Is Guru.com Worth It For Freelance Writers
One of the questions that I get asked a lot is whether a site like guru.com is worthwhile for freelance writers and other professional writers. Whether or not a site is worth it depends, of course, on your definition of worth it. For my purposes, I figure that if I’m going to take the time and effort to apply for something and handle the process of getting the gig, writing the product, and then getting paid for the job, it has to pay a certain amount of money. How much money that is depends upon the freelancer involved.
So, to see if a job site like guru.com is good for freelancers, I setup a quick profile and then did a search. For my search, I chose the entire Writing / Editing / Translation category. Then, I chose to filter out results that require on-site work (what it takes to get me to work on-site is different than what it takes to get me to work remotely.) Lastly, I eliminated all of the jobs listed in the very lowest paying categories. That is, everything that pays less than $250 and everything that pays less than $15 per hour. Those are not high numbers by any stretch of the imagination. Lastly, I eliminated any jobs that did not say how much they wanted to pay, or chose "Don’t Know."
Trust me, when I tell you that anyone who doesn’t know what they want to pay, wants to pay something that is too low. I have never, ever, ever, encountered a prospective client who talked to me about their project and when they heard how much it would cost said, "Oh, that’s way lower than what I thought." If someone doesn’t have any idea whatsoever what a project should/would cost, they are either just testing the waters and there might not end up being any job, or they are hoping that they can get a really low price and don’t even want to think about what it might cost them in reality.
Lastly, I left the default parameter to only include projects posted in the last 45 days. That is pretty ridiculous in itself. Unless we are talking about a project that goes through a full RFP process, after 30 days, most projects are already sourced.
The results?
14 projects. That’s right, 14. I think that is pretty much your answer right there. It is not worth a freelance writer’s time to be an active member of a site that will generate a whopping 14 projects that do not pay the bottom rate or require you to be onsite.
So, no, it is not worth it for a professional freelance writer to use guru.com
When A Client Does Not Pay
As a freelance writer, eventually there will come a time when a client doesn’t pay, or is paying very late. What to do about it can be a delicate dance. You don’t want to anger a lucrative client who just hasn’t gotten to it yet, but on the other hand, you don’t want to be giving away free work. After all, you have a mortgage payment and kids who need to eat too.
The Doctor’s Office Method
I have found it to be effective to use what I call the "doctor’s office" method in honor of the people who send me these kind of bills.
On your invoice put a row of boxes along the bottom which say Current, 30 Days Past Due, 60 Days Past Due, 90 Days Past Due. Then, put on your invoice something about a late fee, either a percent or an amount. The late fee shouldn’t start until 60 days (some companies only pay on cycles and it just might not fit in the 30 day). Then, make sure you include the fee on the invoice.
So, after 60 days have something like:
| CONTRACT WRITING | $1200 | |
| 60 DAYS PAST DUE (1.5%) | $18 | |
| BALANCE DUE | $1218 |
| CURRENT | 30 DAYS | 60 DAYS | 90 DAYS | 180 DAYS |
| $1218 |
I started doing this after noticing it makes me pay may doctor co-pays sooner. I’m not a dead beat, things just get lost in the stack or whatever. But, if I notice a number in that 90 Days box, I think, "Oh cripe!" and go get my checkbook.
The nice thing about doing it this way is that if your client is tight on money, this may motivate him to pay you this month and someone else next month instead of the other way around once he realizes how late his is on you.
Secondly, it shows that you know they are late and that you aren’t just "getting over it."
99% of the time, when the client pays they do not pay the late fee, and I don’t make an issue of it. The point isn’t get the fee so much as to make a point. If a client does it more than once or twice, then I would collect the fee or stop working with them (their choice).
Last, if you do take more work from the client, keep the amounts marching across that 30,60,90 row. So that you have 90 Days Past Due $1236 (2 late fees) and Current $400.
| CURRENT | 30 DAYS | 60 DAYS | 90 DAYS | 180 DAYS |
| $400 | $1236 |
That way they don’t get the impression that the clock starts over because there was new work. Otherwise, they might be thinking, "Well it’s only been 30 days" when it has been a long time on the other payment.
Getting Paid + Burning Bridges
If you don’t get paid, then you have to decide if possible future work is worth "donating" this work. If not, then it is time to send "The Letter".
The Letter says that the invoice is 180 days past due and will be referred for "Further Collection Efforts". If that doesn’t work, then 10 days later send them a Notice of Pending Legal Action in which you state that you will be filing a claim in court (you can find templates for this online). After that, you have to decide if you are bluffing or not. If not, file a claim.
Lawyers for big money, small claims court for little money.
In any case, remember that "bad debts" are a tax deduction, so keep not only your original invoice, but all the attempts you have made to collect the debt. Print out all the emails, keep copies of all the letters and invoices, and write down a log of all the phone calls you make.
Good Website for Writers and Aspiring Writers
Every time I start talking with someone about becoming a freelance writer, or someone who is a freelance writer looking for some new ideas or other help, I find myself nervous that I will accidentally send them into the hands of a shark who will somehow scam them out of their money or identity.
So, it was with some relief that I came upon this site. This is technically at a science-fiction writing site, but it is good advice for everyone. It is a Writer Beware page that lists some of the more common scams. This list is by no means complete, but at least you get a heads up on some of the common tricks.
Other Safety Tips
- Never ever give out your Social Security Number. (Give out your EIN on a W9 Form)
- Only give out your name and other info AFTER you have been given the job (more important online than offline)
- Never “just sign up” for a website in order to APPLY for a job. (You may have to sign up to AFTER you get the job, but a legitimate employer will give you a username or way to do it for free.)
- Don’t leave money in your Paypal account. (It is way harder for them to get money from your bank than from paypal.)
- Never give out your banking information, even for direct deposit unless it is a real world, real building, real offices that you have been inside company. Otherwise, give them a Paypal account or an online banking account. And, do not leave money in either one.
- Get a business phone number (use GrandCentral or other service so you don’t need another phone line)
- Use *67 to block caller id any time you call a business contact, especially if you are calling from your cell phone. (Otherwise, expect plenty of calls at 11:00 PM).
It isn’t that bad out there, but where the scams are, they are mean. So, keep you head on straight and go for it. Just don’t get so excited you forget your basic safety rules.
Freelance Writing is Work
Yeah, it is actually work.
I try and be helpful and friendly to people who contact me asking for help or advice. It’s just in my nature, and it is probably the right thing to do for the business anyway. So, it was nothing new when I began trading emails with a guy who was interested in becoming a freelance writer.
We started with all of the usual stuff. How much money can you make? How do you setup your own web site? Do you actually have to know anything about HTML or SEO? Then, we got down to business.
I recommended that he start writing some things to be used as samples, and to get his web site going. He replied that he would. After a week or so, I emailed him to see how it was going. That is where the wheels fell off the wagon.
He hadn’t gotten around to the web site yet. He had started some articles, but “didn’t like how they were coming out,” so he didn’t have anything he could show me. I’ve heard this all before. My new friend simply hadn’t sat down and done the work to get his freelance business practice going. It isn’t my place to judge, but I don’t need to waste my time either, so I left it with him by sending an email that basically said, let me know when you get those things done and we’ll go from there.
I haven’t heard from him since.
It Is Work
This reminded me of a previous encounter. This one was a face to face meeting where I was describing the world of freelance writing and how I was doing and how much I loved it. There were smiles all around.
Then, I started talking about what my friend should do to get started. The smile started to fade and eventually was replaced by that scrunched up forehead that people get when they look at a long unpleasant list.
“This is just as much work as I do at my job now.”
That was when I realized that there are a lot of people out there who see freelance writing as a way to work less (and some, not at all). They envision an hour of writing in the morning, and maybe another hour in the afternoon, and the rest of the time spent enjoying the sunny summer days. Well, I suppose fantasies are nice, but if this is how you envision your life as a freelance writer, I encourage you to never ever pursue freelance writing with any seriousness, because all it will do is ruin your pleasant daydream.
Freelance writing is work. It is a lot of work. No, it isn’t like lifting and carrying cinder blocks work, but it is work.
It Is Fun – If…
Before I became a full time freelance writer, I spent my working years in two careers, one as a high-end computer consultant, the other as a small business owner financial advisor. I don’t do any less work today than I did when I worked those jobs, but there is one major difference.
I never seem to roll my eyes at my freelance writing business. Why? I like writing. I always have. I like the way I get to specifically explain my thoughts the way I want to. I like the way I can tailor how the words come out and in what order. I like the way I get to talk all at one time instead of hashing out points as they come up. I like to communicate via the page. It is just how I am.
How do you decide if you are cut out to be a freelance writer? I think the easiest test is the email test. The email test works like this.
Has anyone ever called you, emailed you, or spoken to you in person to ask you to TALK to them instead of typing up detailed email messages?
If so, you might be a good freelancer. If not, well, maybe you are just an efficient user of email, but it might also be because you don’t like writing enough to be a happy freelance writer. If you are typing up words somewhere, all the time, you need to really look at how much you enjoy writing. There are a lot of easier ways to make a living than freelance writing, so if you don’t love writing, there really isn’t any point in pursuing it.
If you do decide to join us, then welcome. Please do understand that it will be work, lots of work. Like every other job out there, if you become one of the best, you will not have to work as hard, and the money will come easy. Just keep in mind that is true whether you are a writer, or a lawyer, or a building contractor, or a programmer, or a designer, or a …
Jobs, Rates, and Freelance Writing
Like a lot of other jobs, Freelance Writing comes with tiers of work ranging from low-level to critical high visibility. Likewise, there are many levels of pay that go along with those tiers. Too many writers focus on what they “should” be making, or what they “want” to be making. Instead, focus on what work you can get today.
Fill Your Schedule
I’ve been writing professionally for a long time, but it was only recently that I cut the safety cord that had snuggly tethered me to the corporate world. When that happened, a fundamental shift occurred in the way I looked at my writing. Specifically, I stopped looking at my writing, and I started looking at my writing business. That little shift makes all the difference.
Look at it this way, as a writer, you have certain things that you enjoy writing, and certain things that you don’t enjoy as much. You also have certain gigs available to you that pay a lot and certain gigs that don’t pay as much. While you are in the state of mind where you evaluate and manage your writing making the calls as to which projects you will and won’t take can be complicated. But, if you are in the state of mind where you are managing your business, things get a little easier. Instead of considering what you do and don’t want to write, and what you should and should not earn, you start looking at what your revenue and expenses looked like last month. You look at what your revenue looks like it will be for the coming month and you do some simple math. You are either making it (profit) or you are not (loss), and you need to do some things accordingly.
No business can operate at a loss indefinitely. How easy is it to make this decision? Last month, your business had enough revenue to generate a nice profit. This month, however, your projected projects only will generate enough revenue to come out with a small loss at the end of the month. Do you take the short term, lower paying writing gig that will make the coming month profitable or not?
Pretty easy right?
Be the Business
Being a business means taking your writing from being the thing you do to being the thing your business does. You are not just a freelance writer, you are also a business owner. Act like you think a business owner acts. A business owner keeps an eye on the bottom line. As the owner of a freelance writing business you have the advantage of being able to work on making both sides of the equation work out. You can cut back on expenses during a month where revenues will be light and vice versa. You can take on projects you would normally turn down in order to boost revenues so you can cover those unexpected office expenses.
Keep an eye on the profit margin of the business as a whole, and a lot of the other questions will help sort themselves out.
Deal for Freelance Writers
I don’t know how widespread this is, but a couple of the Barnes & Nobles around Denver have the nice trade paperback sized Associated Press Stylebook on the shelves in the clearance section for $5.98 which is a heck of a deal. If you are a freelance writer, sooner or later you are going to need the AP Stylebook and at this price, it is cheaper than buying used. So, if you find yourself in Barnes & Noble in the next week or two, swing over to the clearance section and look for it.
It looks like this (its at Amazon for $12.98 )
How To Get Good Responses For Your Freelance Writer Position
I’ve worked with lots of clients who were relieved they found me. I don’t mean that in an ego way, what I mean is that many clients don’t get the kind of responses they want for their writing opportunities. Most of the time this has to do with the job posting. I’ve been doing this long enough to read between the lines and I still like to take a chance every now and then that something that sounds a little iffy, might actually be something really great, but not all writers work that way.
Guide to Finding and Hiring Good Writers
The first thing you have to understand is that no matter how legitimate you are, and no matter how great your opportunity is, there are plenty of postings out there every single day that are junk, or even worse, that are scams. Professional writers learn how to filter these out to avoid wasting their time applying for jobs that will not pan out. So, you need to write your job posting in a way that does not trigger these filters.
Put Some Effort Into Your Post
Most scams work based on volume, so the more postings a scammer makes, the better. Obviously, this means making short posts or doing a copy and paste all over the Internet. A post on Craigslist that reads “Need freelance writer for project, great opportunity, email …” may not garner the kind of attention you would like.
Avoid Scam Sounding Phrases
New writers are the easiest to scam. New writers tend to be hungry to get business. As such, many scam postings try to sound like hitting the jackpot. So avoid things like saying that you are paying $5 for 10,000 words this time, but there will be a lot more and those will pay $500. Experienced writers don’t believe that "there will be a lot more where that came from." Feel free to mention a trial period. Something like, "Pay is $10 per 300 words for the first three months. If after that, we both like how this is going, then we can discuss a higher rate." Or even better, say $20 after the first 10 satisfactory articles or whatever.
Don’t Make Me Join
I’m a professional freelance writer. If you want me to write for you then treat me like a professional. Have you ever heard of a gym asking a personal trainer to join the gym before they will interview him? Have you ever heard of an insurance company making someone buy their insurance before offering them a job? No, because it is ridiculous.
If you want people to join your mailing list, website, or organization, then offer great things to people who need them, don’t try and make me join to apply.
By the way, the "go here and fill out this form" stinks of scam. Don’t be surprised that all of your most promising candidates just drop out after you send them an email asking them to go to a website and fill something out. After all, they already applied. Say yes or no, don’t turn this into one of those bad thrillers. "Come to the phone booth alone and I’ll call with further instructions."
Match The Requirements to the Reward
You wouldn’t believe how many postings I’ve seen where someone wants a ton of stuff for a $300 job. Good freelance writers have a busy schedule filled with projects they are already working on. The only reason they are reading new postings is because some of those projects will be coming to an end and they want to have a full pipeline ready for the next month. That means they can’t be taking 45 minutes to apply to a position they might not get, and even if they do, won’t be very profitable. If you are looking for a writer to handle a 600-page manual and the contract will pay $10,000, then by all means request a cover letter, resume, samples, and that the writer fill out an online form with details as well as write a specific sample for you. But, if you are offering $10 per page to help with a 5 page marketing brochure, you should be happy with a resume and links to some existing samples.
Don’t Post ANY Requirements
If you really want to separate the wheat from the chaff, don’t post any requirements with your job posting. Instead, use the responses as a way to gauge who is a professional. A professional freelance writer will respond to a job posting with no requirements with a courteous email summarizing themselves and a link to their website and samples. Some professionals will write to request the requirements. These are professionals who probably came from the print world where such things are very common. Either way, you can eliminate anyone who responds with sloppy language, bizarre text, or no references, no website, and no resume.
You Aren’t Getting a Resume Unless You Ask
Most professional writers, and most people who hire them know that the world of writing is the one place where you can PROVE that you are good at the job before you get it. Sure, a high-level Unix administrator might have the title Senior Unix Administrator and might have six years of experience at a top company, but he still might not be any good at his job. Maybe he is surly, or won’t take direction, or insists on belittling users. You will never know that by reviewing his resume.
A writer on the other hand can show you things he or she has already written. Sure, they may be surely, but if they are freelancing from a remote location, who cares? You can see from a writing sample that a guy with no experience in finance can write better than the guy who spent 20 years as a bank president just by reading over a few pages that they have written before.
For this reason, most professional writers won’t bother sending you a resume unless you specifically ask for one. If you do ask for one, make sure there is a reason. If you want someone with insider experience to write for your Realtor website, then a resume showing some experience as a real estate agent is a good thing to see.
Don’t Worry About RELATED Writing Samples
A writer can either write, or they can’t. Now, some writers can only write on one topic, and others can only write technical articles, while others cannot write technical articles. But, as long as you can see a sample that is in the same universe as what you are looking for, then you can judge the writing. What you want to see is writing covering at least two diverse topics. That way, you will know if the writer is a one thing only writer or can do anything.
For example, if someone can distill complex medical subjects into easily readable articles and also has written great legal articles, then you can be pretty sure that person can distill complex financial subjects into easily readable articles even if you don’t see any financial samples.
I’ll write an article on how to evaluate writing samples in the near future. In the meantime, I hope this helps.
How Much Does a Freelance Writer Get Paid
If you hang around the universe of professional writers for very long, you will inevitably come across both the questions and the answers to freelance writer pay. Some of these will have a specific focus, for example, what bloggers get paid, while others will be more general. Professional writers should make X.
Either way, there are sometimes a couple of assumptions that may not lend themselves to you setting your rates where you need to you. Let’s take a look.
The Pay Calculations for Writers
Most writers end up reading an article that goes something like this: If you want to make $100,000 per year as a writer, then you have to make $2,000 per week (50 working weeks per year). $2,000 per week works out to $50 per hour, assuming a 40 hour work week. So, your goal then is to make $50 per hour.
Later, most writers end up reading an article about what they are worth. This second article will highlight that nobody understands how valuable writers are so the pay rates out there are too low. And, then, that this is true because writers work for too little money. The solution then, is to never accept jobs that pay below X.
The Flaws in the Group-Think Math
There are a couple of flaws in this method of calculating rates. These flaws tend to stay hidden because most everyone already believes in the paradigm, so they don’t bother thinking it through. Anyone who questions the paradigm is cast as an inexperienced and naive writer, and they are the reason that writing rates are not higher, because they “just don’t understand.”
So, let’s do this together and we’ll see where we come out.
The $100,000 Myth
Do you make $100,000 per year at the job you are working right now? Did you make $100,000 per year at your last job? At any job you have every worked? Then why would you use math that assumes you should be making $100,000 as a freelance writer?
Sure, everyone should have a goal, but it takes years to achieve that level of income in virtually every profession. Even people working in the “high paying” professions don’t necessarily star there. Sure, the top grads from the Top 10 Law Schools make six-figures right out of the gate, but the vast majority of law grads start closer to $60K to $80K, and those guys do not work 40 hour work weeks. In fact, most law grads spend their first three or four years working 80 hour weeks. Break it down, and they make the same hourly rate as someone making $40K for a 40 hour work week.
In fact, almost no profession out there pays six-figures for a 40 hour work week, so you might want to rework that math as well.
To get a more realistic number we should probably do the math with something like $60,000 and see where it comes out. How about $75,000?
By the way, if you are going to use the 50 week work year, then all you have to do is double an hourly rate and multiply by 1,000 to get the annual rate.
$50 x 2 = 100 X 1,000 = $100,000
Or in reverse, the annual salary divided by 1,000 and then half of that gets you the accompanying hourly rate.
$80,000 per year = 80,000 /1000 = 80 / 2 = $40 per hour
For those of you not super great in math (Hello? Writers, remember?) you can think of it as half and drop the zeros, or double and add the zeros (three of them).
Reality Check Salaries for Freelance Writers
$40,000 per year = $20 per hour
$60,000 per year = $30 per hour
$80,000 per year = $40 per hour
$100,000 per year = $50 per hour
Next up, the “Worth” Myth
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