This morning I saw a writing job posted that caused my mouth to drop open in shock. Since I can't close my mouth until I get all my gasps of incredulity voiced, I decided to blog about it of course.
Please, please don't take jobs like this. It's hard for me to believe that some poor desperate schmuck would actually sign on to do this job.
Project Summary: Looking for 200 original articles focused around keywords / phrases that will be provided to the winning bidder. Each article should be approx 325 words written for SEO purposes.
Your Writer Guidelines:
-article length= roughly 300-325 words
-3-4 paragraph format
-I will provide a keyword that you will work into the title, as well as twice within the body of the article
-All content MUST be 100% unique, I'll be checking articles through copyscape.
-correct use of English language is a MUST and writing must make grammatical sense. If your command of the English language isn't impeccable do not waste your time
-Payment is $0.65 per article.
-Must be able to write about the same topics repeatedly in new and interesting ways
All work should be 100% error free
- Must by 100% original and pass Copyscape
- Great researching abilities
- Be creative and come up with entertaining and informative article
- Outstanding communication skills
- Able to follow exact directions
- Provide about 10 articles per day
- All rights to the articles belong to me
- Articles will be reviewed within 24 hours prior to payment
- Experience with SEO article writing
Takeaway Truth
File this under: WTF.
In the 1980s, I did a little analysis of my productivity.
ReplyDeleteI'm a *prolific* writer. By the time I research an article, write it, rewrite it, edit it, format it nicely, and send it out the door, I can produce 200 words a day, 1000 words a week.
You have to bring in $2 as a self-employed person to equal $1 in wages. In order to match the $25K a small daily pays a reporter, I'd have had to get $1 a word. Took a look at Writer's Market, and found *two* periodicals that pay that much.
Writing for NON-periodicals is better. Write promotional pieces for businesses, and you can charge more, because they don't know any alternative sources of reliable high-quality sell-copy. I found I could get $2 a word that way - which was important, because I spent half my time marketing my work, and I was back to small town daily wages.
65c for 300 words? I'd want to get that much for typing up a grocery list!
When you compete with people who are in it for the fame, not the fortune, it's a rough business. Only a fool would write, except for money, but that seems to describe most of us. We don't choose to be writers; it chooses us.
*sigh* You're so right, Harl. I sometimes wish genius physicist had chosen me.
ReplyDeleteWow, did I read that right? 2/10ths of a penny per word. OUCH!
ReplyDeleteSo is this what it means to give your 2 cents?
OUCH in a big way for any poor writer desperate enough to take those wages. But the sad truth is that someone will do it.
ReplyDelete