Constant Content

Is it common for requests to be listed as paying $10-20, but then when you look at the details the payment is less? There are currently two requests doing this; one is offering $5 and one is offering $4.

This is less than we are encouraged to sell our work for, and it also reeks of bait and switch. In other words, if the amount was listed accurately, I wouldn't have even clicked.

$10 -$20 is the lowest range of choices and is the default. It's not uncommon for the range to say $10-$20 and the description to actually say what the customer is willing to pay. Often, you will see $10-$20 and then read more and realize that the customer will pay MORE - some writers don't read this carefully and undersell themselves.

As far as the $4 and $5 per article requests, I doubt that the requester will get many nibbles here. Just skip those that aren't worth your time and find the gems that are.

I just read one of those.

Other than the customer basically requesting personal contact with the writer who accepts, it's not worth anyone's time to write a 500+ word article for 4 dollars. I don't even get out of bed for less than 15 for a 350 word article, and then only if it's a subject I can pump out the article in ten minutes or less.

The "to be paid via Paypal on the 27th" thing really got me. I actually laughed. I guess this "customer" doesn't know that their either pay right away or the article is free game.

Your best bet is to just delete the message. My time is worth a lot, and I'm sure you value yours higher than roughly 2.86 an hour. Everyone needs a good laugh, and this is one of those times. It's also one of the reason that I haven't written for a public request since the change. My customers asked me to put up the articles I've written for a high price, and they offer me our agreed upon price.

We might suggest that something be added to the public request guidelines which basically says that offering less than at least .05 per word is a sure way to not get what they want or need.

I kinda laughed at that request,too.
Not only is the customer asking for a 500+ article for $4, they also say they need 100 articles- thats 500,000 words for $400.
An average romance novel is only about 87,000 words.
I don't think the customer realizes what they're asking.

Most of us here will ignore that one, but someone, somewhere will take them up on the offer. Unfortunately for the customer, they'll probably have to deal with a lot of third world writers with limited English skills. You really do get what you pay for.

Well, they might, but only somewhere else. ;)

Yeah, Ed won't let those go through.

Sometimes I use the public requests that are for paltry amounts as writing ideas. For example the life coaching one has quite a few interesting title ideas. Then I set MY prices, if the original poster is interested, then fine. Most often though, other buyers will snap up the articles. In fact, with the old system there was always the problem that sometimes articles were written, approved, linked in the Q & A and the original requester didn't buy them quick enough... someone else did. :)

Good idea Elzabeth. I have absolutely no intention of lowering my fees to this ridiculous level being requested by some customers, however, writing those requests properly and putting your own prices on is still an option. If that customer doesn't buy the article, I'm sure others will.

Remember authors this is a supply and demand market - if we all do not supply at those prices, customers who demand the quality product will pay the higher prices, or as Ed has suggested end up going elsewhere where quality is non-existent. CC has the strict guidelines to ensure we offer the customers the best, so we should get paid accordingly. I'm going to write a few articles for the requests but will price decently and see what happens.

I think CC support should send a note to the requester explaining how the system works and that paying authors directly is not on! We don't want to circumvent the CC system that protects us authors and works so well for us all!

Hayley

I don't think the customer was suggesting anyone submit directly or bypassing the CC system. Some of what was described "article must be submitted on spec, must pass copyscape" are automatically addressed by the CC system - all CC articles are written on spec and all must pass Copyscape - and Ed. I suspect the customer has this ad going out in multiple places and is just copying and pasting the text.

I also wonder, "What if the $4 was really supposed to be $40?" I'm not interested in pursuing this request because I couldn't take on additional work even if the articles were in my price range, but typos do happen and I wonder. . .

Still... Even 40 dollars for 500 words that will require quite a bit of reasearch, and most likely headaches, isn't worth the time. Unless of course you already know the subject matter backward and forward, and can write them in fifteen minutes.

After CC's cut that would probably round to 30 per hour or less (most probably less). Unless you know the subject matter again.

I got lucky with one of my customers. No pressure, no time limits, and especially no deadlines. He gives me four to five topics, what he wants in those articles, word count, and I'm off. He even has a habit of saying, "If you want to go in another direction with this, please feel free to do so." That alone makes it worth doing. I like having freedom, and it makes it fun.

I bet that I would be able to write two 500-word articles on the topic in an hour (especially after doing a few to get warmed up) - after CC's cut that would be $52 an hour. That would be reasonable compensation for a professional business person, but $5.20 an hour wouldn't be.

It's great when you get a no-pressure relationship going with your customers, isn't it? Congrats on that, Barry!

I would like to keep things in perspective/clarify for other writers who may be following this thread:

Writing 500 words under an hour isn't reasonable for every writer or every topic, especially when we take into consideration fact-checking and proofreading. A dog groomer might be able to write an article quickly that describes tips for grooming dogs, but she might need much more time for an article about growing bananas. In addition, even if the article about grooming dogs is written quickly, it should not be submitted immediately. (Yes, even if this dog groomer is an extraordinary writer!)

We should also remember that most people aren't spitting at $30 an hour these days. While we all know that fair pay is good for all the writers here, please do remember that many people may be trying to keep their heads above water. It's an unhappy fact that writers who have lost their day jobs or who have become the sole breadwinners in households were previously supported by two incomes may price their articles lower than they would in better economic times.

Ed

That's exactly why each of us should consider each request with our own needs and skills in mind. We should consider: Can I do a decent job on this? Can I do it in a reasonable amount of time for the specified price? Is the topic interesting to me? Is the topic broad enough to sell to other clients should the original customer decline to buy it? Do I have time in my schedule to do this?

If the answers are yes and the potential payoff is worth your time (however long it may take), then great, give it a shot. If not, move on because there are other requests that may be a better fit.

Hope I didn't sound insensitive to the fact that many are out of work because I'm not insensitive to that at all. I'm well aware of it and may soon be one of the writers who becomes the sole breadwinners soon. If I came off sounding insensitive or like a jerk, my apologies to anyone offended or irritated at my words.

I don't think you sounded insensitive at all. I just wanted to send out a reminder for anyone who may be reading the thread. We have had a lot of new writers come to CC (and some long-silent writers return), and it just strikes me that at least some of these people are turning to freelance work out of necessity. All of the writers here in the forums do a great job of encouraging new writers to ask fair pay, and I think that helps to increase overall morale, too. I just don't want writers to be too suprised or too grumpy if they see a writer lower his prices. After all, no one wants to do this, so there is probably a reason if it does occur.

Ed