What is the standard of content writer? How can we rate them?

After reviewing Jenn's comments, I honestly don't know how anyone could think she was insinuating that ALL $5/article writers are crappy. However, let's be realistic here - how many $5/article writers can write on the same level a professional can? Not many, and as Jenn said, most people who aren't in the writing field can't tell the difference between professional writing and writing that's mediocre, at best.

With that being said, if there are writers out there who have professional expertise in their chosen field - and they are writing for pitiful wages - I have to question their sanity. There are so many opportunities out there for writers who have the talent and expertise to earn more from their work.

 

The buyer has to make the ultimate choice between quality writers and cheap content. Both of these seldom come together.

If you happen to know that someone is a good writer, pay him well for the job. The writer will be able to focus his mind on delivering a high-quality article only if he is properly paid for his time. Otherwise, he will just try to acquire some data from here and there, and provide a poorly drafted article to make some money in quick time.

 

Precisely... pay a quality writer crap rates, and you'll always get more of a rush job than you would if you paid them enough to justify spending more time on the project, whether they'll outright admit it or not.

 

I must say, sometimes the best content on the net is user generated content. We all know user generated content varies greatly in quality of grammer, panctuation, etc but the content is often some of the most incisive and helpful.

 

Let's come back to our point - you get what you pay for. Writing is no exclusion and Denise - you are terribly right.

How come a sane writer would choose to write high-quality content and be paid close to nothing?

 

I can give you a few reasons.

The writer may not be aware that he can get paid more.
The writer may know that he can get paid more but may not know exactly where to find the gigs that pay more.
The writer may know he can get paid and know where to find the gigs but may not be very good at selling his skills.
The writer may already have a primary job that pays him well so what he gets paid for writing on the side doesn't matter.
The writer may think that getting paid at all is better than getting paid nothing.
The writer may be trying to build clips to get the better paying jobs.

So, it's very possible that a sane, good-quality writer might choose to get paid close to nothing.

 

And the writer may simply be too lazy to take the time to get higher paying gigs (happens pretty often... they know how to do it, could really use the extra money, but when push comes to shove they simply keep slacking off on the research and querying).

Sometimes the instant gratification of $5 in their paypal account same-day is like a siren wooing them away from sanity, where they'd otherwise know that even a simple $200 article and the research / query time involved would not only be reasonably quick once they get used to the process, but would leave them with much more time to pursue other writing, interests, or work.

 

Latoya,

Thank you. My question above was rhetorical, of course.

What I still do doubt your explanation #3 - a professional writer to me is the one who can sell first their own skills. In copywriting you just can't do without it...

 

I agree with you turbulence. I know a lot of people can't tell the difference between professional and amateur writers (and some even dare to say there is no difference at all, or that it's only based on if you've been paid). A true professional in any field is one who can market their skills effectively to keep the work coming in. Frankly, an outstanding writer might get paid for one gig, and never be a professional writer, whereas an "OK" writer with excellent marketing skills can be a highly successful professional writer, earning a great deal of money, and building a huge audience for his or her work. You can't call yourself a professional unless you can sell what you're offering, and sell it effectively and regularly.

 

I wholeheartedly agree. I wasn't speaking on a professional writer, just a sane, good-quality writer.

 

As long as a writer keeps believing that freelance bidding sites are the ultimate 'heaven on earth' for writers, he will keep working at low prices but still provide high quality content.

It is only when he looks outside these bidding sites will he realize the real fact.

Isn't this the reason why buyers search for cheap high-quality writers at bidding sites?

 

Most of the writers that frequent those bidding sites are not "sane, high quality writers."

 

hehehe, US$5 is considered little for some. But for others, it could be worth more. It's called the exchange rate.

 

While this is a fact, people should look to earn on par with all the other professional writers.

If you settle for cheap rates, you will always be writing at the same price. This means you will have to write more and earn less all your life.

So if you believe you are a good writer, start charging more. You may miss out on a few deals but will surely get a bigger one.

 

Oh come on this is totally rediculous, what content writers get paid "several thousand dollars" per article. I nearlly had a heart attack when I saw this (and I'm only 27).

If you are getting several thousand dollars per article you are either the best content writer on the internet, a very famous author, or (as I suspect) pulling prices out of your arse.

By saying this your only disillusioning other content writers and making them feel cheap because they charge $5 - $30 an article.

I don't know what world you live in Love but in England (the land of infinite resources) I can have a Polish writer in my office, give them £50 a day and they'll populate my whole website with megabytes upon megabytes of quality, researched niche content. £50 per day is an absolutely pitifull wage to earn, but the Eastern Europeans are willing to work, and one of the things they seem to enjoy is content writing.

And before you get on the defense, im not saying all writers should get £50 per day, I am however saying that people should realise that they can't charge a lot as there simply isn't enough money in this game to afford those prices. Your dealing with start up sites who are on a budget. Most large established sites have content writers providing free content for the sole purpose of being on the site.

Content writing for websites isn't the industry your depicting it as, it's a "second job" affair or something that one can do from home in their spare time.

 

The ones that know where to find the appropriate markets. I've posted several markets paying at those levels, both online and off, at various writer resource sites, so they're absolutely there. Generic "content writers" aren't the ones that are going to be getting those gigs though. You're obviously just not terribly well-versed in the professional writing scene... there's nothing unusual about that rate for articles. It's all in knowing where to look, how to network, and being able to market yourself effectively.

No one here ever said a word about only working with "startup sites," so comments are far from directed only at them. The point is that no truly decent writer with any kind of marketing skills needs to earn anywhere near $5 per article. And the point of that particular quote you responded to isn't that you can't find (or shouldn't be able to find) low-wage writers, but that in no way, shape, or form should someone offering $5-20 expect the same kind of quality, and have the same demands, that they could/should expect with a professional, unless they're willing to pay professional rates (which like it or not, are very easily several hundred to several thousand dollars).

 

Maybe it's different in America, but in England no content writer gets anything near that and to be honest your the first American I've met that gets anything other than $5 - $30 per article.

Maybe I should tell the Poles to go to America as they are obviously being exploited here.

Hey you know what, I think I'm gonna become a content writer myself :-D I mean what am I doing wasting my time trying to earn a living from marketing, when I can just be a marketing content writer and get paid "thousands of dollars per article".

My niche is going to be "content writer activist". I'm going to campaign for content writers everywhere. Being as it's so niche I'm of course going to want "thousands of dollars per article". After all your stacking the sterling so to speak. so I can aswell, right? I mean I've done marketing courses, I'm worth it too. hehe

 

Exactly! When I think about big name websites like Bankrate.com or Money.com (I mention those because I'm interested in the consumer finance niche), I seriously doubt they pay their writers $20 per article. There's no way in hades a site like that would pay $20 and expect to get the caliber of writing they want on their websites. And if I were writing for one of those sites they'd get FAR better quality content from me than someone paying me $20. $20 = decent content

 

That's something writers need to remember... for all of the small sites out there, there are a heck of a lot of "big" sites, or mid-level sites with very strong budgets (and not just talking generally popular sites, but important niche sites in pretty much every niche). There are a great number of sites that pay exceptionally well... they just don't fork over the info in the form of advertisements or forum posts, b/c they don't want to be bombarded with unqualified writers... they work through referrals or through querying. Even if you don't move right into the $1000+ / article market (very few could do that immediately), if you're a quality writer, have the ability to market yourself effectively, and have a niche specialty (why that's something I recommend so highly in other places), there's no excuse for them not to be making at least a few hundred per article... there are far too many markets paying those rates to simply say you can't find them.

 

jhmattern, I had respected in you a much before but I am curious with your approach in this thread. I understand that I cannot expect too much for article like $5-$30 but I think I have the right to expect that $30 article must be difference from $5. Honestly, I cannot afford to pay for $500 - $1,000 - $10,000 per article but at least I have the right to got what I paid, $30 article that worth $30 not $5.

If this is kind of marketing to play with people mind, I think you're genius that tried to raise price in this market up. I want to note you one thing. Even you are expertize in your field, you have no right to insult any people you don't know about them. Why $30 must have the same quality as $5 and $500 to make it difference?