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.

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.