Great News for DP Writers!

Surely by now we’ve all enjoyed the “bad news” for writers. That means it’s time for some good news!

We’ve all seen the threads asking for advice on finding a writer specializing in a particular niche. We often tell the webmaster to read signatures and browse the threads.

Many webmasters don’t have that kind of time and still don’t know what they are looking for when they do take the time to find the right kind of writer.

One day after being asked for a recommendation for a writer in a niche different from mine, I realized that there is an obvious need for a writer’s directory.

So I made one - in a sense.

www.eWriterWorld.com is a WordPress-based directory with simple profiles created by Digital Point writers categorized by your niches. This means the webmaster who visits the site will be able to view the category “Business Writers” and find every business writer from Digital Point who has set up a profile (post) on the site. (I’ll be adding additional forums over time.)

In your profile, you’ll be asked for:

• Your Digital Point username
• Your real name although you can use a screen name if you like
• A writing sample with a byline (or from your own website or blog)*
• An average rate for your work
• Your personal website (if applicable)
• Any current threads for your services on DP or other forums (if applicable)
• Up to three of your preferred writing areas

There are no fees to post a profile and I’m not going to be acting as a broker. That means I’m not interested in your projects or taking a cut. This is a free webmaster resource. It’s free for you and free for them.

The goal is to have webmasters looking for the kind of writing you specialize in find your profile and then contact you through your own site or thread.

Webmasters can research any number of writers based on category, price and samples in a single place, and when you’re the right fit, you’ll be easy for that webmaster to contact.

Interested?

You can ask more questions for the benefit of everyone in this thread, or contact me through the site or PM.

If you’re ready to join up, and I sincerely hope you will, instructions for creating your profile are available on this page of the website. Follow the instructions and send me your completed profile and picture, if you want one, and I’ll get you in the system ASAP.

I plan to build the writer’s base over the next 1-3 weeks before introducing the website to the world of webmasters. Look for posts with updates on the website soon.

Looking forward to your comments, questions and profiles!

Rebecca

*I’m requiring bylines to give webmasters the most authentic way to check the style and quality of your material. If your style of work (marketing, PR, etc… doesn’t accommodate bylines, exceptions can be made.)

Exceptions will not be made for those who simply haven’t taken the time to set up their own blog or submit a simple article to a distribution network. If you’d like to join, but need help with a byline, I might be able to help. Contact me and we can discuss it.

 

This sounds like it would be a very good resource as well as a way for writers to get a bit of promotion. Sounds like a win-win situation to me. I've bookmarked the link to set up a profile of my own soon.

Tina G

 

Wonderful! I'm hoping everyone will realize they have nothing to lose and everything to gain from a bit of extra publicity. Besides, the more writers we have listed, the more credible we'll be as a resource.

Rebecca

 

This is a great idea!

A directory like this has been needed for a long time. For webmasters, it will take a lot of guesswork out of hiring a writer.

For writers, it's a way to have clients coming to you instead of the other way around.

 

Thanks Rebecca, this is a great idea and I would suggest anyone joining add a signature link to your directory so all of us help one another following your initiative, since if one of us doesn't cover certain niche a client is seeking, he will always be able to browse the directory for the appropriate expert and that will put us apart of the penny-writers.

I'm trying to refine my writing and launch my site (and services) early September, time when I'll be signing up

 

The signature links is a great idea! I'll let everyone know when we're live and can start promoting. Once your profile is live, you might also encourage clients you already have to post about your services as a comment to encourage others to hire you.

I can always update your listing if you'd like to post now and then change details later.

Profiles I've received so far will be posted tonight.

Thanks for the support everyone - keep them coming!

Rebecca

 

Hi, Rebecca! Great idea you have there. However, can you add companies that offer article-writing services? But it's alright if you're intention is to cater only to solo writers. Again, great work!

 

So here comes another web-directory! I also appreciate the innovative idea with all doubts about its sustainability.Do "DPians" require a third party identification? What is the certainty that it will not result in to just another heap of signature links and a place where everyone would be claiming to be a great writer? I am not criticizing "Rebeca's " good intention but it will be tough to defend against the "Spam"(!!!!!!!!!). Isn't it ?

 

I'm not sure that Rebecca will really have a huge "spam" issue, as she's manually looking over profiles before adding anything to her site. That's also why she's insisting on verifiable samples - so people can't simply link to articles that aren't theirs, saying "look what a great writer I am!"

 

Writing companies are welcome, but I'll need to verify your work through some sort of byline or through your actual website. This might be tricky, but if you'd like to join up, I'm sure we can make it work.

LOL - I review profiles and I make the posts. If it doesn't meet the criteria, it doesn't get posted. It's also hard to claim you're a great writer in the six or seven lines of simple facts you have in your profile. The point of the bylined samples is to verify that the work is in fact your own and give webmasters a basis of comparison and evidence of your work style and quality.

I don't really care if you come from DP, eLance, WF, Sitepoint, GAF or any of the others. In fact, I'll probably be opening the directory to those writers eventually anyway.

Anyone who writes (or blogs or even edits) can join - so long as you fulfill the requirements in the OP. This includes verifiable samples. Those viewing the profiles will be able to determine your quality based on those. They don't even have to read potential comments by other webmasters if they don't want to.

In fact, I made a comment on the homepage of the site letting webmasters know they are encouraged to leave a comment, but only a useful one. And I quote, "Understand that the comments will be moderated and “He’s the best!” sounds too much like, “He’s my best friend!” to be posted. Likewise, “He’s a jerk!” sounds like you two had a bad first date. Try writing something that will actually help others make a decision."

I'm not selling your services through the site. The world has enough pimps. I'm just organizing the writers that float around DP (and soon other forums) so people can find you when they want you. Your samples, thread, and websites should be doing the selling.

Does that help?

You're exactly right! (Thanks for the follow, btw.)

 

can we apply over msn?

just wondering

 

Yeah, Can we apply through MSN? I really want to join you guys. How much is the pay? or do we manage that ourselves?

 

Very nice idea and implementation. I started the same thing a few months ago, but I didnt promote it and just left it at a few members. I really like what you are doing with this and I wish all the best for its success.

 

If you want to contact me through MSN you can. I leave myself online most of the time, but I'm only really "here" in the evenings. (rgarland17@hotmail)

You are totally in control of your own gigs and contact with clients. I'm not your boss or in charge of your services. This is just like a phone directory, only webmasters will be looking up writers instead of plumbers. I'll also not be taking a portion of any sales. I'm just running the site.

 

yes, thats an excellent idea. Now we dont have to skim different websites to find good writers. Maybe there could be a system of profile rating or something to differentiate between the rookies and the extreme writers.
Team Sstream inkK.

 

They should be able to get a feel for who's a rookie or an "extreme" writer (lol love that term) through some of the profile info (like samples). I'd suggest having people add how long they've been freelancing, but that doesn't mean much (some part-time, some full-time, some for a long time but lousy, and some new but excellent), and of course folks would lie.

 

This is the very early stage of the site, so I'll keep those suggestions in mind. Jenn is right when she says the samples will help differentiate writers. I'm not too keen on a rating system, but I am encouraging webmasters the writer has worked with in the past to post relevant, detailed comments about the writer. These will be screened to avoid spam and squabbles, but a message detailing why a writer did a great job or why he needs more experience in business can also help other webmasters make decisions.

But even without comments, a writer new to the online marketplace has every chance to shine with his samples - even if it is the very first thing he's ever submitted to a distribution website. I want to keep the site welcoming to all writers willing to do what it takes to market themselves.

 

How do I join?

 

Just follow the steps outlined on this page of the site: Information for Writers

Looking forward to receiving your profile - all of today's profiles are up.

When applying, remember that 90% of samples MUST have a byline, so please find articles, blogs or other material that fit this criteria. If you are using your own website, please make note of that as I can't tell what site is yours and what is client work unless there is an "about the author" or you tell me about it. "About The Author" pages are my favorite, however.

 

Hi Rebecca, awesome idea! Just wondering if you could add in a section for sports, as this is my speciality??? (+rep for the idea btw )