Ferociously Fast Freelance Writing Site Reviews: Writer's Relief

Getting back into the game after an arduous couple months, I stumbled upon this beaut of a freelance writing site to help all of you'ns make money writing online.

This "Ferociously Fast Freelance Writing Site Reviews" is a new mini-series I am going to start. Essentially, whenever I find a new site, I'll write a quick review of it and link some of the material I receive after signing up. 

My purpose in doing this is so that you can decide for yourself whether or not it's worth your time to register. In the freelance writing business, time equals money, so you need to be as efficient as possible.

Writer's Relief is for those of you who're looking to get published, self-published or to access a plethora of other useful writing tools and resources. A lot of it is free, but there are paid versions for certain things as well as contests and something about becoming a client. The following is taken from the Writer's Relief freelance writing site and concerns the client status:

Michael is Still Alive and Here's a Quick Update to Prove It

Just a quick post to prove to ya’ll and the IRS that I am still alive. I was able to come up for a breath after nearly drowning in deadlines and while I was going through my morning routine I ran across this great post. It may be one of the simples articles ever and yet it’s chock full of some great freelance writing job board links. There were a couple sites that I had never heard of before and that is a bit surprising. You can never have too many freelance writing sites in the old toolbox.

Here’s the article. Enjoy!

http://workingwritersandbloggers.com/2013/07/01/41-places-to-find-freelance-writing-jobs/

Oh, by the way, if you have never heard of FlexJobs, you may want to check that site out as well, take a little tour, look at some freelance writing jobs and then drop it into your toolbox for safe keeping.

PS: Part 4 of A Day in the Life will be posted shortly. I promise.

Exciting New Additions to the Freelance Writing for Profit Blog and Some Emotional Stuff, Too

I am super stoked right now. I'm tired, greasy and a bit zombie-fied, but I am soaring through the clouds on a natural high of excitement that I haven't felt since the day's of GI Joe, Micro Machines and Skeletor. I feel giddy, like a kid on Christmas.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure if the handful of announcements I have for you all warrant this feeling. It's not evident why I am so uplifted especially considering how many years that have went by since I last experienced such unbridled joy. I'll tell you this much though, I am definitely going to enjoy it while it lasts. Maybe I can pass a little bit on to you, too. Perhaps in relating these feelings to you, I will be able to put my finger on the nature of this wonderful mood I am in.

Exclusive Interview with Co-Founder's Dariush Vollenweider and Michael Speziale About the Newest Freelance Writing Site

Exclusive Interview with Co-Founders Dariush Vollenweider and Michael Speziale of the newest freelance writing site on the Internet; CopyContest.com

Dariush is one of the nicest guys I have met on LinkedIN in a long time. He has a passion for what he does, and it shows in his vision of what CopyContest will provide both clients and writers.

I have scoured CopyContest and truly believe it could change how freelance writers find jobs. The pay is exceptional and could give us all a place to earn what we deserve. I will write a complete freelance writing site review in the next few days. Until then, enjoy what Dariush Vollenweider and Michael Speziale have to say about their vision of a new way to earn money writing.

Also, I am not an affiliate of CopyContest nor am I trying to promote the site for any hidden benefit. I am just a member and a reporter interested in giving my freelance writing colleagues the chance to make their own decision on whether they should check it out or not.

Let's Review A Freelance Writing Site: Writer Town

Joining and posting on the freelance writing site Writer Town should be considered a necessity for every freelance writer interested in making money online, building traffic and learning more about the freelance writing business. The benefits are incredible, and, in my opinion, there are no negatives. Admittedly, and sadly, I just now registered on this freelance writing site. I’ve actually known about Writer Town for a few months now, fellow writers have recommended it, and I’ve read numerous blogs and articles about it. But, for some reason, I just never checked it out. A couple weeks back, I finally did, and I’m kicking myself for not having joined sooner. If you’ve never heard of Writer Town, or you’re a procrastinator like me, allow me to list a few points to convince you why you should hop onover there and sign up.

Changes To The Site, Building A Community And Other Things On My Mind

I've been working on the site over the past few days. You may have noticed some changes. I also added a forum and a small store. The forum is simple. It's meant to allow ya'll to connect with each other, trade ideas and talk shop. I also wanted a place to put job leads. I'm going to be posting the opportunities I find on the forum, and I hope you all will too. Another function of the forum I envision is a place where users can post mini-reviews or opinions of the various freelance writing sites. It's pretty bare right now, but I want the community to grow and build the discussion as they see fit. Creating a community of like-minded freelance writers is my ultimate goal. So, I hope everyone will participate.

The store is a way that I can provide everyone with guides and resources that I have found useful. I have personally read or used most of the items in the store, and I recommend them.

Ultimately, I am refocusing my efforts on providing ya'll with a helpful freelance writing site. I think that the forum and store will provide that little extra something that makes this website unique. With that in mind, I am also open to guest posters, guest posting, exchanging links and generally connecting with others in the freelance writing community. Contact me to connect. I look forward to getting to know everyone in the forum, and I hope ya'll like the changes.

Let's Do Freelance Writing Work: Job-board Sites

Taking the time to look for freelance writing jobs on ad sites like ProBlogger, BloggingPro or even Craigslist can sometimes lead to lucrative and long-lasting work relationships. Several of my most consistent clients have come from these types of freelance writing sites. The key to finding work on ad sites is to keep time-management in mind at all times. Also, approach each potential client as if you were querying a publication. In other words, bring you’re A-game as fast as possible.

 This can be tough, admittedly. Time-management and quality proposals aren’t always the most cohesive bed-fellows. It’s easy to get in a rush and slack-off on a sample or query letter for a potential client you may never hear from again. Let’s look at a few ways to work freelance writing ad sites so that you’ll get the most out of your time.

Just Because You're a Non-American Doesn't Mean You Have To Settle For Less As a Freelance Writer

I get tons of questions from non-US writers struggling to find freelance writing sites that pay and pay well. Many non-citizens have excellent writing skills. But what it boils down to is tax difficulties and the hoops these sites must jump through to pay freelance writers in different countries. However, there are some excellent freelance writing sites available to those living outside the States. I am currently working on a more comprehensive E-Book that will cover this topic, and many others, that I am going to provide free to my subscribers. Until then, I’m going to toss this quick list up to help ya’ll get the ball rolling.

1.       Bukisa – If you were to compare this freelance writing site to another, it would be comparable to eHow and their compensation methods. Freelance writers will make money through page views on their how-to articles. Bukisa’s FAQ says this about their payment index: "It’s updated at least once per month based upon the overall performance of our websites revenue streams - this involves the following: contextual advertising, banner advertising, e-mail marketing, joint ventures and more." Bukisa also offers an affiliate program that increases revenue with each referral.

*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*

*UPDATE* Let's review a freelance writing site: BlogJob

UPDATE: I spoke with the web master, Sheridan, over at BlogJob. He wanted to clarify his vision of the future of BlogJob. This is what he had to say:

I really appreciate that….thanks. I do realize that I haven’t been clear enough in describing the vision and purpose of the site well enough, so I’ll be working on putting something together that does that. I agree that it would be difficult for most people living in first world countries to make a living simply by relying on the amount of reward points that are given out at the present time. The plan is to increase the amount of reward points given, as the revenue of the site increases, so that possibility may one day exist. There are also additional ways to earn which can provide enough

*UPDATE* My personal experiences with freelance writing sites

UPDATE: I wanted to update this post with some new information about Textbroker and Scripted. First let me start with Textbroker. I've been writing for them for a week and a half now. There pay-level is a little lower than I thought when I initially wrote this post. However, compared to MyAMS, it's WAY higher.

There are 5 levels of writers at Textbroker. 1 to 5 stars. Based on my sample, I was rated 4 stars when I began. They are strict about comma usage, and I found out that my grammar isn't the best. The star ratings determine how much per word you're paid. 3 stars earn 1 cent per word, 4 stars earn 1.5 and 5 stars, I assume, earn 2 cents. However, there are teams that earn more. I applied to and got accepted for a team that manages a single clients work. This team only writes about drug and alcohol addiction. For a 475 - 525 word article I make $11.03. It comes out to 2.76 cent per word which isn't too bad

Let's Do A Freelance Writing Review: Seed

 found SEED recently. It is a subsidiary of AOL, which is a prestigious name. I thought I would register and review the site all at once, however they are currently upgrading their site so you'll have to watch my video to learn more about that.

The Site

SEED offers a large assortment of free tutorials and freelance writing lessons. So, if nothing else, go there, click Academy and read their advice.

Being part of AOL they can connect individuals to a wide variety of consumers through a near myriad of affiliate sites. Every partner of the AOL Network is involved with this.

Freelance Writers, photographers and filmmakers can all get their content sold through SEED's pricing and usage rights process.

Payment: This is quoted from their site.

How It Works

Get Started

How can you get paid for what you create? There are several ways that what you produce can also earn you money:

Content Requests

When SEED posts an assignment or suggested topic and you make a submission, you can get paid in one of two ways if AOL accepts your Content.

• 1. AOL acquires an Exclusive License to your work for publication on one of our network sites or a third party site and pays the price listed with the request you responded to.
• 2. AOL acquires a Limited Exclusive License to your work for publication on one of our network sites and pays you a Calculated Earnings share based on the profit it generates.
• NOTE: AOL will not accept content that does not meet our Publishing Guidelines and / or quality standards.

Each day when you log onto SEED, you can see if what you’ve sent in has been reviewed, and see a rolling total of the Calculated Earnings your work generates when it appears on our network.

Getting Paid

You can set up how you want to be paid (PayPal, check, or direct deposit) through your SEED Dashboard.
When the Calculated Earnings share you’ve earned exceeds a certain amount, a “Pay Me Now” button appears automatically on your SEED Dashboard. All you have to do is click it, and your payment is processed.

The Academy

This is where you go to learn how to write specific assignments offered on SEED. They also offer general information to help you write better. Certain assignments have special instructions and they explain them clearly. Take this one for example: (It's long so skim it, but it gives you an idea about how much help they offer.)

This is a page specifically meant for the people working on our project to interview and write profiles of the musicians playing at the South by Southwest festival in March 2010. If you are interested in joining the project, read this post on Spinner, our indie music site.

Thank you for choosing to work on a profile of a musician scheduled to play at the South By Southwest music festival this march. This document is meant to offer some tips and guidance for you.

If you've got a question, please ask it in the comments below. We'll respond promptly so all the other writers can see it. Please feel free to post your own tips about this project below too. If you would rather, send your questions to SXSWSeed@aol.com.

Here are an example interview and biography.

PREPARATION

• Contact the band's publicist or manager to arrange an interview.
• Don't wait, because you only have a week to conduct the interview and submit the article. If we have contact information, we have included it in your assignment e-mail. If not, search for the band's MySpace page and its own Web page. You should find a manager or press contact. If you're stumped, contact us atSXSWSeed@aol.com.
• Ask the manager or publicist to e-mail you a photograph of the band that will run with the article.
• Research the band. Listen to the band's songs you find on the Web. Read what you can about them.

RECORDING THE INTERVIEW

• Prepare to record the interview if you can. Your local RadioShack or office supply story, has gadgets that can hook up a telephone to a recorder. Another option is to conduct the interview on speakerphone, so a recorder can pick up the conversation.
• While recording the interview is a very good idea, it's not required. Just be prepared to take very good notes.
• If you do record the interview, be sure to tell the person you are talking to. In many states, that's the law.

CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW

• Interviews must be conducted by telephone (or in person, if you happen to be where the band is.) E-mail interviews are not acceptable. The only exception is if the band doesn't feel comfortable in English. If you do conduct an e-mail interview in this case, feel free to e-mail back follow up questions in the (likely) case the initial answers are too terse.
• In the interview, be sure to ask the questions on our list below. Feel free to add a few of your own. Be polite and curious.
• If the person you are talking to doesn't really answer the question in a colorful way, ask a follow up to draw more out. You need more than a few sentances for each question.

SIGNING UP FOR SEED

• If you haven't already, sign up for an account on at www.seed.com/signup. Please use the same e-mail address you have used to apply to write for Seed.
• Go to the "Dashboard" (the first page you see after you sign in). Under "Recommended Assignments," choose the "Arts & Entertainment" category from the drop down menu.
• Look for the assignment called "SxSW Artist Profile." You may need to skip forward by a page or two.
• Click on the title of the "SxSW Artist Profile" assignment. Then click "Claim This."
• You will see a page that allows you to enter and edit your article. Put the band name as the Article Title.
• If you have a photograph of the band, click on the "Click to Add an Image" button. Press "Upload." Then insert the filename of the photo the band sent you. (Don't use photos from other sites that may be copyrighted.)
• Click "Save." Whenever you return to your dashboard on Seed, you'll see the article listed under "works in Progress."

WRITING THE INTERVIEW

• Go through your notes and recordings to extract the most sharp, interesting and informative quotes.
• Write a two or three sentence introduction to the article that simply sets up the band, where it's from, and a general description of the sort of music it plays. Make sure the tone is that of a reporter describing the band (with style), but not a critic or a publicist. It's not your job to say whether the band is good or not.
• The rest of the article is simply the questions you asked in bold face, followed by the answers.
• No single answer should be more than 200 words. And the entire article cannot exceed 1,000 words.
• Be sure to include all four of the core questions and at least four other questions.
• The answer to each question should be a direct quote. You can add additional information to make things clear [in brackets]. You may skip parts of the quote using ...ellipses to indicate that words were skipped. Of course, do not in any way alter the meaning or emphasis of what the artist said.

WRITING THE BIOGRAPHY

• Use the information you learned from the interview, along with what you learned researching the band in advance.
• Use reliable sources, including your own interview, the band's publicity information and web site, the site of their record label, and mainstream publications such as Rolling Stone. Wikipedia is often a handy starting place, but verify any information you find there.
• A chronological structure is usually handy for a biography. Again, your job is to describe the band, not to offer opinions about its music.
• Write 300-500 words.
• Link to all your external sources, and identify for us any other sources you have that aren't Web links.
• Be sure to use your own words, not copy those of others.

SUBMITTING YOUR WORK

• It's best to write your article, using the editor on Seed.com. There are buttons, however, that allow you to paste text into the Seed editor and to paste formatted text from Microsoft Word.
• Simply append the biography to the end of the interview in the Seed. Put the heading "Biography" at the beginning.
• When you have finished writing your article in Seed and proofread it article, press "Save & Next." Write a short summary of your interview on the next page.
• Press "Preview" to see your article one last time. Then press "Submit."
• We will read it and get back to you within seven days.
• If we like your work, we may offer you the chance to write more SxSW interviews.

IMPORTANT GUIDELINES

• When speaking to the band and its representatives, you can describe yourself as on assignment for AOL Music and Spinner.
• You may not describe yourself as working for us in any other context.
• Do not approach SXSW, or any other organization, and ask for press passes, tickets or any other favors.
• Do not write about any band if you have a personal or professional relationship with any people or companies connected to it in any way.
• Do not accept any tickets, goods, meals or anything else with a more than a nominal value from anyone connected to the band.
• You must use your full real name as the byline of the article.

GETTING MORE HELP

If you have a general question, ask it in the comments below. That way we can share our answer with the rest of the SXSW writes. Feel free to discuss the project amongst yourselves. Also you can e-mail us at SXSWSeed@aol.com with any questions or concerns.

The End

Well, that is all for now. Check out my video for more information. Also, once I can register I will show ya'll that as well.



Take care and thanks for reading.
Freelance Mike