Deceptive Writing Practices
By pastorkayte
@pastorkayte (2255)
United States
February 21, 2010 2:21pm CST
One of the things that have started bothering me lately is hiring freelancers that are deceptive. I am a writer and I am extremely truthful with my clients about how and what I can do. However lately when I lose jobs it is by someone who promises the client the world and cant deliver, of course they come back, but now the anger they feel is taken out on me. I lost a job to a gentleman who promised my client 200 well written articles in a weeks time, the articles ended up being copied from other peoples websites and not even well. After copyscaping the articles the client found that not one of the articles where unique. I was upset that my job went to someone else but I never begrudge a lower price. However when the job did not go as he wanted he came back and was mad at me cause I could not do a job that large in a week. I told him that was why the last project was junk, he was expecting the world in a week and I told him unlike God I dont create that fast. What would you have done in this situation.
2 people like this
4 responses
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
22 Feb 10
I always say that honesty is the best policy. What does he want 200 articles in a week or 200 unique articles in a week. Writers are not factory machines. They need time to clear out their minds and be able to write creatively otherwise they won't do a good job. If I were you I would explain all this to your employer.
@pastorkayte (2255)
• United States
22 Feb 10
Oh thankfully he is not my employer just my client but I did explain, and even if he wants it I dont have to come up with this project at all not in a week. I did get the job today but for a month and a half so I can give high quality work. I refuse to kill myself with unrealistic expectations.
@jcj_111776 (3216)
• Philippines
8 Mar 10
Writers are not factory machines[i][/i] I like the way you have described it, ronaldinu.
And he's right. 200 articles in a week's time? That's nearly impossible even for a professional and experienced writer. Not unless, they don't stop to eat or sleep. And they come in with re-chargeable brains!
That's why I still cannot commit myself to these kinds of freelancing jobs. The most number of articles I did for a day, were three articles composed of 500 or more words. And I was beat!
That's why I still cannot commit myself to these kinds of freelancing jobs. The most number of articles I did for a day, were three articles composed of 500 or more words. And I was beat!
@pastorkayte (2255)
• United States
23 Feb 10
He let someone sway him, for the longest time he had only me as a writer and he got high quality writing, however then he was offered a much lower price for his work and promised a shorter period of time, now because that happened he now expects that he would get that same level of speed for the better work I give, however I told him that was not going to happen.
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
7 Mar 10
So, even though the other person couldn't deliver 200 articles in a week, your client thinks that you should be able to? um, there are only 168 hours in a week. 200 articles would be ridiculous.
I think I would have quit. But I can be a bit over impulsive at times. I jsut wouldn't want to work for someone that had no idea of how long it took to write an article.
@hawkida (51)
• London, England
21 Feb 10
It seems to me that you did the exact right thing. The client had unrealistic expectations, they need to be managed. Now he has been burnt he won't make the same mistakes, and in the meantime your reliability stands in your favour. You're never going to manage to stay on the good side of those who just want to make a fast buck but if you just stay true to yourself then the trustworthy clients will soon work out that you're a like-minded resource for them. Slower but reliable is much better than fast and poor quality.
@pastorkayte (2255)
• United States
22 Feb 10
Thank you! I have pretty good speed but I am not doing the impossible and it is good to see like minded writers agree..
