What's the best freelance website for me?

1. 59

   John Serranoposted 12 years ago

   I'm having trouble trying to find a freelance website to commit to because I'm unsure what sort of site is for me. Frankly, I'm not even sure if freelancing is for me, because I can't seem to find a site that I'm comfortable with.
   
   This is my current dilemma: I don't like passive income because I'm impatient and I don't feel I'm willing to take the time, effort, and patience to see it through. Also, it's not guaranteed that you will get paid for your hard work any time soon (or even at all), and I don't like that. I need something stable. I also don't like to promote myself. Mostly because I have no confidence in my ability. I don't like active income because I have almost no credentials to my name (no real skills, no real experience, nothing. Well, I have college degree but that's pretty much it), and as a result (like what I said) I have almost zero confidence when it comes to promoting myself as an employee. Right now, I'm leaning towards active income because I feel like it's something more reliable. But my problem right now is that I'm having trouble trying to find the right website.
   
   These are the active income websites that I've tried out and haven't been satisfied with for various reasons:
   
   Demand Studios- Wasn't accepted.
   
   Textbroker UK- No jobs available, bad pay, difficult orders (no instructions)
   
   Textbroker US- haven't heard from them yet. If I do get accepted, I might stick with it.
   
   The Content Authority- difficult orders (no instructions) and terrible pay. already wrote 5 articles on them and am awaiting review of my work to be promoted. Maybe if pay is better upon promotion I might continue working here.
   
   ODesk/Guru/Elance- don't like the format. Like I said, I don't like promoting myself and I don't have enough confidence to compete with other writers for work, mostly because the competition feels so daunting.
   
   Cloud Crowd- Unreasonably strict style guide and tests required for every type of job
   
   Experts123- applied but no results yet, but honestly not interested because you need to be promoted to get the active income jobs (the rest are revenue sharing)
   
   Scripted- no jobs available for my specialty
   
   Writer Access-only employs U.S. residents. I'm a U.S. citizen, but not a resident. I tried to contact them if I could still be considered but haven't heard back from them yet.
   
   Freelance Writing Gigs- a majority of their listings seem to just be random, dead, or misleading links.
   
   Words of Worth-the application process feels too strenuous with a waiting list of MONTHS. So, seeing as I want to make some money ASAP, I didn't bother. But I  might complete the application just to try it out.
   
   Constant Content (and similar sites)- they're similar to passive income in the sense that you have no guarantee that you will actually make any money. Haven't tried them out yet though, but another reason is that I have no idea what articles I could possibly write.
   
   Bright Hub, wiseGEEK, Seed- closed applications. Seed seems to be allowing applications for another site (Seed 2 Or something) but they also don't accept non-U.S. residents. I contacted them but haven't heard back.
   
   Oh, and HubPages and blogspot are the only passive income sites I've tried out, but as I said, I don't think I'm into it.
   
   I'm sorry if this post seems whiny but I'm just trying to find the right website for me. I haven't completely given up on any of these websites, I'm still trying to give them a chance, but so far, none of them feel comfortable. Textbroker and TCA are the only ones I might consider focusing on. And possibly ODesk. Haven't really given it a chance, so I might do so.
   
   This would be my perfect dream site: an active income site that pays generously,up front and ASAP, per article or per word, and always has jobs available of all sorts of topics, preferably topics that don't require any sort of expertise or skill and are easy to research. Also, the assignments are easy to understand and does not have a style guide or rules or anything of the like that's too strict. If I was dreaming even bigger, I'd want a site where I could write about any topic I want (Film) and get paid per article or per word. Or, a passive income site that takes care of all the affiliate links and stuff for you, and guarantees traffic for your articles. All of these sites probably don't exist, but I'm hoping to find a website where I can work that's at least close. Can someone help me out?
   
   Thanks. And again, sorry for the long post, and all the whining.

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   1. 88

      Jason Marovichposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Here's the thing about those active jobs you're applying for - almost all of them go to the most qualified person that's willing to bid the lowest.  Your HubPages account is a perfect place to build references for active jobs.
      
      You need to have more confidence in whatever you're doing, too.  Active writing is a shark tank, not for the timid.
      
      Active or passive, much of online writing is dependent on your credentials.  People that have money to spend on articles need to be able to verify your writing credibility.  Otherwise, you'll never break free from $10 for 1,000 words.
      
      I can verify that ODesk and ConstantContent are legit, but unless you're willing to get into the muck and write for a penny a word sometimes, it's not going to work out for you.  It takes time (years in most cases) to build an authorship profile that people will pay to get writing from.

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2. 72

   relacheposted 12 years ago

   Why are you even asking this question?  You've made it perfectly clear that you want a timely, guaranteed source of income and that's not something that comes with freelancing EVER, web-based or not.
   
   Go get a day job and spare us your ranting.

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3. 59

   andsoforthposted 12 years ago

   W.E....I love you! Thanks so much for that...I needed a chuckle today. LMAO!
   
   John Serrano...If there was an active income site that paid generously, up front and immediately, always had jobs available, required no expertise and zero skill where one could write about anything their little hearts desire, I do believe everyone would work there! Ditto on the website where someone else does all the time-consuming and monotonous work, leaving the writers to their own devices.
   
   Good luck!

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