In the olden days, there were hundreds of online companies that were looking for writers. They used to be called “content mills”; companies that hired writers for pennies. Those authors would produce hundreds of pieces of content a week for very little pay. Back in the day, when the internet was just a toddler, search engines weren’t as savvy as they are now. They were easily fooled, and just like a child trying to find his way in the world, their coding allowed for lots of mistakes and even falls. It used to be that content writers could stuff their articles with keywords, pay no attention to quality and even “spin” articles using crude software. This would fool the search engines into giving the article a higher ranking. Not anymore. The engineers have gained a lot of wisdom in the past ten years or so, and now, those “content farms” are largely kaput.
In their place, several high-quality companies have grown up, taking root in the fertile digital soil of their predecessors. One of the best, if not the best, online companies for writers is Writer Access. It’s a real company staffed with real people; people you can actually call and talk to on the phone! In fact, their customer service is one of their best features. But we’re jumping ahead of ourselves. Here, we’ve put together a complete guide to all the insider tips and tricks you’ll need to make writing for Writer Access a huge success.
How to Grab Plum Assignments Before Anyone Else
One of the main concerns of the authors at Writer Access is the sometimes sparse number of assignments available. It seems as though the moment an assignment is posted, it’s snatched away by another writer. Here are some tips to help you be first in line to grab those high-paying jobs.
You’re going to have to develop an almost Zen-like sense of whether you can handle an assignment just from its title. People run into trouble when they take the time to read the entire assignment description, which includes a ton of details like background information about the project/company, a full description of the job itself, and oftentimes, links to sample articles or more information about the topic. It’s very tempting to sit and take the ten minutes necessary to absorb all of that information, check out all the links, etc., but don’t do it. If you give in to the seduction of finding out every detail up front, by the time you click back to grab the job, it will be gone, guaranteed.
Instead, you need to have a set list of topics about which you know you are an expert, and feel confident you can handle the topic just from the title alone, or from the title and a brief (and we mean very brief) skimming of the project description. The last thing you want to do is click on links. There will be plenty of time to fully examine all of the information after you’ve grabbed the project. Sometimes, clients make up a title that doesn’t give any clue toward the article topic. In this case, the best thing you can do is immediately look at the keyword requirements, which are the fastest “reveal” of the article topic. They are located on the left hand side of the project page. If no keywords are listed there, try to skim the description section as fast as possible and make a decision. For example, if you love cars and know a lot about them and you see the words “automobile manufacturer” in the description, then there is no need to read the rest. You can reserve the project right away.
But don’t stress about this emphasis on speed. You can always unreserve the project within one hour of picking it up if you find it is something you can’t write about comfortably or you feel it would be so time-consuming to research that it’s not worth the money. Under no circumstances should you ever exceed the one hour deadline for unreserving a project. That will give you unfavorable marks on your record and could eventually drop your star rating. It’s also not a great idea to grab at any project and unreserve too many. By following the guidelines above, you can minimize any potential problems with your account.
The second way to be first in line is to set your alarm clock for 4:55 a.m. EST. Writer Access posts new jobs every morning at 5:00 a.m. EST. Sometimes, you can find up to 30 pages of jobs at that time. Every once in a while, an ebook order might even pop up and you can go back to sleep knowing you’re going to be making quite a tidy sum over the next week.
Besides acting quickly and setting your alarm, the next best way is to check the site every twenty minutes or so, if possible. New jobs are posted all the time; it’s just a matter of catching them.
Love Lists: Show the love, feel the love
One of the best ways to make excellent money on the site is to join Love Lists. These are lists made by clients consisting of writers they love after receiving a writer’s response to their Love List “casting call.” There are plenty of lists to which you can apply, and the secret to success is in the way you approach the application. Somewhat surprisingly, there is an “optional” section in which you can write the client a letter explaining why you would be a good match for their love list. We say “surprisingly,” because you should, without question, not only write the letter, but write it as if you were applying for your dream job. Sell yourself. Don’t simply hit the “apply” link, skip the letter, and sit back waiting for the orders to flow in. Instead, take the time to carefully explain to the client why you would be the best match for them. Highlight your experience in their field (if applicable) and list some of your accomplishments as a writer. Treat the application letter with the same care and attention you give to writing articles. Edit the letter, too. Make sure it flows well and is 100% error free.
After you have been added to a client’s Love List, do take care to respond immediately to any Love List orders, especially if they are “solo” orders. Solo orders occur when a client selects only you to write the article. Be vigilant about meeting deadlines, and always respond in a timely fashion to any client questions.
Sticky Situations and How to Escape
Sometimes, you run into, well, how shall we put this gently? … difficult clients. This is not only the case with Writer Access, but with any job you’ll ever have. We are by no means singling out Writer Access as having a greater number of these than any other business, but they do pop up there from time to time. These clients will do things such as send your article back for revision after revision, even after you have carefully followed all of the instructions. In this case, you will have to involve a manager from Writer Access to settle the issue. This is where Writer Access really shines as a company. They support writers, especially when the problem is on the client’s end. You can either fill out a form on the site, or call them on the phone. They will resolve the issue speedily and if a client is being unreasonable, the decision will always go in your favor. Once the issue is resolved, it is probably best to avoid any further orders from that client. It’s just too time-consuming, and you could be writing instead.
The Forum: Ideas, Ideas, Ideas
The best place to get additional tips and tricks for maximizing success is the writer forum, so don’t overlook it. This is where newbies go to introduce themselves, but it’s also where seasoned authors go to exchange ideas about how to better maximize the site. In addition to perusing the forum for ideas, make sure to contribute your own ideas as well. Here, you can find out how to resolve common problems, which clients are the most fun to write for and which ones to avoid.
Besides discussing writing, there is also a “water cooler” area to talk about unrelated topics. It’s a good idea to stop by the water cooler, especially if you’re a full time stay at home freelancer. The life of an independent author can feel very lonely sometimes with no co-workers, and a trip to the water cooler can alleviate the feeling of not having a community of colleagues with whom to interact. A brief stop by this section can re-energize your whole day.
The Blog: A Tremendous Resource
Did we mention that the staff members at Writer Access are wonderful? They provide not only the great support mentioned above, but they also organize a blog that is worth following. Topics range from trends in the marketplace to using social media to how to grow your writing career and much more. The blog is another indication of the very pro-writer vibe at Writer Access.
Here is the best part about the blog: its content comes not from the internal staff, but from the writers themselves, and they get paid for each assignment. The internal staff’s job is to select the writers and sometimes, the topic ideas. It’s easy to apply online and pitch an idea and proposal, which are reviewed once every two weeks. The blogs are published about once a week.
Living the life of a freelance writer is not always easy. Following these insider tips will not only maximize your chances of success with Writer Access, but will also give you the tools you’ll need to navigate the sometimes rocky path of freelancing with greater ease.