Freelance Writing and Hiring Subcontractors
There is a big difference between a freelance writer, and a firm that chases as many clients as possible and then subcontracts the work. Personally, I do not believe in subcontracting. If I take on a job from a client, I give them my assurance that I will be working on the project from start to finish. To go along with this, the concept of subcontracting has never appealed to me. This is not to say that I have never hired another writer, but if I do, it is for special circumstances and my client is always aware of this.
There are many reasons that I am against subcontracting:
1. I like to do my own work! This is the number one reason that I will never look into subcontracting on a regular basis. Many people get involved with the freelance writing industry as a way to make money. While everybody likes to get paid well, I also enjoy the work that comes my way.
2. You never know what you are going to get when you hire subcontractors. And guess what? If the work is not up to par, it is not the subcontractor that the client is going to come after, it is you. If you must absolutely hire somebody to help you with a project, make sure that you carefully check their background, skills, and samples. There is nothing worse than receiving sub-par work, and then being on the hook with your client.
3. You don’t make as much money. Take for instance a project that entails 10 keyword articles at a rate of $25 each. If you were to complete this job on your own, you would earn $250. But if you contract this work out for half of the amount, or $12.50/article, you will only earn $125. Are you willing to give up a large chunk of your profits just so you don’t have to do the work?
There is nothing wrong with operating a freelance writing firm that hires subcontractors. In fact, I have several contacts who earn a lot of money doing business this way. But personally, I enjoy the writing process too much to hire subcontractors.
