Part of our "Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career" Video series
( Read the transcript )
When you are searching through the various writing job websites, be on the lookout for ads which sound a little iffy. Some less-than scrupulous people will secure a big load of writing jobs from another company and then try to farm some of the work out to new freelance writers and then pass the work off as their own.
For example, suppose that Mr. X secures a job to write a hundred short articles on the subject of learning how to build a website. Mr. X knows full well that there is no way he can do all these articles on his own by the time the due date rolls around, but instead of using some paid help from other trusted writers, he puts an ad on a freelance writing job website and asks for new writers for his writing "company." He asks all new writers to submit a test article on the subject of - you guessed it - how to build a website. He does not offer pay for this test article, but plenty of eager new writers reply to the ad with a quality article on the topic. Mr. X then edits these articles, claims them as his own, and never replies back to any of the writers who answered his ad. This is one of the reasons why it is generally acceptable to refuse to compose a new test article for a potential employer.
A previously written article or other work should be more than sufficient to show a potential employer your writing talents. Sometimes you may be asked to compose a test article which is paid, and this is different. The test pay may not be as much as you would be paid if you received the writing job, but as long as the money is enough to make it worth your while then go right ahead. Just do your best to avoid the Mr. X's among the legitimate employers listed on writing job websites. Even if you are desperate to land your first paid writing job, don't allow your eagerness to sway your common sense.
Obviously, being a freelance writer is about much more than scribbling some brilliant words on some paper and making a fortune. You need to have some business and legal savvy in addition to writing talent if you ever hope to become a successful freelance writer. Always read contracts, always understand the specifics of jobs, and never sell yourself short. After all, you wouldn't be getting hired if you didn't have any talent.
For example, suppose that Mr. X secures a job to write a hundred short articles on the subject of learning how to build a website. Mr. X knows full well that there is no way he can do all these articles on his own by the time the due date rolls around, but instead of using some paid help from other trusted writers, he puts an ad on a freelance writing job website and asks for new writers for his writing "company." He asks all new writers to submit a test article on the subject of - you guessed it - how to build a website. He does not offer pay for this test article, but plenty of eager new writers reply to the ad with a quality article on the topic. Mr. X then edits these articles, claims them as his own, and never replies back to any of the writers who answered his ad. This is one of the reasons why it is generally acceptable to refuse to compose a new test article for a potential employer.
A previously written article or other work should be more than sufficient to show a potential employer your writing talents. Sometimes you may be asked to compose a test article which is paid, and this is different. The test pay may not be as much as you would be paid if you received the writing job, but as long as the money is enough to make it worth your while then go right ahead. Just do your best to avoid the Mr. X's among the legitimate employers listed on writing job websites. Even if you are desperate to land your first paid writing job, don't allow your eagerness to sway your common sense.
Obviously, being a freelance writer is about much more than scribbling some brilliant words on some paper and making a fortune. You need to have some business and legal savvy in addition to writing talent if you ever hope to become a successful freelance writer. Always read contracts, always understand the specifics of jobs, and never sell yourself short. After all, you wouldn't be getting hired if you didn't have any talent.
