*UPDATE* Let's Review a Freelance Writing Site: Textbroker

*UPDATE*
So, I figured out how to get a 5 star rating, and I wanted to fill you all in on how to do it. The first step is to get a 4 star rating which is pretty obvious. If you didn't start with 4 stars, there is a quick and easy way to achieve it. Go to the Textbroker University and complete the courses. After you finish, write 5 articles. Make sure they're perfect, especially comma usage. Contact the TB admin through the link at the end of the exam. This will let them know that you completed the courses. The editors will rate your articles within a week. Now, you need to learn the AP style used by Textbroker. To write at the 5 star level, you must follow the AP rules. Once you have written several articles following the AP rules AND have completed the Textbroker University courses, you should be on the fast-track to a 5 star rating. *UPDATE*


I’ve been writing for Textbroker now for about 2 weeks. As freelance writing sites go, this is a good one. There are a few things I would like to touch on so that you can write for them too with minimal headaches. So, let’s review a freelance writing site.

Textbroker is what I consider a pay-upfront site. Essentially, you browse a category listing of jobs and pick the one you want to write. Each job has instructions from the client, how many words are needed and how much you’ll earn. The categories change depending on the types of projects and they’re further broken down into star groupings.

Author Tip: Don’t feel bad about not receiving a 5 star rating. It’s reserved for “professional writers” and I’m unclear on how one achieves 5 stars at this time.

The star ratings are on a 1 – 5 scale. When you first start at Textbroker, your sample will be rated and you’ll be given a rating; anywhere from 1 star to 5 stars. This, ultimately, determines what jobs you can pick. As you go up in stars, your pay goes up as well. I’m rated at 4 stars and I earn 1.5 cents per word.

Author Tip: Try to get accepted to a team. Most team orders pay drastically more per word. I am currently writing on the Rehab Team and we earn $11.03 for 525 word articles.

After you submit 5 articles, the editors will review and rerate your writing ability. MIND YOUR COMMAS! They are overly sensitive about comma usage. I nearly dropped to 3 stars because I am horrible with commas.

From what I’ve seen so far, it’s important to maintain a 4 star level if you plan on writing a lot for Textbroker. I would say 85% of their projects require a 4 star author. Not to mention the pay is considerably better compared to the 1 cent per word of a 3 star rating.

To get started with Textbroker, you’ll need a W-9 physically sent to their address and a Paypal account. They’ll ask for a short sample. Again, watch your comma usage. They accepted me within 3 days of registering and sending my sample. After that, I was able to write 5 articles and then I had to wait for them to review those before I could write more. That took about another 3 days.

This is one of those freelance writing sites where you’re not going to get rich. However, for those just starting out or as a supplement when work is limited, Textbroker is a great freelance writing site. My only complaint is their rating system. They’re really strict about commas and a few missing or misplaced commas can mean the difference between getting jobs and not getting jobs. There are so few projects for 2 and 3 star authors that it really isn’t worth it. So, mind your commas from the start and maintain that 4 star rating. Also, they have no affiliate program so there really isn’t a way to earn residual income.

Overall, Textbroker is a great freelance writing site. The pay is decent and the topics are varied. Clients accept work within 3 days, so wait time on pay is limited and, as long as your 4 stars, there’s plenty of work. They pay every week on Friday through Paypal.

I give my stamp of approval on this freelance writing site and recommend it for all you aspiring authors.