Looking to write quality articles; but no one wants to pay enough

54 replies
Hi everyone, I'm a new user here.
I am a computer science graduate and have a creative streak, so I went to Freelancer and hired myself as a developer and article writer.
Problem is, I have bid for a lot of projects, but no one has contacted me who wants to pay a decent amount - only the bargain hunters who don't give a bit about quality and hire for $1 an article. How do I convince them that I am not interested in garbage work, and the quality is pretty decent if one gives me a try? I am currently charging $10 per 500 words.

P.S. my profile there has this exact same name. If anyone is interested in finding me there, please do.
#articles #pay #quality #write
  • Profile picture of the author Robert King
    Have you tried iWriter and Constant Content ? These are my two main sources when I need articles written.

    There is also Textbroker.

    If you are marketing yourself as a writer, then even in forum posts, you should be conscious of your writing style and grammar.
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  • Profile picture of the author EugeneWHZ
    Maybe that worth to get started with $1 per article. After a few articles completed your employee will check your writings and find out how good writer you are and then I think if he/she believes in you as good writer you will be able to increase the price for them. From the one hand you will prove that you are good writer, from the other hand you will have you own portfolio so other potential clients will be able to check them and understand why do you ask $10 per article, not $1.
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  • Profile picture of the author ksummers
    The idea of starting low and ramping up the price is good, but I wouldn't start as low as $1/500 words as the type of buyer who wants those articles probably won't be willing to pay even $5. Maybe start at 5 and work your way up once you cultivate regulars.
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    • Profile picture of the author mustaqins
      Originally Posted by ksummers View Post

      The idea of starting low and ramping up the price is good, but I wouldn't start as low as $1/500 words as the type of buyer who wants those articles probably won't be willing to pay even $5. Maybe start at 5 and work your way up once you cultivate regulars.
      I can't write with those low rates anyways. As I cannot compromise on quality, I also cannot compromise on the price. Believe it or not though, the bulk of people are not willing to pay more than 1-3 dollars per article even though they expect nothing but astounding quality lol. I did get a couple of good clients so far. But they don't send me any 'big' project lol.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    Hi everyone, thanks for the responses.
    I am aware that I have to watch my language whereever I go, be it forums or other sites, because potential employers could be watching.
    Eugene, it's not worth it, as far as my current experience goes. The employers I have found are of three types:
    1. People who can't afford to pay more, as ksummers said.
    2. People ripping newbies off
    3. People having connections with richer people, or paying low initially(as you're saying).

    So far I have come across #1. Yet to come across 2 and 3. I can't ask my current employer to pay me more 'cause I know how much he earns himself(he told me). I also don't know if I'll be able to refuse to work for him in the future if he offers to rehire me, just because the pay is no longer acceptable.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    Also, another big question is how do I tell people that the rate they're paying was what I used to ask before, but not anymore, due to it not being worth the time?
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    • Profile picture of the author Craigcmatthew
      Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

      Also, another big question is how do I tell people that the rate they're paying was what I used to ask before, but not anymore, due to it not being worth the time?
      From the perspective of a writer hirer, I have a writer who writes 500 word articles for $5. He's non-native but can produce some decent content. He's become so good at the niche of my website that he often sends me 700-800 word articles for $5 and I know it's not spun because both the readers and Google respond well to it. I'm forced to send him tips because of the quality of his work. He's never asked for more money but if he did, I'd probably pay him.

      In the end of the day it's all about money and business. So don't be afraid to bring these topics up. If your client understands that the articles you write for him will make him more in the long run, he will surely pay up. Simply state it as the "prices are no longer feasible" and quote them your new rate.
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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        I'm going to address the elephant in the room here.

        I am assuming the OP freelances in English - but his name gives the impression of "in India".

        One of the main reasons given for hiring writers from outside English first language countries is - price. You have to find a way to get beyond that - and it takes experience, great testimonials and rankings - and happy customers.

        If your goal is the same income as first language content writers with similar skill and experience - you may need to add a hook. Why not try to find clients in your country - people/companies who are targeting English-based markets with their promotions and need GOOD English based content written? Your ability to communicate with those buyers - as well as provide writing to appeal to their English target market - could be that hook.
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  • Profile picture of the author vishwa
    I suggest you start your own blog. Be your own boss. Write your stuffs, articles, knowledge everything you want to put on your own blog. Monetize it with Adsense, affiliate marketing, etc and promote it and let the cash flow to you.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    What about Blogger?
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  • Profile picture of the author mustaqins
    Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

    Hi everyone, I'm a new user here.
    I am a computer science graduate and have a creative streak, so I went to Freelancer and hired myself as a developer and article writer.
    Problem is, I have bid for a lot of projects, but no one has contacted me who wants to pay a decent amount - only the bargain hunters who don't give a bit about quality and hire for $1 an article. How do I convince them that I am not interested in garbage work, and the quality is pretty decent if one gives me a try? I am currently charging $10 per 500 words.

    P.S. my profile there has this exact same name. If anyone is interested in finding me there, please do.

    I am in the same boat buddy. And btw, as one poster suggested iwriter, I must say they pay peanuts to their writers.
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    There are some good jobs in the bidding sites but they're hard to find. Get your own website set up and don't use the free WordPress.com or the blogger one as it doesn't make you appear professional.

    Advertise your services in this forum and check out sites that have lists of places you can write for.
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    Writer/Editor/Proofreader.

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    • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
      Originally Posted by laurencewins View Post

      There are some good jobs in the bidding sites but they're hard to find. Get your own website set up and don't use the free WordPress.com or the blogger one as it doesn't make you appear professional.

      Advertise your services in this forum and check out sites that have lists of places you can write for.
      I have just gotten out of college, so I don't have money to invest in my own website. Family members want me to get a job, so they won't ever lend me money to invest in infrastructure to run a website.
      My only option is to use someone else's infrastructure and give them a cut. I don't really mind that, provided the gigs come, which they're not, atleast yet.
      You should stay away from iWriter, or at least you should be careful while using it. There are a lot of buyers on that website that scan writers for free content. Plus, sometimes iWriter can be pretty unfair so be careful with it.
      How do you mean?
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  • Profile picture of the author rodpap
    You should stay away from iWriter, or at least you should be careful while using it. There are a lot of buyers on that website that scan writers for free content. Plus, sometimes iWriter can be pretty unfair so be careful with it.
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  • Profile picture of the author dsilvestre
    Hi there,

    Had a look at your freelancer profile. Here's my take on it:
    - Add more samples of your work
    - I've read about 839.238 like yours. Your "About Me" part is not convincing enough. If I am not convinced by that, how can you convince me that you are indeed a good writer?
    - Your rate per hour does not compute with what you are trying to charge, unless you can write a great article under one hour. Can you?

    Here's some advice:
    - Want to focus only on article writing? That's fine. However, think about moving to bigger things like kindle/ebook writing, content writing and copy writing. That's where the big money is
    - If suddenly you decide you want to become a painter and dedicate yourself 8 hours a day to paint walls, how good do you think you will be in one year? Yeah. Same with writing! Write EVERY single day
    - Also try other methods of making money with your writing, not necessarily getting clients. Such as: getting books on amazon, start your own blog (maybe tell people your journey?), develop product, write PLR packs and sell them as WSO (I did that btw)
    - As for your writing business: create your own website. This is crucial.

    Here are some questions for you:
    - What's your repeated hire rate?
    - How do you follow up after work is completed?
    - Do you offer discounts to past customers on bulk orders?
    - Aside from freelancer, how are you getting customers? Have you checked the Warriors for Hire section?

    Good luck to you.

    To Your Writing Success,
    Dan
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    • Profile picture of the author AnniePot
      DON'T fall into the trap of beginning low, and later increasing your prices. It just doesn't work. When you begin low you align yourself with writers for whom English is a second language and their clients wouldn't know a piece of good writing if it bit them in the ass.

      From day one you need to position yourself above the huge mass of cheap, trash article writers.

      One person who, over the years has written excellent guidance for aspiring content (yes, content, not article) writers is Paul Myers. He offers subscriptions to his free newsletter Here.

      He also has an excellent, evergreen course for writers for hire.

      NOTE: Be careful, there is also a Paul Myers copycat at large, selling rubbish courses, ebooks etc. at inflated prices.

      I will also PM you later (time permitting) with a website suggestion.
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    • Profile picture of the author mustaqins
      Originally Posted by dsilvestre View Post

      Hi there,

      Had a look at your freelancer profile. Here's my take on it:
      - Add more samples of your work
      - I've read about 839.238 like yours. Your "About Me" part is not convincing enough. If I am not convinced by that, how can you convince me that you are indeed a good writer?
      - Your rate per hour does not compute with what you are trying to charge, unless you can write a great article under one hour. Can you?

      Here's some advice:
      - Want to focus only on article writing? That's fine. However, think about moving to bigger things like kindle/ebook writing, content writing and copy writing. That's where the big money is
      - If suddenly you decide you want to become a painter and dedicate yourself 8 hours a day to paint walls, how good do you think you will be in one year? Yeah. Same with writing! Write EVERY single day
      - Also try other methods of making money with your writing, not necessarily getting clients. Such as: getting books on amazon, start your own blog (maybe tell people your journey?), develop product, write PLR packs and sell them as WSO (I did that btw)
      - As for your writing business: create your own website. This is crucial.

      Here are some questions for you:
      - What's your repeated hire rate?
      - How do you follow up after work is completed?
      - Do you offer discounts to past customers on bulk orders?
      - Aside from freelancer, how are you getting customers? Have you checked the Warriors for Hire section?

      Good luck to you.

      To Your Writing Success,
      Dan
      Some VERY helpful tips there. I might just go with the plr idea myself. Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author ZanyZebra
    Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

    Hi everyone, I'm a new user here.
    I am a computer science graduate and have a creative streak, so I went to Freelancer and hired myself as a developer and article writer.
    Problem is, I have bid for a lot of projects, but no one has contacted me who wants to pay a decent amount - only the bargain hunters who don't give a bit about quality and hire for $1 an article. How do I convince them that I am not interested in garbage work, and the quality is pretty decent if one gives me a try? I am currently charging $10 per 500 words.

    P.S. my profile there has this exact same name. If anyone is interested in finding me there, please do.
    Cart before the Horse. Arse about Face. Back to Front.

    If you want to earn more per hour writing articles, first find out what areas of article writing pay the most. What categories, niches, markets are of high value and are willing to pay the price you want.

    Second, go there.

    What not to do: go to ten-per-penny freelancer sites with mass competition for the mass market and try to convince people to pay more.

    Good luck with your ventures.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bigpanda
    I started out writing articles and eventually switched from writing them to outsourcing them for cheap and reselling them because there was more money and a lot less work using this method.

    Don't sell yourself short with the dream of being paid a premium rate in the future from people looking to pay pennies for an article, because I was one of those people back in the day and I would never have paid more than 3.00 per 500 words no matter how great the writing was and I left many of good writers go because they wanted more money for their work. My only focus was on my personal profits and I looked at writers as assets rather than partnerships.

    There are free sites like Weebly that you can setup shop, I'd suggest that you get a .com domain name to appear more professional, if you look around for promo codes on Google you can normally find one for under 7 bucks.

    Post your service on the "workers for hire" sections of online forums and explain the quality of your service. Put together a portfolio of articles to show potential clients how versatile you are on topics and the quality of your work.

    Post your service on sites like Fiverr and offer 200 words per 5 dollars.

    Work on drawing traffic to your new website doing article marking using sites such as EzineArticles, example article "Why Hire An Article Writer?" link to your new website at the footer of the article.

    Use free classified ad sites like Craigslist to post your service, direct them to your new website.

    Don't be shy, once you can afford 10 bucks go to Vistaprint and get yourself 500 business cards printed up, make sure you mention your service offers, and put a discount code on them. Hand them out at local colleges, put them in libraries, restaurants etc.

    At the end of the day, just make sure you have a plan of action and take action, other wise you wont get premium prices for your articles and will sell yourself short.

    -BigPanda
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    • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
      First of all, thanks a ton to all for all your valuable advice.

      In this post, I will only reply to some guys. To all others: your advice was valuable and has given me a lot to think about. I will reply back when I have answers, which will be soon.

      BigPanda: what you're talking about is business, not writing. I'm not going to sacrifice the writing for the money. I will not compromise on quality: that's the one principle I go by, it makes my case strong. And anyway, there are already writing teams on the same website doing exactly what you did, and I haven't got a one in a million chance of beating them as a writing team.

      AnniePot: That's the admin, isn't it? Thanks for the PM.

      Raydal: Good one Ray! Never going to forget it now.

      Be back with another answer soon!
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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        what you're talking about is business, not writing
        You need to re-read that post - and re-think what you answered. If you aren't writing as a BUSINESS - why does it matter what you charge? If profit is not your reason for writing for others - why not just write for free?

        Of course it's a business and you want to maximum YOUR profit. That means you treat it like a business - you go after new customers - you advertise - you provide plenty of examples of your work, etc.
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    • Profile picture of the author mustaqins
      Originally Posted by Bigpanda View Post

      Hand them out at local colleges, put them in libraries, restaurants etc.
      In fact, even that part can be outsourced on Fiverr
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  • Profile picture of the author @tjr
    You wouldn't get a job at McDonalds and try to convince them to order a filet mignon. Maybe your venue is the problem.
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  • Profile picture of the author Adrian112
    It's hard to get 10$ for some random niches.

    You can start with iWrites and you could get some reputation and maybe get from 2$ to 10$ per article.
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

    Problem is, I have bid for a lot of projects, but no one has contacted me who wants to pay a decent amount - only the bargain hunters who don't give a bit about quality and hire for $1 an article.
    It's kinda hard finding a nice girl to marry at a strip club. It may happen, but
    not likely.

    -Ray Edwards
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    • Profile picture of the author mustaqins
      Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

      It's kinda hard finding a nice girl to marry at a strip club. It may happen, but
      not likely.

      -Ray Edwards
      Finding a good woman at a strip club or even a whorehouse is probably more likely than finding a good client willing to pay good money on those freelance sites. I wasted a bunch of money on buying their 'tests' but all proved useless. At the end of the day those freelance sites are the real money makers lol
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  • Profile picture of the author kk075
    Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

    Hi everyone, I'm a new user here.
    I am a computer science graduate and have a creative streak, so I went to Freelancer and hired myself as a developer and article writer.
    Problem is, I have bid for a lot of projects, but no one has contacted me who wants to pay a decent amount - only the bargain hunters who don't give a bit about quality and hire for $1 an article. How do I convince them that I am not interested in garbage work, and the quality is pretty decent if one gives me a try? I am currently charging $10 per 500 words.

    P.S. my profile there has this exact same name. If anyone is interested in finding me there, please do.
    Let me help you out with a few gems of advice since I was in the same position you were about a decade ago.

    First off, your profile is very, very weak. For example, you put, "I have learnt to type"...but what writer doesn't know how to type? Yet you talk more about your typing skills than anything, and look what you tell us about writing and coding- "I love to write and code." That's it...that's all a potential client has to judge you by. And that's nowhere near enough to make an impression. If you're a writer, then this opening paragraph should be 100% about writing.

    Next, your bottom left sample is a re-write of a paragraph about Apple. Here's the problem though- most employers will not click on it. Since there is a typo in the very first sentence of the old text and you chose to put that first (in bold), people think that's how you write. So if I were just glancing at your profile as a client, there's no way I'd miss that and move on.

    Also, about your philosophy that you're only meeting poor clients that can't afford more than a dollar or two per article- that is completely false. They can afford more...but they choose not to. Those aren't the types of clients you should be looking for in the first place since they only care about getting a bargain. At the same time, however, you need to complete 3-5 of those assignments to build some initial feedback...just the one job for $5 is not enough to convince people you're a solid writer.

    You also need to get your name out there on as many blogs and authority sites as you can- so start writing somewhere today. This can be your blog, a site that takes guest submissions or almost anywhere....but you need to be published with your name in the byline.

    Likewise, you need your own portfolio website so you can give the link to every client. This should be a summary of all the projects you've worked on and where you've been published, and having a portfolio makes you stand out about the $1 per article writers. If you can't build a site right now though, then at least get a profile on LinkedIn or Google+ and get all your links in there.

    Three more things real quick- First, delete your samples from Freelancer and replace them with world-quality samples. I don't care if each one takes you a week to write- those three articles should wow me and eliminate any doubt that I have about hiring you.

    Second, your rate of pay depends almost entirely on your proposal and how you present yourself to clients. Write personalized proposals for each job you apply for and take the time to explain why you are a much better candidate than everyone else. You want to sound confident in your abilities and give the reader no doubt that you're a great writer that's dependable.

    Third, start learning everything you can about SEO. People buy articles to rank in the search engines, and most of them could care less about the article itself- it's how well the article will rank. So the sooner you can stop saying you're a writer and start calling yourself an SEO professional, the quicker you will see your average rates increase.

    I hope that helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    Kay,
    You misinterpret what I meant by business.
    I'm not talking about business, as business - I'm talking about what I really care about.
    Charging a client $200 for a job, outsourcing the job for $50 to a newbie but talented freelancer, or $5 each to 10 talented but newbie freelancers, and keeping the rest of the $150 for yourself, maybe a good model to make money, but that's not what I stepped into freelance writing to do. I stepped in it to write quality content for decent pay. Of course I will have to find people who know the real value of the work. But that I am willing to do. This I am DEFINITELY NOT willing to do.
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    • Profile picture of the author Elle Holder
      Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

      I have just gotten out of college, so I don't have money to invest in my own website.
      Right now you can get a .com at 1and1 for .99. Can you afford that? And you can get a "Tiny" hosting package from ASmallOrange for $35 annually. Can you afford that? There are even cheaper hosting packages out there if you look hard enough.

      Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

      .. I stepped in it to write quality content for decent pay. ...
      Then you are looking to do business. Treat it as such.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisBa
    Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

    Hi everyone, I'm a new user here.
    I am a computer science graduate and have a creative streak, so I went to Freelancer and hired myself as a developer and article writer.
    Problem is, I have bid for a lot of projects, but no one has contacted me who wants to pay a decent amount - only the bargain hunters who don't give a bit about quality and hire for $1 an article. How do I convince them that I am not interested in garbage work, and the quality is pretty decent if one gives me a try? I am currently charging $10 per 500 words.

    P.S. my profile there has this exact same name. If anyone is interested in finding me there, please do.
    It's unfortunately the industry I think.
    People want everything for cheap and often will sacrifice quality for quantity.
    The other aspect is its a very saturated industry to write articles.

    If you are interested in work and do want to provide quality over quantity , pm me, I've been looking for a good writer for a while but have yet to find one.
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  • Profile picture of the author mentat47
    You'll find this kind of thing on all the freelance sites. I'm a freelance writer as well, and there are all kinds of people who don't want to pay a decent amount. My advice is to stick to your guns, and avoid the $1 per article content mills like the plague. I worked with a couple of them before, and they didn't end well. They're not worth it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Barry Unruh
    I'm going to make a quick observation, which you will not like.

    Your posts are poorly formatted. Frequently your sentences are hard to read.

    If your articles follow that same pattern, you don't deserve $10 an article.

    I'll guarantee if AnniePot, RayDal, or Kay King posted in their signature that they were writing for $10 per article, they would have so many orders their heads would spin...but then again...they would not do it for $10 per article.

    What people are advising is that you need to step up your quality, market your skills, and leverage the resources around you. This forum could generate tons of business for you, if you prove your quality and market yourself.

    I'd highly suggest you signup on TextBroker and write articles for lower amounts for now. Let their review team give you pointers on how you can improve your writing, then start marketing your skills for higher amounts.

    Probably not what you want to hear, but it is reality.
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    • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
      I had promised some people with a detailed answer. so, here it is:
      Originally Posted by dsilvestre View Post

      - Add more samples of your work
      - I've read about 839.238 like yours. Your "About Me" part is not convincing enough. If I am not convinced by that, how can you convince me that you are indeed a good writer?
      - Your rate per hour does not compute with what you are trying to charge, unless you can write a great article under one hour. Can you?
      Thanks for the advice, Dan.
      - I had some samples, but they were bad and made a bad impression, so I have removed them for the moment. I will be adding new ones soon.
      - I have received feedback that my "About Me" section was essentially telling trivial things about me, and was rather weak. So, I have rewritten it, giving a more detailed account of what I know. Could you have another look at it and let me know what you think?
      - I think I can. Well, I don't copy/paste work, and I write correct English. I also keep reading constantly, and I do multiple revisions of my articles. I think I should be getting something above the average guy.

      I have not thought about having a big scope with writing, but whatever I write, I want it to be at its best.
      Originally Posted by dsilvestre View Post

      - As for your writing business: create your own website. This is crucial.
      I am thinking about creating a blog, but I'll have to make a plan for it first.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    Nobody would progress if everybody only told them what they wanted to hear. Thanks for the input, Barry.
    Update: Sorry, I can't register on textbroker.com. I'm not a US citizen, so they'll not allow me to register on their site.
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  • Profile picture of the author CarynDavis
    Banned
    If you are writing really high quality articles, you will always find yourself in quite a demand, have you enlisted yourself on all other sites that are being mentioned on this thread?
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    • Profile picture of the author AnniePot
      In addition to my earlier reply, it occurred to me that the OP could also write articles for Constant Content. Some of the top authors there command $50 and more for each piece of content they list.

      Incidentally, I PM'd the OP yesterday and offed to build him a Wordpress site where he could display samples of his work. I told him I would host it with my own websites at no cost to him for a year, but he would need to purchase his own domain name (around $8/$9).

      He never replied to me
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      • Profile picture of the author gorungpbish
        Originally Posted by AnniePot View Post

        In addition to my earlier reply, it occurred to me that the OP could also write articles for Constant Content. Some of the top authors there command $50 and more for each piece of content they list.

        Incidentally, I PM'd the OP yesterday and offed to build him a Wordpress site where he could display samples of his work. I told him I would host it with my own websites at no cost to him for a year, but he would need to purchase his own domain name (around $8/$9).

        He never replied to me
        Well correct me if I am wrong but CC allows only US native English writers I think. I signed up with them a while back and never heard from their approval board
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    Well, I did get the PM.
    I need to get some cash to invest first. I already said I may need to use someone else's infrastructure for a while. There are always hidden costs that one doesn't anticipate, and so I need to have atleast a decent amount to start, which I don't have right now.
    Thanks for the help. I will contact you when the time is right.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      In the US we call that "all hat and no cattle"...

      Get together $1 for a godaddy domain (coupons available every month)

      Get real about your pricing. The reason writers in India are popular is their ability to write well in English - and do it for less than EFL writers. It's not that writers are less skilled or their work is of lower quality. Indian writers often product excellent work product. But - they have to compete with EFL writers in price - and are able to do so because the cost of living is lower.

      If you can't spend anything and aren't willing to take any risk - at least you could be practicing writing and creating a good portfolio of work to show future prospective buyers.
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      • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        you could be practicing writing and creating a good portfolio of work to show future prospective buyers.
        You're right.
        I think I will write some articles related to computer science field in my portfolio, that way it'll benefit both niches.
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      • Profile picture of the author gorungpbish
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        In the US we call that "all hat and no cattle"...

        Get together $1 for a godaddy domain (coupons available every month)

        Get real about your pricing. The reason writers in India are popular is their ability to write well in English - and do it for less than EFL writers. It's not that writers are less skilled or their work is of lower quality. Indian writers often product excellent work product. But - they have to compete with EFL writers in price - and are able to do so because the cost of living is lower.

        If you can't spend anything and aren't willing to take any risk - at least you could be practicing writing and creating a good portfolio of work to show future prospective buyers.

        I have actually found it to be just the opposite. Not talking about WF as I am relatively new here, but on blackhatworld, there is a lot of prejudice against Indian writers. I learned it the hard way there: if you mention you are from India (or for that matter ANY third world Asian or African country lol) then no matter how good you are, you would either get rejected because "Indians cannot write good English" or offered very low rates which won't sustain one even in india. In other words, Indian writers have to go through extra struggle compared to say, US writers. But yes in the end I got a few clients who love working with me and give me regular work. It is not enough to offer me total financial stability, but enough to pay my monthly bills.
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  • Profile picture of the author ReezWeatherford
    This is the sad truth of today's market, have one friend who is extremely good with writing skills but no work!
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    Originally Posted by AnniePot View Post

    DON'T fall into the trap of beginning low, and later increasing your prices. It just doesn't work. When you begin low you align yourself with writers for whom English is a second language and their clients wouldn't know a piece of good writing if it bit them in the ass.
    I am aware of this. One needs to be an expert to know an expert, and if an employer is hiring people for $1 an article, he wouldn't really know an article worth $50 to be any different from an article worth $5.
    Originally Posted by ZanyZebra View Post

    If you want to earn more per hour writing articles, first find out what areas of article writing pay the most. What categories, niches, markets are of high value and are willing to pay the price you want.
    Is it possible to go in reverse, to find clients who'd pay well to write articles for say technological blogs in web development? That way I will need to research in my field(computer science) only, and I will also be able to write articles that are actually worth something.
    Originally Posted by @tjr View Post

    You wouldn't get a job at McDonalds and try to convince them to order a filet mignon. Maybe your venue is the problem.
    You mean similar to what Ray said?
    What do you suggest I do then?
    Originally Posted by Craigcmatthew View Post

    From the perspective of a writer hirer, I have a writer who writes 500 word articles for $5. He's non-native but can produce some decent content. He's become so good at the niche of my website that he often sends me 700-800 word articles for $5 and I know it's not spun because both the readers and Google respond well to it. I'm forced to send him tips because of the quality of his work. He's never asked for more money but if he did, I'd probably pay him.
    This is why I never, ever compromise on quality. It pays manifold in the long run.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    Originally Posted by kk075 View Post

    First off, your profile is very, very weak.
    I have rewritten the introduction, could you provide me feedback via PM?
    Originally Posted by kk075 View Post

    Next, your bottom left sample is a re-write of a paragraph about Apple. Here's the problem though- most employers will not click on it. Since there is a typo in the very first sentence of the old text and you chose to put that first (in bold), people think that's how you write. So if I were just glancing at your profile as a client, there's no way I'd miss that and move on.
    I hadn't thought of it that way. Thanks for telling me.
    Originally Posted by kk075 View Post

    You also need to get your name out there on as many blogs and authority sites as you can- so start writing somewhere today. This can be your blog, a site that takes guest submissions or almost anywhere....but you need to be published with your name in the byline.
    I don't have my own website yet, but I do have a LinkedIn profile:
    https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=85155067
    Originally Posted by kk075 View Post

    Second, your rate of pay depends almost entirely on your proposal and how you present yourself to clients. Write personalized proposals for each job you apply for and take the time to explain why you are a much better candidate than everyone else. You want to sound confident in your abilities and give the reader no doubt that you're a great writer that's dependable.

    Third, start learning everything you can about SEO. People buy articles to rank in the search engines, and most of them could care less about the article itself- it's how well the article will rank. So the sooner you can stop saying you're a writer and start calling yourself an SEO professional, the quicker you will see your average rates increase.
    - Absolutely. That is something I believe as well. I have observed that employers are sick of cut and paste proposals(some exclusively mention this, and others use filters). I have made it a point to only focus on what the project is about. I have received good reactions from employers about this.
    - Can you explain me how SEO makes a difference? I have basic familiarity about SEO, but I have learnt that in most ways those articles are the same as regular articles.
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    • Profile picture of the author kk075
      Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

      Can you explain me how SEO makes a difference? I have basic familiarity about SEO, but I have learnt that in most ways those articles are the same as regular articles.
      Here's a quick example-

      A few months back, I was invited to a project on Elance. The client was offering a budget of around $800 to re-write the site's content (6 pages- about 2,500 words total) and set them up a business Facebook account. The client in question had also purchased over $15k from writers this year so it seemed like a pretty good client to have.

      Now, I could have pitched this guy talking about how I had a great reputation on Elance and stuff like that, or I could have bragged about my writing skills....but that's what 100% of the applicants do 100% of the time. Original or not, those proposals are boring and they tell the client very little to help them make a decision.

      Since I know search optimization though, my first two sentences to the client were- "Hello and thank you for the invitation to bid on your project. While I'd love to help you improve your website copy, there are several far more serious issues on your website at this time."

      Then I explained to the client how their site had dozens of problems- broken links from the main navigation, no images at all, not registered on any of the main directories, etc. Honestly, his content really wasn't that bad...it was probably the best thing going on his entire site. But because the domain was old, non-responsive and full of bugs/issues, it was not worth the $800 he wanted to spend for new content...he really needed a completely new site.

      And guess what- I was the only person who told the client this stuff.

      Why? Because everyone else was looking to make a quick $800, while I was looking for a long-term client that I could genuinely help. And over the past 3 months, we've completed six projects together for a total of $9,400.

      So to answer your original question, you would have no idea about the kinds of things I just mentioned if you're simply a writer....and you're essentially guaranteed to never get these types of clients. So forget about the part of SEO that deals with keywords, and spend quality time learning what really makes websites rank. That doesn't mean that you'll stop being a writer- you'll just be a writer with a skill-set that is very much in demand.
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      • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
        Originally Posted by kk075 View Post

        Now, I could have pitched this guy talking about how I had a great reputation on Elance and stuff like that, or I could have bragged about my writing skills....but that's what 100% of the applicants do 100% of the time. Original or not, those proposals are boring and they tell the client very little to help them make a decision.
        Exactly that. Dale Carnegie explains in his book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" that most people are centred around how good they are rather than how the client will be interested, and that's a fundamental mistake.

        Originally Posted by kk075 View Post

        Since I know search optimization though, my first two sentences to the client were- "Hello and thank you for the invitation to bid on your project. While I'd love to help you improve your website copy, there are several far more serious issues on your website at this time."
        That there is a real eye catcher. If I read that in the first line, I'd be really interested in what you have to say, as you make an impression you know what you're talking about.

        Originally Posted by O0o0O View Post

        I would recommend meeting website owners who have a genuine interest in helping people, versus people who only make websites that generate content to rank in the search engines.
        I have emailed one of them who runs a blog about sharing his experiences. I'm waiting for his reply now.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

    I'm going to address the elephant in the room here.

    I am assuming the OP freelances in English - but his name gives the impression of "in India".

    One of the main reasons given for hiring writers from outside English first language countries is - price. You have to find a way to get beyond that - and it takes experience, great testimonials and rankings - and happy customers.

    If your goal is the same income as first language content writers with similar skill and experience - you may need to add a hook. Why not try to find clients in your country - people/companies who are targeting English-based markets with their promotions and need GOOD English based content written? Your ability to communicate with those buyers - as well as provide writing to appeal to their English target market - could be that hook.
    - So far, I have been looking for Indian employers who are willing to pay for quality, but I have had limited success. I have been completely unable to find anyone willing to pay more than $3 per 500 words.
    - I think for me, the hook is to provide clients exactly what they want with as much attention as possible. However, I am not an experienced writer, and that holds me back. I think I need to garner more reputation first.
    Originally Posted by Elle Holder View Post

    Right now you can get a .com at 1and1 for .99. Can you afford that? And you can get a "Tiny" hosting package from ASmallOrange for $35 annually. Can you afford that? There are even cheaper hosting packages out there if you look hard enough.

    Then you are looking to do business. Treat it as such.
    - I'll first need a plan chalked out about running a website, especially as I have no experience doing it.
    - I know that freelancing is a business, and should be treated as such. But there also is a line, and one should never cross that line.
    Originally Posted by ChrisBa View Post

    It's unfortunately the industry I think.
    People want everything for cheap and often will sacrifice quality for quantity.
    The other aspect is its a very saturated industry to write articles.

    If you are interested in work and do want to provide quality over quantity , pm me, I've been looking for a good writer for a while but have yet to find one.
    - What they don't realize is that most of their job in that regard is already being done for them - what's the point of sifting through 10 articles to find one good one if you're getting an excellent article for the same or sometimes even lower cost?

    - I will do that, thank you.
    Originally Posted by Barry Unruh View Post

    I'm going to make a quick observation, which you will not like.

    Your posts are poorly formatted. Frequently your sentences are hard to read.

    If your articles follow that same pattern, you don't deserve $10 an article.
    Then I'll keep on improving them until I do.
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  • Profile picture of the author marguerite
    So I read through most of the thread before writing my reply and my question for you is this:
    If you are a computer science graduate why not offer programming services instead of articles. Anybody can write articles, only programmers can well write programs. You will likely get paid more for programming work and possibly have less competition. There are fewer people out there with the skills required for a comp sci degree than people with the skills require to write 500 word articles for $1.


    I did an article writing job once for $1 per 100 word. The client was thrilled, he loved my work but I felt so under paid I figured my time was best spent writing on my own blogs. When I write an article for myself I can make more than that and the money keeps coming over the years.


    I know you're saying you have no money to invest on internet properties. When I started I used a BlogSpot.com blog and I made lots of money on it over the years. Sure people will say don't do it but if you have no money to invest you do what you can. After you make money from your free blog you can use that money and invest in paid domain names and hosting.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    That is good thinking, but programming is hard. It is harder to have confidence on being able to write a fully working program for a given client than to write a reasonably good quality article.
    That being said, it's not a bad option at all. But I currently need more practice to be able to confidently take part in a formal project.
    - About the blog, I'm exploring possibilities right now. I don't know yet.
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  • Profile picture of the author sufalu
    Post your service on sites like Zeerk and offer 300 words per 5-6 dollars.
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  • Profile picture of the author Max Nestorson
    Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

    Hi everyone, I'm a new user here.
    I am a computer science graduate and have a creative streak, so I went to Freelancer and hired myself as a developer and article writer.
    Problem is, I have bid for a lot of projects, but no one has contacted me who wants to pay a decent amount - only the bargain hunters who don't give a bit about quality and hire for $1 an article. How do I convince them that I am not interested in garbage work, and the quality is pretty decent if one gives me a try? I am currently charging $10 per 500 words.

    P.S. my profile there has this exact same name. If anyone is interested in finding me there, please do.
    You might like to create your own portfolio website, publish sample articles and promote your services using social media. Also, you can advertise your services using Bing Ads, charge more than $10 per 500 words to cover advertising expenses. Also, you can go to Fiverr and create a gig charging $5 per 250 words and $10 per 500 words as an "Extra".
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  • Profile picture of the author Miguelito203
    Originally Posted by chaitanyathengdi View Post

    Hi everyone, I'm a new user here.
    I am a computer science graduate and have a creative streak, so I went to Freelancer and hired myself as a developer and article writer.
    Problem is, I have bid for a lot of projects, but no one has contacted me who wants to pay a decent amount - only the bargain hunters who don't give a bit about quality and hire for $1 an article. How do I convince them that I am not interested in garbage work, and the quality is pretty decent if one gives me a try? I am currently charging $10 per 500 words.

    P.S. my profile there has this exact same name. If anyone is interested in finding me there, please do.
    Hey, you might want to check out a new site called Writer Help Wanted by Ron Douglas and Alice Seba. It's all about making money from your writing, but the most important thing for you is that there are a ton of sites you can submit content to and lots of jobs postings for you to check out.

    Joey
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  • Profile picture of the author O0o0O
    I would recommend meeting website owners who have a genuine interest in helping people, versus people who only make websites that generate content to rank in the search engines. You can find these people through meetups.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaitanyathengdi
    Hi everyone.
    I just registered for Constant Content.

    How are your experiences with that site? Please share.

    Thanks, Chaitanya
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