Writing for Free — How to Avoid ‘Copy Crooks’ and Get What You Deserve
There has been a particularly heavy run of scammers praying on writers these days. Some in particular have been extremely convincing. For example, ’send in a resume and a requested writing sample and we’ll pay you big bucks to write for us.’
Unfortunately, this has sucked in a good number of newbie and experienced freelance writers. Don’t to fall for it!
Providing Writing Samples
Lots of clients and companies request a specific sample related to their industry. When you submit this sample, the idea is that the client will see how you write in their industry and what kind of knowledge you have about it. Unfortunately, those who are crooked will take the sample and just never bother to contact you. Never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever submit a writing sample.
Don’t fear however, there are ways around this little hiccup to satisfy both the client and the writer.
Send links to work you have done previously, or a link to your online portfolio. Whatever you use for this should be diverse enough that the client can see what you’re capable of.
If it is something you want so badly and you have no other choice but to submit a sample, consider writing the piece and adding little tidbits of hidden text. It can’t be just any kind of hidden text, however. Add a standard phrase such as ‘Angie Nikoleychuk‘ and add it to the end of a paragraph in the middle of the sample. Once you’ve done that, set up a Google Alert specifically for the ’security phrase’. When they attempt to use it, you’ll be instantly notified.
I’ve found that generally works brilliantly. After all, if the scum bag is too lazy to write his or her own piece and too lazy to pay anyone to do it, they are most likely too lazy to read through the entire article. You might also want to consider including these pieces in places such as CopySentry. (The cost is deductible in many instances 
)
Writing ‘On Spec’
Writing ‘on spec’ means you write up the piece according to the instructions given by the client. Submit it to them to the client for their inspection. If they like it, you get paid. If they don’t, you have to rewrite it or the client moves on to another writer.
While this might sound like a fair practice, this is the number one way writers often get screwed out of their money and their work. How? You submit your best piece of writing and the client ‘rejects’ it. However, two weeks later, you’ll either find it plastered all over the Internet with a different by-line, or they will have someone rewrite your piece for a dollar or two and make thousands with it.
Granted, not all clients will do this, but it happens all too often to try it.
Require all clients to give 50% of the project up front. This way, if they take your draft copy (or original piece) and fail to come back with the rest, at least you’ll have something to cover your efforts. Also, this is a good way to get rid of the scammers right off the top. On larger writing projects, I will even ask for 50% up front, 30% halfway through, and the remaining 20% at the end. The client demonstrates a small bit of faith in me, and I demonstrate a certain amount of trust in them.
Writers hate asking, clients hate handing it over, but you only have to get cheated out of a pay check once to get over it.
When Is It Ok to Write for Free?
I don’t generally write anything for free, but like anything, there are exceptions to the rule. In some instances, the exposure is an equal trade off for the money. In some instances, the opportunity to write about the topic is more than enough to peak my interest.
My article for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, my guest post at Search Engine People, and even SEO Scoop are great examples of this. These were all opportunities that I rather quite enjoyed doing and don’t often get the opportunity to cover in my daily work. Combine that with the great exposure, and I was more than compensated for my efforts.
So I guess the moral of the story is, unless you are sure you get something from it for 100% sure, don’t give your work away for free! If that person wanted you to write it, your stuff is obviously worth the compensation!
April 6, 2009 at 7:00 am | For the Writer | 3 comments
[...] robbed and ripped off. In fact, these types of scams have become so heavy lately, I wrote a post on how writer’s can prevent having their work stolen. (I am not insinuating Loren is one of these. I merely aim to explain why most writers won’t [...]
This happened to me. I thought the client just didn’t think my work was good enough, because I didn’t get a response back. When I emailed to ask about the job, the email could not be reached any longer. Apparently, my work was good enough to steal. I wish there was something I could do to warn other writers about this person who did this.
That’s terrible Leslie! I do too. In fact some writers use their blogs to report this kind of thing. The only thing I would be concerned about is the legalities. What’s to say that person isn’t using someone’s name, etc. It would open yourself up to attacks as well. In the mean time, all we can do is a cease and desist and try to prevent it as much as possible.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed that it doesn’t happen to you again.
Good luck!
Angie