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Am I asking too much from article writers?

by Sonja
50 replies
Okay I'm really wondering is it me looking for perfection that doesn't exist or am I just using the wrong the sources?

I don't consistently purchase unique articles but have done so quite a few times in the past couple of years. I have sought out those services mostly from recommendations here in the WF. But I have yet to get a set of written articles that don't have some sort of grammatical errors in them. I mean anything from misspelled words to a sentence that makes absolutely no sense .

How about 'wight' instead of 'weight'? How about 'recieve' instead of 'receive'? How about 'makes you more happier more happier if' instead of 'makes you more happier if'?

These are simple errors that should be checked in the proofreading process. I have paid anywhere from $5 to $10 per article for about 500 - 600 words, and I will order a minimum of 5 articles from anyone. But I feel like damn, if I can't take the articles that I just paid for and immediately use them then what I am I paying for? I guess I'm just frustrated because I'm wondering is this typical?

The worse part about this is that I can't complain about the content because the content has been good. So why can't both the content and the writing be good?

See I am just not good at writing articles...just not up my ally at all so I need to outsource this part of my business but damn am I just frustrated with this. Really, am I expecting too much from a writer?
#article #writers
  • Profile picture of the author Bill_Z
    I don't think you are asking too much. It takes alot of trial and error to find the right people. But when you find them, hold onto them by paying them well. We personally went through about 5 or 6 writing teams before we found a good one at a reasonable price.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ian Varnava
    Yup, you're definitely not asking for too much. But remember, you get what you pay for. The real writers will rarely do 500 articles for $10 a piece.

    That's not to say you won't find good writers working for cheap, but they're just harder to find. Also, most good writers (like when I did it for a short while) start out cheap to get their name out there, but once they gain traction, they up their price.

    The receive and recieve thing is just an American/British English thing... but the rest... :rolleyes:
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    • Profile picture of the author Sonja
      Originally Posted by John McEachern View Post

      Sounds to me like you have an idea of what you can get for $10. Maybe try to up the amount you are willing to pay for articles and get more particular about what you want to accomplish with them.
      Trust me, I clearly communicate any of my dis-satisfactions. I just didn't think I should have to tell a writer to send me an error free article.

      Originally Posted by Bill_Z View Post

      I don't think you are asking too much. It takes alot of trial and error to find the right people. But when you find them, hold onto them by paying them well. We personally went through about 5 or 6 writing teams before we found a good one at a reasonable price.
      Yea I guess I will have to keep looking for a good team of writers. The thing is I have already been through about 5 or 6 teams now. So maybe the one who fits me is right around the corner !

      Originally Posted by IM Joker View Post

      Yup, you're definitely not asking for too much. But remember, you get what you pay for. The real writers will rarely do 500 articles for $10 a piece.

      That's not to say you won't find good writers working for cheap, but they're just harder to find. Also, most good writers (like when I did it for a short while) start out cheap to get their name out there, but once they gain traction, they up their price.

      The receive and recieve thing is just an American/British English thing... but the rest... :rolleyes:
      American/British thing...Ha Ha Joker! You got a laugh out of me. Yes of course I did think about that price point that I've paid, not that I'm not willing to pay more its just those are the ones that I have ran across so far charging that amount of money. So if I found someone who fit my liking I would be willing to pay more for sure.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      How about 'makes you more happier more happier if' instead of 'makes you more happier if'?

      I wouldn't see that phrase as acceptable in any form. You are not going to find perfect articles at low end prices. If you are getting articles that can be used with minor corrections, it's still good.

      I expect you aim to pay at the $5 level when possible. 5 articles would be all of $25 to the writer and the work will be rushed as time is big factor for a writer at those prices.

      At $10 per article you should be able to expect decent spelling at least. Spell check is pretty basic.

      kay
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Hi Sonja,

      Originally Posted by Sonja View Post

      I have paid anywhere from $5 to $10 per article for about 500 - 600 words, and I will order a minimum of 5 articles from anyone.
      As others have said, you'll be hard pressed to find professional writers for that rate. What you will find are plenty of opportunists (albeit with the best of intentions) and perhaps a few inexperienced (or desperate) writers.

      The sad fact is that many clients at this end of the market won't even notice any spelling or grammatical errors unless those mistakes are glaringly obvious. :rolleyes:

      If you're happy with the general content, you could continue to pay your rate and regard the extra proofreading you need to do as part of your cost - it's still a good deal.


      Hi IM Joker,

      Originally Posted by IM Joker View Post

      Also, most good writers (like when I did it for a short while) start out cheap to get their name out there, but once they gain traction, they up their price.
      Unfortunately, all too often the only name they get out there is one for writing on the cheap. It's extremely difficult to raise the rate with an existing client base. Most writers will need to target a different market; in which case, the best option is probably to start with the market you intend to stay with.


      The receive and recieve thing is just an American/British English thing... but the rest... :rolleyes:
      Receive is the standard spelling in both countries (at least, for now )


      Frank
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  • Profile picture of the author stealthpromo
    Wow. I just graduated with an english major...maybe I should try my hand at copywriting.
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  • Profile picture of the author Charlotte Jay
    No, you're not asking too much from writers. Listen, I would expect readable content if I paid good money (albeit not much). It surprises me that people are incapable of using correct grammar, punctuation and spelling in a piece of content that was paid for. I do charge less than my normal rates on here, but that is solely to bring up my reputation. Keep looking, there are some gems out there.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gary King
    I doubt you'll get what you're looking for at $5-$10... I've seen errors close to this in $20 articles. I wasn't happy about it, but I've seen them (again, not quite that bad but stuff like "you" instead of "your").

    Keep plugging - you'll find someone that meets your needs, but you might need to raise your investment a bit.

    All success,

    Gary
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    • Profile picture of the author Sonja
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      I wouldn't see that phrase as acceptable in any form. You are not going to find perfect articles at low end prices. If you are getting articles that can be used with minor corrections, it's still good.

      I expect you aim to pay at the $5 level when possible. 5 articles would be all of $25 to the writer and the work will be rushed as time is big factor for a writer at those prices.

      At $10 per article you should be able to expect decent spelling at least. Spell check is pretty basic.

      kay
      Originally Posted by Gary King View Post

      I doubt you'll get what you're looking for at $5-$10... I've seen errors close to this in $20 articles. I wasn't happy about it, but I've seen them (again, not quite that bad but stuff like "you" instead of "your").

      Keep plugging - you'll find someone that meets your needs, but you might need to raise your investment a bit.

      All success,

      Gary
      Hey! Are you two related?

      Yea $5 articles I don't expect to be the greatest. The only reason I paid that for them was because I got them in bulk. And yeah lots of corrections at that price. But at $10 bucks an article I at least want complete sentences but maybe that's too much to ask .

      But like you said Kay, the articles are good but just need corrections. I guess I should quit my rant and just do what I've been doing and correct them myself. The content that I have recently gotten is not bad at all.

      Maybe I could just take some of the PLR I have and start rewriting them in my own voice. Lord if I just had the ability to write and pump out some really good articles half of the battle would be won for me.:rolleyes:
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      • Profile picture of the author Gary King
        Originally Posted by Sonja View Post

        Hey! Are you two related?

        Yea $5 articles I don't expect to be the greatest. The only reason I paid that for them was because I got them in bulk. And yeah lots of corrections at that price. But at $10 bucks an article I at least want complete sentences but maybe that's too much to ask .

        But like you said Kay, the articles are good but just need corrections. I guess I should quit my rant and just do what I've been doing and correct them myself. The content that I have recently gotten is not bad at all.

        Maybe I could just take some of the PLR I have and start rewriting them in my own voice. Lord if I just had the ability to write and pump out some really good articles half of the battle would be won for me.:rolleyes:
        Nope, not related.

        Try someone at the 10-20 range. If you struggle to find good writers there, yes, you could consider re-writing PLR, etc.

        The question to ask your self is this...

        How much are YOU worth per hour?

        If you're not a writer, and it takes you say 2-3 hours to write a good article, then you're out the equivalent of whatever your hourly value is times 3.

        There are several warriors here that will do a nice job for you at 10-20/article. The ones I know off the top of my head are $20-30, but if you want those contacts, PM me and I'll be happy to send them over. I just don't want this thread to turn into an ad or be unfair to anyone that I haven't had the pleasure of working with yet.

        Have a great day!

        Gary
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Sonja View Post

    I have paid anywhere from $5 to $10 per article for about 500 - 600 words
    I have always told writers that if they are fluent in the English language and can both spell correctly and use proper grammar, there is no good reason why they don't charge at least two cents a word.

    So in my opinion, the prices for 500-600 word articles should start at $10-$12.

    If you only pay $5-$10, well, this is what you get. Unless you're "lucky" enough to find writers who are new and uneducated, don't know what they're worth, and have a general lack of self-confidence.

    But writers are smart, and they'll figure it out. Sooner or later they talk to another writer who tells them what they ought to be charging, and they start charging it.

    Professional writers' associations don't even count your work as "experience" unless you got five cents a word. Anything less, to them, has no professional value at all.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sonja
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      I have always told writers that if they are fluent in the English language and can both spell correctly and use proper grammar, there is no good reason why they don't charge at least two cents a word.

      So in my opinion, the prices for 500-600 word articles should start at $10-$12.

      If you only pay $5-$10, well, this is what you get. Unless you're "lucky" enough to find writers who are new and uneducated, don't know what they're worth, and have a general lack of self-confidence.

      But writers are smart, and they'll figure it out. Sooner or later they talk to another writer who tells them what they ought to be charging, and they start charging it.

      Professional writers' associations don't even count your work as "experience" unless you got five cents a word. Anything less, to them, has no professional value at all.
      Umm didn't know that about the price point for professional writers. But yea I see I will have to up my price to pay to get better quality and I would if I could find some good writers. Not to say that I could afford the $20 per article that Gary talked about, but I definitely want quality over quantity so I'd pay a little more for sure.

      See like I said the content that I've gotten isn't so bad that it couldn't be published, just that I always have to make grammatical corrections. So basically you all have confirmed to me what the problem is.
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      • Profile picture of the author Ehanson
        Another problem with paying article writers lower rates is you might attract people who are looking to write the most articles per day trying to make as much money as possible everyday- thus leading to pumping out articles with mistakes.

        You can also pay higher prices but pay half before the article is written and then half after you receive it. Let them know if it's poorly written you won't pay. Provides an incentive for your writers so you don't have to waste time correcting their mistakes.
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    • Profile picture of the author 1960Texan
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      If you only pay $5-$10, well, this is what you get. Unless you're "lucky" enough to find writers who are new and uneducated, don't know what they're worth, and have a general lack of self-confidence.

      But writers are smart, and they'll figure it out. Sooner or later they talk to another writer who tells them what they ought to be charging, and they start charging it.

      Professional writers' associations don't even count your work as "experience" unless you got five cents a word. Anything less, to them, has no professional value at all.
      Exactly. In other words, anyone expecting to receive unique, well written content for a penny a word needs to either up the price or lower their expectations.

      It puzzles me when I see marketers posting "content is king" on this forum while offering a pauper's price for the content. I can't be the only one who notices the irony.

      Will
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      • Profile picture of the author smartlazy
        Banned
        I am offering a rate of $0.01 per word but I can't work at this rate for very long. Despite the fact that I can write quality and error-free content, many of my prospective clients balk at my high rates. That's why I'm offering a discounted rate to attract prospective customers.
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  • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
    Originally Posted by Sonja View Post

    Okay I'm really wondering is it me looking for perfection that doesn't exist or am I just using the wrong the sources?

    I don't consistently purchase unique articles but have done so quite a few times in the past couple of years. I have sought out those services mostly from recommendations here in the WF. But I have yet to get a set of written articles that don't have some sort of grammatical errors in them. I mean anything from misspelled words to a sentence that makes absolutely no sense .

    How about 'wight' instead of 'weight'? How about 'recieve' instead of 'receive'? How about 'makes you more happier more happier if' instead of 'makes you more happier if'?

    These are simple errors that should be checked in the proofreading process. I have paid anywhere from $5 to $10 per article for about 500 - 600 words, and I will order a minimum of 5 articles from anyone. But I feel like damn, if I can't take the articles that I just paid for and immediately use them then what I am I paying for? I guess I'm just frustrated because I'm wondering is this typical?

    The worse part about this is that I can't complain about the content because the content has been good. So why can't both the content and the writing be good?

    See I am just not good at writing articles...just not up my ally at all so I need to outsource this part of my business but damn am I just frustrated with this. Really, am I expecting too much from a writer?
    Well, coming from a writer that spell checks everything, I do miss things from time to time, but any words that are actually misspelled are caught before I send the project to my clients. I do a grammatical check as well, but this is a tough area because of all the different rules that are out there for the English language. However, the key with grammar is to make sure it reads well and as long as it does the majority of readers will not notice if it is not 100% grammatically correct.

    I do my best to catch all of my mistakes before I send out a project and I try very hard to make sure the articles are ready to be submitted to an actual directory or put on a blog, but I am not perfect and do make some errors from time to time.

    I think that a lot of article writing services act as middle men and they outsource their orders to people that do not speak English as their first language. This is one of the reasons that some of my clients continually use me instead of other services.

    Benjamin Ehinger
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  • Profile picture of the author Trapped
    The errors you just mentioned have really nothing to do with what other members mentioned (you get what you paid for), those errors are more closely related (at least that's what I think) from writers that are "distracted" or "overloaded" with work.

    I am not a native English, nor English is my first language, however I do end up seeing such misspelling in articles I outsource. If those errors happen to 1 out of 5 or 10 articles I would just not mention it at all to the writer, if it happens again, usually, a straight forward "i don't want to see these type of errors on next order or I won't accept them and will no longer collaborate with you" works quiet well.

    Even for higher priced articles I will proof read the articles, and if I find a misspelling while reading..costs me nothing to fix it. In other words, there is no article that I get from writers that I can just "use it" without reading through it (and while I am there, a small misspell fix doesn't change the world to me).
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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    Originally Posted by Sonja View Post

    I have yet to get a set of written articles that don't have some sort of grammatical errors in them. I mean anything from misspelled words to a sentence that makes absolutely no sense
    Grammatical skills are always going to vary, and the extent to which grammar matters clearly depends on the intended usage for the articles.

    Misspelled words are inexcusable, even in a $5 article. It costs nothing to use a spellcheck and writers without one have no business selling their "services".

    For myself, I'd be highly suspicious that an "article" with spelling mistakes had simply been copy-pasted from somewhere, without even being read, and I'd want to check that very carefully before using it.

    You're not asking too much from article writers. As many people do, you're using the services of people pretending to be article writers, I think.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarah Harvey
    So when I offered my services at $2 an article, (not on this forum) I guess people thought I was crap. Ah well! Such is life.



    You will find the right team eventually. In the long run there is no human being that is perfect when it comes to writing. Someone might be imaginative, yet lack grammar and spelling that could have made the piece something remarkable.

    I enjoy writing and would absolutely love to write all the time, however, as imaginative as I am, I do lack the finesse some writers convey through their writing style. I am fantastic at spelling words, with the odd mistake if I am in a hurry, but when it comes to grammar, I can't say much because my original language is Afrikaans.
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    • Profile picture of the author mrdomains
      Ah, the "writer" v.s. writer dilemma.

      Some writers that actively seek assignments seem to be rushing things (instead of upping their price and taking time to deliver proper goods) which is too bad because as you say - some of them are not too bad at research and putting down enjoyable content. Anyway, that type of writer will never change - live with it or move on.

      If you are training a writer, then tell them how you like it. Correct grammar, spellcheck before delivery. Simple as that.

      Unless you are training your own writer/VA, just move on an find another writer who actually does spell check their product before delivery. Believe it or not, they do exist
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      • Profile picture of the author The Great Gordino
        For $10 you are certainly not asking too much for spelling and grammar.
        I tend to offer clients one free article so they can test the water so to speak.

        You could try asking writers to do this, in additon to seeing samples of their writing.
        You say you ask them to correct the work, which is fine, but if it happens too much you could ask for a refund. Let's face it, a writer will not be advertising their product as 'full of errors' so why should you pay for it if it arrvies that way?
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  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    In order to get better performance from your ghost writers, you need to offer them better leadership.

    If you are getting crappy content, that is almost as much your responsibility as it is the people who are giving you crappy performance.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Great Gordino
      Originally Posted by tpw View Post

      In order to get better performance from your ghost writers, you need to offer them better leadership.

      If you are getting crappy content, that is almost as much your responsibility as it is the people who are giving you crappy performance.
      What? So if the OP pays for someone to write articles and they arrive with spelling and grammar mistakes, it's the OPs fault for not providing leadership??
      Total nonsense I'm afraid!

      If the article is off-topic or not keyword optimised, etc then maybe the requirements were not explained sufficiently, but spelling and grammar are prerequisites.
      No 'leadership' required from customer.
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      • Profile picture of the author Devid Farah
        Hi Sonja,

        You are not expecting too much.

        You are only expecting what was promised to you and there is nothing wrong with that.

        If you are spending more than five dollars an article, then those articles need to be perfect.

        You should not have to proofread the articles.

        One option you have is to try a different provider.

        There are many different sources where you can find high quality writers.

        I’d advise you to check out places such as Elance.com and Guru.com.

        At those places you can read reviews that other people have left for those writers which will give you a good idea of the quality of their writing.
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      • Profile picture of the author tpw
        Originally Posted by The Great Gordino View Post

        What? So if the OP pays for someone to write articles and they arrive with spelling and grammar mistakes, it's the OPs fault for not providing leadership??
        Total nonsense I'm afraid!

        If the article is off-topic or not keyword optimised, etc then maybe the requirements were not explained sufficiently, but spelling and grammar are prerequisites.
        No 'leadership' required from customer.

        I stand behind my original comments.

        I tell writers that I will not pay them for their work if they don't take the time to make the spelling and grammar good.

        If I did not tell them that, they would expect that such things did not matter to me.

        People are lazy and they will take every shortcut they can imagine to take.

        If you don't tell them that you won't tolerate them taking shortcuts on your dime, then you should not be surprised when they try to take you for a ride.

        Their other customers tolerate it... Why wouldn't you?

        Draw the line in the sand, and tell them if they cross it, you won't pay them.
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  • Profile picture of the author bpetric
    You get what you pay for. The article writers I work with are very reliable and professional, but I also pay them decent bucks ($13/500 words).
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  • Profile picture of the author trafficforfree
    WOW - I think you are being taken for a fool. I only charge $15/£10 for an optimized squidoo lens or hub on hupages. Which as you know will hold a lot more weight with the search engines. I write articles for a local newspaper and only receive £3 every time an article is published.

    Yes you can get cheap writers from the far east? Or you can truly invest in your future?
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  • Profile picture of the author GeorgR.
    No, you are not asking too much. How can someone offer article writing if they make gross grammatical errors? I think correct grammar is the least you should expect, otherwise that person has no business in writing. My $0.02
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by GeorgR. View Post

      My $0.02
      Is that $0.02 per word, Georg? That would bring you in at exactly $10 for a 500-word article ...
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      • Profile picture of the author GeorgR.
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        Is that $0.02 per word, Georg? That would bring you in at exactly $10 for a 500-word article ...
        I wish I am at $0.0138 now and its already too much for some people. Sigh.
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by GeorgR. View Post

      No, you are not asking too much. How can someone offer article writing if they make gross grammatical errors? I think correct grammar is the least you should expect, otherwise that person has no business in writing. My $0.02
      There is a difference between correct grammar and acceptable grammar. The general public is not full of English majors and sometimes there are better ways to write than just with proper grammar. Sure grammar is important and if a writer make very noticeable mistakes, then they should not be writing. However, I have many clients that could care less about the grammar if the article is written from a conversational tone or is written for the purpose to market something.

      Benjamin Ehinger
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Sonja, while you do indeed have every right to expect proper spelling and grammar, you should also not be surprised when writers fall short, especially at the low end of the pay scale.

        I don't believe simply paying more per article will get you the results you want, though. Even the so-called professional writers and editors at the local paper let some real whoppers through.

        As I see it, you have a couple of alternatives in addition to simply paying more per article.

        You could hire a proofreader to make the corrections for you on a batch basis.

        Or you could send your writers unannounced bonuses for proper work. If that $5 article writer does send you something flawless, send them an extra dollar or two and tell them why. A 20%-40% tip will likely get you more flawless articles, I'll wager.
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        • Profile picture of the author aandersen
          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          Or you could send your writers unannounced bonuses for proper work. If that $5 article writer does send you something flawless, send them an extra dollar or two and tell them why. A 20%-40% tip will likely get you more flawless articles, I'll wager.

          One of the best pieces of advice I've ever seen on this topic...
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        • Profile picture of the author AHayes183
          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          Sonja, while you do indeed have every right to expect proper spelling and grammar, you should also not be surprised when writers fall short, especially at the low end of the pay scale.

          I don't believe simply paying more per article will get you the results you want, though. Even the so-called professional writers and editors at the local paper let some real whoppers through.

          As I see it, you have a couple of alternatives in addition to simply paying more per article.

          You could hire a proofreader to make the corrections for you on a batch basis.

          Or you could send your writers unannounced bonuses for proper work. If that $5 article writer does send you something flawless, send them an extra dollar or two and tell them why. A 20%-40% tip will likely get you more flawless articles, I'll wager.
          That's exactly right. Even the most experienced and talented writer can make a couple of typos here and there. With a diligent writer, these will be picked up during the proof reading stage. However, your best bet is to either use a company that offers a proof reading service as part of the package or hire your own editor.

          The advantage of hiring an editor specifically for the role is that they can also help with other tasks, such as research or creating titles to assist your writer(s). My only tip in this regard is to hire an editor for their writing skills first and foremost - something which is often forgotten strangely enough. For example, if you have one writer who you can trust to do a good job, perhaps a promotion is in order.
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        • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          Sonja, while you do indeed have every right to expect proper spelling and grammar, you should also not be surprised when writers fall short, especially at the low end of the pay scale.

          I don't believe simply paying more per article will get you the results you want, though. Even the so-called professional writers and editors at the local paper let some real whoppers through.

          As I see it, you have a couple of alternatives in addition to simply paying more per article.

          You could hire a proofreader to make the corrections for you on a batch basis.

          Or you could send your writers unannounced bonuses for proper work. If that $5 article writer does send you something flawless, send them an extra dollar or two and tell them why. A 20%-40% tip will likely get you more flawless articles, I'll wager.
          This is simply great advice. As a former waiter that now writes for a living I agree with the tipping. If I were to receive tips when I completed the high quality work that I do with flawless grammar and spelling, then I would tend to pay more attention to the grammar and spelling.

          At $5 per article or $1 per 100 words, which is the going rate on the warrior for hire section I have to be able to put out at least 4 of these per hour to make it worth my time. If I was able to charge $20 to $30 per article or $4 to $6 per 100 words, then I would only need to write one of these an hour to make it worth my time and I could take the time to do a full proof and make it flawless(or at least very close to flawless).

          Benjamin Ehinger
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  • Profile picture of the author MayfairNoble
    People working at low rates are often churning out many articles, it's no surprise that they get sloppy.

    It's only $5 to them, you have to think about what that will actually buy them in the real world.

    I know that there are many writers who are much more careful for similar price points, but you should try see things from the perspective of the person who supplied it.

    Not saying I agree with it, I think that decent grammar and spelling should be a given no matter the price.
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  • Profile picture of the author yourreviewer
    You just need to know where to look. Take a look at the gig below, the writer has great feedback. (Disclaimer: I have no connection with the writer, just trying to help).

    americanwriter: I will write high quality, 400-500 word Search Engine Optimized articles for you. for $5 at Fiverr.com
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Deegan
    As others have said it really comes down to how much your willing to pay for your writer. Just put your self in the shoes of someone who can actually write & proof good content...

    Would you want to put in the time to craft a solid 500 word article for 5 or 6 bucks?

    Personally I don't outsource much writing (at least right now), but my go to writer is a stay at home mom who was not found using traditional means...(ie freelance sites, etc.) I'm not sure what her workload is but if you want to get in contact with her let me know. I do knew her minimum is $10 per 500 words.
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    • Profile picture of the author Battra
      Originally Posted by Daniel Deegan View Post

      I'm not sure what her workload is but if you want to get in contact with her let me know. I do knew her minimum is $10 per 500 words.
      Can you PM me her contact? I don't have enough posts to send you PM. Thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author stevemarino
    Originally Posted by Sonja View Post

    I have paid anywhere from $5 to $10 per article for about 500 - 600 words
    That is your major problem.

    Originally Posted by Sonja View Post

    Really, am I expecting too much from a writer?
    You're expecting too much for $5. However, if the content is OK and you can proofread and edit pretty quickly then you're still getting a pretty good deal.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sonja
      Hey everyone. Yes I get that $5 an article is probably just rewritten PLR, but I only purchased those at that amount because of ONE bulk order placed. I didn't expect perfection for those and never ordered at that price again. But....for $10 an article, like someone said above, at least give me spell checker with complete sentences.

      I guess I was just frustrated when I posted this because in my mind, which may have been a bit naive, just felt that I should get what I pay for. Are people not looking to keep a good list of customers? What's the point of handing out crap at whatever price per article when you've lost a customer for good? No repeat business and bad reputation! I'm not looking for writers to have a wham bam thank you ma'am and I'm out of here. I'm looking for long-term relationships and dependability.

      I mean if I could afford to pay the top article writers (whoever they are because I don't have a clue ) I surely would, but then Gary posted above and said that even at $20 he still noticed some errors. Yep I understand that even the best of writers make mistakes...I think its called being human . I accept that. Hell I accept that the $10 article writer makes some mistakes...got no problem with that. I'm just feeling that excessive corrections are not acceptable is all.

      See my undies got twisted in a very tight knot when I got my last order with too many errors in them, but the content was good . So I came here to talk about it and get it off my chest. I was just really curious about others experiences with writers and the outcomes. I know what I need to do now. Thanks for all of your replies!
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  • Profile picture of the author NicoleBeckett
    Sonja -- No, you are not expecting too much from your writers. If they are professionals, they should know enough to proofread everything before it goes out the door to you. However, as many other posters have pointed out, at the price you're paying, the focus becomes cranking out articles as quickly as possible, in order to still turn a profit.

    It can be tempting to pay $5 or $10 for an article and assume that you can "just edit it yourself later". However, how much time are you spending making those edits? In an industry where time is money, I wouldn't want to be wasting time playing English teacher if I were you. Sure, you might pay more per article, but you'll be able to post them as-is and save yourself a ton of time - and do more productive (and profitable!) things instead!
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  • Profile picture of the author GeorgR.
    It's only $5 to them, you have to think about what that will actually buy them in the real world.
    Hello,

    this is the wrong thinking

    A good writer can easily do 4 or more articles/hour. This makes $20-$25/hr. Do you know how many people would kill for being able to do this, without leaving their home..simply from their computer?

    I am not saying that this is a fortune...but it is already FAR, far more what many people make as contractors/in retail etc...

    Again: Offer a service...then AT LEAST be able to halfway do what you are actually offering. I myself am not offering to fix cars since i have not the slightest clue about cars...but people offering writing not being able to write one coherent sentence...?!
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    • Profile picture of the author Zachmo
      You are not asking too much. Of course an article should have not just good content but no errors. A 100% error free article is possible and a very good writer exists.
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    • Profile picture of the author paulie888
      Originally Posted by GeorgR. View Post

      Hello,

      this is the wrong thinking

      A good writer can easily do 4 or more articles/hour. This makes $20-$25/hr. Do you know how many people would kill for being able to do this, without leaving their home..simply from their computer?

      I am not saying that this is a fortune...but it is already FAR, far more what many people make as contractors/in retail etc...

      Again: Offer a service...then AT LEAST be able to halfway do what you are actually offering. I myself am not offering to fix cars since i have not the slightest clue about cars...but people offering writing not being able to write one coherent sentence...?!
      This is true, they may be prioritizing quality over quantity so as to make the maximum amount of money possible.

      Even so, at $5-$10 per article, spelling and obvious grammar mistakes should be inexcusable. Spelling is easily taken care of via spell-checker, and if you cannot put together simple sentences that are free of any obvious grammatical errors, then you have absolutely no business writing articles for others.

      There is no need for these article writers to come up with a literary masterpiece here, as it has been said that articles need to be simple in structure, easily understood, and be at an eighth-grade level in terms of comprehension and vocabulary so that just about anyone can understand it - we're shooting for the lowest common denominator here, and not writing a thesis for university work or submitting a professional article for work purposes.
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  • Profile picture of the author charlesgosu
    I dont think your asking for too much.. it's very hard today to look for writers. A good writer can do 4-5 articles per hour.
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  • Profile picture of the author Apollo-Articles
    Originally Posted by Sonja View Post

    Okay I'm really wondering is it me looking for perfection that doesn't exist or am I just using the wrong the sources?

    I don't consistently purchase unique articles but have done so quite a few times in the past couple of years. I have sought out those services mostly from recommendations here in the WF. But I have yet to get a set of written articles that don't have some sort of grammatical errors in them. I mean anything from misspelled words to a sentence that makes absolutely no sense .

    How about 'wight' instead of 'weight'? How about 'recieve' instead of 'receive'? How about 'makes you more happier more happier if' instead of 'makes you more happier if'?

    These are simple errors that should be checked in the proofreading process. I have paid anywhere from $5 to $10 per article for about 500 - 600 words, and I will order a minimum of 5 articles from anyone. But I feel like damn, if I can't take the articles that I just paid for and immediately use them then what I am I paying for? I guess I'm just frustrated because I'm wondering is this typical?

    The worse part about this is that I can't complain about the content because the content has been good. So why can't both the content and the writing be good?

    See I am just not good at writing articles...just not up my ally at all so I need to outsource this part of my business but damn am I just frustrated with this. Really, am I expecting too much from a writer?

    I often get customers who purchase 'test articles' first, in order to try out the quality and service, and then go on to purchase more. I can recommend this over purchasing article and bundles only to find a lack of quality.

    Thanks,

    Sam

    Apollo Articles
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Baker
    No you are not expecting too much! I don't pay any more than $5 per 500 word article and if the writer cannot give me an article that is grammar/spelling mistake free, then simply ask them to fix it. That's why I always insist that any outsourcing for anything to be written, you use a 3rd party that has escrow services. That way they don't get paid until you are happy with their work.

    Also these people saying that $5 is too little to expect high quality are full of it. If you offer someone $5 to write an article, then it is their responsibility to do so as they are the one who accepted to write it at that price. If they thought their time was worth more money, they wouldn't take $5 to write. Don't ever listen to that ****! If someone thinks their time is worth more than what you offer them, then it is up to them to take responsibility for their action and don't take the job!
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