A Forgotten Promise: Proposal Writing Secret

I had promised to post some unusual proposals that yielded great job results. I forgot all about it. So... Here's one for your viewing pleasure. It was for a job that was looking for more than the "standard boilerplate articles".  Please do not steal my words.


Your wish is my command. Wait - your wish about sparkly interesting writing - other wishes are subject to review. Anyway, I am sick of buyers asking for the same old content. I've been waiting for you. It's about time you showed up.

Debt Settlement and File Encryption Software aren't exactly edge-of-your-seat exciting, but I think I could manage to grab readers and give them a little shake and send them off to your site. Oh, and the shake will likely be with laughter... I'm not violent or anything. 

Nitty gritty details? I write well. I'm interesting. I want you to be 100% satisfied with my work. My spelling and grammar are top notch. And I'm very, very creative. *sits up very straight, waving hands in the air while softly chanting pickmepickmepickmepickmepickme*

I've chosen a couple of lovely pieces for you to read. They have absolutely nothing to do with your subjects, but hopefully they will make you smile. And while you're smiling, just maybe you will award the job to me.

Have a lovely day.

I won the job - no contest. $175 and it was easy as could be.

The bottom line is this: Read the job description and write a proposal that gives the client what they are looking for. Show your personality, as in the example above, if they seem to be looking for a certain spark. If they are looking for very professional, stick to something more like this:

In my past role as a Registered Nurse, I taught CPR and First Aid, medication administration, as well as various modules for staff and patients. Later, I became I certified Teaching Assistant to help younger students. In other words, I love to teach. I can easily take your medical questions and "translate" the answers into language and content that is easily accessible to your readers.

Attached is a Dental manual I wrote for a non-profit agency. The entire manual, including exercises, is all original work. I am also attaching some SEO articles and other samples for your review.

My bid is based on 2 weeks of 12 questions each. The number of words will be near one hundred, though may be slightly over depending upon the complexity of the subject. Thank you for considering my proposal.


Again, please do NOT steal my words. They're mine and I am kind of attached to them. The real secret to writing a proposal is to be an individual. Forget the tips and formulas. Just write your proposal based on the job description. No two will be alike, nor will they contain the same elements. Be an individual. THAT is the secret.

The REAL Secret to Writing Proposals for Freelance Marketplace Jobs

 The idea for this post originated from a tweet in my Twitter timeline linking to an article about writing a "perfect" proposal for freelance jobs. I was curious... was I doing it wrong? I have more work than I can manage - I'm even turning down jobs right now. But could I be doing better? I followed the link.

Well, the article was idiocy but it did prompt me to do a little more research. There are thousands of articles out there about writing perfect proposals. There are even eBooks that, for a mere $25-65 explain in minute detail exactly how to write that winning proposal. I am here to tell you the REAL secret.

I feel just like the Mythbusters right now. I wish I had some exciting special effects as I do this... Okay, are you ready? The secret to writing a proposal that will win a job in the freelance arena is.....

There is no secret.

Yes. I'm serious. All of those articles out there are contain common sense advice. Obviously, a personalized proposal will go further than a cookie cutter one. That's really the only tip you need. Write a unique proposal for every single job. Never have a pre-written proposal with fill-in-the-blank job identifiers. Clients can tell.

So, dear readers who freelance, this is my holiday gift to you: The secret to writing a winning proposal is that there is no secret formula. Stay tuned... my next post might just be interesting to you. I will post some of my more interesting winning proposals for you to check out. I think you just might be surprised... but those of you who know that I'm on the verge will just smile.

Freelancing and Honesty

I'm pretty sure I didn't get a job on Elance because of honesty. I read the job description, wrote my proposal, and submitted my bid. A few days later, the prospective client messaged me with more information. I think this is when it fell apart.

The client sent me a list of things that he wanted researched and asked if I thought I could do the job. With my nursing background, the vitamins, minerals, and organic ingredients were familiar to me and I let him know that I could certainly provide him with the research he desired. His notes indicated the need for clinical research, journal articles, and test results. I let him know that, in some cases, that information is only available if one purchases the journal articles. I wanted to be honest with him. If he wanted the most thorough and up-to-date information, there might be a cost associated with it. I said that I would find all that I could online and would refer him to any information that might be out there for a fee.

A few hours later, I found that he had awarded the job to someone else. I really think it was because I told him that, in order to get the most reliable clinical information, he might have to pay for it. Of course, once the job is awarded, I can no longer communicate with the potential client, so I will never know for sure.

I suppose I could have just said, "Sure! I can give you everything you need!" But I know that some of that information is going to be difficult to find outside of medical journals. I felt that being honest was better than failing to provide the information or springing the fee-based articles on him later. It cost me the job.

There are freelancers out there who will do anything to win the job. I'm not one of them. I'm WYSIWYG - and yes, I love to rhyme that with "Fezziwig" - and proud of it. I won't lie and I won't badmouth others. If you're looking for someone to tell you exactly what you want to hear, whether or not it is true, don't call me. However, if you want to work with someone who will be honest about her skills and your job... I'm here and ready when you are.

Learning Curve

One of the really fun things about being a Freelance Writer is that I get to learn so many new things. Seriously. To write the articles I'm hired for, I have to do research. I've learned about lots of tech gadgets, dental terms and treatments, and even a little HTML.

I love to learn. I think it would be a lot of fun to go back to college if not for those pesky tests and grades and things. Oh, and tuition... Anyway, I love to learn and I have to thank my clients for giving me the opportunity to continue to expand my mind every day.

Still Wondering About Elance?

I joined Elance in April 2009 and am currently a Premier Provider in the Writing and Translation category. Elance helped me get started on my freelance writing career and I continue to be impressed by the services they offer to providers.

It was intimidating to start a new career, but I have always wanted to write. At the time, I had no idea how to become a freelance writer. After some web searching, I identified a few likely sites: Examiner, oDesk, Guru, Wisegeek, LimeExchange, and Elance.

Because I was a beginner and wanted to cover all of the bases, I applied to and was accepted into all of the sites. Some required more extensive information than others and had restricted access to their job listings until I was signed up. A friend had worked from Elance and recommended them, so I started there and was very impressed.

Before you think I drank the Kool-Aid, let me say that I did work for Wisegeek for a few months. I enjoyed the experience and learned a lot about SEO writing, but in the long term, the requirements were too restrictive and the pay too low so I left them to focus solely on Elance. I still have free memberships on the other sites and receive periodic emails from them with job listings. Those emails are how I know I made the right choice.

Here are few examples of projects currently listed on other freelance sites: 5000 links to be checked and rewritten with a budget of $50-100; 15 pages of original content (1500 words/page) for $5 per page; 6 Excel spreadsheets with research required for eleven items and extensive categorization with a budget of $20.

I would like to say that these are not representative of the caliber of the jobs on those sites, but they in fact are. Elance has its share of jobs with low budgets or incomplete information from buyers, but for the most part overall, the listings are fairly priced and clearly explained.

In addition to access to great jobs, Elance offers several tools that protect providers. The Hourly Work Guarantee, with hours verified by Work View™, assures that providers will get paid for hours worked. The Fixed Price Work Guarantee utilizes escrow to ensure that clients have the funds to pay for the job while ensuring payment for the provider. I have used both systems with great success. I was concerned that Work Viewä would seem intrusive, but it wasn’t at all. It was actually quite a good tool for gaining the trust of a new client. He was able to see that I was working on his project during the approved hours and I was able to gain a repeat client. For fixed price jobs, I always appreciate the comfort provided by that little money icon showing that escrow has been funded.

I am also protected by the Terms of Service. On Craigslist, as an example, a writer may be asked to write an article “on spec”. Basically this is free, unpaid work. Elance’s TOS states that providers cannot provide this type of work and jobs requesting it are removed from the site.

As for navigating the Elance site, it is really quite intuitive and easy-to-use. Each job has its own workroom from which providers can access all of the necessary tools to manage each job. I like to be able to communicate with clients and access all of the information associated with their jobs in one place.

Over the course of the last year or so, I have encountered a few issues and had some questions. The Elance community message boards provided me with suggestions, advice, and a way to blow off steam with others who understand the freelance world. I have also contacted Elance representatives for issues and the experience was very good. I have used email, support tickets, and telephone assistance to ask questions or to request assistance. Each request was answered quickly and helped me to work more efficiently or to resolve a problem.

Is Elance perfect? No; but it’s far superior to the other freelance marketplaces. It has an established presence online as well as a simple, intuitive, efficient interface. I can honestly say that I love working with Elance and I plan to continue to do so for many years.

Interested in trying it out? Use the link below to get started!

In Defense of Elance

I have seen several blogs, tweets, and forum discussions of the drawbacks of working through Elance. I just want to take a moment to discuss my personal experience with the company and tell you why I continue to work with them.

I began my freelance writing career by applying to every service I could find. Demand Studios, Guru, Textbroker, Lime Exchange, Elance, and About.com were all on my list. As I began searching through the job listings, I found that Elance was the best fit for me. The other gigs were either very low pay - textbroker, lime exchange, and guru - or had very long response times - About.com.

Before you start in about the low paying jobs, know that I won't disagree. There are some low paying gigs listed there. Some buyers are looking for cheap work. Many of them say it right up front, which saves time, because I just don't bid on those jobs. I use the information that Elance provides to research the buyer before I bid. I see the ratio of jobs awarded, the type of feedback they tend to leave, and how much they have paid for other jobs. If a buyer consistently awards jobs to the lowest bidder, doesn't award jobs at all, or leaves mediocre feedback stars with "excellent" in the comments (thereby lowering a provider's rank), I don't bid.

Compare this with the average listing from freelance sites that provide gig links. Many of these are on Craigslist or other job sites. I have applied to several of these with poor results. I frequently have no response at all or vague commitments or requests for work on spec. For the most part, these jobs simply do not pan out.

With Elance, spec work is not allowed. A buyer cannot ask a provider to write up a sample based on their needs, thereby getting free work. Elance has dispute resolution and service to assist providers who have difficulty with clients or vice versa. I haven't had many issues with buyers, but when I did, Elance helped me work through the process. It was good to have a middle man to help me settle things.

Is Elance perfect? No. The fees are a little steep and I think that the current ranking system should be tweaked and should separate teams from individuals. I don't work exclusively through them, but I do continue to use their web site on a regular basis. I have learned a lot about pitching and writing proposals as well as managing client interactions and more. Elance's transparency - the ability to research the buyer before submitting a bid - is a great asset. I will continue to work with Elance and encourage other freelancers to do so as well.

When it Rains...

Update from the Verge: My ear is still clogged and my balance is completely nonexistent. It's funny, yet frustrating as hell. I went to the doctor today to have him look at a lump on my shoulder. A med student, resident, a janitor, a secretary, and some guy off the street who may have once considered medical school all agreed that it is, indeed, a lump. They also decided that they have to "excise" it.

I would prefer that they "exorcise" it, because it sounds way cooler, but I suppose I'll let them just cut it out. Then they'll send whatever prize they find inside to a lab so that they can figure out what it actually is... besides, y'know, a lump. My guess is that it will be like finally finding the prize in the cereal box and finding that it is utterly  disappointing.

In addition to my malarkey, my husband broke one of his metacarpals this weekend. For those of you uninitiated in med-speak, he broke one of the bones in his hand. Today he is going to have it checked out and casted. Hopefully he won't need a surgical repair. If he does, I wonder if they can make his hand bionic. That would be awesome. As it is, the kids want him to get a red cast so he can be Hellboy.

Between the chaos of injuries and illnesses, I still have all of the hustle and bustle of everyday life - driving one son to a summer class, trying to encourage my youngest to read, and trying to prep the oldest for college. Somewhere in those precious moments that are seemingly unoccupied, I must wrangle some words.

As a Word Mercenary, this week I am ghostwriting a children's book, editing dental website content, reviewing websites, writing audiobook news, and something else that I cannot call to mind at the moment. Huh. I'd better figure that out!

Freelance Illness

I love most things about freelancing. The one big inconvenience is the lack of being able to be sick. I have no sick time. I am not allowed to be sick. I have deadlines and due dates and while my regular clients would have no issue if I explained, some of my newer ones won't give a hoot that I'm sick. That's why I'm at my computer today.

I swam a lot last week. It was hot and humid and my husband had taken the week off. I did only the most crucial and time sensitive jobs and enjoyed being outside. On Monday of this week, my ear started to hurt. As a mom, if one of my kids complains, I take them to the doctor. When I feel sick, I ignore it. I'm too busy to be sick so I simply deny that I could even consider the possibility. It rarely works out.

By Tuesday, my balance was suffering and I couldn't hear at all from my right ear. I hip-checked a Pop Tart display in the grocery store while trying to navigate the aisle. I couldn't stop laughing... I think the store staff thought I was drunk.

Wednesday, my Facebook friends threatened me with bodily harm if I didn't see a doctor. Considering the pain, lack of balance, and irritation of my kids because I kept saying, "What?" to everything they said to me, I made the appointment.

This morning, the doctor couldn't even look in my ear. It was too swollen. Oh, did I mention that I lost my balance stepping onto the scale? Yeah. Fell off the scale. Nice, right? I had to assure the nurse that I had not been drinking.

Went straight to the pharmacy to pick up my drops (driving very carefully with my head tilted to the left which seems like it would help, but doesn't) and when I got there they said they didn't have them. In fact, they wouldn't have them until tomorrow. I'm not too proud to tell you that I started to cry. Listing to the left, I explained that my ear hurt and my balance was a mess and I NEEDED the drops. NOW. The tech took pity on me, asked me to sit down and had an urgent conversation with the pharmacist who tried not to stare at me. They called my doctor and got another order for a generic that they had in stock. It took me 3 tries to slide my debit card through the machine, but I finally completed the transaction and left with my miracle in eardrop form.

I feel like crap. I have very little focus. My ear hurts. I am trying to work, but failing miserably. Forgive me, clients, but I'm taking a sick day.

An Easy Job if You Know What You're Doing.

Unbelievably, that phrase is repeated with alarming frequency in job postings for freelancing writing. Loosely translated it means, "This is so incredibly easy I won't even consider paying you what you're worth". I struggle with the temptation to respond to these potential clients, who somehow, somewhere glommed onto this offensive idea. These are some of the responses I considered:

Then, you don't know what you're doing?
If it's so damn easy, why don't you do it yourself?
Don't you mean, "a pain-in-the-neck job that I don't want to do, but I don't want to pay for it either"?

Another horrific tendency is the client who wants to pay $1 per 400 word article. This is not a typo. Oh, and they want all original content that will pass copyscape. Don't forget that you have to research the topic thoroughly and each of the 50 articles that you will be providing for $50 must be completely different. No problem!

One more trend that is always good for a laugh is a post like this one (this is an actual posting):

Creative Writing - articles I will provide topics


What the hell does this mean? How many articles? How long does each article need to be? Is it about something I know or will I have to research? The worst part about this kind of posting is that writers bid on them. With no clarification whatsoever, 12 people bid on the job. I'm baffled.

I actually admire those who, in their postings, say that they don't really care about quality. As long as it is stuffed with keywords, they are happy. They want cheap work and they are willing to pay crap money for it. Personally, I'm not willing to provide it, but that's just me.

A Bad Experience/A Learning Experience

I recently took a job that seemed like a good fit for me. I won't get into specifics, but it was writing a self-help book about relationships. The client was aware of my background and was enthusiastic about an article I had written for him on the subject. The style was to be fun and flirty. I was enthusiastic. The client seemed nice and he welcomed me to his team, saying he would have many projects for me. We spoke a few times via skype and came to an agreement.

I sent my proposed table of contents and that's when I should have been suspicious. He wanted to make sure I didn't waste time on the "romantic" aspects of rekindling relationships. I was to stress the physical. Hmmm....

The next week, I sent what I had written so far and was told to back off of the basics and get to the descriptions of what a man could do for a woman. I started to worry.

The next week he sent me the proposed title. I will not enter it here for the same reasons I am keeping details vague. I am covering my butt. The title and subtitle were pornographic and suggested force and sexual aggression. I was appalled. 

I didn't sleep for two nights. I knew I could not write what he wanted in good conscience. I could not compromise my integrity. I was afraid that he might try to hurt my reputation if I backed out. Finally, I decided to refund the payments he had made and retain the rights to my content. He asked me to reconsider, saying that I could continue along the lines I wanted, but I did not feel I could trust him. 

I lost a good amount of time and money on that project, but I learned some valuable lessons. I cannot compromise my integrity for any amount of money. I cannot write content that will potentially hurt or lead to the mistreatment of others. I have friends and family who will support me through my struggles, no matter what. If I have any concerns, I will ensure that all client interactions are in writing. If it seems hinky, it probably is.

WYSIWYG

I was writing a press release for a client when I ran across the acronym: WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) and it made me pause. I have one identity across the Internet - on Twitter, Facebook, forums... whatever. I say what's on my mind and rarely censor myself. Is this a good thing?

In real-non-Internet life, I took that tack when I was PTA president. I told people in meetings that, while a president should be impartial, I had opinions. I would refrain from voting, but I wouldn't refrain from expressing myself. I told them to impeach me if they didn't like it. People didn't always agree with me, but they didn't want me to leave office... making it very difficult to step down when I was ready to move on.

Anyway, yesterday, someone was very nasty to a dear friend of mine on Twitter. I, of course, went on the attack. It didn't take long to put the jerk in his place. He never stood a chance. Within 4 tweets he was acknowledging his error. But... do I risk putting myself in an unfavorable light by calling a fucktard a fucktard?

I'm a freelance writer. But, more importantly, I'm a loyal friend. I do risk putting people off with my sarcasm and biting wit. Yesterday was really my first attack on anyone. It was completely justified and I am not sorry. Not in the least. But it raises this question: Should I have some separate identity online that is more restrained and professional? The very thought makes me shudder.

I am who I am. When working, I am professional. I produce excellent quality work, on anything from articles to blogs to fiction. Part of what I bring to the table is my dedication. What do you think? Do I need to try to be more politically correct online? If so, I'm not sure how to do that... I'm WYSIWYG.

Potential Employer Questions: Was I Right to be Offended?

I recently applied for a blogging gig for a company that sells products both online and in physical stores. They sent out a mass email, asking all applicants to complete a survey so they could whittle down the list of candidates. The first several questions were basic, but then things got a little uncomfortable.

I was asked if I had shopped on their site. Well, no, I hadn't, but I had visited it. I was, of course then unable to answer the question asking about my experience with their store or website. I was then asked where the nearest physical store location was located. I had to use their completely unacceptable store finder to finally locate the nearest one.

This when it got even odder. I was asked about my blog and the url. No big deal. Then I was asked if I sell advertising on my blog and if I am willing to share this new business blog on my other blog. The next question asked if I tweet. Why, yes, I do... but why do you care how many followers I have? It then asks for numbers of blog subscribers (none - this is a newer blog), facebook friends, and even the number of contacts in my email address book!

When I finally bypassed those questions, I found my way to the creative writing section. It asked for a story about my childhood. Then I was to choose a product and say why it would make a good gift, and then 10 varied blog subjects for comment.

I stopped answering questions when I was asked about my social networking. It felt like a fishing expedition for the most prolific tweeters with the largest followings who could be used to promote the business. I emailed the company and told them this. I also told them that I would not be applying for a job with them. They danced around my issues and said that I wouldn't be expected to use my address book... but if I chose to...

I choose not to. The questions were too pushy and seemed ethically questionable. I'll find work elsewhere.

The Beauty of Freelancing

I love writing. That is, of course, the biggest benefit of my job. But recently I have realized another great thing... the variety. I never get bored! I have written scripts for preschool learn-to-read web programs, eBooks about iPods and how to make malasadas, articles about education and orchids, short stories for adults and children... and so much more. My current jobs include a book about Neuro-linguistic Programming and a ghostwriting sci fi novel. How diverse can you get?

If you happen to be a potential client, search for me on Google (Dorothy Distefano) and you will find content that I have written for wisegeek.com. I also write a regular blog for audioforbooks.com. Feel free to contact me through this blog for further information.

Ah, the bus is here to carry my kids off to school... Time to get writing!

Internet Access Denied

I guess I never considered just how awful it would be if my internet connection simply stopped... until it did. I am writing this from the Public Library, as my modem at home has decided to opt for early retirement.

I called Time Warner. I probably don't need to say much more. They were incredibly unhelpful. Someone can come over tomorrow to take a look. Lovely. As my mind raced with thoughts of deadlines and my inability to complete my work without getting online, my helpful TW representative told me that if I upgraded my account, I could be assured of same day service calls - if I called before 2pm. Um, I already pay $140 a month for digital cable on one TV and Road Runner. I am so not gonna give them any more of my money.

Instead, I will sit here in the library, wishing I could focus, wishing I had a snack, and wishing that TW rep's cable would go out.