I enrolled at www.freelancer.com today. I found many projects listed. Somehow, I could succeed at winning projects, even through my blog. My Aussie friend and client gave me projects worth six figures, who actually met me through one of my blog posts on the Landmark Forum. The blog post still finds me an overwhelming number of visitors.
Free Sample Content/Article
Somehow, I could hardly get a project from www.guru.com, www.elance.com or www.freelancer.com (or www.freelancer.in). On Guru, you have easy options to display your portfolio but it became difficult for me to set up a proper one. I am somehow not so good at making one. I am not good at displaying my sample pieces. Instead, I offer to write a free sample. My past works don't speak much more than my present free sample will.
The Language Skill Tests
Secondly, as freelancer.com doesn't seem to have a portfolio listing, they are more inclined towards making you take the tests and exams, which cost you $5 or Rs. 250. As of now, I can't afford it. So, I skipped them. I have scored well on guru and elance in this area and they were offered free.
Limited Bids in Free Membership
In all of Guru, Elance, Odesk (now www.upwork.com) and freelancer.com, you have very limited bids each month. So, I could hardly get to find and place bids that would suit both me and the employer. There is another problem, which I will explain below.
Expectations of Clients or Employers in Writing
The client or employer has every right to expect something specific but sometimes, it's way too specific, which might rather be not required for such a project. It may not also work for the writer to convince the employer by fulfilling these expectations, as the project may be too small and we get paid only a few thousand rupees. Yet, the expectations are too specific.
I wouldn't have a problem with high expectations, as they could be matched but being too specific is painstaking for an author to match the needs, through his portfolio. We can't tweak it every now and then. We hardly have a few samples that match your needs, as we write across various niches. Sometimes, the employer asks for something that should be invented.
Keeping it simple will work. Will you be able to deliver? Will you write on this topic? Can you give me a free sample for about 100-200-300-400 words? I have no problems with that but I have problems going hunting after all the articles we have written, as we do not own them. Most of them are owned by our clients, just as you will own them, after we write for you.
We will not keep track of them because we move to our next works. And also write for you, when you will be back. We do remember your work but do not much care where all you publish them. So, we don't keep track, because writers are workaholics and focus too much into the core activity. This is why we remain writers for too long, while people in other businesses move on and make it big in something else.
Please understand that it is too hard to produce samples and make them look neat, presentable and professional, as as an employer, we know you expect more presentation than the merit of the content. It is not disputed and we do know that you have a good eye for talent. You do but your expectation on presentation is a notch higher than on actual content.
Free Samples are Far Better
We are workmen. So, we are happy producing free samples, as we are very good at it. Getting a free sample is better than looking up our history. Just look ahead into the future. We will do well for you. I do not expect to gain individual projects, through this post, as I have many going already. I want the industry to be of better standards and well organized.
Someday, I might criticize writers too. I surely will. I have many complaints to make against them, as I know most writers are not genuine enough to produce quality, original content. These twerps are responsible for how business owners, employers and clients treat us and look upon with suspicion. You can't cover up just about everything. Real work IS necessary for good quality.
It's a vicious circle too. Employers and clients are also to blame, as they pay peanuts to writers, content writers and copywriters. When writers can't stand the amount of time and work required, and when there is pressure over deadlines, they resort to plagiarism and other fooling around. Of course, they simply MUST NOT. But it's really tough at times, as the time taken is the time they have of their life and bills.
I would surely blame those who want to make a quick buck but also blame the tightfisted employers and clients. It is a vicious circle.
So, I would offer a free sample any day but would also tell them beforehand if it would be tough to do a sample, if it would be a 1000 word article for a 2000 word project. A 1000 word article for a 100 article project would be reasonable. Free samples could range from 100 words (as one employer asked me for) to 200 to a maximum of 500 words. But even 500 could be tough, unless and until the project is huge. 250 would be very ideal.
Free Sample Content/Article
Somehow, I could hardly get a project from www.guru.com, www.elance.com or www.freelancer.com (or www.freelancer.in). On Guru, you have easy options to display your portfolio but it became difficult for me to set up a proper one. I am somehow not so good at making one. I am not good at displaying my sample pieces. Instead, I offer to write a free sample. My past works don't speak much more than my present free sample will.
The Language Skill Tests
Secondly, as freelancer.com doesn't seem to have a portfolio listing, they are more inclined towards making you take the tests and exams, which cost you $5 or Rs. 250. As of now, I can't afford it. So, I skipped them. I have scored well on guru and elance in this area and they were offered free.
Limited Bids in Free Membership
In all of Guru, Elance, Odesk (now www.upwork.com) and freelancer.com, you have very limited bids each month. So, I could hardly get to find and place bids that would suit both me and the employer. There is another problem, which I will explain below.
Expectations of Clients or Employers in Writing
The client or employer has every right to expect something specific but sometimes, it's way too specific, which might rather be not required for such a project. It may not also work for the writer to convince the employer by fulfilling these expectations, as the project may be too small and we get paid only a few thousand rupees. Yet, the expectations are too specific.
I wouldn't have a problem with high expectations, as they could be matched but being too specific is painstaking for an author to match the needs, through his portfolio. We can't tweak it every now and then. We hardly have a few samples that match your needs, as we write across various niches. Sometimes, the employer asks for something that should be invented.
Keeping it simple will work. Will you be able to deliver? Will you write on this topic? Can you give me a free sample for about 100-200-300-400 words? I have no problems with that but I have problems going hunting after all the articles we have written, as we do not own them. Most of them are owned by our clients, just as you will own them, after we write for you.
We will not keep track of them because we move to our next works. And also write for you, when you will be back. We do remember your work but do not much care where all you publish them. So, we don't keep track, because writers are workaholics and focus too much into the core activity. This is why we remain writers for too long, while people in other businesses move on and make it big in something else.
Please understand that it is too hard to produce samples and make them look neat, presentable and professional, as as an employer, we know you expect more presentation than the merit of the content. It is not disputed and we do know that you have a good eye for talent. You do but your expectation on presentation is a notch higher than on actual content.
Free Samples are Far Better
We are workmen. So, we are happy producing free samples, as we are very good at it. Getting a free sample is better than looking up our history. Just look ahead into the future. We will do well for you. I do not expect to gain individual projects, through this post, as I have many going already. I want the industry to be of better standards and well organized.
Someday, I might criticize writers too. I surely will. I have many complaints to make against them, as I know most writers are not genuine enough to produce quality, original content. These twerps are responsible for how business owners, employers and clients treat us and look upon with suspicion. You can't cover up just about everything. Real work IS necessary for good quality.
It's a vicious circle too. Employers and clients are also to blame, as they pay peanuts to writers, content writers and copywriters. When writers can't stand the amount of time and work required, and when there is pressure over deadlines, they resort to plagiarism and other fooling around. Of course, they simply MUST NOT. But it's really tough at times, as the time taken is the time they have of their life and bills.
I would surely blame those who want to make a quick buck but also blame the tightfisted employers and clients. It is a vicious circle.
So, I would offer a free sample any day but would also tell them beforehand if it would be tough to do a sample, if it would be a 1000 word article for a 2000 word project. A 1000 word article for a 100 article project would be reasonable. Free samples could range from 100 words (as one employer asked me for) to 200 to a maximum of 500 words. But even 500 could be tough, unless and until the project is huge. 250 would be very ideal.
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