Real Opportunity or a Scam? (library, money, quote)

[yellowsnow]

Most of the opportunities I come across online are scams, or just don't turn out to be real. Where are the freelance jobs and how do you experienced folks know if a job is legitimate?

[LittleDolphin]

How To Get Paid for Your Writing

If the ad sounds too good to be true, it is.

Most real jobs will list the name of the publication or the Web site...

Beware of ads that want you take a writing test and write something of their choosing. Legit gigs will accept your published clips or samples of your choosing.

Don't send money for any booklets or other materials, unless it's a book about writing or journalism written by a well-known author that you want in your library. And your home town library can be a good source of free books about writing for you to study..including Writers Market.

Find gigs by contacting publications, Web sites or companies that may hire you as an independent contractor. Be pro-active. Most of the ads are scams or are trying to compile an e-mail list. If they're legit, they will get swamped with applicants and your chances of getting work are slim to none.

Again, be pro-active, ignore the ads and prospect on your own.

Start in your own community--many businesses need Web content, PR, or marketing communications written, your local newspaper may pay for freelance articles and there are local, regional and state-wide publications and tourism Web sites. Many accept--and pay--for your articles and content.

Attend Chamber of Commerce meetings and announce you offer contract writing for PR, marketing communications materials and Web sites...

My work's been published in my state-wide insurance company magazine, my state's tourism Web site, my local newspaper, my former city's Humane Society magazine.

I've written copy (Web, brochures, direct mail, magazine articles, press releases) for a massage business, a new yoga center, a natural pet food company, a technical college, a hospital, a physician-owned weight loss center, a mail-order maintenance supply company, art galleries, a retail furniture store, a computer retailer, a scientific instrument firm, a Web site for the newly divorced...and many more businesses.

There are lots of places that would welcome your writing...cast a wide net, start working your phone and emails...

You can do it! But it does take a lot of marketing--just like most any other business. And then delivering the goods on-time, on-budget and to the customer's satisfaction.

Personally, I don't view professional writing as an 'art,' but as a 'craft' that takes dedication and time to develop as a paying profession.

[Rocky Raab]

Could not agree more with LittleDolphin.

I'd view ANY wide-distribution ad as a scam akin to envelope-stuffing. The only "big bucks" involved are the ones the scammers rake in.

I've been selling magazine articles for 20+ years now. The only way I do it is to send a query letter, get an approval from the editor and then write the article. On some occasions, I'll send multiple queries and ship the piece to the first editor who accepts (or the highest paying one if I get more than one at the same time).

Don't buy a new home expecting to pay for it on your writing income. Most articles will bring you $300 to $500 depending on the magazine, article length and number of usable photos you include. If you sell one a month, you are spectacularly successful as a freelancer. Two a year is more like the average. I had a regular column in a bi-monthly magazine for several years, and got $100 a column.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by yellowsnow

Most of the opportunities I come across online are scams, or just don't turn out to be real. Where are the freelance jobs and how do you experienced folks know if a job is legitimate?

I respond to the ones on CL using an isolated e-mail account that I don't mind ending up on spam lists. If I determine that an opportunity is legit and worth my time (most of the pay is too insulting to consider; I simply am not going to write a 500-word piece for $10, that's that, nor am I going to ghost a book for $1000 plus undefined profit participation), I switch to corresponding from an email account I care about.

[LittleDolphin]

The above two posters are spot on...in the early days of Craig's List, I found it fertile ground for finding writing clients, but for me, of late, it's morphed into 95% scam versus 5% legit...I don't much bother with it for finding new assignments--but still love it for buying and selling other items...

Writer's Market is a good publication to have in your possession--it lists publications that take freelance writing submissions, their rate of pay and what areas are open to freelancers--and contact info.

The front of the book has helpful 'how-to' articles on the basics of freelance writing--including how to write a query letter.. This you've gotta know.

These last couple of years have been tough on writers, as well as everyone else! Many publications have slashed their freelance budgets and are writing more in-house. And there are more laid-off newspaper journalists competing for the same gigs you are.

My advice is to explore writing for trade/business publications--a little easier to break-in, and if you do a good job for them, they can develop into steady clients. It helps if you have somewhat of a business or marketing background and know how to do telephone interviews.

I have several trade pubs I've developed long-term relationships with. One just contacted me to see if I could do a couple of last-minute assignments for them. You bet I could!!

These publications are also listed in Writer's Market, along with the consumer publications. If it looks like I'm hot on Writer's Market, I am. It's a must-have if you want to write for magazines, Web sites, or get your book published.

[yellowsnow]

Thanks! You confirmed what I suspected.