| VeronicaM |
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Nov 4, 10, 05:45PM
| #1 |
Joined: Aug 24, 10
Threads: 5
Posts: 24
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Do you find that it's challenging to make a living doing freelancing?
Academic papers are not easy to write. How are you able to push yourself to work faster while still maintain quality?
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| rustyironchains |
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Edited by: rustyironchains Nov 4, 10, 05:46PM
| #2 |
Joined: Jun 15, 09
Threads: 14
Posts: 855
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practice makes perfect
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| VeronicaM |
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Edited by: VeronicaM Nov 4, 10, 05:51PM
| #3 |
Joined: Aug 24, 10
Threads: 5
Posts: 24
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I'm thinking of doing academic writing. I'm a recent college grad who needs to make extra money while abroad next year.
However, I'm worried that I won't be able to make anything.
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| pheelyks |
Writer |
Edited by: pheelyks Nov 4, 10, 06:45PM
| #4 |
Joined: Jan 20, 09
Threads: 8
Posts: 3,836
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VeronicaM: while abroad next year
See, stu4? She's not going to be a broad until next year.........
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Anyway, if you're really good at what you do then it's definitely a nice way to make a living. As I've stated on this forum several times before, I support my family doing this and I'm actually in the process of buying a house (the offer's in, we're just waiting for the bank to accept....short sales are a great deal, but a pain in the ass......)
If you think that writing twenty pages in a day is something you couldn't do while retaining a decent level of quality, this is the wrong business for you. Obviously, the papers I write at this speed aren't as good as they would be if I took all day to write 4 pages, but customers (at least the decent ones) realize this, and many of them are happy enough with my work to keep requesting me. I have had private customers ask me to spend more time on their work, and have told them how much extra it would cost for me to spend a full day on their eight-page research paper as compared to my standard per-page rate. They usually end up perfectly satisfied with the cheaper alternative.
I should add that if you just want a little extra cash, it's an entirely different story. be sure to look at the hours it takes you to complete a standard assignment and the amount of pay you receive, though--if you could make more singing on street corners or flipping burgers, then why not get a part-time job (obviously more difficult in other countries, but still possible...)?
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| WritersBeware |
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Nov 4, 10, 07:08PM
| #5 |
Joined: Apr 19, 07
Threads: 152
Posts: 8,678
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pheelyks: See, stu4? She's not going to be a broad until next year.........
Trust me when I tell you that he won't get it.
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| VeronicaM |
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Nov 4, 10, 10:35PM
| #6 |
Joined: Aug 24, 10
Threads: 5
Posts: 24
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pheelyks, how many hours do you work per day? And per week? Do you work during the weekends?
And are you a fast typer? When you first started, was it difficult? After how long did it become easier for you?
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| pheelyks |
Writer |
Nov 5, 10, 12:37AM
| #7 |
Joined: Jan 20, 09
Threads: 8
Posts: 3,836
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WritersBeware: Trust me when I tell you that he won't get it.
probably not, but I can't resist giggling whenever anyone uses the word "abroad"
VeronicaM: pheelyks, how many hours do you work per day? And per week? Do you work during the weekends?
too many, way too many, and yes.
VeronicaM: And are you a fast typer? When you first started, was it difficult? After how long did it become easier for you?
fairly, a bit, two weeks
Veronica, I don't mind answering some real questions, but this is starting to sound like a job shadowing interview conducted by a high school student. No one is going to be able to tell you if this is the right job for you, as a main source of income or just as a side gig. Start doing it and see for yourself.
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| FreelanceWriter |
Writer |
Edited by: FreelanceWriter Nov 5, 10, 12:38AM
| #8 |
Joined: Oct 8, 08
Threads: 3
Posts: 656
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VeronicaM: Do you find that it's challenging to make a living doing freelancing?
Not really. If you have the ability to do this, it really beats going to a regular job.
VeronicaM: Academic papers are not easy to write. How are you able to push yourself to work faster while still maintain quality?
Some are harder than others and you learn how to steer clear from the ones that could become real pains or you learn to explain to clients why certain papers have to cost more than others even with the same page count. Personally, I don't have to "push" myself at all; quite the opposite: I promise myself that I'm not taking any more papers for the day and then I see another one (or 3) that I just can't pass up and I end up re-adjusting things or skipping my workout or something to get them all done in time. I find it very hard not to take papers that are available and I'm always filling up my calendar on a daily basis. Once in a while, Pheelyks and I have handled one another's overflow too, but that doesn't happen very often and we know the quality won't suffer if we need the backup.
When you do this for a fulltime living, you generally don't work specific days or hours although I suppose one could. I'm almost always working, easily 7 days in a week or 28 days out of a month and at all times of the day and/or night. It's not the kind of job that you can support yourself with doing part time or even in pre-set workdays and 8-hour work blocks: either you do this as a side gig whenever you have time to write or you work constantly to make a living.
Your first clue about which "writers" on this forum not to trust with your work are those who say that they couldn't imagine writing a 10-pg paper in a full day. To anybody who does this well enough to give your customers good results and make a decent living, that's laughable. Pheelyks and I routinely write 4 to 8 essays in a single day totaling 20+ pages and I just wrote a 25-pg MBA paper that I started around 2:00 PM and finished around 2:00 AM, including meals and a few breaks. It's not exactly comfortable or something you want to be doing daily, but if you're a customer, you want writers with that level of skill and not writers who struggle almost as hard as you do writing a single 8-pg paper in a full day.
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| VeronicaM |
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Nov 23, 10, 06:49PM
| #9 |
Joined: Aug 24, 10
Threads: 5
Posts: 24
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How are you guys able to manage the research? I imagine that that must take a lot of time.
Also, are you guys really fast typers? How fast do you type, on average?
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| rustyironchains |
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Nov 23, 10, 07:22PM
| #10 |
Joined: Jun 15, 09
Threads: 14
Posts: 855
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FreelanceWriter: Some are harder than others and you learn how to steer clear from the ones that could become real pains or you learn to explain to clients why certain papers have to cost more than others even with the same page count.
classic. will you ever answer anyone without using a run-on? it's like you have this freight train of thoughts, and there's a wreck trying to get out of the station. how many concussions have you had? I pity the poor professors who have to sift through your dreck.
VeronicaM: How are you guys able to manage the research? I imagine that that must take a lot of time. Also, are you guys really fast typers? How fast do you type, on average?
I had typing right before lunch at high school-- it made me hurry!
hey, V, what's with all the questions? are you conducting a survey?
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| WritersBeware |
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Edited by: WritersBeware Nov 23, 10, 07:28PM
| #11 |
Joined: Apr 19, 07
Threads: 152
Posts: 8,678
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FreelanceWriter: Some are harder than others and you learn how to steer clear from the ones that could become real pains or you learn to explain to clients why certain papers have to cost more than others even with the same page count.
rustyironchains: classic. will you ever answer anyone without using a run-on?
That's not a run-on sentence. Just because one may be able to split it into multiple sentences does not mean that it is a "run-on" sentence.
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| VeronicaM |
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Nov 29, 10, 10:49AM
| #12 |
Joined: Aug 24, 10
Threads: 5
Posts: 24
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You guys are really good at what you do, and I'd like to get to your level. Although I work as a freelance web content writer, I think still have serious writer's block. I'd like to overcome that.
So that's why I ask.
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| WRT |
Company Representative |
Nov 29, 10, 11:29AM
| #13 |
Joined: Sep 29, 09
Threads: 14
Posts: 1,850
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Veronica, you have the requisite determination and your attitude is very promising. You'll get there and I believe that you'll be very good at it.
Question - do you know all the citation styles?
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| VeronicaM |
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Nov 30, 10, 07:29AM
| #14 |
Joined: Aug 24, 10
Threads: 5
Posts: 24
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Thanks for the compliment, WRT.
I'm familiar with all the styles, except Turabian.
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| Prangnell |
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Edited by: Prangnell Nov 30, 10, 08:07AM
| #15 |
Joined: Nov 26, 10
Threads: 2
Posts: 35
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VeronicaM: Academic papers are not easy to write. How are you able to push yourself to work faster while still maintain quality?
I believe that in order to be successful at writing, one must possess the following characteristics:
• Aptitude
• Diligence
• Patience
• Perseverance
• Reliability
• Punctuality
As long as you possess these characteristics, you're always going to have a fair chance at being successful. I'm confident that I possess these characteristics, and I feel that it is because of this that I make a very good living from this kind of work. In fact, in the past few days, I've received several enquiries; many of whom contacted me after finding me on this forum.
In terms of speed, do you possess the ability to touch type? If so, this is a tremendous advantage. I'm able to touch type, and this allows me to complete good quality essays in a timely fashion - for instance, I can take on several projects at any given time. The problem with touch typing is that one can become somewhat complacent, therefore I have to spend a great deal of time proofreading my work after it has been completed.
Don't worry about not being able to make money from this game. Just work on the aforementioned characteristics and you will be an excellent writer (you've already mastered the 'aptitude' characteristic - in terms of your writing ability), I'm sure of it!
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| pheelyks |
Writer |
Nov 30, 10, 12:36PM
| #16 |
Joined: Jan 20, 09
Threads: 8
Posts: 3,836
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Prangnell: enquiries; many
This is incorrect. The second clause (beginning with "many") is fully dependent on the first; this should be a comma, not a semi-colon. Also, this sentence states that the "enquiries" contacted you, which is of course logically incorrect--it is the customers that contacted you with enquiries. I'm sure they'll be very pleased with your work.
Continue posting blatant pieces of advertising on this forum, and I will continue correcting your mistakes (you make the same ones repeatedly, so it's pretty easy).
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| Prangnell |
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Nov 30, 10, 01:02PM
| #17 |
Joined: Nov 26, 10
Threads: 2
Posts: 35
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VeronicaM,
Please ignore pheelyks's comments regarding my grammar as this has absolutely no relevance to the topic that you initiated. Pheelyks's obsessive/compulsive behaviour regarding pedantic grammatical corrections is somewhat disturbing to me (firstly because he or she is always incorrect, and secondly because I think he or she may have some sort of psychological disturbance related to English grammar). However, I would suggest that take notice of the advice that I've given to you in relation to your desire to become a freelance writer.
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| pheelyks |
Writer |
Nov 30, 10, 01:06PM
| #18 |
Joined: Jan 20, 09
Threads: 8
Posts: 3,836
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Prangnell: has absolutely no relevance to the topic that you initiated
Neither does your "brilliance" as a writer, but you went on about that for a lot longer than I did about your improper semi-colons.
Prangnell: firstly because he or she is always incorrect
That's just a blatant lie, and you know it. This forum isn't your marketing playground; I'm sorry if you're so desperate for customers that you fear every little comment on your abilities, but like I've said before--stop making mistakes or stop making marketing posts and I'll go away.
Prangnell: However, I would suggest that take notice of the advice
Obviously a skilled writer....
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| Prangnell |
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Nov 30, 10, 01:11PM
| #19 |
Joined: Nov 26, 10
Threads: 2
Posts: 35
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pheelyks: That's just a blatant lie, and you know it.
I beg to differ.
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| pheelyks |
Writer |
Nov 30, 10, 01:13PM
| #20 |
Joined: Jan 20, 09
Threads: 8
Posts: 3,836
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Prangnell: I beg to differ.
Evidence, my friend. If you can find a reputable source that says semi-colons can be appropriately used to separate two dependent clauses (not in a list) and that "whom" can be used as a subjective pronoun, I'll stop posting on this forum entirely. These are the most repetitive errors I have observed in your writing, and the ones you keep insisting I am wrong to correct.
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