4 Reasons (Some) Freelance Writers Prefer Writing for Content Mills

Recently I discovered that some freelancing web writers actually prefer writing for content mills instead of writing directly for clients. I learned this while hanging out at one of my favorite freelance writing forums over the weekend. I was pretty shocked to learn this and immediately began thinking: "Don't they know that working for private clients provides much better pay than content mills?" "Don't they know that content mills have a pattern of up and disappearing without so much as a warning?" and of course: "How many articles do you have to crank out to be able to make a part-time, let alone full-time, living?"

About a week or so ago, one site in particular stirred up quite a bit of ire by daring to speak out, advising these writers to avoid settling to become freelancers for these low-budget content mills. Some freelancers took offense stating firmly that it was their decision to forgo private clients and they knew exactly what they were doing. I must admit, I was perplexed. I sat back and continued eavesdropping on this fascinating, virtual conversation and learned a lot about why so many web writers feel this way:

"Writing for content mills is less stressful"

Several writers said that writing for the content sites was much less stressful than writing directly for clients. At first this didn't make much sense to me, but as many writers began discussing past problems of not receiving pay, late payments and the stress of dealing with difficult clients who seem to never be satisfied, I had to admit I know exactly where they were coming from. While I've never had to deal with unpaid work from a private client (knock on wood…), I have certainly had dealings with impossible to please clients requesting revision after revision after revision. The time spent on projects like these cuts into your bottom line – because your time is a commodity – and can become very stressful if you're waiting for a payment you needed yesterday.

Don't have to spend time marketing for private clients

I know lots of freelance writers dislike marketing, but I was shocked to see just how many were more than happy to avoid marketing altogether and write for content mills instead. Many find marketing their own services to be extremely stressful and time consuming. They'd much rather spend that time writing for guaranteed pay instead – even if it means missing out on higher paying private gigs.


Writers can put more focus on writing for themselves

Some writers are using their web writing skills for other objectives like building residual income on content sites or learning affiliate marketing to increase their passive income. Writing for content sites helps pad their finances in the meantime.

You can crank out several articles quickly

I must admit that when I first started freelancing, I worked for a California content mill that paid $20 an article. They would assign me and the other writers batches of articles that I could turn around rather quickly – especially if the topic was in a niche I knew well. I can completely understand this line of thinking because while you see that the writer gets paid $20 and article, depending on how quickly they can write and research the topic, it can easily turn into $40 to $60 an hour and up. Many of these writers shared their monthly earnings on the forum and are making full-time incomes.

On the flip side, some writers spend the majority of their time every day sitting in front of the computer cranking out articles to pay bills when higher paying gigs could mean making the same amount in less time. Burnout can also be an all too real consequence of writing for these sites day in and day out.

Still, what I learned is that many writers who choose this route to freelancing do seem to operate with a plan in place. They write for a variety of sites just in case one should shut down, vary their schedule and take preventive measures to avoid burnout. They have made the choice to write for content mills and proudly stand by it.

While writing exclusively for content mills may not be the freelancing path I choose to follow, I respect anyone's decision to become a freelance writer. We will certainly not always see eye-to-eye, but if you're out there making it work, who am I to criticize?

Green Business Tip of the Day: Recycle Inkjet Cartridges and Save Money

If you're like me, you practically spend a fortune each year in inkjet cartridges. I'm constantly printing information for research to take along while writing on the go (I know, I know - that's not a very green thing to do). Paying $20 and up on a couple of measly printer cartridges was getting pretty ridiculous – even if they are tax deductible.

Cheap ink is right around the corner

Imagine my surprise when a family member informed me that I could take my old cartridges to my local Walgreens' photo department and have them refilled for only $10 each! I'm too embarrassed to tell you how many empty cartridges I had lying around. Thankfully there just happens to be a Walgreens right up the street from where I live, so not only am I saving money, but I'm helping out the environment by recycling as well as spending much less time and gas in my quest for printer ink.

Searching for more ways to save money and the environment

Now the fire is lit – I'm determined to find more cost-saving, environmentally friendly ways to operate my business. Do you recommend any green business tips that significantly save you time or money?

Overcoming Summer Freelance Writing Hurdles

Reading Sharon Hurley Hall's recent post made me feel a little better about neglecting my blog this summer. Not that that's a good thing, because it certainly isn't; but truth be told I am desperately seeking balance between operating my business and family obligations this summer.

Working on the run

My three older kids are all taking classes to prepare them them for the next grade this year. This involves a whole lot of riding up and down the highway from sun up to sun down. As a freelancer this isn't such a bad thing for business since I can easily work in remote locations (e.g. the doctor's office, the car, the park, the yard, etc.) on my trusty Neo Dana; but since I'm being stretched a little further than usual for the next month and a half, something's got to give and unfortunately it's been this blog.

A freelancer is NOT an employee

I recently found myself explaining to a client who has grown used to seeing me show up as "available" on Skype during his regular office hours that yes, I am still working this summer, but no, I am not always sitting at the computer. He seemed concerned over this, despite the fact that his projects are still being turned in on time and that he can easily reach me by phone or email with no problems.

Without being rude I gently reminded him that I'm not an employee, I'm a freelancer. That means if a client gives me a project, it will most certainly get done whether I work on it from nine to five or stay up all night. Same as always.

Relief is on the way

Thankfully, City of Atlanta schools begin August 10th so my schedule will be "back to normal" before I know it - whatever that means. I'm curious to know how other freelance writing parents maintain their sanity during the summer months. Do you make any special adjustments to your working schedule?

My eProduct Boycott

I'm a product junkie. I don't know what it is: hair products, skin products, makeup, books, ebooks, ecourses, teleseminars, reports -- I just can't get enough. Last week I got burned.

I paid for the webinar to learn something new

I paid to attend a webinar by someone I "know" on Twitter two weeks ago. It was not very expensive, and was supposed to help actually help me learn a skill that I really need right now. I found some online tutorials I was attempting to learn from, but I was completely hopeless. This webinar came into my life at the right time. It was fate; or so I thought.

The day of the webinar arrived and I was excited beyond words (yes, I am a geek). When I dialed in, no webinar. I received an email stating that the instructor was having serious Internet issues so the webinar was being rescheduled; same time the following week.

More problems

Next week came. Once again I excitedly dial in – about 10 minutes late, but still enough time to get the info I need. This time there was a confused fellow with a British accent also on the line attempting to communicate with the instructor, who obviously wasn't there. He became exasperated and announced that if she could hear him on the line he was hanging up to email her to find out what was going on. When I checked my email this time there was no message. I go to Twitter (she'd been Tweeting about the seminar for days to get more participation) I see nothing except a couple of Tweets indicating an impromptu trip to the beach three hours earlier.

I'm more disappointed than anything (which means I've matured a lot because back in the day I'd be hopping mad). I contacted her about it via email and she stated that for some reason or other she was unable to utilize the webinar system. Okay. Stuff happens sometime. She has assured me that I will receive my refund.

My revelation is not about people who fail to operate in a professional manner and do as they say. It certainly could have been, but it's not. It's about the fact that I have all of these FREE tutorials online and books available. I only need to take the time to read and learn this on my own. For FREE.

I already know that

The last ebook review I did here confirmed that I already a lot of the useful information that's out there about building a freelance writing business. Why should I bother buying another "how to" ebook," teleseminar or report? Why don't I just save my hard earned money and use the information that I already know?

The draw of most eproducts is the fact that the authors are giving you the information you want all wrapped up in a PDF so you don't have to worry your pretty little head about finding it yourself. The truth is a lot of what you want to know about freelancing and business can be found somewhere on the net; you just have to patiently search for it.

No more eproducts for me…for a while…

So from this day forth I vow not buy another information product until I start using the information that I already have in my head and on my hard drive. The only products I will purchase will be strictly for the sake of providing an honest review, and those are few and far between. Maybe I can save up enough to buy a new laptop…

Freelance writers need vacations too

I confess: I haven't taken a vacation since I began freelancing in the Fall of 2007. But this summer my family is looking forward to attending a family reunion, and I'm busy making plans to handle my business while I'm gone. On the one hand I want to be able to relax and enjoy myself for a few days without worrying about business. I'll be away for less than a week, so it's possible; but realistically I know I won't be able to resist checking my email at least once or twice.

Finding the right vacationing strategy

I've heard two different schools of thought about how freelance writers should handle vacations. Some say you should outsource the work to another writer you trust and completely avoid telling clients you'll be away. That seems a little risky if you're pretending like you're still available because you'd still be required to stay on top of all email correspondence; and that's no way to relax and have fun.

Others advise telling clients upfront that you have a vacation scheduled. Let them know your return date, and if you like, supply them with the name(s) of another writer who can help them in your absence. The problem many freelancers have with this plan is that they are afraid of losing clients while they are away.

I firmly believe you need some sort of plan in place to successfully schedule time off. Few clients will be surprised to learn that you're taking some much needed time off. Here are a few tips that can make the planning process less of a pain:

Tell your clients that you will be unavailable. Make sure to provide them with the necessary dates of your departure and return. Make sure you provide enough advance notice, which can be tricky. Some bigger projects might require a couple of month's notice, while 30 days notice works for others.

Work ahead of schedule if possible. Write and preschedule blog posts, spend a little extra time finishing up projects before your vacation so that nothing is left hanging until you return. Organize your office and files so when you return getting back to work is much easier.

Find a back up writer. Just in case there is an emergency you can't handle while you're away, or as a courtesy for those projects that just can't wait. This could be viewed as extremely good customer service on your end.

I'm sure there are other several other good ways to prepare for time off I may have missed. How do you handle vacation time?

Writer Associations: Are They Worth It?

At some point many freelancers become aware of the many local and national writers associations out there. Maybe you belong to one or two yourself. But if you're just getting started, you might wonder whether paying regular membership fees to these organizations is worth it. You're already getting clients who are keeping you busy with projects, so what's the point of parting with your hard earned money to join one?

Membership has its benefits

Writers associations often come with a number of benefits. Many of these organizations support writers of various genres (e.g. magazine writers, fiction, science fiction, history, etc.). By joining a local association, you may have an opportunity to meet and mingle with members on a weekly or monthly basis. For many of us it's an excuse to get out and socialize. You get to meet others in varying stages of their writing careers. Many associations offer continuing education through regular workshops, lectures and annual conferences increasing the networking opportunities.

Other members only benefits include access to exclusive web pages and articles, member directories, private forums, newsletters, publishers, listings of publishers, book agents and even mentoring programs. Of course group membership could also make you eligible to join group health/dental insurance plans and prepaid legal programs.

Does it meet your needs?

If you can afford the membership fees, you might find that it's worth the investment. Before you join an association, make sure that the focus of the group meets your needs as a writer. For instance, if you're hoping for more help with the business side of things like creating contracts or tips for handling collections on unpaid projects, choose an association that can provide the support you need and helpful resources.

Staying on Task to Get it All Done

To say that last week was challenging for me would be an understatement. Multiple deadlines, kids at home for the summer, one very sick kid, and trying to find a new mini van (ours was recently stolen >:/) just about pushed me over the edge. I survived, of course, but realized that a lot of my problems stemmed from procrastination and allowing myself to entertain unimportant distractions instead of staying on task.

What happened to my mojo?

I don't know if it's the season change or what, but despite scheduled projects I've been having a difficult time concentrating on one thing and staying focused. I'm not burned out or anything, just very distracted. As a result, I procrastinated a lot last week and when an unexpected illness cropped up with one of my kids, I was left sweating to meet deadlines.

Even though I met my obligations as promised, I put unnecessary stress on myself, and also risked the quality of the work I produced. I certainly can't afford to lose the clients I've worked so hard to acquire, so I'm working on finding solutions to help keep me on task during the week.

Setting goals

Here's a big part of my problem. When I first started freelancing I set daily goals, monthly goals, six month goals and long-term goals. This might be too anal for some, but it gave me the eye of the tiger. Setting goals gives you a start line and an opportunity to create a strategy to reach the finish line.

Create a to-do list

I'm completely lost without lists because my priorities are scattered all over the place. When I make a to-do list, I accept the fact that everything listed may not get done. I assign priority to each task in order of importance and get on with the work of crossing things off.

Rewards

I don't know about you, but the reward system works like a charm for me. Whether I'm slaving away on a client's project, dieting or buying a new car with my husband (trust me, it's NOT a fun experience), having something to look forward to helps me keep a steady pace and get things done. I'm a simple girl, so a treat for me is a couple of hours sans kids to see a movie, window shopping in Little 5 Points (Atlanta's version of New York's East Village), browsing around the library, my favorite book store or having lunch with friends. Rewarding yourself with something fun for all your hard work is essential.