Hi, I am starting an article directory and will soon have to hire writers to write articles for me. I have a couple of questions... Is it rude of me to ask the writers to agree on being liable for any legal actions for the articles they wrote? Are most article writers able to write quality articles on any given subject after researching? Do you recommend I pursue writers with specialty in the given niche? My niche by the way is "making money online", so it's not a very technical niche, in that people can grasp some of the concepts after some research. Would $50 per 500 word article be a good rate for decent writers? What's the lowest I could negotiate with before it becomes insulting for the writers? $20? $30? Thanks in advance. -DigiP
Although I'm fairly new and have been writing professionally for less than a year, I'll try to answer First, $50 for a 500 word article comes out to 10 cents per word which is very fair in today's market. It will, of course, depend on the writer and what they normally charge. You will probably be able to find good writers for less and then there are those that charge more. As for research, I believe most good writers can pull off a great article using research on practically any topic. While you may find those who actually do specialize, you can also find excellent writers who will do great articles after just a bit of research. It all depends on what your preferences are.
Thanks for you're response. Do you have any input on whether or not it's rude to ask the writers for an agreement on being liable for any legal risks for their articles? Most important concerns are related to plagiarism/copright issues. Thanks in advance, -DigiP
It does seem a bit rude depending on the context from which you take it. When I read the original post a question went off in my head of what exactly would the writer be liable for? If the legal action is a result of improper actions taken by your company it would be unfair for a writer to shoulder third party misuse of their product. As for plagiarism most professional writers don't plagiarize due to ethics and that their reputation is at stake. While I may cite sources when I write I don't flat out steal work. Most of my business is done by referral and my reputation is literally the life blood of my business. That said it is also your responsibility as owner/operator to make some effort to ensure the articles submitted to your directory aren't copied from other sources. There are dozens of tools available from Google to CopyScape which you can verify the originality of the work you have been given. If you find yourself subject of a lawsuit your reputation will be the first to be destroyed. If you lose your lawsuit you will have to pay damages while you attempt to sue your writer which you may or may not be successful at. Factor in the legal fees associated with each case and you would be lucky to come out with one quarter of the damages you will end up paying. Just remember the old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
It is a very smart idea to check any articles that you purchase via copyscape or some other plagiarism tool. As for writers being liable, I agree with IcedFalcon, it would depend on what you are holding them liable for. If copying content is your concern, then simply ensure that the articles you purchase are original using plagiarism tools. Many buyers refuse to pay for articles that have been copied and that's is certainly within their rights to do so. Once you have established a relationship with writers the worries will probably dissipate. Professional writers strive to protect their own reputations and if they are truly professional, then the Plagiarism issue should not be a problem. You can certainly ask them to sign a contract and list in the contract what you would expect them to be liable for, but again I wouldn't think that any professional writer would sign something that may hold them liable for circumstances that are beyond their own control.
I guess if I was to ask a writer to sign a liability contract it would only be limited to copyrights/plagiarism issues. I'm sure there sinister ways someone can use unique articles unlawfully. Yes, I understand that the writers can't control these circumstances but what they can control is the fact that they don't steal content. As far as plagiarisim tools such as copyscape, etc. these programs were actually what I was googling for earlier today. At first it sounded like the perfect solution for my problem, but the thing is that I read from many sources saying these programs aren't very accurate or reliable as it should be. So I decided to caution from trusting these programs completely. Are you guys aware of any article content checker that is very reliable? Another thing is, I'm not sure how long it takes for a unique article to get indexed by the search engines (which I will be finding out later at the SEO forum), so what happens if the content are stolen from new articles? Finally, I understand about the importance of reputation. I'm sure for many, if not all passionate writers dedicated to this field, wouldn't think twice of stealing content. My problem is with over the night, "I need some money" professionals, and how to distinguish them from the passionate ones. This board is a great resource because you can track writers looking for jobs, and reading their post history, which gives you a better sense of their integrity. Feel free to comment. Thanks in advance. -DigiP Edit: I was made aware of freelancing job sites where you can check feedbacks for quality service. I can't beleive I forgot about this since I was using these services for programmers, lol. Certainly makes it much easier to trust a writer.
No security method will work 100% but most readily accessible sources from which to copy (about, wikipedia) will be listed on programs like CopyScape. Google is also a great resource just for its size. Try picking a few complex sentences from the article and Google them to see what they return. If you try Googling a random sentance like "Boxers come from all walks of life for the sport and to win." You will most likely return dozens of sources that have written this same sentence almost word for word. However, a sentence like "Boxers come from all walks of life to experience the energy of the competition and taste the sweet pleasure of the win," is a more complex structure and will be less likely to be organically replicated.
It's not rude, and should be expected. If you write up a formal contract, include it. At the same time, keep in mind where you're located, and where your writer is located, and make sure you can legally have them held responsible. The laws vary everywhere, and if that's a big concern, you'll have the most legal protection hiring writers from your own country if you did have to sue them over something. You'll generally be better off hiring specialists than generalists? Why? They know more about their subject matter than researching within a reasonable time frame can provide, and you'll often get better content idea-wise (instead of that rehashed research). In your case, look for writers who are actually experienced in making money online. A lot of people write about it without ever doing it, and there's a LOT of bad information out there on the subject that could end up as research in your articles. Your rate suggestion is probably very fair for most writers here in that it's likely more than they're making now. Others here and elsewhere charge significantly more than that. That's really between you and the writer.
As an employer or contractor, it is within your rights to stipulate of a writer's liability for any civil actions that may arise out of his writing, and that he is freeing you from such liability. Well, accepting or declining this condition depends upon the writer. And if he doesn't want to agree with these terms, you are better off of him. This is easy to enforce if the article comes with the writer's byline; the party who desires to sue him can pinpoint exactly who the culprit is. Someone who had already dipped his hands dirty in online moneymaking business can write an insightful article than someone who doesn't have any clue how adsense works or what is blogging with Wordpress. Hire experts, not learners. As for your rates, you have a reasonable schedule there