Writer Warning - GetAFreelancer.com (GAF)
June 18, 2007 – 4:06 pmIf you’re a Web writer, you may be familiar with some of the freelance marketplaces online. One example (and one you should most often avoid if you’re serious about earning a real living from your writing) is GetAFreelancer.com.
The majority of gigs that you’ll see listed on GAF are completely crap writing gigs. The demands often rival those of professional publications, with the rates matching those of slave drivers. By all means, set up an alert and monitor gigs as they come in. Once in a blue moon, you can actually find someone willing to pay for quality work (a few times per year, I’ll pick up press releases at my normal rates, and they’ve tended to lead to longer-term relationships). But here’s an example of a pretty typical freelance writing gig at GAF:
Budget: $30-100
Articles: 20 articles on copywriting
More: “Each article should be between 650-850 words in length and 100% original. All articles will be checked through copyscape and search engines. Copyright in all articles will be passed to me…. I only want to publish writing of magazine quality, filled with facts and useful information. No fluff, filler, rambling opinions or poorly researched content please. Only bid if you are fluent in the English language and can demonstrate proper use of grammar and spelling.”
I’m not sure what this buyer was smoking when they posted this writing gig, but if it can put you that out of touch with reality, maybe I want some!
A) No writer will give you “magazine quality” writing of 650-800 words with a budget maxing out at $5 / piece… unless they’re desperate or stupid.
B) No writer would commit to that kind of word count at that rate, and still in their right mind agree to not take any payment up front, with the time involved.
C) It’s incredibly offensive to start off the working relationship with a writer by assuming they’re dishonest, by holding things like Copyscape over their heads. Obviously, this person is looking for an amateur, despite their insistence on perfect English grammar skills (darn… no third world writers for them… too bad that’s all their budget is accounting for).
Seriously… I fully understand that most sites don’t make enough to justify professional rates. But if that’s the case, then just DON’T PAY, and be honest about it! Throwing crumbs to the starving birdies and then leaving them hanging afterwards is just a tease, and cruel to boot. And of course, let’s add insult to injury here and demand the full copyright… are they kidding??? I laughed, so I’d have to assume they are.
Writers, get a clue and avoid these kinds of gigs. They won’t make you into a professional writer, just because you collected a few bucks. They won’t give you great portfolio pieces even, if you’re handing over your full copyright (essentially meaning you don’t have to even be credited, and you can’t publish it in a portfolio without the client’s permission). Take the time you’d be spending on this measly $100, and put it into improving your skills and marketing yourself to a better client base. I’m thrilled to see that as of this posting, only one writer was dumb enough to bid on this project. But knowing GAF, there will be a dozen or so in no time. Be smart.
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4 Responses to “Writer Warning - GetAFreelancer.com (GAF)”
Implying on your post, particularly point c, that third-world writers aren’t capable of “perfect English grammar skills”, huh? With people like you, or those who think the same way you do, you have it the other way around! Crash course, uneducated loser: secondary languages are studied and taught probably more intensively to the point of technical accuracy in countries that use secondary languages than those that actually use it as their first! Hell, you don’t need to be an Englishman to understand John Milton, but you need to be educated, right? Pop quiz for you: what makes your country better in terms of education than the third-world ones? Answer: if your country were run and governed as much as populated by people like you - absolutely nothing! One advice: use that grayish mulch between your ears before you go around blathering about things you would probably never know without learning how to use your brain first.
By Marx on Jun 20, 2007
I’m sorry your little ego was apparently hurt by my post, but really, get over it. The post was never implying that third world writers couldn’t handle writing with “perfect English grammar skills.” It was implying that the GAF client base has no right to ask that of ANY writer for the crap rates that they offer. If you’re familiar with that market at all, you’ll know that using phrases like that generally means a requirement is a native English writer. The clients often expect to pay third world writer rates (based on the bulk and not every writer obviously, as I know several who charge as much as or more than most native speakers, and rightfully so), but at the same time they expect to only hire writers from US, UK, etc. It’s an unrealistic expectation, and the post was in defense of writers as a whole. If they’re stupid enough to satisfy all of these kinds of demands for peanuts, then hey… I’ll just be happy for them, because they’re certainly not worth my sympathy in that case if they can’t be bothered to have the slightest bit of business sense.
I’m certainly not going to defend myself on my blog. I’ll speak my mind, and frankly I don’t give a damn if everyone likes everything that I have to say in every post. But before you go around criticizing others or jumping into lashing out, make sure your own English skills are tuned up enough to allow you to actually read in context.
By Jenn on Jun 20, 2007
I rest my case since you again proved my statements absolutely right to the point of extreme accuracy which would probably debunk the old Principle of Uncertainty! Go on writing on your blog, loser!
By Marx on Jun 20, 2007
lol Ah yes… you’re that ass from DP who thinks big words make you sound smart… explains a lot. My goodness, you’re good for a laugh! If you don’t like the blog, don’t read it.
By Jenn on Jun 20, 2007