Comments on: The race to the bottom http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Freelancing in the Digital Age Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:10:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Truth About Demand Studios | FrogenYozurt.Com - Literature & Entertainment http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-93032 The Truth About Demand Studios | FrogenYozurt.Com - Literature & Entertainment Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:25:59 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-93032 [...] “Content aggregators like Demand Studios represent the lowest rung of freelance opportunity. It doesn’t take a lot of journalism training, writing experience or time to put together the kind of evergreen how-to articles these types of sites thrive on, which is one reason why the pay’s so low. Another has to do with supply and demand. When there’s a large supply of writers, professional or otherwise, willing and able to do the work, sites like Demand Studios don’t have to offer higher rates to attract the labor they need.” Reference: WordCount [...] [...] “Content aggregators like Demand Studios represent the lowest rung of freelance opportunity. It doesn’t take a lot of journalism training, writing experience or time to put together the kind of evergreen how-to articles these types of sites thrive on, which is one reason why the pay’s so low. Another has to do with supply and demand. When there’s a large supply of writers, professional or otherwise, willing and able to do the work, sites like Demand Studios don’t have to offer higher rates to attract the labor they need.” Reference: WordCount [...]

]]> By: Michelle V. Rafter http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-68034 Michelle V. Rafter Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:17:08 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-68034 This post focused on reasons not to write for content sites, but you're right, a good follow up would be what types of online publications pay more. And there are a lot out there, and not just consumer-focused (print) magazines. I don't write for any of them, and yet my annual freelance income is substantial. For more on high-paying online markets, I'd suggest that you check out The Urban Muse Writer blogger Susan Johnston's e-book, <a href="http://susan-johnston.com/ebook.html" rel="nofollow">The Urban Muse Guide to Online Writing Markets</a>. This post focused on reasons not to write for content sites, but you’re right, a good follow up would be what types of online publications pay more. And there are a lot out there, and not just consumer-focused (print) magazines. I don’t write for any of them, and yet my annual freelance income is substantial. For more on high-paying online markets, I’d suggest that you check out The Urban Muse Writer blogger Susan Johnston’s e-book, The Urban Muse Guide to Online Writing Markets.

]]> By: Zachary Grove http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-68016 Zachary Grove Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:36:18 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-68016 What, specifically, is at the top? Magazines? You were very vague regarding your higher end freelance opportunities. Is that because you don't want to attract a glut of competition to the good jobs the way there is a glut of competition for DS articles? What, specifically, is at the top? Magazines? You were very vague regarding your higher end freelance opportunities. Is that because you don’t want to attract a glut of competition to the good jobs the way there is a glut of competition for DS articles?

]]> By: Demand Studios: Scam or Legitimate Freelancing? http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-34584 Demand Studios: Scam or Legitimate Freelancing? Tue, 26 Oct 2010 02:38:09 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-34584 [...] what journalist Michelle V. Rafter of WordCount says: Content aggregators like Demand Studios represent the lowest rung of freelance opportunity. [...] [...] what journalist Michelle V. Rafter of WordCount says: Content aggregators like Demand Studios represent the lowest rung of freelance opportunity. [...]

]]> By: Joe http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-3504 Joe Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:22:49 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-3504 "For one, you scan a job board like Freelance Writing Jobs to find out what’s posted – like looking through the classifieds for a job opening. See something you like, fill out a form – or in some cases go through a training period – and voila, you’re ready to start." Yes, exactly. You don't need any writing skills or experience to get a job from a job board. It pretty much falls in your lap as soon as you email your name there. Did you even reread what you wrote or were you too busy riding your high horse into the sunset to bother? This piece doesn't offer a very good picture of either content sites or the overall writing market. And it's clear that you're trying to knock Freelance Writing Jobs at every opportunity. Countless freelance writers credit Deb and her site for not only helping them to find a few jobs here and there, but for starting their successful careers. If you took the time to look at the site, you'd see there's far more than just low-paying content work advertised every day (magazine markets, copywriting, editorial, etc.). But why would you do that in a piece about good writing and research? It's hilarious (read: ridiculously hypocritical) that you sing the merits of investigative journalism and research in an offering that desperately lacks any research or objective facts. In fact, all we get here is a one-sided editorial with little to no substance or understanding of the changing market. Perhaps if you'd interviewed a few people that actually work for DS or other content sites, you'd see that there are folks that make upwards of $4K a month doing so. Since you're talking "rent" and not "mortgage", I'm going to go ahead and assume that that'd pay it just fine, despite your snide comment otherwise. And it's also safe to say that people make the decision to work for DS because it offers many advantages--advantages that you fail to offer in your short-sighted, opinionated post (e.g. constant availability of work, no time spent querying, less time on research). It also offers the opportunity for burgeoning writers who don't get "3 offers from publishers in a week" to build experience and a portfolio with which to work from in the future--not sure how interested those supposed big publishers would be if you had no experience whatsoever. I'm also pretty sure you worked your fair of low-level, grunt jobs to get to the point where publishers were knocking on your door. Did you have other colleagues out there knocking the work you were doing at that time? “For one, you scan a job board like Freelance Writing Jobs to find out what’s posted – like looking through the classifieds for a job opening. See something you like, fill out a form – or in some cases go through a training period – and voila, you’re ready to start.”

Yes, exactly. You don’t need any writing skills or experience to get a job from a job board. It pretty much falls in your lap as soon as you email your name there.

Did you even reread what you wrote or were you too busy riding your high horse into the sunset to bother? This piece doesn’t offer a very good picture of either content sites or the overall writing market. And it’s clear that you’re trying to knock Freelance Writing Jobs at every opportunity. Countless freelance writers credit Deb and her site for not only helping them to find a few jobs here and there, but for starting their successful careers. If you took the time to look at the site, you’d see there’s far more than just low-paying content work advertised every day (magazine markets, copywriting, editorial, etc.). But why would you do that in a piece about good writing and research?

It’s hilarious (read: ridiculously hypocritical) that you sing the merits of investigative journalism and research in an offering that desperately lacks any research or objective facts. In fact, all we get here is a one-sided editorial with little to no substance or understanding of the changing market. Perhaps if you’d interviewed a few people that actually work for DS or other content sites, you’d see that there are folks that make upwards of $4K a month doing so. Since you’re talking “rent” and not “mortgage”, I’m going to go ahead and assume that that’d pay it just fine, despite your snide comment otherwise.

And it’s also safe to say that people make the decision to work for DS because it offers many advantages–advantages that you fail to offer in your short-sighted, opinionated post (e.g. constant availability of work, no time spent querying, less time on research). It also offers the opportunity for burgeoning writers who don’t get “3 offers from publishers in a week” to build experience and a portfolio with which to work from in the future–not sure how interested those supposed big publishers would be if you had no experience whatsoever. I’m also pretty sure you worked your fair of low-level, grunt jobs to get to the point where publishers were knocking on your door. Did you have other colleagues out there knocking the work you were doing at that time?

]]> By: Michelle V. Rafter http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-3474 Michelle V. Rafter Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:22:28 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-3474 I've worked at newspapers too, and I can state unequivocably the reason I worked there was not to sell advertising. If news organizations only existed to sell advertising, there wouldn't be the flurry of start-up online only news operation we're now seeing organizing themselves as 501c3, non-profits. MVR I’ve worked at newspapers too, and I can state unequivocably the reason I worked there was not to sell advertising. If news organizations only existed to sell advertising, there wouldn’t be the flurry of start-up online only news operation we’re now seeing organizing themselves as 501c3, non-profits.

MVR

]]> By: Michelle V. Rafter http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-3472 Michelle V. Rafter Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:18:44 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-3472 Thanks for your perspective Barbara. But working for DS wouldn't pay my rent. MVR Thanks for your perspective Barbara. But working for DS wouldn’t pay my rent.

MVR

]]> By: Jenny http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-3468 Jenny Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:49:43 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-3468 While I don't agree with you, Michelle, I must point out an inaccuracy in your comment on why newspapers publish. Having worked behind the scenes at two different newspapers (not as a writer) I can assure you that their main goal is to sell advertising. Subscription rates barely cover the cost of delivery. Yes, they do that by offering information readers are willing to pay for, but advertising is king. It keeps the lights on and the presses running. Writers get the axe and the ones that remain get a heavier workload while the advertising reps get more and more perks. Not fair but the nature of the beast. While I don’t agree with you, Michelle, I must point out an inaccuracy in your comment on why newspapers publish. Having worked behind the scenes at two different newspapers (not as a writer) I can assure you that their main goal is to sell advertising. Subscription rates barely cover the cost of delivery. Yes, they do that by offering information readers are willing to pay for, but advertising is king. It keeps the lights on and the presses running. Writers get the axe and the ones that remain get a heavier workload while the advertising reps get more and more perks. Not fair but the nature of the beast.

]]> By: Barbara http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-3462 Barbara Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:21:40 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-3462 One more thing -- we are encouraged to complete primary research/interviews and talk to real people about the articles we write. We do need to cite them and list their name(s) as references. We also need to cite the references we find, on and offline and post those for the copy editors (fact-checking purpose) and readers (additional reading). One more thing — we are encouraged to complete primary research/interviews and talk to real people about the articles we write. We do need to cite them and list their name(s) as references.
We also need to cite the references we find, on and offline and post those for the copy editors (fact-checking purpose) and readers (additional reading).

]]> By: Barbara http://michellerafter.com/2009/09/08/the-race-to-the-bottom/comment-page-1/#comment-3461 Barbara Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:19:09 +0000 http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/?p=3597#comment-3461 I read your post and I do have to disagree. I've been writing for DS for nearly 18 months and my income has only gone up. Those of us who write regularly for DS discuss ways to make DS and our other freelance gigs a viable full-time (read "paying") opportunity. I posted a thread last week about this and gave some behavior-specific actions to forum readers, such as posting office hours so friends, family and children understand that yes, we are working. I've tried different sites like Helium, Triond and Textbroker. I find DS to be waist, shoulders and head above these three I've mentioned -- I don't want to write a 400-word article for $3.75--Textbroker. They'd love for me to continue for them, but that doesn't pay my rent. As Lisa said, badges and stars won't make my car payment--Helium. Pageviews don't pay my insurance or my utility bills--Triond. While these are all "okay" sites and not scams, they, primarily Helium, promised more than they delivered. Nor do I want to rate other writers' work endlessly (more than 10 minutes, Barbara, I've done it) to get my work available for pay. Clicking on the Find Assignments tab, claiming my full limit of assignments, then beginning to research/outline and write my day's goal is how I earn my money. I have been identified by DS as a top content creator (I was able to participate in the recent conference and discussed changes I would like to see made; I was awarded a free one-year membership to SPJ). So with everything I have tried and worked on, I find that DS works for me, a single parent of a college student. It also allows me to work on my book evenings and Sundays. Thank you. I read your post and I do have to disagree. I’ve been writing for DS for nearly 18 months and my income has only gone up. Those of us who write regularly for DS discuss ways to make DS and our other freelance gigs a viable full-time (read “paying”) opportunity.
I posted a thread last week about this and gave some behavior-specific actions to forum readers, such as posting office hours so friends, family and children understand that yes, we are working.
I’ve tried different sites like Helium, Triond and Textbroker. I find DS to be waist, shoulders and head above these three I’ve mentioned — I don’t want to write a 400-word article for $3.75–Textbroker. They’d love for me to continue for them, but that doesn’t pay my rent. As Lisa said, badges and stars won’t make my car payment–Helium. Pageviews don’t pay my insurance or my utility bills–Triond. While these are all “okay” sites and not scams, they, primarily Helium, promised more than they delivered. Nor do I want to rate other writers’ work endlessly (more than 10 minutes, Barbara, I’ve done it) to get my work available for pay.
Clicking on the Find Assignments tab, claiming my full limit of assignments, then beginning to research/outline and write my day’s goal is how I earn my money.
I have been identified by DS as a top content creator (I was able to participate in the recent conference and discussed changes I would like to see made; I was awarded a free one-year membership to SPJ).
So with everything I have tried and worked on, I find that DS works for me, a single parent of a college student. It also allows me to work on my book evenings and Sundays. Thank you.

]]>