Follow up on "The Return of Slavery by Kraven": Motion raised

Taking the many cues from the responses about Kraven's thread (see copy below or click here), it's time to raise a motion:

Everyone in favor of DP admin setting up the minimum copywriting rates in our beloved forum, say aye!

 

Aye, without a doubt. I've seen buyers looking for "pro and native writers", but aren't willing to pay more than $0.5/100 words. That's not resonable; we writers aren't robots who can throw together an article in five minutes - especially if you're looking for quality.

 

Aye. Definitely, there are plenty of quality clients here who offer great rates but people offer anything less than $0.01 is ridiculous.

A better feedback system would be good as well, like 5 stars for article quality, turn around time, punctuation, grammar etc.

 

Getting into Price Fixing probably isn't a good idea for DP. If you don't want to be paid commodity wages, don't provide commodity services.

 

What are you talking about? A minimum rate per word is a great idea. No one mentioned "commodity wages" or "price fixing", don't try and derail this thread with your non-sensical jargon, or as I like to call it BS.

 

I am 100% behind you on this! I write and find it very maddening (to put it mildly) how many cheapskates are on here-unbelievable!

 

Heh, I understand the wages thing. I'm not an established writer so I can only get jobs like that, and I'm in a position where if I can get 300 a month that is still dinner for me nightly if I spend it right. But at the same time it makes it hard for me to work knowing I'm only getting so much per ya know?

 

Well not to toot my own horn, but naturally I say Aye!

And thank you for acknowledging the thread. Little did I realize at the time of creation it would carry on this far, but the effort is very much appreciated and the cause is just!

Respect to you all, for speaking out!

 

You do understand the difference between fixing and limiting? Since you are from New England I assume you are aware of EU regulations regarding fair trade? Why would it be wrong for DP to ensure fair trade in here? The reputation of the BST section would only improve from it.

 

Well I would also say aye, but at the same time everyone has to realize that if right now everyone would choose $0.40 per 100 words instead of a writer offering $1 per 100 words. So the same thing happens if there is a minimum rate (say $1 per 100)
In this case, those that currently offer rates of $1 per 100 will want to still earn more than those that offer $0.40 per 100. So they would raise their rates to $1.5 per 100, while the $0.40 guys go to $1.
So in short, quality writers raise their rates, but still would not earn because of cheaper writers.

 

I am both a writer and a buyer, so before anyone blasts me for my opinion, I do see both sides. Writers have a choice in what jobs to take. This isn't the only place to find customers, after all. Low rates do NOT hurt everyone. That's like saying since Hyundai sells cars for $15,000 then Mercedes must do the same thing. It's real easy to just not respond to the ones offering peanuts. If that happened, they'd soon go away or increase their offers.

I don't see this as a buyer issue but a writer issue.

 

Its not about earning more then cheaper writers it is about preventing prices to drop to ridiculous levels so even the cheap writers can't make more then beer money. That no longer classifies as business, but is downright exploitation. Which IMO has to be stopped.

I am all for competing at anything. Price TAT, you name it. I would not even suggest setting a minimum to $ 1/100 but offers of $ 0.15/100 are ridiculous and those I see popping up more and more, and with it buyers get conditioned to take this as normal. Well it is not normal, and that I am stating. Complaining without offering a solution is useless, so I suggested a minimum price set by DP. It can be $ 0.50 /100 for all I care as long as it is set.

Personally I feel $ 1/100 is a good standard, a starting level if you will, but if we could just stop the $ 0.15 /100 cheap skates, that would be a major improvement.

 

No. Because of the unnecessary work that will be involved. The power of pricing should be in the hands of the people.


When everyone, ( everybody, including the scammers ) is considered, there will be people sending PM´s to get around the system anyway.

And​

If DP has to do extra work, someone will most likely get charged extra.


All writers reading this : Learn to take control of your own future. Stop trusting in others to control the prices for you. LINK


Which do you want :

• Have others think and decide for you
• Think and decide for yourself

Which accomplishes more ? Which form is closer to slavery ? Which form provides more self-assurance and more self-worth ? Which is superior ?

 

I second Blue Star .

First please let me clarify ...
I am a writer and if at all I hire on the behest of a client for bulk work, I rarely use DP so this is not something that would affect me.

But I think by acting as regulators we are again doubting the intelligence of writers who deserve and have the intelligence and guts to get their work's worth. I honestly believe in "support" and not in "crutches", so while I absolutely and completely respect and congratulate Kraven2 for setting up that excellent Content Writers' Forum .. I do not have much faith in such a "governing" system.

Regulation looks good when there is a certain quality check. If CC offers $10 (at least) per article, they have a guarantee of the articles being high quality. Do you know what some people out here do to get iTraders? I came across a person who had joined one month ago and had 32 iTraders! He sent me an ebook for review and asked for an iTrader and that's when I looked up his feedback. Almost his entire feedback consisted of "nice review", "nice ebook" and such comments. There are several worse scammers doing the rounds. So, while we try to defend the low-paid writer, we are also defending scammers who are not worth even that. I know that's not the best of reasoning .. but honestly the best I could come up with LOL.

Though I am not actually going to hold up a flag for it, I will vote a yes for this minimum rate system if it comes to that, and will be glad when it happens.

 

Lol, I say Aye!

 

This has my full backing. Why don't the mods make a general rule that minimum payment is $0.01 per word and anyone found out breaking this rule will have their account banned and IP address barred.

 

AYE! This also has my full backing!

 

Who will be the one(s) tasked ( and paid ) to enforce that rule ? Who will be peeking into the PM system to catch those who easily just send a PM to evade that rule ?

 

You are missing the point. Its not a matter of policing PM's, in fact those that send them, and even worse those that accept them, have themselves to blame for it. A clear statement of job offers may not be lower then xx per xxx words, will set a standard, which writers can relate to. Now it is pretty much what "the fool" will accept, which is not a good thing. Its not so much about policing it as it is about having it in place.

 

Fully agree! If it's set in the rules clearly state the minimum rate per word with harsh punishments then it will deter a lot of "slave traders".

Mods, I'd be happy to help with this in any aspect possible.