If you use forums such as Digital Point to find freelance writing work, make sure that you watch out for scams. This is not to say that every buyer is a scammer, but there are quite a few that are. While I have written about this in the past, I never supplied any samples of “scam emails/private messages.†Well, this time things are different.
Check out this private message that I received at Digital Point last week:
We need over 300 Articles for our website,
But as a sample, we would like to have 1 article supplied to us for its validation, before work is given for whole 300 articles bunch.
We require an American Native, to write it and not an Englishman, as it will be targeted to Americans.
The topic of Sample article to be supplied is -
” Experian credit report ”
It should pass copy space, and have 800 – 1000 words.
If the article is passed by us, you will get order of whole 300 articles together. So we want an American Native to do this work for us.
You can read reference article to know what kind of work we are looking for :
Work to be completed in less then 24 hours for this just 1 article, and rest full 300 bunch can take upto 1 month or less by you.
Reply me fast with your msn and sample article on topic above, so we can deal over.
Upon receiving this, I knew immediately that it was a scam. Not only did it read like a scam, but I noticed that the sender also forwarded the same message to four other writers. This is a common ploy in which the scammer asks for one free sample in exchange for bulk work in the future. Of course, they simply take the samples from each writer who falls prey, and then use those on their website or blog. In the end, they get solid content without paying a dime.
In order to keep things going, I sent a quick reply and waited. Sure enough, the scammer sent another private message. This time it said:
Hello
As mentioned, sample article will be checked so that we can provide you 300 article work.
We can maximum pay $ 1900 for the work, 60 % advance , rest after work.
But for that your sample has to be approved by us, which should be -
The topic of Sample article to be supplied is -
” Experian credit report ”
It should pass copy space, and have 800 – 1000 words in american tone.
So send me sample article fast, as i am already counting on few people and will send advance to one who is fast.
Sample article is not included in 300 articles job, it is JUST SAMPLE work from you for us.
Thank You
As you can see, there are quite a few dishonest people lurking around these forums. And unfortunately, they are not just on forums. These scammers will also send you emails, and many times get the nerve to call on the phone.
To avoid being duped, make sure that you are very careful about any job you accept. And of course, never complete any work unless you get paid first!Â
Many freelance writers need to learn how to open their mouth. This does not mean that you should be rude to clients or overpower them, but you should know when is the right time to ask for you what you need. Remember, just because you are working for somebody else does not mean that you should be expected to know everything.
Here are five times when you must speak up as a freelance writer.
1. Before you start a project, speak up and ask for a down payment. You may want to ask for 50 percent of the total payment or any other percentage that suits your business. But no matter what, make sure that you do this. If you are too shy, it could end up costing you in the end.
2. Always ask for instructions that you can understand. Some freelance writing clients throw projects together, and hope that you can pick up the pieces and do everything correct. Instead of guessing, you need to know exactly what the client is asking for. And in many cases, the only way to do this is to open your mouth.
3. Ask for help if you need it. How many times have you been working on a freelance writing project just to get stuck? If you are like me, the answer is plenty. There are times when you are going to need clarification on a particular detail. If you don’t ask, you could end up taking the wrong direction and being forced to backtrack later on.
4. If a client is slow paying you, don’t feel like you have to wait any longer. This is not to say that you should bug your clients, but if the deal was payment within 15 days of publication, you have every right to ask if this is not adhered to. When reminding a client that they owe you money, make sure you are careful not to come across as pushy.
5. Ask for more work. Through my experiences, too many freelance writers are afraid to do this. When you finish one project, there is nothing wrong with asking for another. You may be told that there is nothing to do, and that is fine. As long as the client knows that you are willing and able, you have done all that you can for the time being.
When the above five circumstances come into play, make sure that you speak up!
Expand your areas of expertise, and you can expand the amount of money that you earn. As a freelance writer, you may not think that this makes sense. But before you stop reading, let me go on.
Most freelance writers concentrate in one area such as corporate marketing material, web copy, etc. And as you have heard me say before, specializing in one area is a great idea. The downside of this is that you may be missing out on a lot of work that you are capable of completing.
If you are going to expand your areas of expertise, make sure that you are ready to do so. For instance, if you have yet to master the art of writing compelling sales letters, do not move onto another type of writing unless you are willing to take on the learning process with a full head of steam. Expanding is good, but if you spread yourself thin, you will find soon enough that you have no focus and no one thing that you do great.
There are many types of writing that you can get involved with. Start out with what you like to do best, and then move on from there. Soon enough you will realize that you mastered your first love, and that you can expand your offerings. Over time, this will allow you to become good at many different things. And when this happens, you will notice that your workload and income are steadily climbing. Â
