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Lack of English Writers on DP?

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by TREYC, Jun 18, 2014.

  1. CobaltBlue87

    CobaltBlue87 Member

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    #41
    You're better off writing your own articles. Everybody is trying to get one over on each other. Freelancers who can barely write English and buyers who won't pay. I have almost given up on the entire scene. When you write your own articles, you have total control over quality and don't have to deal with idiots. :p cheers.
     
    CobaltBlue87, Jun 30, 2014 IP
  2. Content Maestro

    Content Maestro Notable Member

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    #42
    While I agree that some forums are filled with low-quality writers vying for dirt cheap rates to go through the competition and clients equally enthusiastic to cut down payment wherever it's possible, I also feel that there is no point in giving up, in any case, entirely on such sites as there ARE some good clients and writers you can find. Though very scarce, these elites keep visiting the forums occasionally. You may, some times to rarely, chance upon a good-paying client and if everything kicks off well, all it takes then is to convert the relationship into a long-term one. (Here's where you should be able to sell/market yourself.) From the client's point of view, writers do deliver good but ONLY when they are paid proportionately. No point in expecting NY Times quality when all you are offering is a mere $2 or some pennies above that for a 500-worder.

    As far as writing your own articles goes, it is a good idea without doubt, but you should also be able to monetize them lucratively and promote your services through them. They can also come in handy to put up as samples of your work on your blog/website and add to your portfolio, which has a great potential of attracting new prospects.
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2014
    Content Maestro, Jun 30, 2014 IP
  3. Emma Pollard

    Emma Pollard Active Member

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    #43
    I agree, I really love writing articles, it gives me more freedom to be expressive (to a point). I do write for my own site and have for a couple of clients (who paid £9 for 500 words, I have no idea what it equates to in dollars) and I was given carte blanche within the niche. I wrote almost 100 articles and loved every minute!

    As far as getting clients to pay more... there might not be an answer to this problem other than to continue picking up the pieces as Conran said.
     
    Emma Pollard, Jul 2, 2014 IP
  4. ETA

    ETA Notable Member

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    #44
    I do love writing blog posts on my tech blog - the thing is you need to passionate about what you write and try write something you yourself would find interesting and not just writing for sake of it. That's why i'm not a big fan about outsourcing for freelancer writers - because they either just write without and passion or enthusiasm or simple do not understand the subject!

    Like this guy here:

    http://s30.postimg.org/4huyo8cxd/funny.jpg

    I was asking for a tech post sample and his sample was about fruit!
     
    ETA, Jul 2, 2014 IP
  5. luanatf

    luanatf Well-Known Member

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    #45
    Well, not all non-native English writers barely speak English. ;) I'm a freelancer from Italy and I have (satisfied) international clients. I agree that there are many writers with raw English skills out there who shouldn't be offering services... yet. Learn and grow your skills first, build a list of happy clients later. :)
     
    luanatf, Jul 3, 2014 IP
  6. Content Maestro

    Content Maestro Notable Member

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    #46
    I suppose we lack quality writers on DP because most of them are trying to do this in the reverse order.
     
    Content Maestro, Jul 3, 2014 IP
  7. CobaltBlue87

    CobaltBlue87 Member

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    #47
    This is exactly true. Your content is always much better, when you're passionate about it. Also makes it much easier for the writer. Of course, this isn't always possible for non-English site owners looking for English content. The real problem is that everyone has slid down a slippery slope with outsourcing websites. They'll $2 for a 500 words article regardless of quality. As long as it is cheap, they don't care.

    The writer on the other hand just provides 500 words regardless of quality. At the end of they day, they rush their work to make it worth their effort at $2 a pop. Therefore, everybody ends up on the bad end and it only hurts those who actually write quality articles. It is kind of a vicious cycle.
     
    CobaltBlue87, Jul 4, 2014 IP
  8. YJunK

    YJunK Active Member

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    #48
    From my freelancing experience (both writing myself and getting stuff written for me) I can say that the $3/500 is a real problem. This is one of these things where the "free market" has created a situation in which it's impossible for good writers to get noticed, especially in the beginning. If you say that you want even $10/500, all of a sudden nobody looks twice in your direction, because they can save $7 by going to a cheaper source. On the flip-side, if you set your own price to around $3/500 you're dealing with SO MUCH competition. It's crazy.
    It doesn't get any better later on, unless you've been doing it for a while. Many "clients" don't really hold back on their ratings and tend to give 5-star reviews for work that, well, wouldn't deserve two stars for an in-office worker.
    It's a difficult situation, but I don't think there's anything anyone can/should do about it. Eventually things will even out and these offers will be seen as what they really are.
     
    YJunK, Jul 4, 2014 IP
  9. Joseph_F

    Joseph_F Active Member

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    #49
    A thousand times this.

    Too many workers get insane ratings for work that I wouldn't use under any circumstances. Absolute trash that doesn't even read properly. I've noticed it most on Fiverr. There are workers there who are getting 5 stars for SPUN CONTENT and seriously sub-par language. I've actually paid for gigs to check out my competition, and honestly, I was utterly shocked at the level of garbage I was handed. I am there offering Oxford standard English and I'm getting beaten out of the park by idiots who can't even conjugate a verb properly. It has to stop.
     
    Joseph_F, Jul 6, 2014 IP
  10. Joseph_F

    Joseph_F Active Member

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    #50
    This is a sentence from one of the articles for sale here, and without any offence intended to its author, it is utterly awful.

    "Don’t be a defenseless lad The more you keep telling yourself that you are immobilized against the alcohol addiction, the more you will end up drinking. "

    WHAT???!!?

    I'm sorry but I would feel sorry for anyone who purchased that with the intention of using it on their blog or site. It also does nothing to help the reputation of DP's content section.
     
    Joseph_F, Jul 6, 2014 IP
  11. Content Maestro

    Content Maestro Notable Member

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    #51
    Well, this problem of free and low-quality market won't end unless Google comes up with stringent algorithms that are able to scan content for correct construction and meaningfulness. If this happens, the garbage will be thrown out automatically.
    The only solution I see is to move yourself out of this and look for platforms where only quality writing is accepted and well paid for.

    As far as sub-par work getting rave reviews goes, I think it's because this kind of employers do not really understand what “quality” is and why it's important. Not to mention, they don't even care for quality. All they want is that their content should include certain keywords which Google picks up fast so that their sites are indexed ASAP.
     
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2014
    Content Maestro, Jul 6, 2014 IP
  12. Jake Rigdon

    Jake Rigdon Greenhorn

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    #52
    Meh. This is capitalism pure and simple. For every garbled post selling SEO articles, there's another one asking how to get a cheap writer from *insert developing nation here* Not trying to cast aspersions on anyone posting to this thread, but its easy to finger non-native speakers as a scapegoat for low rates. Look around the world (or in your own backyard) and you will see people blaming outsiders for their problems.

    IMO, this is more about a depressed global economy and an internet that is still figuring out monetization issues -- like how much good content is truly worth. Freelancing is a grind, but you can be successful by working hard to deliver a good product and working even harder to find that next decent client.
     
    Jake Rigdon, Jul 6, 2014 IP
  13. TREYC

    TREYC Active Member

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    #53
    I have a steady stream of clients, but it's always nice to pick out a few high-quality relationships to work on from various forums.

    Sometimes it can be hard when the field is saturated with a bunch of low-quality talent, but to each his own I suppose!
     
    TREYC, Jul 6, 2014 IP
  14. Joseph_F

    Joseph_F Active Member

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    #54
    The value of good quality content has no number. Its INvaluable.
     
    Joseph_F, Jul 7, 2014 IP
  15. H0stZealot

    H0stZealot Active Member

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    #55
    As I already told before, a little additional testing may be implemented for established members to enter Content section. Passing a university-grade test will cut off poorly-educated Indian writers and visitors with poor English, who think $3/500 is normal. Only those able to speak English well will be able to order content from authors, able to write it well.

    Is it so hard to accomplish? Is it worth the efforts spent? Or should the Content section remain garbage it is now?
     
    H0stZealot, Jul 9, 2014 IP
  16. malky66

    malky66 Acclaimed Member

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    #56
    lol...can anyone else see the irony in that post?
     
    malky66, Jul 9, 2014 IP
    ryan_uk likes this.
  17. H0stZealot

    H0stZealot Active Member

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    #57
    I tried my best) English is not my mother tongue, yet my English is much better as compared to many writers. However, I do not offer my services in Content section here, while Indians with very poor grammar do it.

    No irony, filtering can be very beneficial for Content section. OR cannot.
    If I did not get your point - please explain it.
     
    H0stZealot, Jul 9, 2014 IP
  18. malky66

    malky66 Acclaimed Member

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    #58
    My point being, don't go criticizing other people's bad grammar when your own is just as bad, just makes you look like a hypocrite.

    This is a free market, there's nothing stopping Indians offering their services, no matter how poor their skills are, if you don't approve of them...don't use them.
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2014
    malky66, Jul 9, 2014 IP
    ryan_uk and Content Maestro like this.
  19. H0stZealot

    H0stZealot Active Member

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    #59
    The point is - my grammar is by far better than of those poor lads - yet I don't offer my services as a writer.
    Free market leads to marketplace being a garbage, where everybody is trying to sell junk. Thus said, finding anything worth your time takes a lot of time and money.
    The additional check I offered can relieve the Content section from a current of garbage
    Even if I do not pass this test - these Indians with sub-par language will neither do it.
    I also stated this was only my opinion and this may be beneficial - or not, as it will also cut a huge amount of potential customers, who also usually have bad English.

    Critisizing other peoples' bad grammar without using ' also just makes you look like a hypocrite.
     
    H0stZealot, Jul 9, 2014 IP
  20. malky66

    malky66 Acclaimed Member

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    #60
    Wrong, your grammar is shit, what you have written there looks like it was written by an illiterate child, I have seen Indians and other nationalities on this forum with grammar 100 times better than the garbage you are spouting.

    Oh no, I missed an apostrophe, did you use an online grammar checker to find it or did your racist pea-brain manage to find it all by itself?
     
    malky66, Jul 9, 2014 IP
    ryan_uk and Content Maestro like this.