Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Writing for ThaHoliday
Just a quick update. I've been writing for a travel blog called ThaHoliday since late November. The blog focuses mostly on Southeast Asia, but every now and then we post about places across Asia, Europe, America... all over the world basically.
I also write travel tips, app reviews and other tidbits that may be of interest to travelers.
Do check it out at http://thaholiday.com. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook too. :D
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Bidding wars
I started working at oDesk with an hourly rate of $3. I increased it to $5 but sadly, I get a lot of "bid is too high" responses. I acknowledge that while don't fully understand the dynamics of how buyers get their funds to pay for the work they need, it is still rather annoying and disheartening to receive such notices when I know that one, my rate is not high compared to other providers, and two, what I am charging is still affordable enough for great quality work.
What many buyers might not consider is the worth of the dollar to the person who is looking for work. A dollar is worth about forty to fifty pesos in the Philippines, depending on the market, but it usually falls around in that range. It may sound big --- if you tend to think that what fifty bucks can buy is the same as what you can get with a dollar.
In most cases it is not. In order for someone to live substantially here, you have to at least earn P500 a day. That's about $10 (again, depending on the exchange rate), and that's only for the daily expenses. In other countries, a person earning $10 an hour is standard. Ten dollars a day is not enough, especially if a person has to pay his bills and sustain a family.
Some writers accept a low paying work because they accept other work as well. Totaling what they earn for all that would most likely net them a substantial amount. Then again, it would be undermining their talents and skills, and sometimes, getting bulk work compromises the quality of the articles.
I also noticed that many buyers prefer to get people from non-US countries because they will take a dollar per article rate. Browsing through some writing forums, I've learned that many writers consider a $10 per article rate the bare minimum, as it's the rate many US writers charge.
In many instances, it's a strike against me to have the Philippines listed as my location. Buyers immediately think I'll be willing to accept a very low rate for my work. While I do want to get a job, I too have my standards. I have a university degree and more than ten years of writing experience in various fields under my belt. I speak and write English as well as anyone who is from an English speaking country. In fact, I learned how to speak it alongside the vernacular language. English is not a second language for me, but one of my primary languages.
Still think the bid is too high? Here are some suggestions you can look into to help you decide what to do next.
1. Check the provider's work. Make a portfolio a requirement for applicants. Do they write in the way that you want your articles to come out? Are they up to your standards of "perfect English grammar"? Is their work original and pass Copyscape? These are common requirements I see in many job postings.
Even without asking, I include links to my blog so that the buyer will be able to look at how I write. I try to keep my blog as updated as possible, and write in a variety of styles. I am confident that my work is worth more than my current oDesk bid. I've seen some writing samples of people who bid around a dollar or so for their work and honestly, it is worth even less.
2. If you think the rate is too high even after you've checked the provider's work, don't cancel the bid just yet. Ask the provider if they would be willing to negotiate their rate to meet your budget. While many would not consider doing so, there would be others who would be willing to. If by chance they cannot lower it to the exact amount that you need, try to see if you can compromise to an amount that would be satisfactory to both of you.
3. Consider the kind of job you want them to do. Seriously, a 500 word article is not easy to write. If you could do it quickly, then I'm sure you wouldn't be looking for a writer now, right? Think of all the work that goes into it: research, writing the draft, the cycle of editing and rewriting until you get it right. I've looked into freelance forums and writing forums and many agree that a dollar for one article that includes research and editing is a very low rate. Even if the data has been provided, it still is a low rate.
4. Look into the writer's feedback, history and testimonials, if they are any (usually for sites like oDesk there would be). Is it good? Does it meet your standards? Or are you seeing low scores and ratings? I'd personally pick a writer who charges $10 per article (or hour, depending) if I am confident that they can meet my demands, versus someone charging a dollar but has issues with deadlines and quality.
5. In relation to the previous items, check the writer's credentials. With the Internet, there has been a proliferation of people who call themselves writers, mostly because they get their works published in a blog or an online publication. As previously mentioned, you can ask for work samples and use them as a measuring stick. My research showed that many prefer to look for seasoned writers over people who just blog, unless their entries are truly good.
I hope that buyers would see that sometimes, just because it's cheap, doesn't mean it's good. There are some things that are worth spending money for, and if you truly want great value for your dollar, well, you will get what you pay for.
What many buyers might not consider is the worth of the dollar to the person who is looking for work. A dollar is worth about forty to fifty pesos in the Philippines, depending on the market, but it usually falls around in that range. It may sound big --- if you tend to think that what fifty bucks can buy is the same as what you can get with a dollar.
In most cases it is not. In order for someone to live substantially here, you have to at least earn P500 a day. That's about $10 (again, depending on the exchange rate), and that's only for the daily expenses. In other countries, a person earning $10 an hour is standard. Ten dollars a day is not enough, especially if a person has to pay his bills and sustain a family.
Some writers accept a low paying work because they accept other work as well. Totaling what they earn for all that would most likely net them a substantial amount. Then again, it would be undermining their talents and skills, and sometimes, getting bulk work compromises the quality of the articles.
I also noticed that many buyers prefer to get people from non-US countries because they will take a dollar per article rate. Browsing through some writing forums, I've learned that many writers consider a $10 per article rate the bare minimum, as it's the rate many US writers charge.
In many instances, it's a strike against me to have the Philippines listed as my location. Buyers immediately think I'll be willing to accept a very low rate for my work. While I do want to get a job, I too have my standards. I have a university degree and more than ten years of writing experience in various fields under my belt. I speak and write English as well as anyone who is from an English speaking country. In fact, I learned how to speak it alongside the vernacular language. English is not a second language for me, but one of my primary languages.
Still think the bid is too high? Here are some suggestions you can look into to help you decide what to do next.
1. Check the provider's work. Make a portfolio a requirement for applicants. Do they write in the way that you want your articles to come out? Are they up to your standards of "perfect English grammar"? Is their work original and pass Copyscape? These are common requirements I see in many job postings.
Even without asking, I include links to my blog so that the buyer will be able to look at how I write. I try to keep my blog as updated as possible, and write in a variety of styles. I am confident that my work is worth more than my current oDesk bid. I've seen some writing samples of people who bid around a dollar or so for their work and honestly, it is worth even less.
2. If you think the rate is too high even after you've checked the provider's work, don't cancel the bid just yet. Ask the provider if they would be willing to negotiate their rate to meet your budget. While many would not consider doing so, there would be others who would be willing to. If by chance they cannot lower it to the exact amount that you need, try to see if you can compromise to an amount that would be satisfactory to both of you.
3. Consider the kind of job you want them to do. Seriously, a 500 word article is not easy to write. If you could do it quickly, then I'm sure you wouldn't be looking for a writer now, right? Think of all the work that goes into it: research, writing the draft, the cycle of editing and rewriting until you get it right. I've looked into freelance forums and writing forums and many agree that a dollar for one article that includes research and editing is a very low rate. Even if the data has been provided, it still is a low rate.
4. Look into the writer's feedback, history and testimonials, if they are any (usually for sites like oDesk there would be). Is it good? Does it meet your standards? Or are you seeing low scores and ratings? I'd personally pick a writer who charges $10 per article (or hour, depending) if I am confident that they can meet my demands, versus someone charging a dollar but has issues with deadlines and quality.
5. In relation to the previous items, check the writer's credentials. With the Internet, there has been a proliferation of people who call themselves writers, mostly because they get their works published in a blog or an online publication. As previously mentioned, you can ask for work samples and use them as a measuring stick. My research showed that many prefer to look for seasoned writers over people who just blog, unless their entries are truly good.
I hope that buyers would see that sometimes, just because it's cheap, doesn't mean it's good. There are some things that are worth spending money for, and if you truly want great value for your dollar, well, you will get what you pay for.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Congratulations all around!
Early this month I received and email from oDesk saying that I made their Top 25 list of Best Freelance Writers for August 2009! I was really surprised because I only had one job and I felt that I didn't put enough hours on it.
Still, it felt really great to read that letter. Congratulations to the other writers as well!
Here's the rest of the best oDesk providers in all categories for August.
Still, it felt really great to read that letter. Congratulations to the other writers as well!
Here's the rest of the best oDesk providers in all categories for August.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wrong word, right use (or vice versa)
One of the biggest mistakes a writer nowadays can commit is relying too much on their word processor's spell check feature.
Don't get me wrong. I use the spell checker myself and find it a very good tool in helping me easily spot mistakes in spelling and even grammar usage. However, you shouldn't be too confident that it will spot all your mistakes and provide you with the correct word to use when you need it. A spell checker has it's limits, and because of these limits you may end up with a badly written piece than a well made one.
Photo courtesy of: Stock Exchange
It only checks wrong spelling
Obviously, as it is a spell checker. A word that doesn't match any word in the word processor's data base will be marked wrong, even though you know it exists and your dictionary says so.
It will not correct wrong word usage if the word is spelled right
Many writers, even those who are native English speakers, often switch words that sound the same but are not spelled the same. Here are some examples:
Lose - Loose
Bare - Bear
Hare - Hair
Hale - Hale
Hart - Heart
Fair - Fare
Write - Right
Site - Sight
Sore - Soar
Take this sentence. "With this diet, I'm sure to lose a few pounds so my clothes will all be loose."
Both words of different spelling are used here, and it's clear what each word means. Switch them and the reader still knows what you mean, but if a professional is looking at your work and you are looking for a job (a writing one at that), you might lose points for that mistake.
It is specific only to one kind of English at a time
My spell checker is set to American English. If I decide to spell my words the British way --- with the additional 'u' in some words, or 's' instead of 'z', I'm sure to get an error.
In relation to that, if I use words that are not common in the American English vocabulary, it will be marked wrong.
It won't help much if you write in another language
I experience this a lot, especially if I'm writing or editing Tagalog text. You'll never see so many red squiggly lines under so many words in just one document page! It's worse when the word processor automatically corrects the words. "Undo" is my best friend. Either that, or I turn off the spell checker.
Grammar is checked, but sometimes, it's also wrong
Grammar mistakes are denoted with green squiggly lines. Do a right click over them and you're likely to see something that says "Fragment" and a suggestion on what would make your sentence sound better. I suggest you read it aloud to see if it will work. Better yet, read the whole paragraph aloud to see if the suggested changes would be appropriate, because sometimes, it really isn't.
I'm not saying you do away with the spell checker completely. Many times I just ignore the suggestions, as the marks don't really disturb anyone but me. Then again, I do make mistakes and the spell checker does help easily spot errors with misspelled words.
However, learn to judge when its suggestions are right or wrong. Sometimes the spell checker is a pompous know-it-all that marks things wrong when they aren't. If in doubt, consult a dictionary, and when you're done writing, read it over twice, then ask someone to read it over twice as well. A fresh set of eyes may spot mistakes that you may have missed. Even the most famous authors make a mistake when they write, and it's their editor's job to help them correct them.
Happy writing!
P.S. I didn't encounter any red lines while typing this, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have errors! If you spot any, let me know. :)
Don't get me wrong. I use the spell checker myself and find it a very good tool in helping me easily spot mistakes in spelling and even grammar usage. However, you shouldn't be too confident that it will spot all your mistakes and provide you with the correct word to use when you need it. A spell checker has it's limits, and because of these limits you may end up with a badly written piece than a well made one.
Photo courtesy of: Stock Exchange
It only checks wrong spelling
Obviously, as it is a spell checker. A word that doesn't match any word in the word processor's data base will be marked wrong, even though you know it exists and your dictionary says so.
It will not correct wrong word usage if the word is spelled right
Many writers, even those who are native English speakers, often switch words that sound the same but are not spelled the same. Here are some examples:
Lose - Loose
Bare - Bear
Hare - Hair
Hale - Hale
Hart - Heart
Fair - Fare
Write - Right
Site - Sight
Sore - Soar
Take this sentence. "With this diet, I'm sure to lose a few pounds so my clothes will all be loose."
Both words of different spelling are used here, and it's clear what each word means. Switch them and the reader still knows what you mean, but if a professional is looking at your work and you are looking for a job (a writing one at that), you might lose points for that mistake.
It is specific only to one kind of English at a time
My spell checker is set to American English. If I decide to spell my words the British way --- with the additional 'u' in some words, or 's' instead of 'z', I'm sure to get an error.
In relation to that, if I use words that are not common in the American English vocabulary, it will be marked wrong.
It won't help much if you write in another language
I experience this a lot, especially if I'm writing or editing Tagalog text. You'll never see so many red squiggly lines under so many words in just one document page! It's worse when the word processor automatically corrects the words. "Undo" is my best friend. Either that, or I turn off the spell checker.
Grammar is checked, but sometimes, it's also wrong
Grammar mistakes are denoted with green squiggly lines. Do a right click over them and you're likely to see something that says "Fragment" and a suggestion on what would make your sentence sound better. I suggest you read it aloud to see if it will work. Better yet, read the whole paragraph aloud to see if the suggested changes would be appropriate, because sometimes, it really isn't.
I'm not saying you do away with the spell checker completely. Many times I just ignore the suggestions, as the marks don't really disturb anyone but me. Then again, I do make mistakes and the spell checker does help easily spot errors with misspelled words.
However, learn to judge when its suggestions are right or wrong. Sometimes the spell checker is a pompous know-it-all that marks things wrong when they aren't. If in doubt, consult a dictionary, and when you're done writing, read it over twice, then ask someone to read it over twice as well. A fresh set of eyes may spot mistakes that you may have missed. Even the most famous authors make a mistake when they write, and it's their editor's job to help them correct them.
Happy writing!
P.S. I didn't encounter any red lines while typing this, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have errors! If you spot any, let me know. :)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Keeping up
Well hello there.
I haven't been updating this blog much, mostly due to lack of anything to say. Well, let me correct that. I do have a lot to say, but I'm mostly just lazy to say them.
Life has been busy so far. Work is work, no need to expound on that. Changes seem to be looming the the near future, and I hope it's a good change, not one that'll give me and my colleagues more headache.
My aunt and cousin (whom I haven't seen in 18 years) is visiting from Florida. They'll be flying back on Saturday, which is a pity because I haven't really gotten to spend time with them. Hopefully, if things fall into place, I'll be visiting them next year.
I also joined the NaNoWriMo this year. I've been a member since 2004, but I haven't really finished anything. This is the farthest I've gone and also, this is the year where I actually have more friends who are doing NaNoWriMo with me. It makes it more fun because it's sort of a competition on who gets 50,000 words first. Well, to me anyway. :)
My brother's Internet shop is now fully open for business. He's been open since October, but he only had network games. Now, he can rent out computers for people to go online. I'm thinking of getting him a coffeemaker, just for the heck of it.
Oh, and I read Sherrilyn Kenyon's "One Silent Night" the other day. It's Stryker's turn, and there are alot of revelations in that book, not just about Stryker but also about the other characters in the series. I cannot wait for the next one in the series. I finished the book in maybe 4-5 hours, while in between work. Not bad, methinks.
So, how have you been in the last few days?
I haven't been updating this blog much, mostly due to lack of anything to say. Well, let me correct that. I do have a lot to say, but I'm mostly just lazy to say them.
Life has been busy so far. Work is work, no need to expound on that. Changes seem to be looming the the near future, and I hope it's a good change, not one that'll give me and my colleagues more headache.
My aunt and cousin (whom I haven't seen in 18 years) is visiting from Florida. They'll be flying back on Saturday, which is a pity because I haven't really gotten to spend time with them. Hopefully, if things fall into place, I'll be visiting them next year.
I also joined the NaNoWriMo this year. I've been a member since 2004, but I haven't really finished anything. This is the farthest I've gone and also, this is the year where I actually have more friends who are doing NaNoWriMo with me. It makes it more fun because it's sort of a competition on who gets 50,000 words first. Well, to me anyway. :)
My brother's Internet shop is now fully open for business. He's been open since October, but he only had network games. Now, he can rent out computers for people to go online. I'm thinking of getting him a coffeemaker, just for the heck of it.
Oh, and I read Sherrilyn Kenyon's "One Silent Night" the other day. It's Stryker's turn, and there are alot of revelations in that book, not just about Stryker but also about the other characters in the series. I cannot wait for the next one in the series. I finished the book in maybe 4-5 hours, while in between work. Not bad, methinks.
So, how have you been in the last few days?
Monday, September 08, 2008
Speak English
Really, don't we all get tired of 'txt spk' on blogs and forums? I'm a big advocate of boycotting text speak except on my cellphone, because it's so hard to read and understand. I've been ranting about that for a long time now, and to my dismay, it's gotten worse.
I even made a comment about it on Yahoo Answers, and to my surprise, my answer was picked as the best one!
Is it ok to use smileys and text lingo like "tnx" in a thank you letter after an interview?
Despite the evolution of text speak and it's adaptation to our daily conversations, I'd say it's much better to stick with what's the traditional and formal format of writing. Many of those who'll be doing the hiring may come from the old school of thought, and may be sticklers for correct grammar and usage. Personally, when I come across anything that's written in text speak (be it a blog or a letter sent by a friend), I usually pass it over. It's actually a pain to read. Plus, getting used to this kind of writing may even deteriorate your skills, and in the long run, that won't be good for you. Bottom line, when it comes to writing, stick with what was taught to you in school and what is generally accepted. Leave the text speak to your cellphones.
We're proud of the fact that our country considers English as a second language, but with the way a lot of people use text lingo to write, I'm beginning to wonder if it still holds true. Ten years ago, when text messaging wasn't even around, my grandfather was already deploring the way a lot of his students speak and write English. I wonder now what is he going to say?
Still...
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Blog browsing: Word Grrls
I was looking through my Entrecard droppers when I came across a blog calld Word Grrls.
As the name suggests, it's a blog that has something to do with words and writing. The label with the most entries is the "writing prompts", where the blog owner, Laura, will give you a scenario or story idea and you can expand on that by providing the dialogue and the ending.
I haven't fully browsed it yet, but with what I've seen so far, it's a pretty good blog to explore. Some of the writing prompts are rather provocative, while a few others are funny and rather cheeky. Methinks I'll give it a try one of these days.
Do check out Word Grrls and try your hand in some creative writing.
As the name suggests, it's a blog that has something to do with words and writing. The label with the most entries is the "writing prompts", where the blog owner, Laura, will give you a scenario or story idea and you can expand on that by providing the dialogue and the ending.
I haven't fully browsed it yet, but with what I've seen so far, it's a pretty good blog to explore. Some of the writing prompts are rather provocative, while a few others are funny and rather cheeky. Methinks I'll give it a try one of these days.
Do check out Word Grrls and try your hand in some creative writing.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Writing for oDesk
I decided to jump in on the online work force a few months ago. My friend Denise was a writer for an offshore company, and though she was earning good money from that, she wasn't happy with what she was doing. Given that she had a lot of free time, she decided to look for online writing jobs. Her feedback is positive, and that encouraged me to take the plunge.
I signed up for oDesk, but it took me a while to get my profile up and running. I made an account just when they rolled in their new system, so I had to take the oDesk readiness test. Thankfully, I passed it and I was on the Top 10%.
I didn't really apply for any jobs just yet, because I didn't feel like I was ready. I was surprised when someone left me a note inviting me for an interview. Figuring that I won't lose anything, I gave it a shot.
I am now working as a freelance writer for an architectural and interior design site. The work is light, and it involves mostly research about designers and their work. It's been almost a month since I started and it's going along pretty well. My employers are great; they're online most of the time and I can easily ask them questions about my work even if they're located on the other side of the world an on opposite timezones. My teammates are helpful, and one of the is like my "mentor" who sends me updates and tips on how to maximize the quality of my work. Payment is done in a timely manner too, so that's a plus.
My experience with oDesk is good. Some people don't seem to be happy with the software the site requires its providers to install. I do however, find it a rather fair way to monitor one's work hours and methods. I wouldn't want to pay anyone for not really doing their work, and I also wouldn't want to give out shabby work to my employers. However, this method may not work for everyone, so I do advise you to proceed at your own discretion. I haven't compared it with other systems, so I don't really know what is the standard.
Recently, another company offered me a job as a web content writer. I was really stoked to get more invites, however, I had to decline it. Still, it was great to see that my profile was being looked at, and that I do have the skills that many companies are looking for. As soon as this project is finished, I'll check on some new ones.
I signed up for oDesk, but it took me a while to get my profile up and running. I made an account just when they rolled in their new system, so I had to take the oDesk readiness test. Thankfully, I passed it and I was on the Top 10%.
I didn't really apply for any jobs just yet, because I didn't feel like I was ready. I was surprised when someone left me a note inviting me for an interview. Figuring that I won't lose anything, I gave it a shot.
I am now working as a freelance writer for an architectural and interior design site. The work is light, and it involves mostly research about designers and their work. It's been almost a month since I started and it's going along pretty well. My employers are great; they're online most of the time and I can easily ask them questions about my work even if they're located on the other side of the world an on opposite timezones. My teammates are helpful, and one of the is like my "mentor" who sends me updates and tips on how to maximize the quality of my work. Payment is done in a timely manner too, so that's a plus.
My experience with oDesk is good. Some people don't seem to be happy with the software the site requires its providers to install. I do however, find it a rather fair way to monitor one's work hours and methods. I wouldn't want to pay anyone for not really doing their work, and I also wouldn't want to give out shabby work to my employers. However, this method may not work for everyone, so I do advise you to proceed at your own discretion. I haven't compared it with other systems, so I don't really know what is the standard.
Recently, another company offered me a job as a web content writer. I was really stoked to get more invites, however, I had to decline it. Still, it was great to see that my profile was being looked at, and that I do have the skills that many companies are looking for. As soon as this project is finished, I'll check on some new ones.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Updating in progress
That's right! I'm planning to upgrade this blog. Hopefully I can get it up and running before the month ends. I'm pretty excited. :D
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