Freelance Writing Scams

While I am on the topic of freelance writing, there is one scam that hits us all - at least once. It is the reason why I maintain extensive blogs.





The freelance writer is asked to prepare a sample for the client on a certain topic. The writer is thrilled, because this is a topic they know well. The 'agent' (rarely the client) is sure you will do a good job. They take the sample and supply it to the client, who rejects it.

Now, sometimes they ask for a couple more with a slight twist. But, most of the time, they just walk. In a couple of weeks a client link this can amass several hundred, or thousand, good, original content articles for their CMS (content management system) - they haven't paid for a single one.

Here are a few ways to avoid it.

1. I maintain several blogs. When I write web content for link exchange, I ask my clients if they wouldn't mind me adding the article to my blog. I usually remove the link at the bottom, but put three keyword anchored links in the article. So, if I wrote 100 articles for them, this would equal 300 links - per blog.

If the topic is right, the client can get 1 000 - 1 5000 inbound links from PR2/PR3 blogs. I have not had one client refuse.

When I am asked for a sample, I tell the client to look at certain posts in these blogs and see if they fit.

2. I have recently added a clause to my contract that states 'I own all rights to the content until paid in full. If not paid in full 60 days after submission, I have the right to post the articles on my multiple blogs, or I have the right to publish any books as ebooks.

This usually makes them leave. They want original content so they can quickly create a PR3/4 - by putting the articles on their site and linking to them.

I use www.echosign.com so I can email a contract to a client in China, and have it back in an hour - signed, and legal.
(echosign is free)