Part II – Freelance Jobs: Making Money, Not Spending Money

by Ron Samul

It has been a five days since I engaged an online freelance writing service that appeared to be shady. They have emailed (because I have them my email) everyday since I looked into their web service. So, after this much harassment, I decided to Google this service. Quickly I learned what I suspected. One person wrote about “the catch.”

They draw you in – often with an email saying you have been “selected” to register with a special $2.95 registration fee.  If you read the small print, you will find that this is a seven day trial period and there is then a monthly charge of $49.95.   However, they also state that if you are not satisfied, there is an 8 week money-back guarantee. [CLICK for article.]

This person then read about an 8 week money back guarantee. When they requested it – they ignored them. Then they hit the writer’s credit card again for another $49.95. As this writer found out – the information on the website never got them any direct work and the information that was there was available in other sources for free.

This may be the only thing suspicious about the website. Maybe people are using the website and getting some kind of work. However, it is vital as writers (on any level) to understand the commitment that these companies are disguising as introduction offers and other package deals.

Always be vigilant and do your research before you put money into a subscription or web service. A writer in the freelance markets wants work and they are seeking it out. In this economic down turn – people are searching for jobs more than ever, but it should be done with resources that you can bank on. Personally, the Writer’s Market Guide is a better investment than a listing that you might find anywhere. To compare, the Market Guide gives you names of hundreds (if not thousands) of magazines and outlets for writers, including editors, what they are looking for, addresses, and how to them query. This would be  a better investment of $40.00 than subscribing to a website that offers little more than what you can find scattered all over the web. Not only that, but you can often go to the library and find the Writer’s Market Guide and photo copy the section that you need – for the cost of the copies.

It is important to be smart, professional, and make decisions that make money for you, not spend your money. People want to make money, but I will repeat – you can still get something out of a publication credit. Like all jobs, businesses, and work experience – you have to build up your credentials and credibility. If you have to give that away for a chance at exposure or a chance to break into a new market – it is better than throwing $50 into the electronic feeding frenzy of scams and slick marketing websites.

Let us know how you feel. Sharing information on this topic is important so people can avoid costly mistakes and gain the insight to the legitimate writing markets.