Sonya 1The Web Copy Writing Fiasco
October 24th 2006 13:10
I spent every day for a while scouring the Job Bank at Freelancewriting.com, waiting for opportunities. I saw one that seemed very simple, write five small paragraphs of website copy for $10. I emailed the poster and immediately received a reply...she liked my work and I was hired. Woo hoo!
Then I received all the job details, which were so poorly written that I was horrified. I visited the domain I was writing for (I thought) and saw that while the site needed some work, it was servicable and written well. My alarm bells began ringing a little at this point...but I ignored them.
Since the job details were nearly impossible to understand, I completed one paragraph of the project and sent it to my client so she could review it before I wasted any more time. I heard nothing back, and assumed that she didn't like it and didn't need me any longer. The money wasn't really a concern, as I had only put 20 minutes or so into it. No biggie.
Three weeks later, I received an email from the client asking when I would have the rest of the project completed. I replied with a copy of the email I sent with my first draft, explaining that when I did not hear from her I figured she wasn't interested in working with me. She sent back a panicked email informing me that she needed the job done the NEXT DAY. I then explained that I had not saved the work I had done so far and would need her to send me a copy and I'd try to get it done but wasn't making any promises. I aim to please, you know.
So. This is where it gets fun and interesting, I promise.
She forwards me an email that has my file attached...and I read the entire content...to find that SHE WAS NOT REALLY THE END CLIENT, AND WAS USING ME AS A SUBCONTRACTOR. She bid on this project at GetAFreelancer.com, and the fellow who had paid her $150 for the job SHE THEN HIRED ME TO DO FOR $10 was very, very angry as she had promised to complete it in 7 days. All she did was take his job details he provided for her, butcher them, and send them to me.
I immediately sent her a very sarcastic email illustrating the idiocy of what she had just done by sending me this forward...and let her know that I WOULD NOT be completing the project and that if she used ANY of my work I would be in touch with a legal entity.
She had the gall to try to PAY ME for the paragraph I had done so she could use it. I again told her NO, with legal mumbo jumbo.
I haven't heard from her since, but just be aware of this in your adventures...always check and double check to be sure exactly who you're working for. I don't mind subcontracting at all...but I like to KNOW I'm doing so.
Then I received all the job details, which were so poorly written that I was horrified. I visited the domain I was writing for (I thought) and saw that while the site needed some work, it was servicable and written well. My alarm bells began ringing a little at this point...but I ignored them.
Since the job details were nearly impossible to understand, I completed one paragraph of the project and sent it to my client so she could review it before I wasted any more time. I heard nothing back, and assumed that she didn't like it and didn't need me any longer. The money wasn't really a concern, as I had only put 20 minutes or so into it. No biggie.
Three weeks later, I received an email from the client asking when I would have the rest of the project completed. I replied with a copy of the email I sent with my first draft, explaining that when I did not hear from her I figured she wasn't interested in working with me. She sent back a panicked email informing me that she needed the job done the NEXT DAY. I then explained that I had not saved the work I had done so far and would need her to send me a copy and I'd try to get it done but wasn't making any promises. I aim to please, you know.
So. This is where it gets fun and interesting, I promise.
She forwards me an email that has my file attached...and I read the entire content...to find that SHE WAS NOT REALLY THE END CLIENT, AND WAS USING ME AS A SUBCONTRACTOR. She bid on this project at GetAFreelancer.com, and the fellow who had paid her $150 for the job SHE THEN HIRED ME TO DO FOR $10 was very, very angry as she had promised to complete it in 7 days. All she did was take his job details he provided for her, butcher them, and send them to me.
I immediately sent her a very sarcastic email illustrating the idiocy of what she had just done by sending me this forward...and let her know that I WOULD NOT be completing the project and that if she used ANY of my work I would be in touch with a legal entity.
She had the gall to try to PAY ME for the paragraph I had done so she could use it. I again told her NO, with legal mumbo jumbo.
I haven't heard from her since, but just be aware of this in your adventures...always check and double check to be sure exactly who you're working for. I don't mind subcontracting at all...but I like to KNOW I'm doing so.
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Comment by Tel
Regards!
Comment by Anonymous
If you don't mind sitting at home with an infant (like I do), and making $300 a week, it's better than nothing.
Comment by Tel
Cheers!
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Comment by Freelancing Rowan
Adventures in Freelancing
Anon, I don't mean for folks to think freelancing is bad...I am LOVING getting paid to write and create...I'm just sharing my personal journey and there are bumps in every road.