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Tag: Upwork

  • Thinking About Writing for Content Mills? Proceed With Caution

    Thinking About Writing for Content Mills? Proceed With Caution

    Are you currently writing for content mills or considering writing for a content mill? Before you sign up please read this first-person case study from writer Adryan Corcione to help aid in your decision.

    A few years back, I was planning baby steps to transition towards full-time freelance writing. At the time, I was working a monotonous day job in real estate content marketing and freelance writing on the side on weeknights and weekends.

    My quest for anchor clients

    My main strategy was securing a handful of anchor clients—or “businesses or individuals with whom you have an ongoing relationship and a steady flow of projects and income,” according to Funds for Writers—to help cover basic living expenses: food, rent, utilities, etc.

    Freelance writers also use the terms “anchor gigs” and “bread and butter gigs” to refer to anchor clients.

    This strategy is how I ended up writing for a content mill—and totally failed at it.

    I won’t say which site it was, but it’s sort of like the Huffington Post (because they don’t pay their writers) and aimed mostly at college students.

    Although this was a publication and not Upwork, I still refer to it as a content mill because of its embarrassingly low wages, which are all-too-common when you’re writing for content mills.

    Case Study: How Writing for Content Mills Was this Writer's Nightmare

    My nightmare of a story writing for content mills

    I came across a listing in a writer’s Facebook Group for a copyediting opportunity.

    After sending off my resume and some writing samples, I quickly received an eager reply to talk about my professional experience over the phone. I was thrilled, not only because of the possibility of securing an anchor client, but finally getting some copyediting experience under my belt.

    Plus, this was happening in an exclusive writer’s circle, so it seemed like a great opportunity to hop on board with.

    When I asked about payment during my initial phone interview, the interviewer said copyeditors earn $1 for every article they submit. To make a “fair” wage of $10 an hour, we were expected to complete at least 10 articles per hour. Shifts were typically between two and four hours, and we’d have multiple a week.

    I had a terrible feeling in my gut: $1 per article? That’s nuts, right?

    However, I was in an awkward position. I wanted to desperately leave my desk job at the time, and I needed anchor gigs I could rely on for a base income—even if it meant writing for content mills. After all, I was looking for experience to carry with me when I applied for higher-paying gigs.

    Plus, I was already having a great conversation with this person, especially since they were enthusiastic about my work, and I didn’t know the average rates for copy editing as a novice.

    Instead of listening to my gut, I continued with the hiring process.

    I attended an hour-long tutorial, but I wasn’t compensated for my time. On top of a low wage, the system was difficult to grasp: lots of documents to fill out, web pages to go through and articles to read. Despite the anxiety I started to feel, I went with the flow and tested it out.

    Soon enough, my first shift came along. My anxieties were validated when I struggled to finish copy editing three articles within an hour. I grew incredibly frustrated at myself.

    Why did I let myself get this far to mess up? In hindsight, my anger was misdirected at myself and should’ve been at the company for thinking I could actually copy edit 10 articles (accurately) in an hour.

    Forget Upwork or Fiverr, I thought, I’m already a screw-up.

    Another writer’s experience writing for content mills

    Not everyone has the same experience with content mills as I do.

    In fact, some writers successfully kicked-off their careers with them and believe they can be a decent starting point for those who want to become a freelance writer.

    For example, full-time freelance writer Ana Gotter describes her experience with Upwork as “[having] consistently had more bad experiences than good ones,” but highly recommends a similar site called ClearVoice. She has also heard about positive experiences with Ebyline from other freelance writers.

    “I did get my first ghostwriting book contract out of it and even made it into Upwork’s Top Talent and Pro programs, but I left the site after they hiked up the rates that freelancers have to pay. It’s also common for writers to do work for extremely low pay for great reviews early on, but this can end up hurting them.”

    If you’re kickstarting your career as a freelance writer, pursuing work through a content mill might not be a terrible idea, but there are some major caveats.

    First, you need to be wise about which sites you’re invested your time into.

    Gotter explains Clearvoice and Ebyline have better success rates compared to Upwork.

    Don’t spend hours creating an extensive profile with recommendations and pursuing projects if the rates are far too low for your income goals. Especially if you’re trying to establish anchor client relationships, don’t dismiss content mills until you try one out for yourself, but know when to walk away once the rates are low.

    Secondly, you need to make sure you’re not putting all of your eggs into the content mill basket. Mills should simply be a means to an end.

    You should still be working on building up your own base of anchor clients outside of the mills—clients who pay more don’t expect you to churn out dozens of articles every day, and will help you earn what you truly deserve.

    Writing for content mills can be a decent way to kick off your freelance career, especially if you’re looking for freelance writing jobs for beginners.

    However, it’s easy to overwork yourself in an environment that typically underpays its employees. Too many times, writers get stuck in the rut of writing for pennies in the mills, and they never take the time to build up their own base of clients that pay quality rates.

    Needless to say, the consensus of freelancers offer two approaches: run away or proceed with caution if considering content mill jobs.

    If you’re wondering what opportunities exist for freelance writers in 2024 (hint: there are plenty!) then make sure to register for the free webinar called How to Successfully Break Into Journalism in 2024! You’ll learn about the different types of journalism and what you may best be suited for, and the top skills successful journalists need and what it can lead to.  

    Watch the Replay

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

  • How to Make Money Writing: 16 Tips for Finding Gigs Through Upwork

    How to Make Money Writing: 16 Tips for Finding Gigs Through Upwork

    Many writers new to the freelancing game have checked out Upwork (formerly Elance-oDesk) in the hopes of securing those elusive first clients.

    Plenty of seasoned writers, too, have visited the site thinking it could be a good way to add to their existing client base.

    And many of you, as we at The Write Life know from your questions, have been frustrated by how hard it seems to successfully land gigs on Upwork that are worth decent money.

    I get it. I gave the platform a try when I was first starting out and was severely disappointed by what seemed to be a glut of bottom-line gigs and overseas competition ready to undercut me at at every turn.

    But you can use Upwork to find quality projects and build a successful freelance writing career; you just have to know how.

    We interviewed six freelancers who’ve done just that to learn their tips for making the most of the site. Here are their biggest do’s and don’ts:

    DO specify your niche

    “Be an expert, not a catch-all,” advises Tyshia Ingram, who says Upwork enabled her to build a steady project stream, loyal clientele and a portfolio she’s used to land gigs on and off the site.

    “You’ll definitely find a bunch of random content mills that don’t care about your experience or expertise;they just want your words. Needless to say, these clients don’t offer much. When you’re an expert, and your profile reflects as such, the good clients will find you.”

    Meg Dowell agrees. “At first I would grab any job I could get, but none of them related to health or nutrition, which was what I actually wanted to/was qualified to write about. With the right keywords, you’ll find them.”

    Meg has used Upwork for a little less than a year and has already managed to build up a full-time project load with clients from the site.

    DO have a portfolio to show

    “Try and have one regular gig going when you apply for your first gig. It helps the client see that someone else has already trusted you with work, and it gives you a chance to show off your ability,” says J.R. Duren, a freelance writer for Highya.com who says Upwork “is directly responsible” for the writing income that now supports his family of three.

    If you’re brand new to freelancing, don’t despair; there are other ways to build a portfolio.

    “I had been writing/editing for an online magazine for three years before getting started on Upwork,” says Dowell.

    “For about six months before I started, I spent all my time writing completely for free to build up my portfolio/resume. I had also already finished undergrad and was about six months into grad school, so those things combined helped showcase that I had the skills necessary to complete jobs successfully.”

    DON’T undervalue yourself

    When you’re just starting out, it can be tempting to want to price your services low in the hopes of luring more clients.

    But the advice we heard the most often from the freelancers we interviewed was, as Duren puts it, “Never be afraid to ask for what you’re worth.”

    “A good client knows exactly what they want and what they are paying for,” says Rich Storm, a photographer and writer who’s found many gigs on Upwork that converted into regular clients.

    “A good client who sees quality work will pay you what you ask.”

    Dowell learned this lesson the hard way. “I was so excited to be offered a job in [my] first month that I agreed to do what ended up being HOURS of work for very little money and an overall terrible experience.

    Don’t demand unreasonable rates at the start, but don’t undervalue yourself, either. Better opportunities — and clients willing to pay for good work and who will value you — will come along pretty quickly.”

    DON’T forget you speak English

    This may seem like a silly bit of advice, but hear us out: it can mean more than you might think.

    “It can be tough for writers on Upwork [because] their rates get undercut by folks who are working from overseas,” Stom says. “A major thing that I have found when submitting bids to gigs is to make it clear that I am a native English speaker.”

    Decent clients who are looking for more than just filler content will recognize the value this adds and be willing to pay more for it.

    DO set specific searches

    Clarifying your expertise in your profile isn’t enough; to find the best gigs for you, you also need to make sure your searches are laser-focused.

    “It’s not enough to say ‘blogger’ or ‘editor,’” Ingram says. “You’ll find plenty of those jobs pop up. If you really want to find work, you have get very specific. For me, that looks like: ‘expert beauty writer,’ ‘SEO content for ‘beauty brands,” “managing editor for lifestyle platform.’

    “Think about the work you want to do and search those exact phrases.”

    DON’T overlook filters

    Once you’ve generated a list of search results, hone it even further with filters to pinpoint just the right projects.

    “At this point in my freelance career,” Ingram says, “I know what I’m worth, the value my work brings, and what I want from my freelance lifestyle.”

    “For that reason, I use the filters to filter out work I don’t even want to waste space on my job feed. I always set to ‘expert experience $$$,’ the lowest budget I’m willing to accept, and project length. You can even filter out by how much experience the client has on Upwork, payment types, and more. Use all the filters.”

    DO customize your proposals

    Stephanie Caudle recently found herself in major debt and used Upwork to make $8,000 in eight weeks (and pay off all of that debt).

    “The key to successfully winning projects on Upwork,” she says, “is to take the time and create custom proposals for every single job you apply for on the site.

    Custom creation wins because it shows the job creator that you care less about copying and pasting proposals and more about being the fit they need.”

    DON’T be afraid to follow up

    No answer doesn’t necessarily mean “no.”

    It might simply mean a client is busy or still wading through proposals. Checking in with them can bump you back up in their attention.

    “If I apply for a contract and days pass by and I don’t hear anything at all,” Caudle says, “I reach out and ask if they decided to pursue other candidates. In most cases, it has led to the client asking to learn more about my work.”

    DON’T hesitate to clarify

    You owe it to both the client and yourself to make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into before accepting a gig.

    If a project’s details aren’t well spelled out or you don’t “fully understand the vision for the project,” make sure to ask questions and clarify, Caudle advises.

    Accepting a job you aren’t clear about won’t do anyone any favors.

    DO vet potential clients

    You’re not the only one being considered for each gig; to avoid being burned by bad clients, do some due diligence on them just like you know they’re doing on you.

    “I first look at how detailed [a client’s] job description is,” Dowell says. “If they can clearly communicate exactly what they would need from me if hired, I usually feel pretty good about submitting a proposal. Also look at how long they have been on Upwork, their ratings/feedback, how much money they have spent. I generally avoid clients who have too little experience using Upwork.”

    DON’T ignore your instincts

    As you communicate with a potential client, watch for warning signs that working with them might be trouble.

    “I read people well through their writing, so I can often tell if it’s going to work well or not,” says Samantha Strazanac, who uses Upwork frequently to find new clients for her marketing firm. “I have turned down businesses because I didn’t feel it was the right fit even though they wanted to work with me.”

    “If you feel like a potential client could be a pain in the ass, you’re probably right,” Duren says.

    “Five or six months ago I took a fixed-price job with a Turkish telecom company. During our preliminary conversation, I noticed their English wasn’t that great. It was a red flag, but I ignored it. Sure enough, after the work was complete, they weren’t happy with the work and threatened not to pay. The miscommunication went back to a few sentences of poorly translated English. Lesson learned.”

    Dowell agrees: “If you feel any hesitation at all about accepting a job, go with your gut and move on to something else. The more proposals you submit, the better you’ll get at knowing whether or not you should work with someone.”

    DO bring your A Game to every project

    Most of the freelancers we interviewed credited their success to leveraging one-time projects into long-term client relationships — and the best way to do this is to treat every project like it’s an interview for a bigger job.

    “I could go on and on about tips and advice,” Duren says, “[but] if I could reduce it to a quick sentence, it’s this: Honor the craft of writing by submitting excellent work on time at rates that match your talent.”

    DON’T let a “fail” get you down

    Bringing your A-game doesn’t always equate to a home run, and that’s OK; a big part of freelance writing is learning how to stay confident in spite of ups and downs.

    “Don’t take it personally if you do a paid trial article or two for a client and they decide not to continue working with you,” says Dowell.

    “That’s why you do trial work at the beginning — to make sure your skills are compatible with what they feel they need. Some clients aren’t great at communicating exactly what they want upfront, so if it doesn’t work out, it’s usually not because you didn’t do what they asked.”

    DO give client feedback

    Your freelancer rating on Upwork can go down if a client fails to give you feedback once you’ve completed a project for them, Dowell notes.

    Give them a gentle reminder to rate you, and build up some positive karma, by giving your clients an honest rating at the end of each job.

    DON’T be afraid to ask for more

    Sometimes a gig blossoms into a long-term client relationship organically, but if it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to take matters into your own hands.

    “If you complete one project successfully and [a client doesn’t] offer more work for you,” Dowell says, “it doesn’t hurt to offer your services to them and continue that line of communication.”

    DON’T give up

    The key to making a real living on Upwork? Caudle boils it down to two things: “Persistence and time.”

    “Finding my first clients was not super easy,” she says. “I remember logging onto Upwork and being committing to using all of my connects in order to apply for as many proposals as I could. I set a record one day for 25 submitted proposals, and that was the day I began to see results from my invested time on the site.”

    Upwork can be overwhelming, but the right job awaits those who are willing to not stop pursuing new opportunities.”

    Kelly Gurnett is a freelance blogger, writer and editor who runs the blog Cordelia Calls It Quits, where she documents her attempts to rid her life of the things that don’t matter and focus more on the things that do. Follow her on Twitter @CordeliaCallsIt.

  • Danny Margulies’ Secrets of a 6-Figure Upworker: Review

    Danny Margulies’ Secrets of a 6-Figure Upworker: Review

    We review ebooks, courses and tools for writers, so you can make good decisions about how to invest in your writing career.

    Course: Secrets of a 6-Figure Upworker

    About the creator: Danny Margulies is a long-time sales guy, but a relatively new freelancer. When he quit his job to “go freelance,” he had no idea what he was doing. But within a few months on Upwork (formerly Elance), he was charging premium rates.

    Now a successful copywriter, he’s created the course Secrets of a 6-Figure Upworker to walk you through the step-by-step process he used to ramp up his career and make bank doing it.

    Price: $297 for the whole thing. Includes the full course videos, worksheets and forum access.

    Who It’s For: Any freelancer who wants to learn how to position and sell themselves. The course is specific to Upwork, but these tactics are useful for anyone, new or established, looking to charge more and bring in better clients.

    What It Will Help You Do: The self-paced course takes you through everything from your profile to your portfolio to your proposals.

    Each section features a handful of videos ranging from just a few minutes to over half an hour. Each video is a simple PowerPoint with Danny’s voice walking you through his strategies, while also showing you real-life examples. All the content is available to binge-watch in one day, but be sure to watch them in order since they do build upon each other.

    This is not, however, a course about how to use Upwork. Because I’d never used the platform before, I had questions about things like tests, reviews and setting my rates as a newbie. Danny does not address website specifics, probably because platforms like these change all the time.

    But after finishing the course, I’m glad he didn’t go into these aspects. His strategies really aren’t about Upwork at all — he really teaches you how to sell yourself as a freelancer no matter where you go to find clients. Upwork’s idiosyncrasies are easy enough to learn on your own.

    What’s Included: Secrets of a Six-Figure Upworker is broken into four main sections: Your Business (positioning yourself), Your Leads (tapping into the Hidden Upwork Economy), Your Proposals (selling yourself) and Your Results (keeping clients for life).

    There is a small on-site community forum that’s pretty active, but I didn’t get a ton of benefit from talking to other members. For me this was a heads-down, do-whatever-Danny-tells-me type course.

    What Would Make It Even Better: My only real complaint is that Danny isn’t a natural presenter. He recorded a few calls as part of the bonus section and he’s charming and engaging. But his videos? It’s very obvious he’s reading from a script. The result was a lot of rewinding when I’d find myself dozing off.

    The content is compelling, don’t get me wrong, but I wish the videos themselves were a little more lively.  

    My tip: Find something else to do while listening. You don’t really need to watch the videos so I had fun with markers and a coloring book while I listened.

    How It Changed My Life: I started this course just a few weeks ago. I had no Upwork experience and assumed the platform was full of low-balling freelancers and low-quality clients.

    But within just three days I landed my first job, though a private invite, at $95/hour (double my usual rate). Just a few days after that? I was hired through a proposal just a few hours after sending it. Both new clients have now hired me for ongoing work and I’m in the process of interviewing for three more projects.

    I took this course because my clients weren’t lighting my fire. I attract tech companies, but I much prefer working for lifestyle businesses. When I found Danny’s course I figured it could help me both branch out and and also increase my rates. In just two weeks I’ve done both.

    Danny says, “The moment you try to win on Upwork by doing what seems natural, you’ve already lost.” After taking his course, I couldn’t agree more.

    I thought I was pretty good at attracting and keeping new clients, but I see now I was doing everything wrong. Whether on Upwork or not, I will never go back to how I was pitching before. I think Upwork and I are going to have a beautiful relationship.

    Our Recommendation: Secrets of a Six-Figure Upworker should be required watching for freelance copywriters. Danny’s positioning and pitching advice is the most comprehensive and fascinating I’ve ever experienced. The format is clear and his strategies are easy to implement. To be honest, I’m nervous about publishing this review because I’m scared of additional competition.

    So, you know, stay away. Shoo!

    This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase through our links, you’re supporting The Write Life — and we thank you for that!

  • Ready for More Freelance Writing Gigs? Goodbye Elance, Hello Upwork

    Ready for More Freelance Writing Gigs? Goodbye Elance, Hello Upwork

    If you use Elance to find freelance writing gigs, listen up: The Elance-oDesk power couple rebranded in May to become Upwork, and the way you grab freelance gigs through the platform is changing.

    There’s drama! And intrigue! And, don’t worry, I’m going to explain it all to you.

    If you’re new to Elance, the platform is a freelance marketplace that connects you with projects and clients you can bid on. Many freelancers run their entire business on the platform — it not only provides new jobs, but also payment protection, hourly tracking and an impressive profile where clients can browse reviews and work history.

    As Elance changes though, there are a few names being thrown around, so let’s take a second to break down the cast of characters:

    • Elance and oDesk, two of the biggest freelance marketplaces, merged in 2013, but retained their two separate platforms for connecting freelance professionals with gigs.
    • That merged company recently rebranded and, as of this May 2015, is called Upwork.
    • Upwork is a new platform, most similar to oDesk (which now redirects to Upwork.com). The Elance platform will phase out by early 2016.
    • If you’re an Elance user, you’ll need to learn to use Upwork, which includes copying over your profile. (Not ideal, but also doable.)

    Got it? Excellent. Let’s continue.

    What’s up with Upwork?

    These changes are mostly brand-related, with the added bonus of a slicker website and mobile app. On its blog, Upwork’s product team is also promising upcoming improvements that support “faster hiring and better collaboration to support for larger teams and enhanced professional growth.”

    In an article on TechCrunch, Ingrid Lunden writes that with the rebrand comes changes like “a new mobile app, new search algorithms, faster processing and a real-time chat service — a completely free product that Upwork’s new CEO Stephane Kasriel describes as a ‘Slack killer’.”

    The two biggest changes:

    Push notifications

    Speed is king when it comes to pitching your work, and Upwork is pushing it even harder. When clients invite you to apply for a job or respond to an application, you’ll get a push notification directly to your phone.

    Danny Margulies, creator of Secrets Of A Six-Figure Elancer/Upworker, wrote on the Upwork blog, “This gives you a huge advantage; since online hiring tends to move at an accelerated pace, being ‘in the right place at the right time’ can make all the difference.”

    New message center

    The Upwork Message Center lets companies chat with freelancers who are immediately available for work, which is convenient both for freelancers who are ready to earn and companies who need immediate help. It’s also helpful for clients who want to communicate with a team.

    New access to more work categories

    Additional product-specific changes affect how you’ll work and get paid. Upwork’s new FAQ page has a fantastic group of downloadable guides explaining these changes. For example:

    • Unlike on Elance, you must set a public hourly rate and all earnings are public on your profile. A new “job success” score summarizes your activity.
    • All members now have access to all job categories, while on Elance you had to upgrade in order to access this feature. This is a great opportunity to land diverse clients while stretching your skills.
    • When logging time, Upwork captures not only screenshots, but mouse movements and keystrokes. When it’s time to get paid, clients are automatically charged every Monday.

    You will have to copy your Elance profile over to Upwork, but that’s the only extra step involved in the change. Not to fret — you won’t lose all the work you put into that profile.

    At Upwork, quicker is better

    The changes boil down to this description by Elaine Pofeldt at Forbes: “Upwork is looking to gain an edge by enabling clients to hire freelancers more quickly.”

    Lunden at TechCrunch adds that the goal is to make “discovery and check-out as quick and seamless as possible: all friction points become chances to lose your potential customers.”

    Upwork’s updated algorithms aim to better match clients to freelancers. So instead of the three weeks it often takes to hire a contractor, the new platform now only takes minutes.

    The inevitable blowback

    Professional marketplaces like Upwork hope to automate work, taking out as much of the human error and obnoxious quirks of freelancing as possible. The Uber for the remote work set. As smooth as buying on Amazon.

    But is that possible? And do we want it?

    Like any product change, some long-time Elance users aren’t happy. The downside to “only taking minutes” means freelancers need to be ready, at any time, to respond to potential sources of work. You’re rewarded for being chained to your smartphone, accessible at all hours of the day.

    I don’t know about you, but I work best when I’m not interrupted. And if I need more clients, I still don’t want paid work I’ve already landed to be interrupted by a frantic pitch.

    On top of the new time crunch, Upwork’s FAQ states, “Files, messages, funds in your account, withdrawal methods, tax forms, reports, skill tests, Connects, and ongoing jobs cannot be imported to Upwork. You will still be able to access them on Elance. Also note that while your work from Elance is shown on your profile, it is not included in your Upwork account’s other records or reports.”

    This sounds like a big hassle. And it also sounds like Elance wasn’t particularly communicative about these changes, leaving many freelancers in the lurch — and even worse, unable to access their work due to site maintenance.

    In a TechCrunch comment, Andy Tallent writes, “They have made the site more difficult for freelancers and ignore the feedback from the hand that literally feeds them.”

    But I’ve been on both sides of major site changes at tech companies, and for every hater and troll, there are a dozen other freelancers hard at work merging their profiles, already crushing it, grateful for the advantages of new technology.

    Them’s the breaks, I guess.

    The good news for freelance writers

    The good news is that these changes seem to be focused on connecting companies more quickly with freelancers, which means more work coming your way… and who can argue with that?

    Sure, it’s a pain to learn a new platform if you’re cozy with Elance, but the changes seem worth it for the long term.

    What do you think? If you’re on Elance, are you excited about the new Upwork platform? If you’re not, do these changes make you more likely to sign up?