Help At oDesk

I've come to the conclusion that a lot of things that might trigger a blog post are less than positive. I usually find that when I'm motivated to make a blog post that I'm complaining about something and I really hate to admit that. However, I just had an experience that motivated me to write and was not negative. On the contrary, all I can say are good things.


So what happened? Well, I had been forced to stop accepting new clients through oDesk because I could not get paid through them. I live in a small area some might call it will rural, I have no scanner, no copier, and no local Kinko's. ODesk requires you submit a signed W9 form before you can receive payments you have accrued, it's the law and though bothersome it is important.

Now, that was a quandry for me, because not even a postal address was included in their information page. Being who I am, I did not bother to go through the chat system and get help, I just searched the forums, and gave up oDesk as a lost cause for the time being. I did not want to, but could not think of an alternative at that time.

As it happened, a project came but I would really liked to have bid on, however I couldn't because I object to working and not being paid. After I thought about this for a little while I decided to do another search on the forums for a possible answer to the W9 problem. I found a possible solution, and deviated from my norm by instantly opening up a help ticket. I even went further and used for live help chat function.

I was greeted politely by an oDesk staff member named Barbara. She inquired as to the particulars of my problem, expressed sympathy over the problems I had getting paid because of my lack of a W9 form on file.

When I mentioned that other sites for whom I wrote for accommodated persons like myself who did not have the means to fax or e-mail or scan, she asked how they accommodated users like me. She further explained the question was in order to improve the oDesk user experience.
She offered a snail mail address, and also explained why certain policies were in effect, she even ventured an opinion (making sure I knew it WAS only opinion) as to the possibility of my W9 form being accepted without a signature.

Now, I did exactly she suggested and e-mailed the form, as well as used snail mail to send and sat back to wait figuring it would be at least a couple of weeks. I didn't have long to wait.
Literally, the next day I went to my account on oDesk and found that she had indeed been correct, and the form was accepted.

So, why would I blog about this? Well, it could be the speed of response by accounting whom I would like to thank as well, but it isn't. It could be the ever so polite and very helpful staff member, on the live help session, yeah that's part of it, and big part of it.

It was the fact, that this live help staff member who doubtless had many other duties to take care of, not only took the time to let me know she understood and even sympathized with my problem, but went even further to suggest possible ways within the oDesk policy to handle it. Not all that she suggested suited me, but she took the time she doubtless did not have and used everything she knew to try and resolve my issue and did it politely.

It just goes to show that a little care in handling people goes a long way even if they are only a provider. I can now bid on the job that interested me, and will do so happily because I will also be paid.

Note to self: the help function is there for a reason, so next time use it before giving up totally.

The Fussy Freelancer Working At Home

As competitive as today's market is in the area of writing, you would think it would not pay to be a fussy or picky freelancer, right? Maybe not, but that is me exactly. I still have clients through oDesk and occasionally bid on projects, but my time there made me understand I have some very strong biases, and can be considered fussy.

What makes me think it is ok to be fussy, and how do I feel I can get away with it while competing with persons from India or the Philippines or Pakistan who would be delighted to write the stuff I snub, and would do it for the miraculous rate of $1.00 per hour?

Not to sound conceited but I charge far less than I am worth per hour. I am a native-English speaker and no editor will ever have to clean up text written by me, that reads "and u can get a happy home safe family with our road driven pedal cycles" (yes, I have had to clean up such debacles in the past for others).

What makes me call myself fussy or picky? I think it is what things I avoid when looking over buyers that is the proper answer.

I avoid any buyer how has a history of hiring a freelancer at $1.00 or $2.00 an hour to write for them. That type of hiring history indicates to me they are persons to be avoided. I tend to be really a stickler about the quality of writing I produce. Besides, those types would never bother with a writer with MY hourly rate.

Sue me if the reasoning seems frivolous, buyers can reject me for far smaller reasons, like not providing a photo with my application. I can assure anyone in doubt, that not a single photo of me has ever produced an article, story, or opinion piece. Man, what are they doing with those photos?

I refuse to ghost-write full length books for any person based on anything at all. I might be a starving writer, but I am a good one. I will save that talent for my own books with my own name, thank you very much. Having an idea is not a unique talent, delivering the idea in a readable and entertaining fashion is.

On the same topic I will not write creative fiction on a "per hour" basis, with what seems to me to be unrealistic expectations on how long it should take. Short stories take longer to pass out to the various voices in my head, than the 1 hour you have allotted for your project. In fact as quickly as I type, that 15,000 word story would take longer to type out, proofread, and edit, even if pre-written, than you have allowed for the entire creative process. Find someone who doesn't care about plot or story continuity and who is willing to work those extra hours for no pay.

I refuse how-to articles on keylogging, pirating, cheating, or hacking, dialers or how to deliver spyware. Yes, I know the topics, but that doesn't mean I will write for anyone about how to do them. I won't touch blackhat SEO either. In the long run it is counterproductive, and worse, it's wrong.

I also try and avoid articles deemed "rewrites". That is not because they are wrong, or that they are in any way bad. It's because it is tough for me to take some other person's words and ideas and just rearrange them with no attempt to make them unique. Early training about plagiarism left me with an inability to do that in a timely fashion. I add that to my fussy list because a starving writer really can't afford those sensibilities.

I avoid topics I personally deem just plain wrong, violent or exploitive. That's not to say I am a prude. I have done adult topics over the last four years and see nothing wrong with adult content writing. I do however object to violence in adult topics, anything underage, and things that go against what is generally regarded as common morality. I suppose that is another fussy item on my list and that maybe should not be, but everyone has their limits.

I avoid any project that requires a writer butcher quality, or content in favor of brevity. I know, it's a skill, and one I have not mastered even after all this time. I enjoy words, I revel in ideas, and the thought of leaving out important items, just makes me cry. I would love to be able to, but I just can't.

Again I ask myself, with such hardcore biases against certain topics and buyer types what makes me think I can get away with being fussy and still survive?

I have no idea why I think that way. However, the proof is in the pudding as they say, and I make a nice living for a starving writer.

I suppose it comes down to a balance that includes being able to express yourself creatively, survive by doing what you love, avoid things you feel you do poorly, and still to maintain personal ethics in the face of economic pressure.

Gamer Writer - Maybe Not

You know, about every gamer I have ever met has said "I would give my left "insert body part here" to write about games for a living. Sure they have but what is the reality?

I am a writer, and whatever my client asks for that is what I write about. Lately, my clients have asked for game material. I am also a gamer and it seemed ideal to me. Write about something I enjoy? How sweet.

The reality though is not so sweet, as I found out. First, the games that my clients ask for are not always the ones I really enjoy playing. No problem, I don't particularly enjoy cleaning my fridge out but I have written about it before, and there's always the chance that I will be asked to write about one of my favorite games.

Here's the real deal on writing about games. You spend a lot of time researching the game itself and a lot more time reading what other people are saying about the game before you ever load it up, and when you do finally get to play, it is to be able to write knowledgeably about the game mechanics, controls and general playability.

Oh and beta keys, yeah those come with game writing too sometimes but in my experience, well it's not always the most pleasurable thing to play a game and every moment be thinking about what you will be saying about it.

Recently I had to opportunity to write about a game that I enjoy, World of Warcraft. I reviewed certain paid guides that are out on the net. Believe me, it wasn't as fun as it sounds when you are not doing it.

Maybe it sounds like a dream job but believe me every "job" has it's drawbacks and in game writing it is paid for in loss of time in games you like.