There are several ways to make money as a freelance writer. One is to write short articles for different content organizations, which then sell them to businesses to use on their websites. Demand Studios is an example. Once you’re accepted as a writer, you can choose a specific article topic to write about. For maybe 20 minutes of research (because really, who knows all that much about pre-natal paternity testing?) and 30 minutes of writing and editing, you can earn a whopping $15. Still, it’s money.
So I tried a different place recently, called Content Current. Not everybody can write there. You have to submit an application and samples. Then they give you a specific article topic to write about, as a test. Online animation colleges was my topic. I wrote it. Got no response. Did they like it? Did they not?
Weeks later, I got an email asking me to resubmit it taking out all external links (you know, the links that show my work was original? The links that provide the reader with more information?) But in the spirit of the customer being right, I did it.
Then, nothing. Did that mean I was accepted? Rejected? I know– I’ll contact them. But there’s no way to reach the editor on the website. Oh, but the editor reached me. With a friendly letter that must have gone to all of the writers (and apparently, the writer applicants) warning of the dangers of plagiarism, and the importance of turning work in on time.
Well, considering I hadn’t plagiarized and my work was turned in by the deadline, I’m guessing they weren’t talking to me. But I wonder– if I were an employee, would I want to be talked to like that? And as a potential employee I’ve got to think of that as foreshadowing a very bad relationship.
So when I got another “no reply” email asking me to remove the external links (which were already removed the last time) and asked to stuff the article with more keywords, I realized: Content Current is just not worth $50 per article, much less $15.
But, if anyone has a question about online animation colleges, I’ve got some info for you.
