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The Best Freelance Writing Websites
So you’re a freelance writer, and you’re good. No, you’re really good. You’ve written dozens of articles, short stories – perhaps even a novel – and you know that some of the words you’ve created are pure gold. You know that these words deserve recognition and that they deserve money.
It should be your lifestyle: long mornings of writing of whatever you want.
So why isn’t it?
The best, and most fixable, answer to this question is that you just haven’t found the right freelance website; you haven’t discovered the best freelance writers websites which can get you to that next step. Of course it could just be that you’re grammar is poor, or you’re characters just aren’t likable, but that’s for another time. The world needs more positive attitude anyways, so it’s better to assume that the problem lies beyond the skills of your hand and that you do have the skill for writing freelance sites.
The good news: the problem is very fixable. Once you find that freelance site, or find a single employer who absolutely loves your writing, then the world opens up around you. It’s like momentum, and once it gets going, grows big enough, it will be hard to stop.
If you want to become the best freelance writer you need to begin with the best freelance writer websites. And this begins with finding the right site and making the best freelance portfolio - the bigger and better that becomes the bigger and better you become.
With this in mind, here is my list of the best freelancing websites.
2. iFreelance (www.ifreelance.com)
Pros:
i. Commission free.
ii. Communication between buyer and provider has a very relaxed style; choose any way you want to communicate and not be penalized for it.
iii. Very ‘promote yourself’ friendly. Boast openly about your skills and be rewarded for it.
iv. Customer Support is almost open 24/7.
v. Much less crowded then other freelance websites = less competition.
Cons:
i. Membership fee required for all levels.
ii. Not as commercial as other sites, and lack of ‘big’ projects.
iii. Much more oriented on website design and coding than writing.
iv. Payment occurs externally, and therefore there is a risk of have incomplete transactions.
Bottom line: A nice place to go if you already have some establishment in the freelance world. Buyers will easily find you and can easily find them.
1. Elance (www.elance.com )
Pros:
i. Thousands upon thousands of jobs, ranging in many different freelance areas.
ii. Four different types of membership, including a free one.
iii. Clean and concise interface that focuses on the easy communication between employer and employee (communication can be done entirely on the site, via the interfaced message boards.)
iv. Great way to start a freelance portfolio; you can take tests that show your skills to the employers, as well as show all the certificates that you’ve earned from various institutions.
v. Registration is easy and straightforward. No credit card, address, or any serious private information needed.
vi. Payment is done entirely through the site, and there are no external transactions, making a much less strenuous process.
Cons:
i. A wide range of competition to obtain the job you desire.
ii. The site is required to take a commission of 4 – 6 % on the income of every job you complete.
iii. The free membership only allows you to make a proposal to ten jobs per month; therefore if you want to make serious income you have to become a paying member.
iv. Not entirely for freelance writing, and sometime your portfolio can get lost in the mix of web design and other media based jobs.
v. Requires a tedious admission test, which is basically a time-consumer to prove that you're actually a human being.
Bottom line: Elance is a great place to start your freelance career, providing you with many options to show your strengths, as well as pursue jobs even if you lack experience.
4. All Freelance Work (www.allfreelancework.com)
Pros
i. Free membership.
ii. No commission.
iii. Large database of jobs to choose from.
iv. Large community which is constantly updated with questions and message board. A great place to learn and to become a better writer.
v. Filters out all the jobs deemed as ‘bad’ and has a daily lists of the top jobs of the day.
Cons:
i. Tedious and cluttered site navigation.
ii. No ‘big’ jobs.
iii. A lot of fake jobs posted; can easily waste your time on the site.
iv. Risk of doing the job and then not getting paid.
v. Communication between employer and employee is all external and can become very hard to accomplish.
Bottom line: A baby in the freelance community. Is more focused on the community aspect then the actual work aspect. A great place to go to learn and gain experience.
3. Guru (www.guru.com)
Pros:
i. Largest freelancing site out there. Millions of members and millions of projects to choose from.
ii. Three different types of memberships, including a free one.
iii. Advanced profile process that shows who you are in a concise manner. Those who are qualified will get noticed.
iv. Payment occurs through safepay escrow: this forces employers to deposit money into the account before you start working on the project. A safe way to avoid fraudulent employers.
v. Guru reviews all employers and all projects before they are posted.
vi. Communication is straightforward and occurs through various message boards both private and public.
Cons:
i. For a free, basic, membership, Guru deducts 10% of commission.
ii. Almost have to become a full member to have a reasonable chance of becoming successful on the site.
iii. A five dollar fee to take a skills test is required; unlike other sites which give it to you for free.
iv. The biggest freelance site; very easy to get lost and never find any work.
Bottom line: Guru is a freelance giant. It is the most respected, and has the most members. A great place to go if your serious about becoming a full time freelance writer and are willing to invest money to make it happen.\
5. oDesk (www.odesk.com)
Pros:
i. Post a profile, apply to jobs and interview for free.
ii. Automatically track how much time you’ve worked.
ii.Get guaranteed payment, without the hassle of paperwork.
iii. Get paid by the amount of hours you work. Withdraw money anytime.
iv. Large database of jobs which are constantly being updated.
Cons:
i. Have to be hired by a company. Experience is a must, as well as a great portfolio.
ii. Not specifically for freelance writing. Easy to go weeks without finding a job.
iii. Large talent base – have to be extremely skilled to get the job you want.
Bottom line: Much more company based. Need to have a wide range of skills. Great place to go it you already have been in the freelance market for a while.
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