Effective Ways to Avoid Freelance Writing Scams

Nobody wants to be scammed. I know how it feels to be conned online. I am a freelance writer and it’s hard to describe the feeling of being cheated by others who take advantage of people’s passion for writing. It is traumatizing, demoralizing, painful, and sometimes unbearable. There are many kinds of online writing scams that target freelance writers. There are those who employ freelancers but have no intention to remit the latter’s earnings. There are some freelance writing companies that unfeelingly delay freelance writers’ pay out for several months without considering the financial state of their writers.

Newbies need to be aware of the grim reality in freelance writing business if they want to avoid any untoward circumstances. There are many ways to determine whether a freelance writing company is a scam. All you have to do is be aware of the gimmicks of some companies that are out to cheat on freelance writers.

Beware of mega promises. If you stumbled on a freelance writing site that promises hundreds or thousands of dollars per day, per week, or even per month, think twice. Of course there are legitimate freelance writing companies and workplaces that really offer high earning capacity for qualified and good writers, but you have to tread lightly on anonymous sites and posting.

No qualifications needed at all. It may be possible that even legitimate freelance writing companies require little experience, but always be careful when you stumble upon an anonymous posting which requires little or no experience necessary. Always remember to tip # 1 when in doubt.

Flooding and spamming. Real or legitimate freelance writing companies don’t really resort to spamming just to recruit good freelance writers.

Fluffy website. If you can hardly determine who is the owner and where the company is located, then be very careful. A legitimate employer does not have to hide his/her identity from his/her potential writers. It is important that you be able to gather enough information about the company— what they do, who they serve, how they pay, and how much do they pay.

Vague terms and conditions. Once you found out that your target company has ambiguous terms and conditions and unclear payout scheme, back out. Always look at how the company pays its writers. This is one way to determine whether that company really pays its writers.

Reality check. Go to your favorite public forums or blog communities to check whether your prospect company has bad reputation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Check other writers’ blogs who previously worked with the company whether they have good or bad things to say.

That’s it! You have to protect your interest against possible scams.

Freelance Academic Writing Opportunities Rife in the Net

There are countless of business and extra-income opportunities in the World Wide Web. All you have to do is know your potentials and learn how this technology generates money. By simply typing ‘magic words’ in the search engine you will be able to know myriad of money-making ventures and writing activities online. From China to Lithuania people can make money out of their own wits and desire to succeed in the cyber world.
It is important to learn from successful people online who have already made a fortune out of their patience and skills. For example, there are a number of dollar-chasing bloggers who have been advertising how much money they made online. Some of the sites that contain useful articles about the money-making potentials of blogging are www.blogging4money.net, www.bloggingformoney.org, www.problogger.net, www.bloggingmakemoney.com, www.beginnersblogprofits.com, among many others. Just type in the phrase ‘blogging money’ or ‘blog for money’ in the search engine to track those sites that promote the money-making opportunities in blogging.
When it comes to freelance writing there are also countless of opportunities available for freelance writers. However, newbies who have no idea or limited idea about the nature of this income opportunity need to know that there are pitfalls in freelance writing that they should avoid If the Madoff case triggered media barrage against investment scam in Wall Street, newbies in freelance writing need to know that there are freelance writing companies and workplaces that scammed their writers.
There are a number of ways to avoid being scammed. First, check the source of blog ads. Second, check company details. Third, check the payment system of the company. If the company offers a lot of promises like the opportunity to earn $200 to $500 a day, this means that you have to think twice. Fourth, check whether they require qualifications. If they don’t, that means that they are scam. Sixth, send queries to the company itself. And finally, if they ask for money, then that means that they are not legitimate. If you’re a good writer you don’t have to shell out money to gain money. There are a lot of genuine writing opportunities online.
Here are some of the legitimate freelance writing workplaces and companies online:

• Elance.com— You have to sign up and pass their online exam. Don’t worry about passing the test because it is open notes. Once you received the greenlight you can now bid for available orders online. Elance.com receive more or less 20,000 writing orders per day.


• Odesk.com— It has nearly the same system as Elance.com. You have to pass the qualifying test before you would be allowed to bid.


• Allwriting.net – One negative aspect about this company is that they still have to check your qualifications before they award you a particular order which you are interested to work on.


• Academia-Research.com— check their ads on this site for more information.


• Academicexperts.us— is has the same guidelines as Academia-Research,.com


• Academicknowledge.com— this company requires a lot of papers of applicants before they get accepted.


• ifreelance.com


• Customwritings.com


• Writingbids.com


• Academic-writing.com

Again don’t get scammed.

10 Important Rules in Academic Writing

One of the most lucrative areas in freelance writing gig is academic writing. Just imagine the number of students who do not have the time to finish their essay assignments, case studies, movie reviews, term papers, thesis, dissertations, and all kinds of academic works. In the United States alone there are hundreds of thousands of high school, college, and even post-graduate students who are willing to pay good freelance writers to finish their writing assignments.

Just imagine the number of ESL students from Arab countries studying in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and Canada who regularly visit the net to look for good academic writers to do their academic works. In Elance.com alone there are thousands of writing works available for freelancers across the globe. However unlike any other writing works, academic writing is very demanding.
Writing academic works is not the same as writing web contents. The language and style required in academic writing works are formal. That is why any writer who would like to try academic writing needs to know the nature of the job, the standards in academic writing, writing styles, referencing, and the clients’ requirements. The following are ten important rules for novice academic writers.



1. Assess yourself. It is important to understand that academic writing covers a very broad topical area. Among the most popular topics in academic writing are business, politics, marketing, personal essay, case study, social study, economy, education, among many others. Just imagine that there are a number of subjects, specializations, courses, and disciplines being offered in colleges and universities. So before you click the start button, try to assess your line of interest and focus only on it.
2. Know the nature of academic writing job. Most academic writing works are formal. New academic writers need to understand that there are a number of dos and donts in academic writing. Contractions like ‘won’t, shan’t, I’ll, I’d and the like are not allowed in academic writing. Thesis works and dissertations require more formal writing treatment and style.
3. Be familiar with referencing standards. If you’re a newbie in this business, expect that your clients would ask you to use different kinds of referencing and citation styles. Some of the most required referencing styles are
APA, Harvard, MLA, and Chicago. It takes time before you get yourself familiar with these referencing and citation styles. It is advisable to look for sample works online.

4. Take writing orders that you are familiar with. Do not take orders that you cannot finish on time or you are not interested in. Always look for orders that you can deliver on time and with high quality.
5. Avoid plagiarism. Never commit plagiarism. Learn how to paraphrase and always use attribution whenever you try to borrow the ideas of others.
6. Maintain access to online libraries. Since research is an indispensable part of academic writing, it is important to have access to different online libraries and databases like
EBSCO, google books, google scholar, Questia, libraryspot.com, elearners.com, among others.
7. Follow the client’s instructions. Your failure to comply with the client’s instructions means that you are an ineffective academic writer. It is important to pay attention to details. Ask the client if you have a question and try to encourage him/her to make suggestions.
8. Review your finished work. In assessing your work, try to use the following tests: grammar test, referencing test, and compliance test. Try to spot misspelled words or grammatical errors, assess whether you followed the proper referencing style, or whether you complied with the instructions.
9. Beat the deadline. This is very important. All is futile if you failed to deliver the work on time. Don’t forget rule number 4, always take writing orders that you are familiar with to finish the job on time.
10. Don’t forget rules 1 to 9.

Internet Technology: The 'Tesla' Invasion

What’s funny is that not everybody knows who made the Internet possible. This makes me look back to my elementary and high school years and curse my former teachers who failed to do their assignment. Yes, assignment. They weren’t able to do their homework, which is to impart the true form and concepts of knowledge to their pupils.
It’s only recently when I discovered the man who gave us the future. During our elementary years, we learned about a number of scientists and inventors who made wonders like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Galileo Galilee, Isaac Newton, among many others. Then in high school we learned more things about the periodic table of elements, scientific theories, the Big Bang theory, and so on.
However, these educators missed one person who created great, indispensable inventions. This Man I’m talking about is Nikola Tesla— the great inventor who discovered wireless technology more than a century ago. His discovery soon sparked numerous inventions after his death. This man, who tried to prevent World War II, spent his remaining years in his laboratory developing a unique type of weaponry that could make war impossible. The Washington Post called it “The Death Beam”, an electromagnetic prototype that could bring down war planes at a sheer distance of over 200 miles.
Because of Tesla, we now have state-of-the-art technologies. Apart from wireless technology, he also discovered the first remote control, the alternating current that is now universally used today, among many others. More than half a century after his death in 1943, the world became a very different place due to the many inventions and creations of great men.
Today, the world has become a wireless hub wherein people may be able communicate virtually and seamlessly and exchange files and video applications without any delay. This was predicted by Tesla decades before the discovery of the Internet. This is also the great invasion known to man. The Internet has virtually invaded every country in the world, including the Philippines. Even closed and communist countries like Cuba. Myanmar and North Korea cannot ignore and disregard the beauty and splendor of the Internet. Wireless technology is no longer an alien terminology. Thanks to Starbucks that first introduced wireless connectivity in its stores eight years ago.
I felt I was cheated the moment I got to know the story of Tesla. To me, Tesla is the future. You may not find his name in science books, but you may still get to know him through the Internet.
Indeed, the Internet is one of the greatest gifts to man. This is the gift of knowledge. You can just imagine life without Internet. As already stated, it has already invaded every institution, structure, and modern home in the world. Because of this technology, we now live in another dimension, another world they call virtual community, wherein almost all things are possible. We can chat, shop, read, write, travel, work, play, etc. To others, the World Wide Web is a cool place of evil and illicit opportunities. You can also get to see the latest movie of Jim Carrey on watch-movies.com and get to know the most luscious recipe for Chinese mushroom soup. People who love to write may now create their own digital paper and virtual diary. For voracious readers, they may find solace in friendly sites like socialcow.com.
The Internet really has opened great opportunities to the new breed of businessmen, insatiable gamers, social cows, and budding writers like me.
Ah, thank God there’s Tesla.

Why Choose Independent Freelance Writers?

Who are independent freelance writers? They are the ones who transact and deal directly with online clients without any middleman or freelance writing company.
There are thousands of freelance writing companies offering academic and web content writing services to clients across the globe. Some of the well-known freelance writing workplaces are elance.com, odesk.com, academia-research.com, allwriting.net, among many others. Most of these online writing companies offer services at exorbitant prices to online clients. However, the problem is there is no assurance whether the clients get what they have paid for.
There are also thousands of independent freelance writers who directly transact and deal with online clients. In this case, both parties— the provider and the client— are free to name their prices, give suggestions and additional information, discuss the manner by which they transact or communicate with each other, and set the terms of payment. Freelance writer who would like to work under this system must have computer and internet facilities, including ecommerce or online payment methods.
Most, if not all, independent online writers or those who individually transact with potential clients online have previously worked with freelance writing workplaces. Most independent freelance writers chose to leave their former companies because of untoward cases, such as scam, delayed payments, unfair terms and conditions set by the company, manipulation of plagiarism reports, manipulation of clients’ feedback, unfriendly and unfeeling technical support, and exploitation of online writers, among many others.
For clients, it is advisable that they first conduct company background check before placing an order with a particular freelance writing company. There are online writing companies that treat clients well, but are oppressive to their own writers. There are many advantages of online writing companies.

Disadvantages of online writing companies
They offer steep prices. Most freelance writing companies like academia-research.com, writers.ph, elance.com, odesk.com, allwriting.net, etc. offer high or even unreasonable prices to online clients. The thing is, only about 15 percent to 30 percent goes to freelance writers who do all the work, while a huge chunk of the client’s money goes to the company. Online writing companies need to keep their price list because they have employees to pay and a system to maintain.
Freelance writers are not really assessed. Most freelance writing companies do not really check on the writing facilities of their writers. There are some that easily admit freelance writers without conducting qualifying examinations or essay tests. As a result, online clients suffer and are usually barred by hidden terms and conditions of the freelance writing company.
Hidden terms and conditions. Most freelance writing companies have hidden terms and conditions that are unfair to both freelance writers and clients. Both online writers and clients need to be aware of the rules and terms and conditions of a particular company before clicking the start button.
Complaints and unfair treatment. Just use the search engine and try to google freelance writers’ and clients’ complaints about unscrupulous freelance writing companies. There are now sites and forums whose goal is to expose the modus operandi of a lot of online writing companies. Some of these sites are essayscam.org, scamessays.com, ghostwritinguncovered.com, etc.
These are some of the many reasons why it is safer to outsource the services of independent freelance writers, plus the fact that most of them deliver high quality results at affordable prices.

Online Writing Jobs: Important Things to Consider

There are a lot of writing opportunities online. If you think you’re a good writer, there’s a big chance for you to thrive in this booming market. Apart from writing skills, you must have the facilities, such as computer desktop or laptop, internet connection, online libraries, communication tools like Skype or YM, website or blogsite, and fast remittance system like Paypal, wire transfer, Western Union, Xoom, and so on. Anyone who would like to make online or freelance writing as a part-time or full-time job needs to know how to integrate these aspects.
There’s a difference between the terms freelance writing and office-based online writing. Freelance writing enables you to work independently with online clients. Unlike office-based writers, freelance writers have the freedom and flexibility to choose the type of writing jobs they would like to work on. Freelance writers need to have a reliable and fast internet connection.
There are a lot of Academic writing or SEO companies online. All you have to do is google these online writing companies using the phrases “freelance writing,” “online writing,” “freelance writer with pay,” “write for us,” “write for us with pay,” and so on. There are a lot of online writing workplaces that offer writing opportunities to freelance writers. Among these popular online writing workplaces are elance.com, odesk.com, directfreelance.com, crosswriting.com, and so on. These online workplaces for freelance writers provide clients or employers with monthly pay or percentage charge per output basis. For starters, it is not advisable to register with these online workplaces.
There are other online avenues for freelance writers where they can offer their services without monthly charge or per output payment. Online companies like allwriting.net, academia-research.com, among others hire freelance writers who will work on online orders. There are advantages and disadvantages of this type of writing gig. For the advantages, freelance writers no longer have to bid because orders are made available online. Freelance writers will have the freedom to choose the projects they wanted to work on. On the other hand, most of the complaints focus on payment system. Most freelance writers complain of delayed payout, malicious deductions, vague policies that affect payment, among others.
Before barging in, you must conduct a company background check to secure your interests. There are a lot of online writers who blogged about their unhappy freelance writing experiences. If you’re not that sure about the legitimacy or integrity of a particular company, try to google it.

Great Writing Tips for Beginners

Newbies who would like to try online or freelance writing need to know the basic principles and tips in this kind of profession. Sure, the primary goal of every online/freelance writer is to make money, but they have to realize that they will work with clients from different parts of the globe. I started with a limited knowledge of how things work in this kind of business or profession. It took a gradual transformation before I fully understood the basics and technicalities of freelance writing. I learned that if you knew how to approach this kind of job, there’s no doubt that you would succeed and attract more clients who are willing to pay for your online writing services.
Here are some of the basic tips that every beginner should know:
Discover your writing potentials. It is important for you to know your strengths and weaknesses in writing. Evaluate yourself. What kind of writing works are you good at? Do you think you can finish a quality web content article? Can you write academically? You should know that there are various types of writing projects, such as academic writing, web content, article writing, grant or patent writing, resume writing, business letter writing, and so on. If you think you can excel at any of these online writing genres, then you’re in.
Take it slowly. Don’t be too excited at the thought that you can make a great fortune in this kind of business. In my case I started as a writer-researcher of an SEO company. I learned a lot from this company, from academic writing to web content writing to creative writing to research writing. You may first apply as an office-based writer of an SEO or research company near your place before you enter online/freelance writing. Once you’re in, learn things work.
Be familiar with writing standards. There are established standards in writing. In academic writing there are citation styles and writing styles which you should familiarize with. Most of the citation styles required in academic writing are the following: APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago, etc. Always pay attention to the instructions of the client and promptly attend to revision requests and further instructions.
Embark on a continuous learning process. One you’re in, always find ways to improve your vocabulary and writing facilities. Writing is a continuous learning process. Pay attention to clients’ suggestions and always be honest to them.

There’s Money in Online Writing

Internet technology has provided a lot of opportunities to people who know how to hone and apply their skills, discover new things, and spot underserved markets. Online writing is just one of the many opportunities in the World Wide Web. A lot of people have already made a great fortune online offering their services to people across the globe.
Writing has a lot of genres or varieties. A person who writes well can make a lot of money out of this online profession if he/she had the right talent and capacity to deal with different kinds of online clients from different countries. Online writing covers an extensive array of opportunities, such as web content, academic projects, journalistic articles, blogs, creative writing, typing works, medical or legal transcription, poem or song writing, among many others. This means that writers have a wide range of options once they opted to try online writing.
I started my online writing career several years back and I can attest that this kind of job is worth your effort and very rewarding. It has a lot of advantages.
You are your own boss. It takes a lot of discipline to do well in this kind of career because you act as your own boss. An online writer has full control of his time, strategies, and work ethics. It is important to understand that the concept of work ethics still exists in a home-based environment. It is you who decides what kind of projects to work on, when to work, when to finish the job, and how to finish it. In this kind of business, online writers enjoy freedom and flexibility.
Avoid traffic and transportation expenses. Since you work at home, you no longer have to endure the thought of dealing with traffic or catching a bus or a cab just to arrive at your workplace on time. Working at home saves you time and money, as well as energy and good health.
Learn to be independent and explore. One you decided to make online writing as your full-time career, you would be compelled to establish independence and explore more areas of opportunities. There are a lot of opportunities in online writing and you only have to explore and don’t be afraid to join the global marketplace of ideas. Online writing career teaches you to become more self-reliant and keener on online writing opportunities.
You can do your personal stuff. While making money out of online writing, you are also free to enjoy your hobbies and spend time with your loved ones and friends. You can do a lot of useful works like gardening, cross-stitching, painting, drawing, repairing some old stuff, among others.
However, before you decide to try online writing, you must be prepared financially, physically, mentally, and emotionally. If you think you are a good writer you can easily adjust to a new work environment that is closer to your mind and heart.

The Joy of Writing

Not everybody can write. There are people who are good academically but can hardly express what they think and what they think about. Everybody has his own niche or special gift in life. There are those who are good at math and science subjects but can barely complete a writing project. This only means that we have our own individuality, and we strive hard to hone our individual skills and abilities.
I started writing when I was in grade school. It began with simple topics and writing works like poem, short story and even simple songs. I observe that as long as you apply you talent or skill it will never go away, and this is what happened to me. In high school I edited our campus paper and that was the time I dealt with more complicated short stories and articles. But there’s one indispensable ally of writing and this is reading. Anybody who aspires to be a good writer needs to be a good or voracious reader. If you are a wide reader, there is high tendency that your going to improve not only your writing skills but also your knowledge.
Our brain is like an elastic container that has a limited storage capacity. If you continue to store data and information into your brain, you would have a broad knowledge of almost everything. That is why it is important for writers to read and read voraciously. We read to improve our vocabulary and to hone our writing styles. Most good writers achieved their rare status not merely because they wrote well, but also because they offered new, innovative and unique ideas to their readers. Classic writers like Victor Hugo, Shakespeare and Ayn Rand achieved their unparalleled literary status because of their revolutionary ideas that influenced readers.
Writers are good observant. If engineers and architects are able to convert their ideas into concrete achievements like buildings, coliseums and skyscrapers, writers also have the ability to translate their concepts into a literary feat. We write to express, not to impress, they say. This old adage is true in the sense that good writers aspire to translate their ideas into a clear, unambiguous and non-contradictory genre of literature.
A writer cannot write effectively if he only has a limited vocabulary. A good writer should know how to deal with words. A finished writing work is the sole judge of every writer— it shows what kind of essayist or journalist he/she is.