
Here are a list of real world tips to keep your writing credible. Saving you time, money, vulnerability and frustration. Shift gears-ratchet up your market value with honest leads.
1. Please know that you deserve to be heard and paid appropriately for
your efforts-
2. Understand a person requesting services and being listed on Linkedin
or other valid sites, does not mean they are legitimate. They hope to hide
behind these trusted brands.
3. Don’t look for justice-Scammers spend all of their time looking for
victims on writing venues, without exception. Many scammers work under aliases
making it virtually impossible to resolve any accountability. Don't waste energy
trying to put the shine on something that is already a known fact.
Crooks conducting business using these tactics move on quickly without a
hint of remorse or traceability.
4. Grow visibility. If you are not already doing so, instead of writing
for others, start writing for you. Add blog posts, create websites, etc.
Why are you spinning your wheels making money for someone
else?
5. Build Value. Learn marketing strategies, SEO, so others can see what
you are offering on a multi-talented level. Create a presence on social media
sites. You can write about the injustice of scammers and their impact on
writers, for example.
6. These would-be contractors virtually never pay a fair rate anyway,
so why bother?
7. Be patient. You do not need these types of venues to validate you as
a writer, which is really what you are trying to gain from them along with
attaining a steady stream of revenue.
8. Do the research. You must do this before accepting any assignments.
Period!
9. Under no circumstances do you send writing samples unless you can
verify who the request is coming from with a valid source, i.e. normal business
practice for said company, etc. Companies they are linked to should be
able to verify their connection to them. Why is no one asking for their
information? Don’t assume anything.
10. Don’t become so hungry that you end up starving. Many "clients" not
proficient in the English language, hunt down individuals like you, to write for
them. You become easy prey because they sense the hunger you have in wanting to be discovered and paid, such as it is. Once you take these assignments on, you
are paid a paltry fee. Why settle when after researching, proofreading, editing
and submittal, you are most likely never going to see a balanced return on your
investment of resources?
As a writer, it is your responsibility to build your name as a brand in
its own right. Despite great efforts though, you still find yourself vulnerable.
Many think if they can only get that one big break, someone to see how great
their writing is. But, the truth is, everyone else is hoping for that too.
Meanwhile, waiting in the wings, are predators making you feel they are liaisons
and allies. If you are a great writer you do not need these types of breaks to
begin with, because in the end, they can break you.
Writing is not a million dollar instant hit. It is painstaking, sweat filled, end of the day eye irritating profession, but I love it! Writing yields wonderful rewards for those who truly stick with it, sharpen their skills and make every effort count.
I challenge each of you to create a path to success. Review your reasons for becoming a writer. If you do not have a website, check out online platforms offering free website starters, thereby allowing you a fresh canvas. Find other writers and offer guest blogging-AND- ask them to guest on your blog site. Widen your horizons by learning other topics and adding comments to other threads showing what you have to offer.
While I never gave my works to anyone I couldn't legitimize, I was once
in your shoes. I talk the talk and walk the walk. I built a site and followed the above steps because after much research that is what worked for me.
Don't settle-seek corrective guidance in growing your writing prowess
and believe it is in your hand to make it happen. You have to be driven to
succeed!