Buyers Beware: Writers’ Red Flags pt. 1
Just as writers should look out for certain red flags and warnings when finding work, buyers should also be on the lookout for red flags when hiring writers. How do you tell if someone is trustworthy or will provide you with a good service if you have never worked with them before? I hope to touch on a few common topics as well as industry standards that you should be able to expect when working with a writer.
I will be focusing mostly on commission based freelancing work.
Messy Commissions
When searching for a writer to hire for a writing commission order, you will want to read their commission services information but what happens if that information is all over the place and an absolute mess? You might think, “it’s their services info… not their actual writing,” but this really speaks to the quality of their work.
Here are some things to look out for:
Unorganized and Chaotic Info: This makes the writer, and their services, look bad. It can come off as disorganized and you may find yourself assuming they will not be able to create a coherent project or story.
Unprofessional Language or Style: I see a lot of writing advertisements. One thing I see way too commonly is an overabundance of repeated exclamation points and all-caps used in the advertisement or post. This overly done enthusiasm can come off as begging or just a lack of coherency. In short, “BUY MY COMMISSIONS, NOW!!!!” isn’t a good look.
In short, clear, concise, and regular commission information is something you want to see. This speaks well to their services and the work they have the potential to create.
Typos
If a commission advertisement about writing services is full of misspellings, typos, and grammatical errors, that shines poorly on the potential quality and style of a writer’s work. If a commission advertisement has many typos, I would expect the finished story you order from the writer to have them too.
Mistakes happen! But, if you see numerous mistakes, that’s a big red flag.
Wishy Washy Prices
Pricing is hard. I get it. This is something I personally struggled with when I first started my own commissions in 2019 and it took me a few years of trial and error to figure out what worked. Three big problems are prices that are not solid, are changed often, or are not clear. Also, if your prices are way too low there are some assumptions that can be made about your services and quality of work.
If the pricing is all over the place or too low, potential buyers might be thinking the following:
Low prices will make it look like the writer does not know what they are doing, does not understand the industry standard, or does not value their own work. If they do not value their work (whether accidental or not) why should the buyer?
In many cases you will get what you pay for. If you pay very low for something, you might not be getting the quality you want.
If the prices are all over the place and make no sense, I would question how smooth the services will be as a result.
No Writing Samples
Viewing a writer’s samples of their writing style or how they edit is essential to choosing those services. Imagine artists selling art commissions but never showing you what their drawings look like. This automatically turns buyers away because they don't know what to expect and they also can’t tell if the services are the right fit for them.
In short, having no samples can lead to the following assumptions:
An unprofessional or unprepared service and portfolio.
Buyers will not want to spend their money here.
Potentially untrustworthy in case it is a scam due to having no evidence of work and quality.
This is unmarketable for a writer. How can you sell services if they don’t show off what they can do?
Unprofessional Messaging
Whether the writer is freelancing on the side, for fun, or full time, it is best to remain professional with clients to boost client confidence in your services and quality. I suggest avoiding the following services in these instances:
Receiving emails with no greeting or closing. (Email should not look like a text message!)
Being called informal names such as “dude” or “bro” or any other type of language that would not be in a professional setting.
While these points might not seem as important to some, they are the same as the idea of dressing up for work and looking presentable. How writers interact with their clients online, through messages, e-mail, and how they present their services is an example of their quality of services and skills. This can only help! If a writer does not have these things or is incredibly informal with clients, they risk losing some clients who are not able to gauge their professionalism and reliability through their work and communication.
Quick Writing Business Tips!
For writers, here are some ways to streamline your services and look professional as you are trying to sell your work online. If you are buying services, look for information about these topics and ask questions. Be sure to do these things as a writer:
Stick to your deadlines!
Communicate all changes and updates to meet your client’s needs.
Track and schedule all orders.
Create invoices and or payment confirmation messages.
Create order forms to streamline the new client process.
Conclusion
Like everything in the world, there's a good way to do something, a bad way, and a huge gray area in between. People are like that too. People are going to think something should be done one way or another and as is evident in every job I've ever had, there is a different level of professionalism displayed by every single person. Someone can be informal and not seem professional on the outside, but they can be the best in their field and can provide you with an awesome product.
What my tips are here to help you with is to give you things to look out for and to gauge when you are communicating the possibility of buying a service from someone online. It is hard to get a feeling online for the person you might be working with so there are many things that you should be aware of from red, green, and beige flags. As you gather this information, ask yourself what is the most important to you and what you might not need as you go forward. For example, you might not care if emails are informal, but you really do care about how the deadlines are spelled out and what your invoice looks like. In the end, I think all these things are helpful to know. I practice all the above in my own orders every day and I thought these are important to share because this is what I've seen work!