like it’s a lot of cash. Care to share which companies these are? I mean since we’re all sharing and tipping one another off.
March 31st, 2008 at 7:44 am
Hi John,
First of all, thanks for visiting this simple page. I review your offer the rate is reasonable for some new writers. Journalism here in Philippines is one of high-lay paid profession, especially if you are working in big companies and media publications.
Getafreelancer.com and Scriptlance.com are just 2 of the most reliable sites in freelance projects with that budget of yours, you could get some experienced and reputable individuals.
As a regular writer, I would suggest you to pay on per article basis and not on per hour. Based on my experience, articles or writings made by someone who is paid hourly always has a poor quality. For example, a $7.00 to $10.00 rate for a 500-word article is reasonable.
Hope you find this useful and thanks again for dropping by.
Raden
March 31st, 2008 at 11:33 am
I think it’s okay for you to ask for a per- hour rate, as long as you know how many articles you can complete within that time. For example, if you can finish at least 3 500-word articles in an hour’s time, and charge around $3 for each, you can ask the client to pay you $9 per hour. I do agree, though, that it’s better not to go for a monthly payment, as oftentimes the equivalent daily rate is so much lower than what you may expect.
This, I guess, is the reality here in the Philippines. I very much agree with Ager’s point. The main reason why we can get offers from foreign clients is because we charge lower than our other foreign counterparts such as Americans and English people. I think the logic is this: if our rates are very similar to them, then mabuti pang maghire sila ng kapwa nila. At least, they are assured na ma-meet talaga yung language specifications ng client.
Unless you have a very strong portfolio, I think it’s not going to be a good idea to ask clients to pay you more than $5 per article. We also need to prove that we deserve the money they are paying us.
March 31st, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Well, actually what I am offering would come out to over $50 USD per article. Here is typcially what would be involved. The writer would be reporting on a city council meeting in my city that is broadcast live on the Internet. There is also a video archive of that meeting a day or two later on the city’s web site. Ahead of the meeting, I would send the necessary documentation that the writer needs to read for background. I would explain who all the politicians are, anything the writer needs to know. So they would spend an hour or two reading the documentation. Then they would watch the parts of the video that have topics I have assigned. Sometimes they might watch the entire video looking for additional possible stories. Watching the video the first time would be two hours at the most, usually much less. The article would be from 500-1000 words. There might be interviewing involved, which could be done by e-mail or by myself and other staff here locally. As editor, I would ad any additional information that needs to be in the article. So all that might take a total of 10 hours, more or less a few hours.
The style of our newspaper is that we cover local politics with more depth than the “mainstream” or corporate newspapers. We are also a very progressive newspaper politically, very pro-union, protect the environment, challenging corporations, etc. And we have a very low budget because we are NOT corporate, just individual journalists who care about social issues and who hope they can make a viable business in the future by doing something good at the same time. For that reason, we attract very good American writers. The problem is, that since we can’t pay them good wages by American standards, they all have other jobs to sustain themselves or they quickly get jobs at higher paying mainstream papers. So my idea and hope was that with the same money I would be able to pay a foriegn writer the same wage, but that it would be a fair wage for them in their country. It’s an experiment at this point. I don’t know if it will work because it might be too difficult for the foreign writer to grasp the basics of local American city politics. But I thought that the Internet might make it workable. There also might be times that the writer could report on issues related to their own country. For example, we are very interested in any American corporations in our area that may be doing business in the Philippines and how they treat their workers or other issues. I hope this explains things a bit more. We are very open. I am very willing to talk with anyone by free internet phone (Skype, for example) if you are interested. Meantime, I will check out the recommended web sites above. Thank you to everyone for your responses! Your comments are helpful.
John Earl
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:11 pm
What would you say about the poster that identifies others’ “writers wanted” posts as something to avoid?
I posted the ad, “Writers from Cagayan de Oro and nearby cities.” Someone immediately posted “Re:Writers from Cagayan de Oro and nearby cities” to warn readers to “Ignore the writing ad and move on to a more competitive job offers”? What’s worse, the poster proceeds to claim that i will just pay P90.00 and will sell them at $25-$30? My offer is actually $3.00 and I can show proof (even let the client attest to the $3.00 rate). Also, I tell applicants that if the USD 3.00 “doesn’t work well (with you), we would understand.” There’s no insult there. I myself continue to accept and write $3.00/500-word articles during lean times. It doesn’t make me feel miserable and abused. I decided to accept them, no one forces me.
Reading these warnings before, I was silently thanking the poster as these are really a big help. I also believed that the posts identified by these warnings are real scammers, and I despised them. Now that I got this treatment, I pitied those previous posts. Obviously, they are as legitimate as I am but were just subjected to these hateful and irresponsible “warnings.”
I appreciate and support anybody’s efforts at trying to elevate the writers’ pay. However, casting aspersions to anybody’s posts without investigating is highly irresponsible.
I’d like to make a call: Let us continue trying to improve writers’ fees. But let’s do it intelligently and responsibly. Whoever is posting those warnings, I appreciate and respect your efforts. Continue your crusade and you have my support. However, identify only the posts that you have personal knowledge of. Also, while others scam writers with test assignments, these are not scam per se, and those that do not advance payments should not also be identified as scammers. I have an account with GAF and $3 is a norm, advance payment is not.
It’s easy to call someone a thief even though he’s not. When you do that, people will believe he’s a thief; or if they give him the benefit of the doubt–it’s all the same, they doubt him. Either way, he is maligned.
Yours truly,
Ron
April 7th, 2008 at 4:13 am
Thanks for posting this. It’s about time someone does something about this issue.
I agree with many of the comments here, and I can definitely empathize with those who have been scammed and are trying to push for better pay etc. US writing opportunities seem to be better for us Filipino writers because we can work from home and don’t have to spend time and money going to an office at least 1 hr away, to earn such a small amount. But if it’s a scam, it is not worth it.
The reason we take such low-paying jobs and fall for such scms is that we accept the conditions. We are trying to make a decent living out of our writing skills but $2 for an article of about 400 words — that’s only roughly P90, not even P1 per word! If you need the experience, that might be a good gig. But sometimes it just feels like we’re doing a lot of work for the small pay. As Lemski said, we charge lower than writers in other countries — but more than this, it’s not what we charge, but what we accept. As someonee said in craigslist, we’re not factories.
A second point: Writing in a second language — which is what we Filipinos writing in English are doing, basically — is of course much more difficult than writig in our first language. We tend to think in Tagalog then translate to English, and if we’re not familiar with spoken and written English to begin with, lagot. It means we don’t know the idioms, the nuances, the proper prepositions (the Tagalog “sa” gets automatically translated to “on” for some reason, when it could mean “for” or “about” etc.) — and even subject-verb agreement somtimes. THEREFORE, the American readers can’t understand what we’re trying to say.
Good writing is good writing — in any language, in any medium. If we want to get better, we have to expose ourselves to the language we want to write in (e.g. English) and the audience we want to write for (e.g. Americans). Maybe we end up writing in English because we think there are more opportunities for advancement using this language than our own.
Obviously this doesn’t justify the scams. If only there was a way to tell whether a craigslit post/er isn’t really a scam/mer…
April 11th, 2008 at 3:43 am
I’ve onlybeen introduced to hte possibilities - and hte scams– of online writing businesses. Too bad, my first encounter was with a Filipino scammer. I realize the enormous potential here but I must say, from the postings I’ve seen n craigslist and on other online directories, the ads looing for writers, assuming they’re legitimate offers compenssation htat’s so ridiculously cheap the posters should be ashamed of themselves.
John, a lot of American companies doing business in the Philippines, engaged in exactly the same htings these ads advertise fr, pay an average of $450 USD/monthly as basic pay. On top of that, they offer a bunch of perks, too. While it’s definitely above minimum wage, htt’s definitely way below what they would have paid in their home countries.
Contrary to what popular TV seems to project, filipinos are not a bunch of idiots who happen to be smart enough to actually write out something better htan other people could. Be fair, be reasonable, do your research. I’m not saying pay your remote writers this or that much. But consider your qualifications and expectations when you make an offer.
I made about $250 USD/month on a two-month, 20-hlur week stint tutoring Koreans and helping them with their English skills. The job wasn’t as tedious and as demanding as you described above. And the Koreans are pretty generous, too. So although your offer is interesting becaue of the intellectual challenge it poses, the pay is deplorably unreasonalbe, I would have to have below zero self-esteem and no sense of self-worth to actually considering taking your hundred dollars.
If anyone wants to write to me, please do so at susan_ads08@yahoo.com
April 14th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Susan:
I think you’re being a bit unfair, but I respect your opinion. The pay you describe for the teaching job is very poor. I could have received far more than that for a similar position more than 10 years ago. Such jobs were plentiful then in South Korea.
I checked one of the freelance web sites listed in a previous posting and what I am offering seems much better, but it depends on how much time actually has to be spent. If someone in the Philippines spent 10-20 hours on one article for $50, that’s probably pretty good pay relatively speaking. I would be willing to cut the hours in half even, and say $100 for approximately 40 hours a month. That could be anywhere from 2-4 articles depending on the need for research and complexity.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Wow, guys, why are you working for so low ? Forget this rentacoder, getafreelancer, craiglist, DP forums, etc. They are flooded with clients who have $100 in pocket - their monthly budget. And they will resell your work for $1000. I don’t know how you can survive in 3rd world if you at least don’t make $1000/month. AT LEAST!
Sites with jobs are free. Anyone from Africa can come and sell his time for $50 a month. Will you compete with him ? If you are an expert leave it to part-timers and other retards.
Directly contact magazines, translation agencies and so on. You are the ones who ruin the market at first cause you accept such jobs.
And…to poster who tried to research what is typical rate for philipino/indian/whatever writer. That’s frankly to say non of your business. All you should care about to get the job done. People may charge more than their standard of living and your point is ?!!!
“10-20 hours on one article for $50″ OMG !!!! Are you joking ?
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I agree with Ron. The so called Filipina writer/s who’ve been posting warnings and counterposts may have reason to do so but to generalize every post that appears is quite out of line.
Scanning even GetAFreelance.com and other freelancing sites, the average rate is nowhere the rates she stated. Some are lucrative, yes, but typically, $10/article is already high. I would consider myself lucky if I get a $5/article gig. We all won’t be bottom-feeding in craiglist if we have the connections to the magazines and publications, right?
In addition, there are people who flag posts, particularly those who offer fees that are bigger than what is sually offered in craiglist. One of my employers now (she pays $6/article) complained when she re-posted her wanted ad that her earlier post was flagged for unknown reasons. It seems some who are greedy immediately flag those kind of articles to prevent other from applying. They’re afraid perhaps that better writers would ruin their chances of getting hired?
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:02 pm
To John, Alex and Ronald: Point well taken.
John,I’m not being unreasonable. A hundred dollars a month for what you expect IS unreasonable. The Korean stint that paid a “measly” US$250 for an 80-hour month, I assure you, isn’t a total brain-drain kind of teaching job. It was basically me getting paid to talk in English and spell a few things out. The only “demanding” aspect of that assignment was for me to speak slowly and enunciate well. So no, its nowhere near “poor”. It was an excellent part-time that didn’t require much thinking. Having said that, I maintain your original post for $100-150 monthly is deplorably low for what the job requires. Fifty dollars on an article you spend 10-20 hours on, or $100 for 40 hours might be reasonable. And “might” being the operative word in that.
At the moment, I write exclusively for one company (hat, American, yes)and the rate is flat, paid out per week. Output is at my own pace and time.The fact that I have the freedom to work at my own pace and at my own time with no quota whatsoever drives me to perform well. I understand where they’re coming from. I have a fairly good idea how much in costs they’re saving by outsourcing the job. And they know that I know. I make sure they get more than what they bargained for. I’m happy they pay me well. They’re happy I write well. Their clients are happy with the quality of content they get at such a price. Everybody’s happy, everybody wins.
To Pinoy writers out there. Here’s something I learned from a former boss (ahh, yeah, he’s American):
No one is indispensable. One thing anyone can do though, is to make himself/herself so valuable that the company would suffer a great loss if he/she leaves.
That works well for me.
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:05 pm
To Ronald,
I am one of those legitimate writers who flagged down craigslist writing jobs that offered $2 per article.
If I understand my math, that payment would translate to around P90. You would deduct your electricity costs and time spent while writing the article and you could end up with a fairly good idea why WE LEGITIMATE WRITIERS FEEL INSULTED with such brazen disrespect.
I feel sad, Ronald, that our flagging such post conveyed to you that we are greedy.
Really I do.
No legitimate writers, either here in the Philippines or in other countries would accept such bread-crumb payments.
Please excuse me for saying so but I suspect that you are not a writer yourself.
I hope I’m mistaken.
I think you belong to those job posters who would only pay P90 per article to writers.
Then you sell those writeups to your clients abroad for $20 a per article. You want to earn a comfortable living at our expense.
Why don’t you just write the article yourself so you will know the mental processess involved in it?
I meant no offense, Ronald, but I beg you to show some respect for us.
Oh, by the way, I assure you one thing. Our group will continue to flag down job writing posts that pay $2.
Thanks for your views, Ronald, and have a good day!
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:47 am
I am an American. Recently I applied for a writing job for a German magazine. Like any prospective employer, they naturally asked for evidence from me that I possessed a command of their language and could write - not just correctly, but impressively, effectively and persuasively. They asked for examples of my work (as any responsible prospective employer would do) so that they could determine my qualifications for themselves. I submitted my work. They kindly replied that my command of the German language was insufficient for the job. They weren’t willing to pay $2 per article, much less $20. They sent copy of their expectations and I could clearly see that my sentence structure, spelling, vocabulary, understanding and appreciation of their culture, were all sorely lacking. This experience has made me realize that I am attempting to conveniently sit at home at my computer and make a living at writing German articles, even if they are rendered worthless by my own inadequacies and my refusal to escalate my skills in German to a level of proficiency necessary to qualify for the job.
Now, for you writers who are attempting to land big bucks writing (mostly poorly) in a 2nd language, rewrite the above paragraph and substitute ‘Filipino’ for ‘American’ and ‘American’ for ‘German’. That might help get you past your preconceived notions, self-serving opinions and cultural prejudices so you can see yourself and your actions more clearly and objectively. Doing so might reveal the crux of the problem and give you a starting point on resolving ‘the real problem’ - or not.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:22 am
To Jennifer:
Perhaps you didn’t understand my post. To make it clearer to you, what my post meant is
1. As in all other things, it is bad to generalize. There are always exceptions, and your branding everyone that posts ads that do not meet your desired rates is not only bad manners but unethical as well. Why deprive those who would like to do those jobs?
2. What I described as greedy are those who flag posts that offer $5 or more. I think it is an strategy to cut-off competition, as less people that see the ads, the less applicant there will be. And more chances of mediocre writers to clinch the job. If you flag those posts as well, then I say you are greedy.
As I said earlier, we are all bottom-feeding in craiglist, so it means that we can’t get jobs from mainstream publications. Because if you do, you won’t even have time to scan the craiglist postings, do you?
I know that you feel insulted with those rates. I am too, but I just ignore them. Who knows, those posting may just find someone who really needed those pennies to buy food for his kids. Would you feel better if you sucessfully remove an ad, knowing that someone somewhere is deprived of a job. Even in the US, there are postings that are really incredible. Some don’t even pay at all but will just promise royalties, depending on the success of the endeavor.
My point is we all have freedom to choose. I select postings that I respond to and only proceed with the application if I’m comfortable with the job after the initial interchange. I certainly don’t want someone preempting me and cleaning the list of what she sees as garbage. Who knows if I found something valuable there?
You can make your warning as often as you like and as long as you like. But please don’t impose your will on all of us!
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:56 am
Brian
I am not in agreement with your comparison. have you learned German since you were in Kindergarten? Filipinos are being taught English since they started to learn speaking their first language. I am not saying that Filipino’s English ability is 100% perfect but in terms of writing, a Filipino writer has a better grammar than an American non-writer. It means that Filipino English is better than your German. If you learned German since you were a kid, then I agree with you and you can compare the situation…
Filipino writers uses better grammar because they are not using slang (not good in writing)…
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:57 am
To Jennifer:
Here’s an example why I say that the flaggers are greedy. The higher-paying jobs are removed outright, while the low-paying jobs are left, for all to see. Are you serious in your being outraged? Look.
This posting appeared in craiglist in April 19. Barely 12 hours later, it is gone.
Content Writers Needed (Online)
Reply to: job-647963511@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-04-19, 3:30PM PHT
US-based company seeks experienced writers for high quality SEO articles.
Pay for each article will be $10 USD for 500-600 words. You are paid upon each article completion. We use Paypal. Let us know if you prefer a different payment method. Most subjects are about Interior Design, area rugs and floor covering in general. We provide the keywords. Original content only!
- Ability to meet deadlines.
- Be reliable
- Excellent English grammar and spelling.
- Minimum 10 article per month
Please submit a resume together with a sample of one of your written articles.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
* Location: Online
* Compensation: $10 per article
* This is a part-time job.
* OK to highlight this job opening for persons with disabilities
* Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
* Please, no phone calls about this job!
* Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
=============================
The following appeared in craiglist April 9, and it’s still posted there.
neeed writers right away
Reply to: job-635488894@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-04-09, 9:52AM PHT
We need writers to write 250-300 word articles. You do not need to be a professional writer or know about the topics. You will get the information from online sources and re-write it.
We will pay $2.00 US per article via paypal, xoom or some other reasonable source.
We have a lot of work for the right person or persons, so if you are able to produce them for us, we will be able to employ you for quite a while.
Compensation: We are paying $2.00 US per article
OK to highlight this job opening for persons with disabilities
Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
See why I call the you flaggers greedy? You want the high-paying jobs to yourselves, so you immediately flag these after you had responded to the posting. If you are serious in protecting the Filipino writers, shouldn’t you ask for the removal of those low-paying gigs first. I know it’s not the posters who removed the postings, because as I said my employer now suffered the same fate when she posted her ad in craiglist.
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
To All, particularly Ronald,
I understand your point completely. You intention is to provide jobs to those writers who will take the $2 per article offer.
In addition, you call a writer greedy when he/she flags down a high-paying job while ignoring the $2 per article offer.
Of course, that’s your opinion and I respect it. Most of my writer friends respect your opinions , too but beg to politely disagree.
However, bear with us when we writers make a reality check. We don’t write for a living. Writing is NEVER, NEVER our means of PRIMARY LIVELIHOOD. We can survive even if we don’t write.
In my whole life ( I hope it’s just me), I have never met a writer who rents a cramp space and with 4 hungry children to feed as you alluded.
No, sir. Writers have always a primary source of livelihood. Either they have working husbands, working wives, or fresh college graduates who get bored with time that they CHOOSE TO WRITE for some extra bucks.
So what’s my point?
Simple. Writes can do without writing.
That’s a fact of life.
But, and here’s the big BUT, employers like you who have this fancy offices and have clients abroad DESPERATELY NEED WRITERS.
Whether you pay %2 or $10 per article, it’s all the same. The demand for writing talent is there.
And here’s the crux of the matter. Some employers ( of course, not you) would like us writers to believe that they can only afford a $2 per article.
$2 ?
Now, now, now. Let’s be honest with one another, shall we?
These emplyer’s own and drive fancy cars. Their offices are in plush buildings with aircons and state-of-the-art equipment.
They sip coffee at Starbucks, eat lunch at Max’s, and have dinner with their families at a plus restaurant.
You know why,Ronald?
Because they are making a killing out of writers. They are taking advantage of them.
They only pay a measly $2 per article to writers who stay up all night just to complete the assignments while these employers are sleeping soundly in their air-conditioned condominiums.
Now, Ronald as well as others here, tell us writers we are wrong when we feel abused, mentally-raped, and insulted when employers post a $2 pay per article.
Tell us we unreasonable when we cry out for a little respect.
Tell us we are greedy when we immediately flag down a job posting that pays $2 or $10 per article.
If you can tell us, then we will gladly work and accept such lowly pay…
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Endless generalizations. That’s your problem. You always put people in the same boat, when the reality is exactly the opposite.
No poor writers? Would you wake up please? What are people doing in craiglist if not looking for some jobs? Granted they have other jobs. I do too, and it is for this reason that I can choose which ads to respond to. Bottom-line is people scanning the pages of craiglist are there to look for jobs, to earn some money. Whether they use it for their family or for luxuries is beside the point.The point is you have no right dictating to us what we would be able to read in the list. Your flagging the list is a form of prior restraint - censorship even - that writers abhor.You should know that, being a legitimate writer as you claim.
And you did not care to answer why the $2 gig was not removed outright when the higher-paying ones were removed at once. Tell me, did you get the job? You loudly denounce these $2 posts but you won’t even lift a finger to remove them? Afraid of competition, eh?
If you want competitive rates, why not join in the bidding in getafreelancer.com? You can set your rate there. I just hope you won’t at all be insulted when someone from India or Pakistan gets the job because he bid much lower than you do.
That’s the point of outsourcing, my dear. Those in Western countries get their labor force from countrie which offer lower standards of living and hence, lower pays. If you demand the same rate as they pay in their own countries, do you think they would risk their businesses and reputations dealing with anonymous and relatively untested writers.
You keep on ranting against those who scammed you. I agree with you that people should be wary of crooks that are everywhere. But why target everyone, without even knowing if these are the same people who scammed you?
C’mon, get a life…
PS.
NO, I’M NOT ONE OF THOSE WHO POST WANTED ADS IN CRAIGLIST. I’M A WRITER TOO, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I was about to think that I was mistaken about you, sir Ronald, but your statement ” That’s your problem” did it all.
You are right when you said that.
Low pay is indeed writers’ collective problem. It still is .
And here’s what we writers are doing about it. We group together and decide to flag down any $2 or $10 writing post.
This will send a strong message to posters to stop exploiting us.
And here’s the good news.
Writers in India are picking up the tab. Right now they are doing the same thing that we writers here are doing.
And that is flagging down posts that insult writers’ skills.
And since you are not a writer yourself, but pretend to be one, you can brazenly say, ” That’s your problem”.
Thank you, Ronald. You just showed us your so-called support.
And to show our gratitude for “concerned writer” like you, we assure you our continuing vigilance in flagging down posts that insult writers.
Thanks to people like you, writers are positively responding to our call.
In other words, no one will answer your posts. If ever someone respond to your call, he/she could be a newbie in the field that can not produce the exacting standards of writing.
And what about those employers who have already committed to their clients abroad? Here’s what will happen. They will gradually fall short in delivering the quantity of needed articles.
Eventually, employers like you will be compelled to offer competitive pricing to attract writers.
If you don’t, no one will write for you and you will go out of business.
But hey, don’t feel sad. You have still other options. You can post your measly writing offers in Africa or Nigeria.
Who knows, some writers there may take on your offer.
April 24th, 2008 at 2:45 am
This is my last post on this topic.
I hate to be rude by I have to say it. It is no wonder that you’re doing what you’re doing because, from your writing style and grammar, you are unemployable. Thus you hate competing in free markets where your mediocre talent would surely be overwhelmed by new, younger writers who got more talent than you do. You can’t properly compose paragraphs (one sentence paragraphs, anyone?), commits a lot of grammatical errors, and you have addled thoughts, obviously ruined by your hatred.
I’ve exposed your strategy so i won’t be commenting anymore. To summarize, here’s what you achieved:
1. Fewer or no posting in craiglist for writers. Oh yes, there are some who do but when they offer high rates you flag them down for your own selfish ends. That’s being protective to Filipino writers?
2. In doing your flag higher-paying post while leaving behind the lower paying ones routine, you are subtly telling new writers who would want to embark on writing careers that is is both risky (hence the warnings) and unproductive (the low rates you allow people to see). You are discouraging new writers from entering the field through this routine. Why? because your afraid of competition, and because of your insecurities. I don’t at all wonder with the so-callled writing talent of yours. I, too, would not pay your articles written so pooorly.
3. You impose your will on all of us other writers who are trying to make a living. You think you are more intelligent than us that we can’t decide for ourselves what we ought to see or not. You’re even worse than MTRCB with what you’re doing.
In ending, don’t be so sure that one of these days someone would get back at you for what you’re doing. Some of the posters you had maliciously maligned may have the means to track you down. And it is not only maligning that your doing, you’re actually interfering with actual economic activities, my dear. As far as I can tell, the posters don’t violate any law offering those measly sums, but what you are doing may be illegal.
Please re-read craiglist’s terms of use, parts of it read as follows:
xxx
7. CONDUCT
You agree not to post, email, or otherwise make available Content:
a) that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, libelous, invasive of another’s privacy, or is harmful to minors in any way;
xxx
p) that disrupts the normal flow of dialogue with an excessive amount of Content (flooding attack) to the Service, or that otherwise negatively affects other users’ ability to use the Service; or
xxx
s) “stalk” or otherwise harass anyone;
xxx
v) post non-local or otherwise irrelevant Content, repeatedly post the same or similar Content or otherwise impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure;
xxx
z) use any form of automated device or computer program (”flagging tool”) that enables the use of craigslist’s “flagging system” or other community moderation systems without each flag being manually entered by the person that initiates the flag (an “automated flagging device”), or use the flagging tool to remove posts of competitors, or to remove posts without a good faith belief that the post being flagged violates these TOU;
xxx
Do you know that it would be easy to track you down and ask your ISP to ban you? You leave footprints everywhere when you surf the net and they can identify you through those foootprints. Why, you even admitted here you’re the one flagging the posts. Remember the person who started the i-love-you virus? Authorities were able to track him down, even if he’s using public computers. Think karma, my dear.
I write better than you do so stop saying I’m not a writer. People reading this would know.
Enough said.
April 24th, 2008 at 3:34 am
What a pity.
While all the while we are discussing valid issues and concerns here, our dear friend Ronald resorted to personal attacks.
Like he alleged he is a better writer than me, etc…
A pity, indeed.
Do we writers sense a desperation in you, our dear friend Ronald, because our vigilant flagging of yor measly posts have adversely affect your business?
Tsk-tsk-tsk!
And oh, by the way, please reserved your veiled threats to the newbies, like tracking ISPs,banning, etc..
As of this press time, there are 37 writers all in all, watching vigilantly against unscrupulous job posters like you.
Remember, the word is ” unscrupulous”.
They take turns flagging undesirable posts, and they are spread throughout the Philippines. These writers finally realized the strenght in cohesive action.
Now you threatened to track us down. For what? For hurting your business? Be our guest.
You would not have felt offended if you play fair and square, and give writers its proper due, right Ronald?
Before I forget, I would just add this tiny bit of info about me:
I work here in Makati City as full time Web Content writer/ Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ) Specialist. On weekends, I write a column in a national newspaper, as well as in two other national magazines.
So I guess you are right when you said that you are a better writer than me, Ronald. You see, I have to turn down other freelance writing assignments because I no longer have time to do it.
And yes, I play fair and square. My actions are transparent for all to see. Only unscrupulous job posters would whimper like a cry-baby when their business is down and their secret motives are exposed to public scrutiny.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:07 am
@ Ronald
Please learn first the difference between “your” and you’re” before you start parading yourself as a “good writer”.
And on craigslist tracking down flaggers, do you have any idea how confidential these info are? There are very few institutions with the capability (and legal right) to possess these data, and you’re implying that craigslist admins are gonna use this to track people who flagged down their posts? Lulz.
I’m not even taking sides but I can’t just let pass the irony of people like you on the ‘net. Talking big behind the keyboard only makes you look more stupid. I was initially thinking you had a point, but you lost all your credibility with that know-it-all’ish post.
“I write better than you do so stop saying I’m not a writer. People reading this would know.” *Facepalm*
April 24th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Good points raised in the discussion. One thing though. If there is a group that’s supposedly flagging down “low paying” writing offers, then how come the posting that was mentioned is still there?
It’s 8:30 p.m., April 24. Yet the April 9 post offering $2 per article is still there. Why is it still there?
April 24th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
To Brian and Raden, you both have an equally legitimate point.
Raden, you’re right. The fact that we learn English at the grass roots level doesn’t put us on equal footing with an American trying to write in German. However, a knowledge of slang and a good grasp of contemporary American (or English, or Aussie, as it applies) lifestyle and culture is necessary for effective content writing. The web is nothing like a traditional paper. You know that. You can only produce something people might actually want to read if you present it in the manner and context that appeals TO them. Enough said.
Brian, in your case you say they were unwilling to pay $2 and that your skills are sorely lacking. In the case of Filipinos here, the exploiters gladly pay $2 and resell the articles for $20. Big difference.
I agree. A lot of Filipinos think they’re good because they can write. No questions. The grammar is perfect (or close to). But it’s mostly trash submissions because the style and overall tone does not go well with the original intent of the job.
Bottomline, you screen your prospects. You decide whom to hire. You don’t hire someone who doesn’t suit your needs. In that context, $2-3 is deplorably low for a 500-word output.
April 24th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
wow, interesting thread.
Jennifer, good points. I’m joining the team and promise to flag down scammer posts. I’m still wondering what to do with Filipinos who bid for jobs and hire writers offline for $2 a piece.
Ronald, you sound so typically Pinoy in the bad sense. Geez, I initially thought you had valid points but please, you sound so desperate its disgusting. This is so reminiscent of a time when Filipinos feel, and act like they’re below other people, that they’re “not worth as much” simply because they’re Filipinos. Please, stop. Third world or first world, people should be treated right. I feel the pain of the past and the harshness of discrimination on more ways than one. It’s not going to stop unless people like you would step up and demand respect. I think that’s what Jennifer and the rest of the writers are doing, not being greedy. I don’t think their flagging is imposing their will on us all; it’s trying to protect new entrants from suffering the same fate we all have.
Wake up, Pinoys! We’re not slaves. We’re free men and women. We’re entitled to the same kind of respect everyone else is. Don’t take crap from anyone.
April 25th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Great forum you have here. I feel lucky to have stumbled on this site because I learned so much and opened my eyes. I am one of the many writers who flag down scammer’s posts in craigslist. I am based in Cagayan de Oro.
Lately, I was surprised to see application letters in my emails. I consulted my wife who is a computer programmer. She told me that it is a trick by vicious, angry individuals to track down my IP address and send me virus IF I RESPOND TO IT. It is also possible that the originator of these emails want to have my IP ban. Luckily, I just ignored it.
I am posting this to warn my other fellow writers not to fall for this trap.It seems like we have hit these scammers hard that they want to punish us for what we have done to them.
April 26th, 2008 at 1:52 am
very interesting… it’s like WORD WAR III here… I’m actually one of those newbies. Hail the higher powers, I have yet to be scammed. I am actually thankful for the warnings posted in craigslist. When i apply for writing jobs, i always ask for payment options. Due to the volatile EE-ER relationships in online writing, i always opt for the weekly payments.
Now, I would just like to raise some points, that in itself are contradictory consequences of the online writing business. First, I am aware of my limitations and although I would love to think of myself as a very, very good writer, I know I’m not. I’ve been stuck in dead-end jobs for years, in far-away cities, my fault, i must admit. So when i discovered that I can do something I like while staying at home with my family in my very-low maintenance city in Leyte, i grabbed the opportunity. The fact that writing offers me the chance to be happy AND employed is a great reason for me to be thankful.
Second, the employers I was lucky to get, are nice people. The flexibility they offer is beyond my comprehension. Although I do not abuse the extensions they give me, I appreciate it. You may say that because of the meager compensation, they SHOULD be flexible.
Which brings me to my third point. Yes, the pay I get is small, but reasonable. I’m one of those people who get just P100 per 500 words (at least not P90). But these are articles that i can write while watching TV or babysitting my niece. No-brainers. So I guess its fair. The other company is an academic writing company that needs more focus, however, unlike call centers, it makes me feel more like a human being, given superior intelligence than animals. I get to learn about the US Medicare Law, the Cold War and write book reviews of my favorite authors AND get paid for it.
A lot of people here may think i’m a flossy, la-la-la kind of person. Its ok, in a way, i think i am. I just like to write. I don’t have the energy or the administrative skills of bidding for projects. The fact that I earn more than my friends who are lawyers (they’re just new lawyers, give them another year & they’ll be earning obscene amounts) and have the flexibility and mobility that this job offers me is good enough.
I appreciate your efforts guys. I wouldn’t mind being paid more but i think with time, while building my portfolio, i would be able to.
April 26th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I have been in the online business of providing content for almost 2 years now and unfortunately, being scammed is no longer a new term to me.
I’m not a writer per se, but I forced myself to write blogs and to few of my sites. But this does not stop me from making money by being a content provider. I have created a group and we are working on it day and night.
The sad thing about getafreelancer and scriptlance is that most of the guys that need a work to complete are those the ones making a higher bids over at elance.com. I had the chance to work for them and I don’t like the idea of not dealing directly to web operators but by these middlemen.
Receiving a lesser payment doesn’t mean you degrade yourself as being a writer. This is only one way to build your profile a.k.a. viral marketing. If you have no time for SEO to make your site visible to Google, the only chance you have is for the people to talk about you. Needless to say, if your client is just starting out, he wouldn’t be able to pay your rates tagged at $20.00 per 400 words.
Making money on the internet is never an easy task. You need a basketfull of patience and never ending update of your knowledge and business plan.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I have been into freelance writing since October 2007, till now I exist and expand of making it a business.
Issues want to point out:
1. Rate. The average rate in getafreelancer is $2 and even if we Filipinos have a good grasp of the English language more than the Indians and Pakistanis, service buyers opt to choose lower bids. It is a sad reality. The highest rate I got at GAF is $4 and that is all I even stumble into. Elance will give everyone a higher chance to get higher rate for every 500 article, however due to tight competition especially with native English Speakers, it would be difficult to win a bid.
For my clients that I got from Craigslist, which I am very happy about I charge them around $3. They like the output and would want me to do more articles for them.
One thing about Filipino writers compared to an Native English Speaker. Come to think of it a writer in comparison with a speaker. But anyways, it is the tone, the accent when it comes to writing an article for an American audience. I must admit we can’t beat that not unless we were born and learned how to speak English in the US.
Good thing that I stumble with a company based in the US who pays $9 per 300-400 words, that is the highest I got and still working with the company.
2. It is all about business. Why you think these US based companies are on the look out and even post an ad in our country? It is the rate, they can save tons and tons of dollars instead of hiring a writer in their own country. This is what we call outsourcing. It is like call centers. The agents are paid 15,000php on an average per month. US based or foreign based companies would consider investing here and have a call center in this country than paying a call center agent/telephone operator in their very own country for $8 an hour, 40 hours a week.
This is kind of similar to writing as well, they outsourced this job to us with the hope of saving dollars and make profits. With the notion in mind that our English is closer to theirs.
3. It is a matter of choice. I don’t think that flagging any job postings is fair. Not unless there is a valid reason like the ad is a scam.
But because the rate is higher or lower, does not give anyone the right to flag an ad like that. We are living in a democratic country. We are given the freedom to choose what we want to do without affecting another person’s rights.
If a Filipino wants to apply for a job with a lower rate, it is his or her discretion. He or she will reap the fruits of his or her own labor.
To all newbies into freelance writing:
1. Always on the look out for scammers. The client might seem legitimate but it turned out to be a hard core scammer.
Been scammed around $1000 in total, still I am here.
2. It is all about risk. The risk of not getting hired, paid or have another project will always be there. If you are not a risk-taker and want to be 100% sure of everything, then might reconsider of be into this type of job/gig.
Tips:
1. Ask a 50% downpayment before working, in this way you can be sure that the client has money to pay you.
2. Never ever do a sample article for free. This is always been the tactics of almost all scammers. They will let you write an article, then turn you down.
3.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Continuation to tips:
3. Writing as a passion. If you do writing as a passion, then wage or rates will never be a problem. Sooner or later, when your portfolio is pleasing to the eyes of prospective clients you will get the higher rate that you truly deserve.
Remember, a 1 peso will never be 1 peso without a 1 centavo.
May 4th, 2008 at 2:34 am
Point in check:
Sample articles are employers’ way of checking you are qualified for the job they have in mind. If you would like to protect your work, you can always secure your samples. How to do that is what you need to find out. Bottom line, concluding those who require samples then turn down writers are scammers is a grave mistake.
Jean, you don’t want to be branded a scammer, do you? I’m pretty sure you have acquired free samples yourself.
May 4th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Pretty sound advice as a whole, methinks. However, there are certain claims which I frankly find unbelievable. For one thing, I agree that the only thing keeping us competitive in the writing market is the fact that we charge much lower rates than other people.
True, anything lower than 5 dollars for a 400-word article nowadays is atrocious, considering fluctuations in foreign exchange and the rise in market demand. However, advising writers to charge $20 would just discourage clients and I am inclined to believe that some “helpful” writers only give this advice to eliminate competition.
I have been writing web content articles for about 4 years now and so far, have only been scammed by fellow filipinos (shame). Here are some tips I can add:
1) Have writing samples ready. Frankly, an honest client will not insist on having you write a customized article for them for free.
2) Small, frequent projects. This will help you minimize damage if a client turns out to be a scammer and will help you build trust with a client if he/she turns out to be legitimate. Doing a huge amount of work to be paid later is just crazy.
3) Negotiate. Remember that it is a business, and your fees should reflect the market. Like us, clients are just looking for ways to make money.
4) Contact details. Always get Instant messaging IDs, emails and names. This will help you keep in touch, whether to give project updates or get payment information.
5) Google. Always google your client’s name, or email address. This helps screen some of the more blatant scammers. You would also have access to forums they frequent and websites they’ve joined so you can pwn them if they scam you.
6) Keep document records. Why do you think they ask for original articles? Plagiarism is a big no-no in content generation, right? Keep your original files stored and if the client turns out to be a scammer, immediately publish the articles on your blog. This renders the said articles valueless to the scammer and his/her client, for great justice… lulz.
7) Always report a scammer. Post the name, email address, contact details, project nature and other specifics, so other writers can spot him/her. It’s a competitive market, but there’s no need to bring other writers down if you can’t lift yourself up.
May 11th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Jean makes sense. I’m also not comfortable with the idea of a posse of Jennifers out there who patrol and flag low-ball offers, unless those posts are from scammers. The idea that there’s this bunch of job-offer Nazis who decides what’s good for their peers is insulting, more insulting than a $2 offer.
I won’t accept those, mostly because I’m already an outsourced writer for a local company, and I have another freelance gig from another local outsourcer, but if I were a college student with lots of free time and I needed the money, I’d appreciate any option to make a few bucks.
If those who make LEGIT offers for that price scrape the bottom of the barrel in terms of quality, let them; they get what they pay for. If desperate people want to waste their time on an offer like that, it’s their choice. But making that choice for them because you feel insulted just means you like indulging your inner busybody.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I don’t understand why such a Filipino so-called writer, is flagging all the posts by either legitimate or scam companies on craigslist. It is already incumbent upon the reader to take whatever consequence there is, if he or she would want to apply for such job or not, if the rate is small or not.
Why complain such low rates when China has lower labor costs, that had taken away some companies here in the country to put their manufacturing plants in China.
It may not be of same level, but come to think of it? The situation is the same, foreign companies or individuals go to countries like China, India and Philippines for cheap labor, and that is but a fact.
As for me, to some extent, I am happy that these companies want us to write or be their ghostwriter. Since, it has given jobs to unemployed, stay at home moms and those people who want to earn a little extra.
As to those people who are posting against job posters who give low rates and flag high rates jobs, I hope you come to realize, the act of being selfish. If this would go on, these potential employers will be out of craigslist and no more jobs to writers.
I hope this would stop and lets just help each other to survive in this country.
May 15th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I agree with Jean. Right now, there are almost no postings for writers on craigslist. Flagging down posters with low rates have effectively scared away employers. I also agree with Dane. The fact that people scour wanted ads for writing jobs (and think they can write) means they have at least a few ounces of gray matter up there and therefore, are intelligent enough to know what is good for them. They may get paltry sums for their efforts but its their choice they’re making. And don’t say that they don’t know better.
I appreciate that there are threads and articles on avoiding getting scammed but flagging down posters is a bit drastic. There is a fine line between being an utter Nazi and being kind. And admit it, personal interests will always sully good intentions. We are after all in the same business, going after the same jobs.
So continue with warning newbies about writing scams, but refrain from acting like a dictator. We can think for ourselves thank you very much.
June 15th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
@ Ronald. I completely agree with you.
I also don’t agree with what Jennifer and her posse are doing; flagging down legitimate posts (albeit low-paying) just doesn’t feel right. Even $2 per article is worth considering when you’re a newbie. I myself have started at the 25pesos range. Although I’m appalled at how low this is now; I was grateful for the opportunity to make some money when I started out.
I would also have to disagree that all American writers are making $20 or $25 per article. Take a look at Demand Studios and eHow, you will see that they are accepting $10 per article. Also, I am part of a writing team that is mostly composed of Americans; the going rate seems to be $1 per 100 words.
Now, if Jennifer and her posse insists that writers should only take $20 per article opportunities and flags the $10 opportunity to get them for themselves, guess what will happen to all the writers that listens to them?
PS. I apologize in advance if this comment contains any grammatical errors, I will not proofread since I still have to finish something.
August 14th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Yes, I have experience those when I am still new to freelancing. Right now I always ask any buyers in Scriptlance to place escrow before any work is made.
This will make sure everyone gets what they wanted, and no one get scammed.
Thank you for reminding those !