I'm Tired Of Looking For Article Writers, Someone Please Help

61 replies
I just killed over an hour going through posts in the Warriors For Hire section, looking at several portfolios for article writers. Maybe it is JUST me and my high standards, or perhaps my standards are even ABNORMAL - I don't know.

But - not once have I found sample articles in those threads that showed me the type of article I LIKE such as:

- using bullet points
- using bold, italics
- using SHORT and catchy sentences versus long and drawn out, which I see a lot of surprisingly
- articles with PERSONALITY and STYLE

Maybe it's just my problem because I haven't yet accepted that to get ALL of that, I'm going to need to pay $20 or more per article.

Is that true?!
#article #tired #writers
  • Profile picture of the author adamv
    I can do some writing for you and I won't charge you $20 per article. I don't remember if any of the samples I posted on my website have bold, bullets, or italics but I could certainly include that for you.
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    • Profile picture of the author Justin Jordan
      "- using bullet points
      - using bold, italics
      - using SHORT and catchy sentences versus long and drawn out, which I see a lot of surprisingly"

      You can request all of those - I have one client who specifically did. You don't necessarily need to find a writer who just does it.

      Personality, though, is something they either have in their writing or don't.
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  • Profile picture of the author rapidscc
    Hi Karen,

    Did you ask them to give you a sample or you
    just looked at the existing samples in their
    portfolio?

    Why not try asking them to provide you a freshly written
    sample based on a topic you choose..

    Who knows, the samples in their portfolio could
    be months old and new writers could be available
    for you...

    All the best,
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  • Profile picture of the author Tina Golden
    Most writers will be able to write in the style you want, provided you give them an example or two of exactly what you like.

    I think I usually let some personality and style show through but I admit that I don't naturally write with bullet points or formatted text. I have when it has been requested, though.

    I'd be happy to do one for you, Karen, as a test. Just find a couple articles written the way you like and send me the links. Oh, yes, and a topic or keyword...lol.

    Tina
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  • Profile picture of the author Lance Johnson
    Hey Karen,

    I ran into similar problems, until I joined Need An Article, and defined what I want in an article.

    You've got what you want out of an article defined, so write that out in your instructions to writers. If you have examples of articles you like put those on too, so your writers know what to go off of.

    After a few weeks you'll have authors that know you and will snatch up your jobs when they come up, and deliver just what you're looking for.

    Good luck!
    -Lance
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  • Profile picture of the author lcombs
    I've used Need-An-Article several times and have been satisfied with their work.
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  • Profile picture of the author Karen Keyes
    Hi adamv,
    I took some time to review your offer, your prices are more than fair. To be perfectly honest, I would likely try out your service for some articles at some point. But your samples still do not reflect what I'm looking for. Your writing is fine, grammar is fine etc., but I'm looking for more personality and style (and all of the above). You see, I love writing and I'm fairly good at it, I just don't have the time for it. I can and have written articles just like your samples, but to do it with PASSION and craft an article so that the reader feels as if they are having a one-on-one conversation with you... now that's a whole different ball game.

    You can go look up my name in Ezinearticles and see that I have plenty of articles there that do NOT meet the criteria I place above. It is difficult (for me) to create and maintain passion for article writing especially when you have to repeat several times for a given niche.

    But I'm just amazed at how HARD it is to find someone that can both meet my budget and my needs. I'm still on the hunt!

    Karen
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    • Profile picture of the author adamv
      Originally Posted by Karen Newton View Post

      Hi adamv,
      I took some time to review your offer, your prices are more than fair. To be perfectly honest, I would likely try out your service for some articles at some point. But your samples still do not reflect what I'm looking for. Your writing is fine, grammar is fine etc., but I'm looking for more personality and style (and all of the above). You see, I love writing and I'm fairly good at it, I just don't have the time for it. I can and have written articles just like your samples, but to do it with PASSION and craft an article so that the reader feels as if they are having a one-on-one conversation with you... now that's a whole different ball game.

      You can go look up my name in Ezinearticles and see that I have plenty of articles there that do NOT meet the criteria I place above. It is difficult (for me) to create and maintain passion for article writing especially when you have to repeat several times for a given niche.

      But I'm just amazed at how HARD it is to find someone that can both meet my budget and my needs. I'm still on the hunt!

      Karen
      I can definitely inject some personality into the articles. The sample articles on my site were written specifically for samples and I wanted to keep them a little toned down on purpose, trying to appeal to the widest possible audience.

      I have no problem putting a little personality into an article if that's what you want. I write many of my articles for my own marketing as if I'm having a conversation with someone and in those articles personality shows through a little more.
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      • Profile picture of the author Tina Golden
        Geesh, I just remembered that my Warrior for Hire thread is no longer there. I'm in the process of creating my website and a new ad to post.

        Karen, if you check out my blog TinaGolden.com, you'll find several of my samples. The vary pretty widely in terms of personality and style. None of them use the bullets, bold or italics and I'm not sure as to the sentence length.

        Tina
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    • Profile picture of the author RyanT
      it is hard to find people you connect with and make you go wow in the article writing world. I'd love to take a crack at it myself.
      I'm going to show you some pre-written but I'd also like you to give me a topic and see what I can do for you.
      also I promise you my "rates" won't be anything like what's out there.
      Interested?

      article 1
      article 2
      article 3
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  • Profile picture of the author Karen Keyes
    @Adam - That's great to hear Adam, I'm not discounting your services at all just yet. I will take a much closer look at all of this in a couple of days and start looking at my options with a fresh mind.

    @Omar Good points there, no I haven't ventured out into asking potential writers for fresh samples. I may have to though, regardless if that means killing another couple of hours.

    @Tina - thanks for the feedback, I will be in touch. Going away for a day or two but I'll be in touch before the end of the weekend. What are your rates?

    @Justin What you say gives me reason to pause. Maybe I am going about things the wrong way. I will look into your services as well.

    @Lance @lcombs - Hmm Need-An-Article looks interesting. So do you pay the monthly fee $9.95 plus have to buy credits for articles? Interesting concept though, so it erases the need to have to interview and evaluate article writers on your own. How do you find the quality of the articles? Feel free to PM me if you want.

    Thanks for all of the great feedback,
    Karen
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Karen Newton View Post

      @Adam - That's great to hear Adam, I'm not discounting your services at all just yet. I will take a much closer look at all of this in a couple of days and start looking at my options with a fresh mind.

      @Omar Good points there, no I haven't ventured out into asking potential writers for fresh samples. I may have to though, regardless if that means killing another couple of hours.

      @Tina - thanks for the feedback, I will be in touch. Going away for a day or two but I'll be in touch before the end of the weekend. What are your rates?

      @Justin What you say gives me reason to pause. Maybe I am going about things the wrong way. I will look into your services as well.

      @Lance @lcombs - Hmm Need-An-Article looks interesting. So do you pay the monthly fee $9.95 plus have to buy credits for articles? Interesting concept though, so it erases the need to have to interview and evaluate article writers on your own. How do you find the quality of the articles? Feel free to PM me if you want.

      Thanks for all of the great feedback,
      Karen
      In general, need-an-article does provide some very good writers. I have used it but again, personality and style are not included in the articles I received. One author was horrendous. I found no way to keep her from getting my articles assigned to her again, but I would have emailed support had she gotten another of my articles.
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  • Profile picture of the author Karen Keyes
    Tina and Ryan - thank you, I'll definitely take a close look!
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  • Profile picture of the author Bev Clement
    Karen,

    I think you will find very few samples which include bullet points, italics and bold.

    Many writers on the WF are taught to write an article in 10 mins or less and to do a "list" style article. It is the easiest form of writing, but not the easiest to put any personality into it.

    As has been said before, if you have specific needs, then all you need to do is contact the writer and ask if they can write the way you want.

    Bev
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  • Profile picture of the author colinph970
    Well.....how about a challenge? I run an article writing business and pride myself on the quality of articles I provide. I have had articles accepted at Constant Content which is a pretty high standard!

    As far as payment rate is concerned - I charge $0.03 per word so for 500 words so that's clearly $15. Article is guaranteed original.

    So....here's the challenge. Give me one subject for which you need an article writing and I'll write a 400 word article on it and return it to you within 3 days. Tell me what you think and if you are satisfied. If you are satisfied then pay me $12. If not then you have a free article!

    How's that for confidence!
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author Hesaidblissfully
      I agree that you should just speak to the writer beforehand and let them know what kind of article you're looking for. Just because someone doesn't use bullet points and italics and a conversational voice in their samples doesn't mean that they're incapable of doing so. It might just mean that they never felt they had a reason to format the articles in that way before. Those aren't even hard things to do, so any decent writer should have no problem with it.

      Editors at magazines and websites that publish content from writers usually let the writers know beforehand what kind of style they're looking for, so there's no reason you shouldn't do the same.
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    • Profile picture of the author Joanne Reid
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      They need to be abnormal, if you want to make it viable, I think. "Normal", in article marketing terms, is pretty poor. In terms of income, I suspect there's very little difference between second-class and ninth-class, but there's a huge difference between second-class and first-class.
      Alexa has it nailed. the difference between second-class and first-class is huge.

      And you do get what you pay for. $20 an article would get you a decent article. But if you are getting articles for cut-rate prices you either get cut-rate articles or a great writer who will soon move on to better things. And you have to start all over again.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lance K
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Well, you'll end up accepting it, or doing an enormous amount of research and screening - or just possibly getting very lucky indeed. If I were in your position, I'd be pretty interested in Adam's suggestion, above. Just saying.
      Exactly. If you're too busy to write the content yourself, surely you're too busy to spend a bunch of time price/comparison shopping. Put together the specs of your project, get bids, and select a provider.

      You say you don't have time to do it yourself even though you enjoy writing. Which tells me you're working on tasks with a higher value than writing. Well, the more time you spend looking for the perfect writer, the less time you spend doing your higher value activities.
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  • Profile picture of the author lisag
    Originally Posted by Karen Newton View Post

    I just killed over an hour going through posts in the Warriors For Hire section, looking at several portfolios for article writers. Maybe it is JUST me and my high standards, or perhaps my standards are even ABNORMAL - I don't know.

    But - not once have I found sample articles in those threads that showed me the type of article I LIKE such as:

    - using bullet points
    - using bold, italics
    - using SHORT and catchy sentences versus long and drawn out, which I see a lot of surprisingly
    - articles with PERSONALITY and STYLE

    Maybe it's just my problem because I haven't yet accepted that to get ALL of that, I'm going to need to pay $20 or more per article.

    Is that true?!
    How to Hire An Article Writer

    By (your name here)

    Do you know what burns my butt worse than falling asleep at the nude beach?

    It's when you waste a couple of hours searching portfolios and you can't find a mind-reading article writer with ready-made samples matching your expectations 100%!

    I mean how hard can that be?

    Surely everyone wants exactly what I want, right?

    It turns out that's not the case.

    In fact, it seems that the really professional writers are chameleons. I'm not talking about the Geico Gecko here, I mean writing chameleons. They take on a tone and style matching what the client asks for.

    They use this thing called a Project Brief to get the job done. Here's how that works:

    1. You provide the writer with the subject matter and keywords.

    2. Tell them the keyword density you're looking for and the number of words you want to buy.

    3. You tell them a bit about the tone and style you're looking for. Maybe you even point them to a few articles on the 'net that are written in the tone and style you like.

    4. You give them some intensity guidelines. One writer I heard of actually asks intensity questions like these:

    • What tone do you like: Buttoned-down IBM, Google-techie, Apple Folksy, Something Else?
    • On a scale of 1-100, where 1 is pure content, no sales, and 100 is the late, great Billy Mays, how much promotion do you want in your article?
    • Good writers also want to know things like who your audience is and how you plan to use the article.

    5. After you cut the deal, the writer delivers the first article. You critique the style and provide any feedback.

    And amazingly enough, everything runs smoothly from there!

    So the next time you're looking for a writer who thinks and acts like you do, follow these tips and you'll have a whole lot more of them to choose from than you think!

    And buy some aloe for that burned butt!
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    -- Lisa G

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    • Profile picture of the author FredFarnes
      Originally Posted by lisag View Post

      How to Hire An Article Writer
      Very clever!

      Good writing, well done...
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      So, you want to sell me another way to easily make "X" dollars in "X" days? ROFL too funny! IM success requires hard work and lots of time. Most newbies do not survive the steep learning curve. Anyone who says otherwise is probably selling you a fantasy.

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  • Profile picture of the author Nickolie0990
    Why don't you hire a virtual assistant? This way you can get your articles written whenever you want, and you also can spread out the work load.
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  • Profile picture of the author digigo
    I do not want to be cynical.. but for $20 how much time you think the writer should be spending on your article? that include research time.. to get any personal.. with style.. and keywords rich.. internet marketing ready.. you are looking at minimum wage... so yes.. I would not expect much from speed writer..

    how about spend a little more, and write something really good and make it count ... quantity vs quality

    hiring someone that specialized in your subject matter may mitigate the problem
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  • Profile picture of the author Tinkerbell
    LisaG: If only I'd arrived before you, lol.

    That was awesome.

    Tina
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    • Profile picture of the author lisag
      Originally Posted by Tinkerbell View Post

      LisaG: If only I'd arrived before you, lol.

      That was awesome.

      Tina
      You lie so sweetly!
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      -- Lisa G

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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        This thread has turned into one big advertising space!

        The original problem was simple - you have to test writers by giving them your instructions and a small order. You'll quickly find those who can meet your qualifications.

        If the writer is a good one - they will easily be able to follow instructions and send you content you are happy with.

        kay
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        • Profile picture of the author Karen Keyes
          Originally Posted by Steve Porcaro View Post

          Most of the article writing that we see offered is for quantity and backlinks. They are not real articles. Sure I use ezine articles in my marketing but I would never us ezinearticles as a resource to learn something.

          You might not be wanting to pay to get the level of involvement from a article writer. You may have to pay $20.00 an article to get the personality and other requirements.

          The reason I say this is I once tried the article writing route, and to me it just was not worth it to work with a client on on one. This is where they are trying to get $4 and $5 articles.

          I prefer just to write it all myself and use it myself. The one thing I am looking at doing for clients is maybe providing PLR instead of the one to one relationship.

          Sure I do not write great prose all the time but when focused I want my best writing to build my business, not do it for a client I may never satisfy and who keeps trying to knock down my price.

          You mentioned you do not have time to do the writing yourself, however what you are requesting may be beyond what you are willing to pay and this are just receiving what you pay for.
          I understand what you are saying, and it may very well be true that I need to shell out more bucks to get what I'm looking for. But I'm not giving up yet (to work within my desired budget).
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          • Profile picture of the author Tina Golden
            I don't know many of the ones who posted so I cannot say about their work it may be tops but Tina I would choose any day
            WD, that was very nice of you to say but I have to admit - if lisag is available for writing services, I would jump at her in this case. That on the spot article was awesome!

            Tina
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          • Profile picture of the author cyberchick
            Originally Posted by Karen Newton View Post

            I understand what you are saying, and it may very well be true that I need to shell out more bucks to get what I'm looking for. But I'm not giving up yet (to work within my desired budget).
            Hi Karen,

            There is no need to go beyond your budget if that's what you're focused on. To find good writers is like trying to pick through the haystack to find a needle. In the end you need to make a decision about your priorities:
            • You can choose to work with an experienced, talented professional who can follow your instructions but might charge a little more than the rest of the pack.
            • You can choose to work with cheap providers in order to save money, but with potential risks of hiring a lemon.
            From what I've seen so far I believe you are not afraid to pay more if the writer is capable to deliver to your expectations. To be fair though, it is also possible to hire a lemon when you pay more.

            Therefore you should ALWAYS hire people who have ample feedback from respected marketers if you value your sanity. These guys (including my humble self) have already proven to be worth their money. Hiring them is a lot less risky than choosing to work with a no-name provider, especially if you don't know their real name before you pay them.

            To be fair for the sake of the argument it also has to be said that many low-priced content providers are actually very capable of doing what you want them to do. All they need is a guiding hand and some patience.

            Ultimately your choice will boil down to two things:
            • Hiring a low cost provider who needs mentoring and tweaking to get what you truly want, hence costing you money for your time.
            • Hiring a well established article writer who is familiar with all kinds of instructions and works for you as if these articles were for him/herself, saving you time, headaches and money in the long run.
            I know how frustrating it can be to deal with a writer. From what I have seen, most of them can't even be bothered to reply to an email inquiry - how's that for dedication??!!!

            My clients keep telling me how impressed they are with the speed of my replies, my communication and my work - this is why I'm not cheap. See for yourself.

            Surprisingly, I'm more affordable than you think. Try me.

            I look forward to hear from you.
            All the best

            Monika
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  • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
    I don't think your standards are abnormal, just unrealistic.

    You seem to expect others to write the way you do without you telling them how you want the article to be written.

    As for adding "personality", whose personality do you want - yours, mine, Homer Simpson's?

    If you want yours, I'm afraid the only one who can do that is you.

    Are you really that busy you can't take a few seconds to add the formatting (bold, italic, etc.) you want to a well written article?

    Just saying.
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  • Profile picture of the author WD Mino
    Hi Karen

    There are many writers that are good on here . however Tina of TMG Enterprises is very well known for her articles and plr packs she has produced top quality for quite some time and I confidently recommend her for your project as well as any other projects I come across she is a real wiz and a very very helpful person which is why I am recommending her to you.

    I don't know many of the ones who posted so I cannot say about their work it may be tops but Tina I would choose any day
    -WD
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Karen -

      Pick writers that write decent copy and then hire several to write just 2-3 articles - giving them detailed instructions of what you want.

      That's how you find a writer that works well for you. When I submit samples for a job - it's just a folder of sample styles. No fancy formatting - just focuses on the writing itself.

      Using bullet points and bold isn't writing - it's formatting. Tell a decent writer how you want articles to be formatted and they'll do it.

      In the past few days I've worked for 4 repeat clients - each one likes a different "style" for his articles. In fact I just got an email requesting some articles that began with "Hi Kay - you know what to do...". Yes, I know what that person likes because he told me and I've done quite a bit of work for him. But his style is not one I use for other clients and I didn't do that formatting for him initially - until he told me what he needed.

      Anyone can plop out bullet points and click on "bold" - not everyone can write well. Simple, short sentences should be a breeze for a decent writer - but you may need to tell them that's what you like.

      kay
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      • Profile picture of the author pdftrace
        hei

        that too expensive , $20 for an articles, in other site such as microworkes, you can get around 15 articles with $20
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  • Profile picture of the author farasens1
    If you ever need some articles written, fast and good, just give me a shoot as I'll try to help you out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jay Sullivan
    As crazy as it sounds, i always write my own! I love writing articles in fact, as it gives me satisfaction when i know something i have wrote has helped earn me some cash.
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  • Profile picture of the author JackPowers
    I agree, it's very hard finding quality writers. I consider myself to be a mediocre writer in English and decent in my own language, but with most writers I do not think they are good enough to justify the difference.

    The few times I have paid something like $15 for an article has been worth it.

    I really think you need to look for writers who have a passion for writing. Many people, me included, write SEO articles even if we don't like it very much. Personally, it's an easy choice because I can make $30 an hour doing so and in Thailand, that's a very good hourly rate. I don't like to write on things like plumbing though and always put it off. If I could somehow manage to write 8 hours a day, I would live like a king.

    In other words, you need to go for REAL writers. Sometimes it can pay off to go on Elance and look for fresh writers with lots of enthusiasm (then drain them of it when you ask for 50 articles on bad breath).
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  • Profile picture of the author farasens1
    But I think you're not going to get very good articles for just 20$ - 15 articles..
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  • Profile picture of the author cybergod
    If you spent more money you will find great writers, One of my friend is a writer - some guys payed him up to $35 for a 3000+ word article. He made deal for $30, client gave him $5 as bonus after reading the article.
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  • Profile picture of the author anu_smart
    Hi,

    The furious hunt for article writers ends here!

    Try the service with my team and I!
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  • Profile picture of the author farasens1
    I think it's the best to find writers through personal relation in order to be sure you're going to get the best deal.
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  • Profile picture of the author Karen Keyes
    @colinph970 @tausif @farasens1 - Thank you for the offers, I will keep you in mind when I'm ready to hire.

    @Alexa Smith - You may be right indeed...

    @Lisa - That was hilarious, but you also drove your point home. I just had to have a chuckle at myself after reading that. I guess my frustration was more from viewing several article writers ads but not once seeing a variation of writing samples (nor much of a variety of styles even). I just felt like saying "COME ON writers - you have to convince ME to hire you, what makes you stand out from all of the competition? Show me some writing samples that make me go WOW, and I'm yours!". But after reading your post Lisa, I agree that I need to take a step back and think about this reasonably. After all, I may already HAVE a great writer but I haven't shared with them exactly what I want.

    (So Lisa, do you offer article writing services? )

    @ProductCreator - Honestly, I can't imagine that Google would evaluate bullet points... Doesn't seem logical to me. Anyhow I don't care - I want in-your-face-awesome articles for the readers.

    @digigo - you may be right, I am not saying that I can get what I want for lower prices. I hope that I can however.

    @whateverpedia - Your post also gave me pause for thought. You said, "You seem to expect others to write the way you do without you telling them how you want the article to be written.". Well, no I did not *consciously* have that expectation really. But my frustration was more due to all of the boring writing samples (boring to me anyhow). I am now going to go back to an article writer I've been working with recently and discuss my style and needs with her, and see how that turns out.

    @Kay - Great points, however it is the "picking" of the writers that write decent copy that is tough. But yes, you drive home the points others have made as well, and I agree. I need to take more time and communicate what it is that I want. Yeah this thread has a lot of great responses in it (I appreciate all of the feedback) but it was not a post about "hiring a writer" (referring to your comment, "This thread has turned into one big advertising space!"). I do however appreciate those that made offers and will consider them.

    Well - I guess in the end, I continue my hunt for an article writer that I can fall in love with I will take everyone's suggestions on board, and revisit some article writers I've already worked with as well.

    Thanks all!
    Karen
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    • Profile picture of the author lisag
      Originally Posted by Karen Newton View Post

      @Lisa - That was hilarious, but you also drove your point home. I just had to have a chuckle at myself after reading that. I guess my frustration was more from viewing several article writers ads but not once seeing a variation of writing samples (nor much of a variety of styles even). I just felt like saying "COME ON writers - you have to convince ME to hire you, what makes you stand out from all of the competition? Show me some writing samples that make me go WOW, and I'm yours!". But after reading your post Lisa, I agree that I need to take a step back and think about this reasonably. After all, I may already HAVE a great writer but I haven't shared with them exactly what I want.

      (So Lisa, do you offer article writing services? )
      Check my sig.
      Signature

      -- Lisa G

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  • Profile picture of the author k0zm0zs0ul
    Originally Posted by Karen Newton View Post

    Maybe it's just my problem because I haven't yet accepted that to get ALL of that, I'm going to need to pay $20 or more per article.
    Is that true?!
    Um..more than likely yes. Sorry, but writers who write with personality are generally passionate about what they do and love to write. That means they put some time into formulating their thoughts, not just throwing an article up and yelling Read Me! $20 bucks is well below my usual rates, unless you're only looking for a 250 word mini post, not full article.

    Originally Posted by digigo View Post

    I do not want to be cynical.. but for $20 how much time you think the writer should be spending on your article? that include research time.. to get any personal.. with style.. and keywords rich.. internet marketing ready.. you are looking at minimum wage... so yes.. I would not expect much from speed writer..

    how about spend a little more, and write something really good and make it count ... quantity vs quality

    hiring someone that specialized in your subject matter may mitigate the problem
    Exactly.. if quality is your main concern, expect to pay more for superior quality. If quanity is more your thing, there are plenty of speedy writers you can choose from that are good enough for the job.

    Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

    Karen -

    Pick writers that write decent copy and then hire several to write just 2-3 articles - giving them detailed instructions of what you want.

    That's how you find a writer that works well for you. When I submit samples for a job - it's just a folder of sample styles. No fancy formatting - just focuses on the writing itself.

    Using bullet points and bold isn't writing - it's formatting. Tell a decent writer how you want articles to be formatted and they'll do it.

    In the past few days I've worked for 4 repeat clients - each one likes a different "style" for his articles. In fact I just got an email requesting some articles that began with "Hi Kay - you know what to do...". Yes, I know what that person likes because he told me and I've done quite a bit of work for him. But his style is not one I use for other clients and I didn't do that formatting for him initially - until he told me what he needed.

    Anyone can plop out bullet points and click on "bold" - not everyone can write well. Simple, short sentences should be a breeze for a decent writer - but you may need to tell them that's what you like.

    kay
    Exactly.

    This is how I outsource some of my stuff, by hiring a couple writers ..giving them all the same 'test' project..and the one that writes it the best (in my opinion) is the one I will hire to do more work for me.

    And most certainly, if you want something specific, you need to tell your writer you want something specific. Either they will agree and say they can do it, or they will disagree and say they can't. Move on and try another.

    It's possible to find what you want, it's just not likely you will find it right off the bat, without kissing a few frogs first, and it's entirely certain that once they realize they are 'that good', they won't be so cheap any longer. Just sayin'.

    Warm regards,
    C

    Ps- Sometimes you can find some real gems of writers in the blogging world that simply blog for the heck of it, and are shocked they could get paid to do it. Same goes for some work-at-home moms who just like to write because it's fun and making a buck for it is novel. Is this taking advantage? Maybe. But then again, $20 bucks an article is more than sites like Demand pay, so maybe not! HTH!
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    • Profile picture of the author richdirtygirl
      Karen,

      for what you say, you need a real writer. Most of the writers are actually rewriters.

      And it is ok, it is what the market asks, and they provide a valuable resource.

      In any business, you keep for yourself and do what you are strong at and outsource everything else.

      Maybe you could keep doing the writing and use the money to outsource tech stuff, or link building...

      Or even to clean your life from clutter... like having someone for housekeeping.

      I have an amazing writer working with me, but she still doesn't write my stuff. Everything you see signed by me is mine. Why? well... she is not me.

      I even gave her a separate space in my blog, she writes about whatever she wants and publish it.

      When you want someone able to put your personality to the articles, you are in a complete different level of the game. Because you need not only a writer, you need an emph writer. And they are not that easy to find, they hide pretty well... and they get out of the ghost period fast.

      Laura
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      • Profile picture of the author wolverine1971
        You'll see a lot of different methods out there. For example I have 2 different writing styles - article writing for maximized SEO to get traffic and article writing as fast as I can so that I can produce volume.

        When I write for quick traffic I write very quickly and conversationally to pump out a 500 word article in 10 minutes and will write 5 articles in 1 hour on the topic. Those work great for me for traffic but they aren't pretty with lots of nice bullets etc because I don't want to slow my pace down by thinking about how to make it look cool. A volume article marketer can pump out many articles if they just think and write what comes to mind.

        When I write for maximized SEO and to give it a nice look with bullets, numbered lists, and more personality, etc it can take me 30 minutes. Those articles are typically the ones I use to rank high in search engines and will build some backlinks to. I rewrite and edit them, proof read, and rewrite adding personality and a stronger call to action.

        I guess the point is that someones portfolio can be very diverse and a good writer should be able to give you exactly what you are looking for but quantity and quality can vary.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Karen Newton View Post

    I just killed over an hour going through posts in the Warriors For Hire section, looking at several portfolios for article writers. Maybe it is JUST me and my high standards, or perhaps my standards are even ABNORMAL - I don't know.

    But - not once have I found sample articles in those threads that showed me the type of article I LIKE such as:

    - using bullet points
    - using bold, italics
    - using SHORT and catchy sentences versus long and drawn out, which I see a lot of surprisingly
    - articles with PERSONALITY and STYLE

    Maybe it's just my problem because I haven't yet accepted that to get ALL of that, I'm going to need to pay $20 or more per article.

    Is that true?!

    You can find all of the above for cheap, with one exception ... personality and style. I have seen very few writers on the for hire section that have that and I don't imagine that they will be selling their articles as cheaply as the others do. I know I wouldn't. I'm like you. I want the article to read as if it is a conversation to my audience with personality, so I write my own articles.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Scott
    Why are people amazed when they have to *pay* for quality?

    I'm a copywriter, not an article writer... but for the articles I *have* written, they took me about an hour.

    If I hadn't have known what I was talking about and had to research thoroughly, maybe 2.

    Ultimately, it depends on what you want.

    Keyword-stuffed short-term SEO bait is easy to write... so it's cheap.

    Good articles... that get RESULTS (meaning clicks and *gasp* sales) take TIME... not to mention a high level of skill... so AREN'T cheap.

    My time is generally billed at something like $125/hr, and clients gladly pay it because I make them a ton more money than they pay me.

    It does depend on the project but that's a good rough estimation.

    *If* I wrote articles, I'd be charging a minimum of $100/article... but I guarantee you they'd kick ass.

    I know Tina has a couple of novels under her belt, and is a great writer... try getting her for $10/hour... not gonna happen.

    You make that working at McDonald's... why would I sell my skills and experience (that take years to acquire), not to mention the results I can get you... for the same price as what a guy flipping burgers gets?

    I'm all for squeezing every penny... you should see me going through the junk mail to do my shopping... but ultimately you have to use your common sense to figure out if something's viable.

    If it sounds too good to be true, it *usually* is.

    -Dan
    Signature

    Always looking for badass direct-response copywriters. PM me if we don't know each other and you're looking for work.

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    • Profile picture of the author k0zm0zs0ul
      Originally Posted by Daniel Scott View Post

      Why are people amazed when they have to *pay* for quality?

      I'm a copywriter, not an article writer... but for the articles I *have* written, they took me about an hour.

      If I hadn't have known what I was talking about and had to research thoroughly, maybe 2.

      Ultimately, it depends on what you want.

      Keyword-stuffed short-term SEO bait is easy to write... so it's cheap.

      Good articles... that get RESULTS (meaning clicks and *gasp* sales) take TIME... not to mention a high level of skill... so AREN'T cheap.

      My time is generally billed at something like $125/hr, and clients gladly pay it because I make them a ton more money than they pay me.

      It does depend on the project but that's a good rough estimation.

      *If* I wrote articles, I'd be charging a minimum of $100/article... but I guarantee you they'd kick ass.

      I know Tina has a couple of novels under her belt, and is a great writer... try getting her for $10/hour... not gonna happen.

      You make that working at McDonald's... why would I sell my skills and experience (that take years to acquire), not to mention the results I can get you... for the same price as what a guy flipping burgers gets?

      I'm all for squeezing every penny... you should see me going through the junk mail to do my shopping... but ultimately you have to use your common sense to figure out if something's viable.

      If it sounds too good to be true, it *usually* is.

      -Dan

      Amen Brotha! LOL Thanks for that, well said.
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  • Profile picture of the author Guy G.
    Originally Posted by Karen Newton View Post

    I just killed over an hour going through posts in the Warriors For Hire section, looking at several portfolios for article writers. Maybe it is JUST me and my high standards, or perhaps my standards are even ABNORMAL - I don't know.

    But - not once have I found sample articles in those threads that showed me the type of article I LIKE such as:

    - using bullet points
    - using bold, italics
    - using SHORT and catchy sentences versus long and drawn out, which I see a lot of surprisingly
    - articles with PERSONALITY and STYLE

    Maybe it's just my problem because I haven't yet accepted that to get ALL of that, I'm going to need to pay $20 or more per article.

    Is that true?!
    Hi Karen,

    I just wanted to say that it's great to see a fellow Central Ontarioan.

    We're up in Barrie and have been posting in the Personal Finance niche for little over a year now.

    You can have a look at our blog for sample articles following the link below, minus the social.html

    You can PM me if you'd like to talk about details, as we may even write with a backlink as compensation.

    Talk soon,
    Signature

    Business Relations and Marketing Manager
    Angulus Marketing

    http://www.angulusmarketing.com

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  • Profile picture of the author Karen Keyes
    @k0zm0zs0ul - I hear you loud and clear, and I am beginning to think you are right. But alas, I am still not able to pay high prices when we are talking about a need for multiple articles on an ongoing basis. So the hunt is still on! Yesterday I reached out to a few new writers, so we'll see what comes of it. I tried conveying the 'style' I want, we will see... PS: I like your tip about finding a writer in the blogging world. When I was pregnant a few years ago I spent a lot of time on a pregnancy forum. Some of those ladies could really write! Something I may have to explore... (Also, added you to Skype if you have a spare few minutes).

    @Laura - I'm beginning to think I may have to pick up the ball on some of the article writing and do it myself. You are right that I should start looking at what *other* things I can outsource. Um, yeah that's a whole other headache too!

    @Monika - Very informative reply, thank you. Yes it appears I have to make a decision, weighing both my budget and my time. I added you on Skype, wanted to chat with you further if you could spare a few minutes.

    @sbucciarel - Yep, I want my articles to really relate to the reader - a conversation with personality. Want to write my articles? Hehehe... By the way, signed up for needanarticle last night because I was curious. Ordered UAW rewrites for 2 original articles. In that case, I'm not really looking for the top-notch writing with style, pizazz etc. But I do use UAW in my marketing mix, and need to outsource the rewrites. So it might work out well just for that feature.

    @Daniel - I did not start this thread with the mindset of being "amazed" that I might have to pay for quality. I consider myself an intelligent gal, I certainly know that people value their time and skills and will charge accordingly. As I mentioned in an earlier reply, my biggest beef was that after going through several threads in the Warriors For Hire section, I rarely saw samples from writers that jumped out at me. This was just so ODD to me. I mean, writers - you are competing against several other folks, what is YOUR USP? Looking at your writing samples (and sales copy) is one of the biggest ways we (potential customers) can make a decision whether or not to hire you. If I were to advertise writing services, I would most certainly offer up samples in a WIDE variety of styles. I would want to be SURE to capture as much of my target market as possible (unless of course one is specializing in a certain type of writing etc.). So don't rant at me, I never expressed amazement at having to pay for quality, but maybe others did in this thread I am not sure.

    @stevieg12 - I think I know which "barry" you are referring to, and I ordered one article for now to review.

    @Guy - Hi Guy, I did live in Ontario but moved to Nova Scotia back in July when I bought a house. Love it here! My parents live here, so for me it is the best thing to be close to my mom. Life here is so much slower, which my husband and I both appreciate beyond belief. We were living in Brampton, which is quickly becoming overpopulated. Can you believe people here actually STOP and take the time to CHAT? Yes, it's true! LOL.. Btw, I did scan your blog but did not find writing samples. Feel free to reach me on Skype (mystfire).


    So all in all, I really appreciate everyone's feedback. I think my goal is still to find an affordable writer (one within my budget), but with keeping in mind that I will have to sacrifice some of my time to search for the right person, and then more of my time to convey exactly what I want. That's ok, I think I am prepared to do that, IF I can find the right person.

    Oh, and for anyone who may be reading this thread, that I may have ordered (or continue to order) article writing from - hear this. I am not complaining nor stating that your articles are no good. I wouldn't keep ordering if that was the case - why would I throw my money away? This thread served another purpose - one was a bit of a rant about going through all of the threads on the For Hire section, and another turned out to be analyzing HOW I am approaching the writers and/or how I am NOT conveying what I want correctly.

    Thanks again!
    Karen
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    • Profile picture of the author k0zm0zs0ul
      Originally Posted by Karen Newton View Post

      @k0zm0zs0ul - I hear you loud and clear, and I am beginning to think you are right. But alas, I am still not able to pay high prices when we are talking about a need for multiple articles on an ongoing basis. So the hunt is still on! Yesterday I reached out to a few new writers, so we'll see what comes of it. I tried conveying the 'style' I want, we will see... PS: I like your tip about finding a writer in the blogging world. When I was pregnant a few years ago I spent a lot of time on a pregnancy forum. Some of those ladies could really write! Something I may have to explore... (Also, added you to Skype if you have a spare few minutes)
      Hey Karen! Just saw you message on Skype, shot one back. I understand budgeting and still wanting quality. I just feel there are definitely some places you can find quality on a budget, and some areas you can't. In my opinion, in the area of content it's very difficult to find spectacular quality if you're not willing to invest more than the average joe.

      Does that apply to other things you could outsource? Maybe, maybe not. Things like technical work (blog set up, installs, etc), monotonous work like bookmarking and backlinking, things like transcription that don't require quite so much thought, even things like some VA work or customer service work...you can find good help at affordable pricing without too much hunting and lemons.

      Writing however, you're just not going to find it without some pretty extensive searching. And even then, once a writer starts realizing they're good, and can get PAID doing what the love, and paid WELL... they won't be within the budget minded for very long. It's just the way things go.

      Only people who don't realize what their skills are worth don't charge what their worth. Either that or they're offering a short term special for a particular reason. (or in rare cases, their extremely loyal)

      I would suggest sitting down and writing out all of the things you do each day in your biz, from the completely mundane, little things to the higher value 'income earners' that really contribute to your bottom line. ALL of them.

      Then start grouping them in the things you 'like to do' and things you 'hate to do'. Start looking to see if there is a way for you to outsource those in the 'hate to do' group, to free up more time for the 'like to do' group that will also likely include writing a lot of your own material.

      Hope that helps.

      Warm regards,
      Cori
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      • Profile picture of the author cyberchick
        @Monika - Very informative reply, thank you. Yes it appears I have to make a decision, weighing both my budget and my time. I added you on Skype, wanted to chat with you further if you could spare a few minutes.
        Hi Karen,

        I'm online now and ready to chat if you like. Looking forward to connect.
        Regards
        Monika
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        • Profile picture of the author arttse
          Its very important that the writer you hire covers the topic adequately.

          To do this the writer will be required to carry out thorough research. I prefer to assist the writer in this regard and provide all the links/references for the writer to save them time doing it themselves.

          This way they can put all their time and focus on actually writing rather than doing research.

          You can save a lot of money in the process too.
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  • Profile picture of the author eibhlin
    LisaG made some excellent points, and I'm 100% in agreement with cyberchick.

    I used to write for other people, but when I had a little breathing space, I started writing for my own websites. I began making so much more, I rarely write for anyone else now.

    Most top-level article writers will expect $15 per article, minimum. When you hire a professional writer, you're competing with magazines and book publishers who'll often pay 10x that (or more) for a single, well written article.

    The exceptions are people who are new to writing for hire (but are skilled) and those who've mastered speed writing techniques. The latter sometimes use voice recognition software; dictating an article is almost always faster than writing it with the keyboard.

    Others write with a series of writing systems or templates, so the process can be extremely fast, but the formula may become evident (and boring) in some cases.

    However, you may not need a "great literature" writer. It depends on whether you're hoping to impress your audience.

    If your income model is based on AdSense clicks, it may be better to provide less than readers want, so they click to find a more comprehensive site. You'll still want to rank well, of course, and hold visitors' attention long enough so they don't hit the "back" button. The idea is to get the reader through the first paragraph or two before they say, "This is good, but it's not quite what I wanted."

    Then, they'll glance at your AdSense links and see something that's more likely to meet their needs. Of course, the AdSense links will be most relevant if your writer has used good keywords in the article.

    If you're hoping to sound authoritative, you'll want to hire the best writer you can afford. That may not be cheap, but the investment is almost always worthwhile.

    I was earning $15 - $250 per article when I wrote for website owners. I still (rarely) throw articles on ConstantContent.com, now and then. Over the life of a website, my articles can earn the website owner many times what they paid for them. (Reminder: I'm not for hire.)

    So, whether you're writing for yourself or hiring a freelancer, hiring the best writer in your budget (and perhaps tweaking inexpensive articles to improve them) can be a vital component in your business.
    Signature
    Artist, blogger, and author of a bazillion books, more or less. Find me at Eibhlin.com
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  • Profile picture of the author Ronak Shah
    I think you could definitely find a writer who writes exactly the way you want it to be like.

    I feel you want a writer who could highlight the important parts using bold/italics and make the reader read through the article quickly using bullet points. You want an article to be cleverly organized such that the reader is completely involved in reading the article until he/she completes reading it. The article has to be compelling enough for the reader to read through the article.

    Short sentences are a common requisite these days. It is meant to keep the reader go through the article completely while the taste of the article stays on till the end. You want style within your articles that tell readers more about the writer's background, authority and expertise. You have a purpose behind these articles which can be revealed only through a certain stylish approach.

    You definitely want to make sure these articles aren't pushy anyway in acheiving your objective.

    What I find is, you want a writer who can write very fluent english with impressive vocabulary, personality and style as if the articles are insanely smooth to the mind.

    I'll tell you, you get what you pay for. You hire a writer who is not an expert at writing but writes only to make a living, you will definitely be stranded. You need an individual who could elaborate more on what you really want within your articles & offer you advice on how to make them look even better than you expect them to be.

    Expert writers don't come cheap. Often than not. If you find any writers for cheap who would do a great job, just let me know. I'd be more than happy to pass on some work to them.

    This assignment is definitely not for any tom-dick-harry. You want a specialist. Specialist don't come cheap in the marketplace. They pay for what you receive with their efforts, time, patience and knowledge.

    I do have a team of specialist writers but they charge over $20.00 per 500 words. I do think it's not easy to write what you want because you're looking at hiring a "specialist". I can offer an article to you. You can hire me if you like.

    Kindly elaborate niche. I'll tell you if I could do it or not. I take up assignments in specific niches only in which I specialize.
    Signature
    I AM YOUR Direct Response Ninja Kick-Ass Sales Copywriter.

    Now, Here's The REAL DEAL:
    Either I make YOU at least 10 times of what I charge YOU OR
    I'll Write YOUR Sales Copy AGAIN Till YOU Make MUCH MORE Than THAT. Guaranteed*.
    *Terms & Conditions Apply. Email me at ronak[at]ronakshah[dot]name right now.
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  • Profile picture of the author CustomX33
    Are you looking for an article writer for blog posts or article directories? Do the articles require a lot of research? What about length? I found a writer on Elance who is doing articles for $5. She is very professional and uses bullet points and such. PM for writer's info.
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    • Profile picture of the author blue_sky
      there was a useful wso not long ago where a member asked several writer (12 if I recall that correctly) to write an article on a specific topic - she listed then all the articles including contact details for the regarding writer in her wso - buying this might save you some time...
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  • Profile picture of the author Alumni
    You can easily outsource to overseas to get some cheap articles written to your liking
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