Does anyone else get annoyed when people on here request samples? #1) Your "samples" as you requested, can be downloaded from anywhere on the internet and passed off as their own work. It's like submitting a resume for an offline real-life job, how many people are actually 100% honest on those things? #2) You can't upload a lot of different file types to the in-text editor via the Conversation system, so it's easier to e-mail them or Skype them. #3) Professional writers don't have "samples", they have a portfolio. Usually it's those .50c writers who offer "samples". #4) People who request free samples as a trial: Come on, do people honestly still go for this one? Only severely hungry writers would take the time to do this rather than move on to someone else. Don't mind me, I'm just trying to make the word of Freelancing a better place, 1 step at a time. I dream of a world where penny chasers will writer their own content and the true Native English writers who depend on their earnings from content jobs will not have to sit and struggle through the ridiculous slave hoarders demands. Perhaps some of those low paying clients should take up some jobs from other low paying clients to gain some perspective. I've been one of those people who tried hiring cheap writers and I got what I paid for... cheap, spun and incoherent crap. I wasn't particularly surprised, I learned my lesson and move on.
I'm not disagreeing with a lot of what you're saying, but just to put a couple things in perspective:
I understand that, but what's really stopping someone from claiming the website for the found work as their own? Plus, a lot of the lower paying clients on here aren't going to pony up the .05c per search to even perform a search :\ Can't clients get a basic understanding of your English comprehension and writing from the conversation or by looking at past posts of yours? I mean, you know when someone is Native English and when someone isn't most of the time, it's pretty painfully obvious like that. There are some foreigners who speak great English but that's very rare :\ Some people have no problem writing free samples and that's fine, but I really don't deem it worth my time to write free samples, no matter the amount. I don't accept picky or difficult clients anymore either, I would much rather write for a content mill than a client who's going to be a hassle for pocket change.
With regards to your first response, that's generally what bylines are for. I agree with the second part. I don't think I would write a writing sample on this site, but for some of the higher paying websites I write for, I have no problem if that's what the client asks of me.
Nothing more needs to be said on that. It's painfully obvious right from the get go who can write proper English and who can't.
However, I will say on sites like Odesk, it's not quite as obvious. I did some hiring on there about a year ago and I don't recommend it to my worst enemy. Horrible writers and people who know maybe a couple words of English have these people called "Agents" or "Firms" who do the applying for them. I would speak to professionals and then I would get this garbage back that was completely incoherent for English speakers. I also got a lot of "English" samples and no matter what instructions I put in the application process, most of them just ignored it and wrote: "Hello sir you hire me?" Or something along those lines. However, on Digital Point, this site is quite funny actually. Clients want people who will work for ODesk prices, but they want 5 star writers who are willing to work for horrendously low rates. I wish the best of luck to those people in their search.
I agree, I also have to say I always find it ironic when someone who is complaining about other people as low charging writers has a signature touting his own low priced services.
Many brokers and writing groups have a front person who is either native English or is highly skilled in written English, post on boards and job sites. Recently, I had a client ask if they could speak with me on the phone or through Skype. It was just one of his ways he used to confirm that I was who I claimed to be. That yes, I speak English. Yes. I actually am educated in the particular field I would be writing content for ... It was a nice brief conversation that landed me a decent paying gig. Of course the majority of posters aren't going to bother using this tactic, but it's a good practice. You can tell a lot about someone when you actually have a conversation with them. I link to my portfolio on my own site hosted on my own domain when applying for jobs. They can look-up the whois of my domain, match it to links in my profile, review posts on the board, or whatever else to get an idea of who I am. I don't hide, pretend to be someone else, and use other peoples work to pass off as my own. I'll write a custom sample only if the job offer warrants it.
I think aidenriley is referring to that offering lower rates until his website is launched is a way in which Corey can quickly build a portfolio to display on his site so he can launch it and further present himself as a professional writer. Corey posted "professional writers don't have "samples", they have a portfolio... "