The Content Authority is hiring writers.
In order to be considered to write for The Content Authority, visit their website and begin their writer application. You’ll be asked to write a sample of at least 150 words. I was assigned the topic “plush dolls.” Submit it into their system and you’ll receive a response regarding whether you are selected.
I just applied an hour or so before this post, so I don’t have personal experience on this one. Instead, I’m providing one I found after doing a Google search. The following is a paraphrase and synopsis of one person’s experience who posted on the WAHM website who has completed work for The Content Authority:
Once you are selected, log into the system and click on ‘Write Order’ to see a list of available articles. Select any assignment highlighted in red, since these articles are due quickly. I chose one requiring a minimum of 300 words. You have eight hours to submit the assignment after you accept it. After submitting the assignment, it shows the earnings under “My Account.” Mine reflected $2.10 and shows that the assignment must be approved by the publisher before payment will be issued. If editor approval has not occurred within 72 hours, the site will automatically approve payment.
After seeing the pay rate, I did a bit of checking around so I could find out if this will increase. I found the following from another post Just got accepted to thecontentauthoriy.com in this forum.
>>Payment Structure:
The better quality work that you produce the higher potential pay you will receive. As you submit consistent quality work, you will then gain access to work orders that requires higher quality content. The majority of the content that is requested from buyers’ falls within the top two tiers, but that should not dissuade you from trying to gain a higher rating.
You will be paid on what quality is requested NOT what tier level you are. So, if you are a tier 2 writer and receive tier 1 work, you will be paid at the tier 1 rate. This is important when calculating how much you hope to earn each day/ week as a writer with us. With that said, if you are a tier 2 and you get a request for a tier 2 you will be paid the tier 2 rates.
Tier 1 Flat Rates
200 Words $ 1.40
300 Words $ 2.10
400 Words $ 2.80
500 Words $ 3.50
600 Words $ 4.20
700 Words $ 4.90
800 Words $ 5.60
UAW Pack* $ 7.00
Tier 2 Flat Rates
200 Words $ 2.00
300 Words $ 3.00
400 Words $ 4.00
500 Words $ 5.00
600 Words $ 6.00
700 Words $ 7.00
800 Words $ 8.00
900 Words $ 9.00
UAW Pack* $ 10.00
Tier 3 Flat Rates:
200 Words $ 3.00
300 Words $ 4.50
400 Words $ 6.00
500 Words $ 7.50
600 Words $ 9.00
700 Words $ 10.50
800 Words $ 12.00
900 Words $ 13.50
1000 Words $ 15.00
UAW Pack* $ 15.00
UAW – Stands for a Unique Article Wizard Pack, which includes one 500-word article, and two 500-word articles re-written, those that are re-written should be at least 50%-75% unique from the original.<<< info courtesy of Piccolo
As far as frequency is concerned, they state that they pay weekly.
As a personal aside, I don’t know that I will stick around TCA to see how it goes. I feel that for the amount of time I put into my work I would like to see a better return. Even looking at their highest pay scale, I don’t feel enthusiastic. That said, I am sure that there are many people who can whip out articles much quicker than I. I suppose these people could have some high dollar potential with TCA if they really put their nose to the grindstone.
Thank you WAHM for the information!
Writing 4 Effect 
Jill St. James
September 21, 2010
This level of pay is insulting. The fact that the company requires a unique, unpaid writing assignment adds injury to the insult. Yahoo purchased Associated Content earlier this year and now this site. The Yahoo featured articles provided as a link from the website are riddled with factual errors, poor grammar and mistakes that would not pass a high school journalism class. Readers should demand better, and writers should ignore requests for content from these pulp content mills.
writing4effect
September 21, 2010
Hi, Jill. Thank you for your comment. I have to say that as a professional writer with years of experience, I would have to agree with you for the most part. On the other hand, if you are just beginning as a writer and have no portfolio or experience, it may not be a bad place to start. I can tell you that when I first started some jobs offered me even less than this to write for their websites. I turned them down, of course. There are even websites that advertise pay for $1 to $3 per article. Talk about insulting.
John Watson
February 3, 2011
The Level of pay is not bad if the writer has no previous job experience or a diploma. Most of the work is for SEO purposes, which is a really stupid concept, except for the fact that it makes money when people visit the sites riddled with ads and poorly written articles.
What is really insulting is the sweatshop work that is offered on several other sites. The ‘standard’ payment is as low as 20 cents per 100 words, or $1 for a 500 word article. I shudder to imagine the kind of low quality work spun out.
writing4effect
February 3, 2011
Hi, John. Although we’ve heard good things about TCA from many writers, the major complaint I’ve seen is the low pay and low quality articles. In contrast, Jasmine from the site Yogasui says that TCA pays for rewrites. See her comment under the “Welcome” section.
And I’ve seen many article sweatshops on Twitter, many of which follow me. They are the quite despicable, and I can’t imagine where on the web these articles are posted.
Thanks for the comment, John. Just reminds us that quality doesn’t matter for many content-producing companies — it’s all about SEO for driving traffic. Makes you wonder, though, how much quality visits the sites actually get when they post them.
writing4effect
February 28, 2011
Hi, Noel, I forgot to mention that you should check out wiseGEEK, since they hire international writers that speak in American English.
JoAnn
April 11, 2011
I strongly agree with your comment about the very low pay The Content Authority pays to author. They have the nerve to ask for writing perfectionist and I know beyond a shawdow of a doubt I am a good writer. They accepted my work on a subject about African American hair and conditioner. I had to revise it a couple of times because I accidently hit the send button while typing. Anyway, after they had received my article on said subject and had got all information about African Americans they wanted me to redo it again and again I know it was perfect.
They criticize a well written article, I believe to throw me off and they get the total credit by keeping/stealing my hard work for themselves.
I think The Content Authority is a scam! To trick people into writing articles or insights/knowledge about said subjects, then put them down or pay them little of nothing. This kind of thing should be against the law!
Someone need to stand up for writers/authors! We should have rights to! There should be a law of some sort prohibited such low pay! this is lower than mininum wage! even though it is free-lance writing at will.
writing4effect
April 11, 2011
Hi, JoAnn. I am sorry this happened to you. You know, I would be more than happy to give you my feedback regarding an article(s) you’ve written. I helped a few others several months ago get accepted to Demand Media Studios and wiseGEEK. There are so many other companies that pay much more than TCA. Please let me know if you’d like my feedback. Hang in there. You’ll eventually find work that isn’t so frustrating — 🙂
Jerry Irelan
March 6, 2012
We should have rignts To!??? I think you meant that we should have rights two! We do not need you in our corner: you just support their position that most of the people who land on their site do not know how to write. Put you’re way: We do not knead ewe in are corner: ewe just sport there position that most of the people who land on they’re cite do not no how to right.
Mike Gordon
September 21, 2010
My limited experience with The Content Authority has been a good learning experience and an opportunity to make a little (very little) money. I agree that the pay at The Content Authority is far from what I believe I’m capable of making – especially at Tier 1. I also understand that building a portfolio and experience has to start somewhere.
What does frustrate me is the subject matter offered at Tier 1. Most writers do their best work writing what they know about and enjoy. I find very few subjects that peak my curiousity. On the other hand, in researching material for articles I’ve learned something new every time.
writing4effect
September 21, 2010
Hi, Mike. You’re right. If you don’t have a portfolio and references, you do need to start somewhere. There are worse places to start, too. I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but I’ve seen many ads for writers that pay even less or nothing, but may offer a large audience or revenue share, which is typically very little.
You brought up a very good point about writing on subjects for which you have very little interest or knowledge, “you learn something new every time.” I believe the greatest benefit is that you gain experience in other subjects that make your portfolio more robust and can end up landing you some dream jobs. I now have that happen on occasion.
You write very well. Please tell me what companies for which you work if you don’t mind sharing.
milo
October 22, 2010
I see people talking about how low the wages are. Does anyone know of a better paying site? I mean if the wages are too low for some of you is because you work for a site that pays more.
Can anyone share the links?
writing4effect
October 22, 2010
Hello, Milo, thank you for the comment. There are actually many sites that pay more than The Content Authority. Demand Studios (DS) pays starting writers $15 for 400 to 500-word articles, wiseGEEK (see Write for Conjecture post) pays $10 and $14 per 500-word article, Content Divas (earlier post) pays $9 per 500-word article and eCopywriters (earlier post) usually starts writers off at Level 2, which pays $10 per 500-word article. I’ve found that all these companies are pretty good to work for and still do occasional articles for DS, because DS has some offerings that many other writing companies don’t. They offer occasional special assignments that pay over and above $15. If you have experience writing health-related articles or some type of medical-related degree, you could write for LiveStrong (DS company) and make around $25 for 500-word articles. DS also hires Features writers that make $80 to $100 per article. I’ve had some interesting experiences with DS, but, overall, it’s a good company to write for. Hope this helps, and please don’t hesitate to leave a comment here if you need more information.
Please note I have previous posts for all the companies I mentioned. If you need the links to the post, please feel free to comment here and I will post them again.
writing4effect
November 28, 2010
Milo, I forgot to mention that you can simply do a search on my blog here for the particular company for which you are interested in writing — e.g., Demand Studios, wiseGEEK and Content Divas — and you will find the links that take you the the individual application pages. Please let me know if you cannot find something for which you are looking. If I haven’t posted on it yet, I will schedule it to be posted.
Thank you.
Sherry
Shawn Manaher
October 28, 2010
Just wanted to take a second to chime in on this conversation. As the owner of The Content Authority it always interests me what others are sharing about us. As you can only imagine there are lots of comments and the chief concern we hear is how little we pay and to be honest I really can’t argue with you. However, at the same token the majority of the money that does flow through this business goes to the writers and the business is not run with significant margins.
In addition, I will point out is that The Content Authority DOES pay better than just .007 cent per word. We actually have a pay scale that goes from .007 to .03 per word. So, someone who is qualified to write at an Excellent Pay scale can make $6.00 per 400-word article and $12.00 per 400-word article at an Expert rating.
Each week we are growing and are partnering with Clients that are looking for this higher rated content and so, while I can understand the overall concern that “TCA doesn’t pay well”, there are opportunities available to make more.
Hope this helps!
Shawn
writing4effect
October 28, 2010
Hi, Shawn, we are honored that you would visit us and provide your input. I understand the pay scale; however, the problem that I have and I believe many others do, too, is that no one that we know of is approved at an “Expert” writer level for your company. I’ve networked with many experienced writers hired by TCA. All received the same note that I did upon acceptance, and I quote: “Your [verbatim] currently have the ability to write tier 1 articles. Please note that all writers start at tier 1. After a probationary phase of writing five articles, you may ask for a review of your current tier if one hasn’t automatically been given.”
I have yet to meet any automatically promoted, and have never met any promoted to the expert level at TCA. It’s obvious, however, from your website @ http://www.thecontentauthority.com/competitive-prices.php that you charge companies for expert writers. In my experience over the past four years, I’ve noticed that companies like yours provide a pay scale that reveals higher ranking opportunities, but hire writers on the low end of the pay scale. It’s kind of like dangling a carrot to entice writers to work for the company when, in fact, promotion is limited, if it ever even occurs. I’m not saying you run your company like that, but that’s been the bulk of my and many others’ experience.
If your writers make the majority of what you’re paid, that is honorable, but that still isn’t much. Let’s do the math, though, for good measure. A writer working on the lowest end of your pay scale, which is what your company’s response notes where every writer begins, makes $.007/word. You charge a client $.01/word. In addition, if clients want rewrites, they pay $.008/word. With rewrites the article costs your client $.018/word. For 400 words, that equals $7.20. You pay the writer $2.80. That is a 257% profit! It doesn’t appear that the writer is making the bulk of the revenue.
But let’s look at the simplest scenario. You pay a newly hired writer $.007/word for a 400-word article and charge the client $.001/word with no rewrites. The writer receives $2.80 and you charge the client $4.00. That’s equals a 142% revenue. It appears that the bulk of the revenue still does not go to the writer. By the way, these are the charges noted on your TCA website @ http://www.thecontentauthority.com/competitive-prices.php.
As an experienced writer, $12.00 per article is insulting, let alone $6.00 per article, but your company is just one of several that pay in that range.
Thank you, again, for your visit and input.
michele
November 9, 2010
Just a footnote, I do some writing for TCA. Shawn and his staff are very pleasant people to work with and recently the company has offered a weekly newsletter with some pretty decent writing tips and naturally, lots of pep talk.
On the Tier levels, I started as a II after the initial first five articles, and I was promoted automatically to Tier III. I’m not aware of any Expert writers, but frankly, I’ve never asked.
The pay structure is pretty crummy, but it is what it is, in the world of SEO.For those who can bang 300 worders out at lightning speed,and do not expect that this is a living wage type of job, it can be a good way to keep writing skills sharp and make some pocket change.
To complain about having to provide “orginal content” in the SEO arena is rather an oxymoron. This is not journalism nor is it serious writing in my estimation; it is SEO.
writing4effect
November 9, 2010
Hi, Michele, thanks for the comment. You hit the nail on the head regarding SEO — aptly put.
Greg Lucas
November 27, 2010
The math that you are using in this example is inaccurate and somewhat misleading. While I’m not questioning the validity of your opinion that the pay scale is low, in your 400-word article example the writer gets $2.80 out of $4.00 earned by the company. That means the company only got $1.20. In this example, the writer gets 70% of the revenue, thus leaving the company with only 30% profit (that’s before considering any other costs to the company, such as website hosting, etc.). Anyway, you state that “the bulk of the revenue still does not go to the writer” which clearly is not the case in that example.
writing4effect
November 28, 2010
Hi, Greg. Thank you for your comment — great catch! You are absolutely correct and I will issue a correction on the previous comment I left about this. I made an obvious mistake — $2.80 (paid to the writer) is obviously MORE than $1.20 (paid to the company). The writer receives 70 percent of the revenue and the company receives 30 percent. The writer does, in fact, receive the bulk of the revenue … just as Shawn (the owner) stated.
Saurabh
November 1, 2010
Most of the websites you mention are only for the American writers. For writers from other countries thecontentauthority.com (TCA) is a good opportunity. Mturk.com is another website that accepts international workers (the payment for article writing here can be less than even TCA). The TCA does not pay more or less to the writers. In the market if writers can find better paying assignments then there is no need for them to work for TCA. It is take it or leave it. Beside publisher seeking content here do not expect top quality for one or two dollar.
writing4effect
November 1, 2010
You are exactly correct, Saurabh. Other websites that hire writers outside the U.S. typically don’t pay very much at all, often $1 per page or 500 words. In fact, TCA pays twice as much or more as many of them do. Companies like TCA are a great place to get your feet wet as a writer and build a portfolio.
The expectations are significantly less than at wiseGEEK and Demand Media Studios — both of which require crisp, honed writing skills and high-ranking sources, but don’t pay well relative to the level of performance required. If you write in excellent American English, however, you can find better paying writing gigs.
If you’re happy at TCA, can find enough articles to write and can kick out articles quickly, TCA may be the perfect place for you. The owner seems like a nice enough guy. Hey, he made a visit to this humble blog, didn’t he?!
saji
November 21, 2010
The Content Authority is a good place to start for international writers. Hopefully the pay will improve along the way.
writing4effect
November 21, 2010
Hello, Saji, that is something we are hearing of consistently lately. Just for curiosity, what country do you live in and for what companies do you work?
saji
November 21, 2010
Hello,
I stay in the middle east and have been looking for online writing opportunities for some time now. I should say that content authority is good opportunity for international writers. Its a wonderful place to sharpen your skills while you are still waiting for the big opportunity.
writing4effect
November 21, 2010
I see, thank you for your comments and information, Saji. Have you checked out the various job websites I’ve posted here on this blog? There are many private and corporate companies looking for writers that will hire writers from anywhere, as long as they write in clear American English.
You appear to do a very good job at that.
I’ve seen jobs on several job sites like this from Genuinejobs.com and other sites I’ve posted on this blog that you could apply to and possibly be hired. You might want to check them out, and please let me know if I can help.
writing4effect
November 21, 2010
Oh, and the other requirements is that PayPal accept payments in your country.
saji
November 22, 2010
Yes I am a regular visitor to your blog and all your posts have been of good help. Keep up the good work!
writing4effect
November 22, 2010
That is so good to hear, Saji. Thank you for the visits and encouragement — ☺
eworld2025
November 21, 2010
Shawn is a nice guy and I have been working with him for over a year. He is not averse to paying a higher price if writers are good but may perhaps not be able to match the DS’s of the world. However, he hires people from all across the world and does not miss out on payments. Compare this with the number opf scams around and this guy will seem like an angel
writing4effect
November 21, 2010
Hello, “Eworld.” Thank you for the comment.
Clicked on your link and it looks like your website is empty. Will you be writing content for it soon?
In regards to Shawn and company, I think it’s great that Shawn gives decent foreign writers like Saji the opportunity to make some money, gain experience and build a writing portfolio.
If he pays regularly, that’s an even bigger plus.
There are sites that only pay $1 a page (per 500-word article), and that’s way worse than insulting, it’s abhorrent. I sent a potential client to one of these sites when he tried to haggle with me for less than what I’d been making. He reminded me that other writers were willing to take far less. I directed him to websites where he could pay even less if he wanted to. Apparently, he thought I was inferring he was “cheap.” Well … if the shoe fits …
In regards to DS, keep in mind that its CEs sometimes have requirements that make a $15 article seem like it pays very little — e.g., require way more information for a rewrite than necessary for the article and require writers to insert every source in order to fact check … very time consuming!
If we keep these kind of things in perspective, then we can make sound decisions that make us feel good about ourselves and our talent as writers.
So, Eworld, when will you be creating content for your website?
Hemsway
November 22, 2010
Hi all. I too have recently registered at The Content Authority website and submitted a 300 word piece on ‘wrapping Christmas presents’. My approach was to take an angle on the subject: wrapping with a clear eco-conscience. Do any visitors to this forum have any opinion on whether that was a sensible approach? After all, it’s a pretty tepid subject otherwise; I thought I’d attempt to pepper it up somehow.
I am curious to hear how I did. I’m testing the waters; for me, never having considered earning from writing until now, any positive feedback could be inspiring.
That is not to say that the financial rewards look at all attractive! But – as others have said – perhaps a good place to start?
writing4effect
November 22, 2010
Hello, Nic. I think what you submitted was fine and even consider it clever.
If you’re interested in similar jobs, you should check out eCopywriters, Content Divas and higher paying Demand Media Studios (DMS). I think they all allow UK writers. I know DMS does and the company pays $15 for a 400-500 word article. The posts with info for these companies are all on this blog, but you may have to do a search and go back a ways to find them.
Congratulations on your decision to begin writing. Keep in mind, just because you don’t have a portfolio of work, doesn’t mean you can’t be hired.
Again, way to go!
Sherry
Hemsway
November 23, 2010
Thanks Sherry for your encouraging words and for the contacts. I’ll certainly take a look.
If you have a few hours spare I can’t see what you have to lose by submitting some material to these sites. In the worst case you’ll at least get some writing practice.
Many thanks.
Nic
writing4effect
November 23, 2010
Well, it honestly doesn’t take hours to apply to these sites. They typically have a short application process. I can’t think of one that took me very long at all, except maybe The Content Authority — I think it was the company that required me to write an article on a topic they suggested.
I would strongly encourage you to put together an introductory email for all of your job prospects. Sign up with all work-at-home websites — I noted a lot of them in this blog — to receive daily or weekly notifications. If you have an introductory email with several samples, you’ll be armed and ready to submit your application in short order for any positions you find that you are interested in.
That’s how I started. I received $35 per 500-word article for my very first freelance writing position, because I had a standard email I created that includes the following:
1. An intro to the job — respond to any requirements and include the link to the job for reference, should they call you back. I replace the link with the link for the new job.
2. Cover letter following with a synopsis of my work history followed by various writing samples.
I would be happy to email you the template I use to apply for new writing jobs if you would like, just let me know.
There is so much opportunity out there right now in online and offline publishing, both of which I do. I wish you great success in your writing venture!
writing4effect
November 23, 2010
Oh, and if you produce samples now, you could use any one of them to post in applications for writing companies, since each one usually asks for a writing sample. I always use one I’ve already written and have it handy to insert into the application.
Let me know if you need any assistance putting together your standard introductory email.
Angela
December 3, 2010
If you think their level of pay is insulting, I’m insulted as a customer.
The reason is that The Content Authority has actually stolen my money. Although it was only $10 which is the minimum you have to put in, they say I am being extremely difficult because I’m wondering why my money disappeared a few minutes after I put it in. I had not placed any orders at all – just put money in.
It took over 10 days for a proper reply that wasn’t “We’ll get back to you as soon as we can”. I just went to their website to see whether I could now place an order but my account is disabled!
writing4effect
December 3, 2010
Hello, Angela. I can understand being insulted if you lost money when paying a company, were ignored for a week after submitting an inquiry about it and then were called “extremely difficult.” As a freelance writer, I’ve always been concerned about writing for a company or individual without a contact number and address, but that also didn’t guarantee I would be paid. I have actually not been paid by two companies. I worked for a California company that defrauded me out of about $3,000 labor. I believe the owner is now in federal prison, since she committed wire fraud and other felonies. The other company was Experts123, an article database.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is oftentimes a great place to initiate arbitration. I believe if you file a complaint with the BBB, they notify the company of the registered complaint. Reputable companies try to resolve complaints registered with the BBB. You can also file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office against TCA in the state in which the company operates. States usually have a special task force that deals with this type of fraud. In this case, it involves a payment over the Internet, so it would be considered “wire fraud.”
I am sorry this happened to you. If you need a quality writer and will pay $10 per article, I am sure there are writers who visit this blog who would be interested. Please feel free to let me know and I’ll create a special post just for your need. If you want to do this, please put together a brief description of what you need and I’ll make it the next post on my blog.
dblkrose
January 9, 2011
Here is my following experience when applying to The Content Authority. Though I normally write creatively I tried my hand at this because I wanted to expand my writing skill and style. I was taken back by the responses to my application and the way this went down. T. NacCole Holmes is my lawyer, I myself wrote this article which was suppose to be a 150 word sample to apply to the website. You judge for yourself if this is the website you want to work for.
“Dear T. NacCole Holmes,
Attached you will find the article that Mr. DeCosta wrote and after which the two article which you will find our system picked up on as containing duplicate content.
Article Written:
Born to Fly
Very few insects can boast that they inhabit every corner of the planet like the common house fly. Properly called Musca domestic, this pest accounts for over 90% of all flies that dwell in human habitations and is a virulent carrier of a wide range of diseases including typhoid, cholera, salmonella, bacillary dysentery, tuberculosis, and anthrax. Due to their very nature, it is vital to understand this insect’s impact on the health and comfort of human beings and domesticated live stock throughout the world. One facet of this is how they reproduce and develop from egg, to larvae, to a full adult fly in a process called the complete metamorphosis.
The female fly, generally larger than the male, lays 500 eggs in batches of generally 75 to 150. She receives and stores sperm from the male and searches for an appropriate site to lay her eggs; normally garbage or feces. Within a day larvae, more commonly known as maggots, hatch and feed on the decaying material around them. Pale in color with a length of no more than 3 to 9mm, no legs, and wider at the end of their bodies than the start of their mouth; the maggot’s repugnant appearance is well known and highly visualized in settings depicting death or the decay of living organisms.
Within one week the larvae finds its way to a cool dry place and begins to transform into a pupae. This is so the adult structures of the insect can form while the larval structures are broken down. A hard protective coating, about 8mm in length, covers the now immobile insect and is normally reddish in color. Depending on the environment the adult fly emerges from the pupae within two to six days but may take sufficiently longer in colder environments. If able to avoid predators the average adult fly usually lives up to a month but can survive as long as two months if the availablity of food is plentiful. This longevity is highly dependent on the amount of sugar the insect can consume during its life. One should note that the female housefly can mate as soon as 36 hours after emerging and that the size of a fly in its adult stage is not an indication of age but how much it was able to consume as a larvae.
Because of the bane that Musca domestic has on human beings it is important to know the life cycle of the house fly. This way we may implement a form of control on their potential dangers. Even though they aid in the disposal of waste and form an important level of the food chain they also represent a serious hazard if left unchecked. It is abundantly clear that this insect’s lifespan is cut extremely short by simply removing their access to a food source. This knowledge is key to keeping these flying pests out of our homes and lives.
Sites where content appears to have been used from:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Top-10-Deadliest-Insects-on-Planet-Earth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housefly
As for the claims that we are using the content that is received as a way in which we can get free content or as you put, “secure a free writing sample to profit from” is equally defamatory and has no basis in fact.
However, Mr. DeCosta and you can review in our Writer FAQ area, that while we do not use any application content as a way in which to profit upon, this question of payment for sample work is dealt with in this area: See below which is found at this url: http://thecontentauthority.com/writer_faq.php
—
Will I be paid for the sample article submitted? No, but as soon as you start working through the site you will get paid for every accepted article.
—
This matter should now be put to rest and I thank you for your time.
Regards,
Shawn
On Sun, Jan 9, 2011 at 7:08 PM, wrote:
Shawn,
Mr. DeCosta appreciates your prompt response. However, he has addressed his concern that his work has not been plagiarized, but you have not responded. In order to resolve this matter, please provide Mr. DeCosta with proof to support your claim. Such proof can include a snap-shot from your “proprietary” source (Copyscape) used to claim Mr. DeCosta is a cheater and plagiarizer. Because you communicated your beliefs to third persons via e-mail transmittal, your assertions are defamation of character. As a result, Mr. DeCosta is experiencing severe and emotional distress by your plagiarism accusations.
Mr. DeCosta strongly believes that your company never had any intention of hiring him as a independent contractor, rather your goal was to secure a free writing sample to profit from. This is unacceptable. I trust that you will provide Mr. DeCosta with proof of his alleged plagiarism, or that you will compensate him for his time.
You can contact Mr. DeCosta via e-mail, or you can give me a call at 800-475-2510 to advise how you plan on handling this matter. If a resolution is not satisfactory, Mr. DeCosta has advised he will file complaints with the proper authority.
Hopefully this matter can be resolved expeditiously.
Sincerely,
T. NacCole Holmes
Stevenson & Associates
Litigation Associate
470 Wall Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
P: 800-475-2510
F: 877-834-1340
support@steveassociates.com
The contents of this email message and any attachments are confidential, and are intended solely for addressee. The information may also be legally privileged. This transmission is solely for the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, any use, reproduction or dissemination of this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender by reply email, or at 800-475-2510, and immediately delete this message and its attachments, if any.
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: [FWD: Re: [FWD: Writer Application – The Content Authority]]
From:
Date: Sun, January 09, 2011 6:34 pm
To: support@steveassociates.com
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Re: [FWD: Writer Application – The Content Authority]
From: S Manaher
Date: Sun, January 09, 2011 4:23 pm
To: dblkrose@jadedsilhouette.com
Cc: support@thecontentauthority.com, rulawgrad@ymail.com, Donna Yates
dblkrose,
Through this application process the software used to perform duplicate checks noted there were areas your article showed up elsewhere online. As a result it was rejected.
While in most cases we are willing to work with individuals and give them a second chance to correct these errors, making note that you have copied your lawyer certainly has made up my mind that you will not be brought on regardless on the quality of your writing.
You are not the kind of person we want to be associated with nor is it the type of person we want writing on our behalf.
The application process makes no guarantees for work and this application is formally closed.
Regards,
Shawn K. Manaher
President – The Content Authority
On Sun, Jan 9, 2011 at 6:12 PM, wrote:
Hello,
I just received the following e-mail after applying to become a writer on your website:
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Writer Application – The Content Authority
From: noreply@thecontentauthority.com
Date: Sun, January 09, 2011 12:17 pm
To: dblkrose@jadedsilhouette.com
Thank you for your interest in becoming a writer for The Content Authority (http://www.thecontentauthority.com)!
Unfortunately we aren’t able to accept you as a writer at this time.
Notes from the editor reviewing your application:
This application failed Copyscape because of directly copied sentences.
Thank you once again for your interest,
The Content Authority Editor Team
It is one thing to say that my work is not up to standard but to say that I directly copied sentences is, to me, an insult. I have been writing most of my life and I have never plagiarised anything. When you asked for a research article of about 150 words on the life cycle of the housefly you have to understand that a lot of the information will be factual and repeated. If you ask me to write you about the temperature of the room there is only so many ways I can tell you its 78 degrees. With that said, I took it upon myself to use several on-line plagiarism checkers with the following results:
dblkrose
January 9, 2011
To be fair I will post that the last e-mail I received from Shawn was to address my concerns in way that open a more positive and productive dialog. My hopes that something positive will come out of this for both sides and I will see what the future holds.
writing4effect
January 9, 2011
Hello, Mr. DeCosta. I am sorry for your unfortunate situation with The Content Authority (TCA). It appears from most of the comments here that Shawn, owner of TCA, is a good guy. It sounds like his company may have made an egregious mistake, but also may correct it with you. I hope this works out amicably. Companies do sometimes make mistakes and this may be one of them.
Hang in there and please let us know how this works out for you.
Wishing you the best.
Sherry
kelly
January 10, 2011
hey i just started with the ciontent authority. I know that most people are unhappy with the pay. i know the pay is low but it is something. The only problem that I have had so far is getting paid. I was supposed to be paid last week but was not. Faith showed me where i was pais and said that it was a problem with paypal. Well I contacted paypal and of course they are saying that the problem is with the content authority. Run arounds, I dislike them. I do not want to quit this company becasue I enjoy it but there is no need for me to write and not get paid. Has anyone else had this issue and how did you solve it?
kelly
January 10, 2011
Sorry for all the mistakes in that last post. Was in a big hurry.
writing4effect
January 11, 2011
No problem, glad you posted it.
writing4effect
January 11, 2011
Hi, Kelly, I am going to publish this on this blog in case someone else has had problems with them, too. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon. Sean, the owner fo TCA, left a comment on my original TCA post, so you may be able to contact him directly through that link. Please keep us updated on how things go. From what I’ve heard, he’s a stand-up guy and would want to know if there are issues with payment through his company.
kelly
January 12, 2011
Thank you so much. I will try that. This is getting very frustrating.
writing4effect
January 12, 2011
No problem, Kelly. I just looked at Shawn’s comment and clicked on his link. It went directly to The Content Authority’s website. When I clicked on “Contact Us” it revealed this email — support@thecontentauthority.com. Does this go to Shawn or to the woman you mentioned?
Also, there is a complaint in a comment further up on this post that contains come other email addresses for Shawn’s company. You might want to check out those, too.
Hope this works out for you. Out of all the writing jobs I’ve worked, I’ve only been cheated out of two. Two is two too many!
kelly
January 22, 2011
I just wanted to let everyone know that I did get my payment issue resolved.
Thanks again for all the help
writing4effect
January 23, 2011
That is very good news, Kelly, glad to hear it and thanks for sharing it with us here!
Portland locksmith
January 17, 2011
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with some pics to drive the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is fantastic blog. A great read. I’ll definitely be back.
Draanor
January 18, 2011
As the Lead Developer for The Content Authority I can assure you that we are the real deal and we really mean to pay our writers on time, every time and we pay over ten thousand dollars every week to our writers through Paypal. While I shouldn’t discuss details concerning clients or writers I can assure you that we mean to resolve each and every issue so that everyone comes out happy. If you are struggling the site, seriously contact support@thecontentauthority.com, I promise that they do answer and work to solve every problem emailed to them.
Some food for thought: we produce thousands of articles per week. In fact we have less a one day turnaround for Standard and Rewrite orders. If we didn’t have hundreds of happy writers working for us producing quality each and every week we would go out of business because turn around times would grow out of proportion and people would stop buying content.
Thanks for your time, and thanks for your commentary about The Content Authority, it certainly is enlightening. And I apologize to any writers who feel they were mistreated by The Content Authority. Have a great day. 🙂
writing4effect
January 18, 2011
Hello, “Draanor,” thank you for your visit and detail regarding TCA. We’ve had mostly good comments about the company. It’s good to know that your experience working for TCA is positive, too. Out of all the good things I’ve heard about TCA, I think we’ve only received two or three negative comments about the company on this blog. Even those may be worked out by now.
Marika
March 15, 2011
I’ve been writing for TCA for a few months now, and can honestly say it’s one of the easiest writing gigs I’ve ever had. Granted, it won’t make me rich, but it can pay my bills with minimal effort.
I will agree that the pay is low, even at the expert level. That said, knowing that 99.9% of my articles will be approved is nice, because it lets me know exactly what to expect on my paycheck every week. If I do $40 worth of fluff every day, I know I’ll get paid $280 on Monday. It doesn’t take a lot to make $40 on TCA, lol.
My next goal is to pull in $50 a day from that site. We’ll see what happens!
writing4effect
March 15, 2011
That’s good to hear, Marika. We’ve heard a lot of good things about TCA and some not-so-good things, but mostly good, so it sounds like you’re in good company. With your attitude and determination, I don’t doubt you’ll meet your $50 goal.
Lorraine
March 17, 2011
I was doing some research on TCA before I submitted an application and I was very encouraged to see this blog.
I am a college junior who is currently unemployed and would like to get some freelance writing experience. I am a nontraditional student and I think I could offer a perspective that may be missing from what is out there. TCA seemed as good a place as any to get started. I understand the low pay issue, and most things are what one make of them, but I still want to know a little more.
Can you suggest some other things/sites I should see before I fully commit? Or can anyone offer any advice?
Thanks again.
writing4effect
March 17, 2011
Hi, Lorraine. Please click on the “Writing Jobs” tab on my blog. You’ll see jobs that are always hiring writers, even not-so-seasoned ones like yourself. If you are not experienced and don’t have a full portfolio of examples to go from, I would stay away from Demand Media Studios, but many of the others would be a great fit. In addition, there are often jobs out there that prefer college students. I run into them quite often when sending out my “Daily Top Five Job Ads” to my email subscribers; although, I don’t typically include them. I suggest that you subscribe to job sites, such as monster.com, careerbuilder.com, *thingamajob.com, *jobfox.com, *dice.com, *creativecircle.com, *administrativejobs.com, *americanjobs.com, *freelancejobopenings.com, *http://twitter.com/#!/BloggersBaseJob and all other job sites available. It takes some time to set up portfolios and save searches, but after you do you can sometimes have jobs come to you. Plus, you’ll have search results come to you with the search criteria you enter. Some suggestions might be to save a search for remote writer, remote college, college writing, university writer or write for college. I was offered one position that I don’t have time to do that pays well, so you may be considered for it, since you are a college student. The job is writing about the professors and staff of a leading university (interviews?) — I’ll have to find the email and forward it to you … if I still have it.
Don’t be overwhelmed by creating portfolios on job sites. Do one a day and start with the ones I asterisked (*). You can do manual searches at your leisure if you prefer and aren’t desperate for income.
Hope this helps and I wish you the best.
— Sherry
Shawn Manaher
March 18, 2011
Hi Sherry, I meant to ask this before, but can you kindly remove the top paragraph that states that TCA was purchased by Yahoo!?
This statement simply is not true, I am the one and only president, CEO, etc etc 🙂
Thanks so much!
– Shawn
PS – If you ever want to do an interview with me, I would be more than willing to provide you one if you are interested.
writing4effect
March 20, 2011
Thank you for pointing that out, Shawn. Yes, absolutely, I got that from another blog and even included the link to the post. I will share with them this information, too. And thank you for the offer to interview you. I may just take you up on that in the very near future!
Kenneth
March 24, 2011
Sherry,
This blog is amazing! I am a freelance writer working on various sites such as Internet Brands (for upfront payment) and Factoidz (for residual income). I often wanted to explore other writing sites but never had a chance to do so. I cannot recall how I got into this blog but I am definitely glad that I did. I just passed my application to TCA and I am crossing my fingers.
As a left left amputee living in the Philippines, I find writing opportunities exciting. It is easy to say, and albeit true, that original articles should cost more, down here in my country where a dollar is equal to P 40, a $6 per 400 words is quite acceptable. For writing How To articles at Internet Brands I get paid $10 per 500 words, for writing Coupons articles, I get $2 per 100 words. However, Internet Brands is a bit ridden with inconsistencies such as article availability and conflicting staff editors’ opinion.
Anyway, I am looking forward for new posts on this Blog and will post here if my application at TCA got accepted. Thank you for taking time to read my post. 🙂
writing4effect
March 24, 2011
Hello, Kenneth, so glad to have you aboard. Thank you for sharing your amazing story. You know, you should apply at wiseGEEK.com. The company hires international writers and pays $10 and $14 US per article. If you put your cursor over the “Writing Jobs” tab, a toolbar will drop down and wiseGEEK is on the list. Click on that and that pages explains how to apply as an international writer.
I look forward to hearing how your application with TCA works out and finding out whether you applied to wiseGEEK.
Kenneth
March 24, 2011
Sherry,
My TCA application just got approved! I can now write tier 1 articles. Thank you for the info on wisegeek. I will apply today and will update you. I read your blog post “under the cover’ and it was very moving. Thank you again and have a wonderful, wonderful day!
writing4effect
March 24, 2011
I am very happy for you, Kenneth. So glad you are finding posts you appreciate here, and you, too have a most wonderful day — ☺
Artesia
March 31, 2011
OMG Sherry! This is the most helpful site to date. I’ve been on the web for hours for last few days looking for more work. I worked for DS but they’re kinda of wishy washy but the 15 er article wasn’t bad. There are not alot of sites that compare. I applied to wisegeek, content divas and two others per your recommendations! Thanks.
I was wondering if you have any more tips or advice on reaching other companies or clients on and offline?
writing4effect
March 31, 2011
That is awesome, Artesia, good for you. I’ll post some others here, too. Another thing I’m going to do in the near future is insert a new tab that will include a cumulative list of freelance job websites and sites that post freelance writing jobs. I might not get to that for a few weeks, but please keep posted for when it happens.
As far as tips on reaching other companies, I use a broad variety of sites that I set up auto alerts to be notified of jobs. Some let me do this — others do not and I have to manually go there daily to check the list.
Some good ones to watch are problogger.net, bloggingpro.com, dice.com, indeed.com, freelancejobopenings.com and genuinejobs.com; although, there are tons of others. I set up auto-alerts on monster.com, careerbuilder.com and yahoo! careers and apply to the ones that my skills match.
Another tip that works really well for me is that I created a standard introductory email I use as my cover letter and modify it according to the job skills required. I posted a sample of it here on this blog. Also, I have different resumes for different specialties — e.g., finance writer, real estate writer, legal writer, etc.
That way I can apply to several job postings in a relatively short amount of time. Keep in mind, you must apply to new jobs you see quickly. I learned that early on that they typically stop looking at new job apps and will even shut down the job post after receiving so many. You have to be on of the first ones to apply to seriously be considered.
So glad you visited and please let me know if you have any questions. I’d be happy to help.
rm002
April 5, 2011
Hi Sherry, I am a freelance writer from India and have been visiting this blog for quite some time now. After reading all the discussions regarding ‘The Content Authority’ I was encouraged to submit my writer’s application last week. But lately I came across a general discussion at – List of Content Mills – where it says that ‘The Content Authority’ is only accepting applications but not hiring more writers ( as of 3/13/2011). This information has indeed dampened my hopes of getting accepted as a writer here. Furthermore I have still not received any response regarding my application- Please Help!!!
writing4effect
April 5, 2011
Hello. So glad you follow us here! I am not sure what I can do, but I would be happy to contact Shawn personally. I’ll let you know if he responds. You know, wiseGEEK hires international writers if you can write in excellent American English. They pay far more than TCA — $10 to $14 US per 400- to 500-word article. Why don’t you apply there?
writing4effect
April 5, 2011
I did receive a response from the company’s owner and he said the company’s still hiring, just behind on reviewing applications. See his full email responses below:
Hi Sherry, thanks for the email. We are still hiring, but behind on reviewing the application we have. We should be able to clear them within the week … I just looked, we have 162 applicants still to review this week. Shawn
rm002
April 5, 2011
I would just like to add- List of Content Mills- http://articlewritingforum.com/index.php?topic=543.0.
writing4effect
April 5, 2011
Excellent list. You have some that I have yet to add to my list and others that I did not know about. Thank you!
rm002
April 5, 2011
Thanks a ton Sherry for your kind help. I really appreciate it and would let you know as soon as something comes my way. Thank you once again.
writing4effect
April 5, 2011
You’re welcome. That’s no problem; happy to help.
gerald
April 14, 2011
Hello writing4effect,I applied for a writing job at TCA before i found this blog.However my writing sample was rejected.Reason was that it had been published some where else. OMG is that not totally ridiculous,I wrote the sample article and published a copy to a revenue sharing site that has my name on it. I read some where on TCA that the article would not be used but i think the system automatically feeds clients projects to the application page so that people applying can write a free gig for them to make money.
I was wondering if anyone has looked into it or experienced something similar.
Thanks for the great job you are doing with this blog.
Gerald from the Ukraine
writing4effect
April 15, 2011
Hi, Gerald. I am thinking that TCA has a policy that is common with article writing companies when they request a sample with your application. They want an original sample. They want to know that you wrote the article, so they require a sample that has never been published anywhere else on the Internet before. What you could have done, instead, is wait until you were accepted and then published it on the revenue share site. I assume that is why you were rejected. Can you resubmit an application to TCA? If so, I would do that. Thanks for the visit and I hope you’ll come back! — Sherry
yogasui
April 29, 2011
I wanted to leave an update about my experience with TCA. Previously, as a new writer, I wasn’t experienced enough to provide pro and con. On this site, I did see writers remark about pay issues, and doing screen prints of their system to help with issues. Unfortunately, my experience with TCA hasn’t been positive overall. Comparing IMarketing2030 dba The Content Authority and Niche Tracker to other web content service companies such as Textbroker, CopyPress, WriterAccess and some others, this is the only business that has given me payment problems and some other issues. I have yet to be paid for work they accepted and provided to clients back at the end of March/early April. They do not pay you unless you make $25, and even then, they have paid me hours after their own window, without pre-warning, explanation or apology. Online reports show that company online made over a half million in profit its first year. TCA claims to start the writer at level 2, but it started me at level 1. No explanation. I’ve worked for other SEO companies and stared off with the others at average, and worked up. In the case of TCA, they not only started me out at level 1, but I wrote a number of pieces before I made level 2. At level 2, I had access to level 1 assignments and could see level 1 assignments were more numerous than level 2. It was rare for me to take a level 1 assignment because the pay was horrible. A 500 word count article, for example for $1.50. Online writers should be aware that companies plant good PR things about themselves online and hire people to comment to this effect. Consequently, it is difficult to get the facts. The fact of the matter is that TCA’s system, unlike other web content provider systems, dings articles that make reference to authorities sites like the NIH. The system has a huge web that is so generic that it captured words such as “the” and “cancer” as hits to the NIH site as alerts for potential plagiarism. My articles got tied up in their system no less than 3x—and I lost 2 opportunities to get paid for what I’d written because their system timed me out before their help staff intervened in time. TCA gives 8 hours to write or rewrite content. It gives clients a couple of days to approve.
The TCA content system is foul to writers. There is no reference to the writer’s TCA assigned account number in any email correspondence or PayPal payment issued to the writer. There is nothing issued out of their system to the writer about how much they owe you. The TCA system shows the writer payments cleared for pay with a green flag, versus a white flag or red flag, and yet, TCA consistently underpaid me by 1 assignment each time. This happened even though an assignment was cleared green 24 hours before scheduled pay. I was work efforts to ensure clients received the assignment and had 3 days to approve or the TCA kick in for auto acceptance and payment. It’s a myth that TCA pays competitive rates for U.S. based companies and U.S. based writers. TCA pays as if it operates in India where the people are exploited for lack of labor regulations or equity.
TCA decided to demote my writing level back to level 1. This was very handy for them since they seemed to have too many level 1 assignments flooding the board that nobody was taking. The editor did this without pre-notice, without feedback about the pile of other writing that was done. For the few times when I was asked for a rewrite–it was for 1 or 2 minor things. I typically did rewrites versus writing original articles because the assignments were not reasonable for the money compared to a rewrite. With a conservative estimate, I did well over 30 rewrites, and many of these were not particularly well-written, including typos, opinion and paraphrasing content. It was clear word padding was going on more often than not.
The truth of the matter is that these web content companies are making money. Clients are receiving content that they are posting online, whether people condescend to SEO writers or not. I gave TCA the benefit of the doubt, in spite of online writers making comments about how they conduct business to make their half a million profit and more. Writers should avoid companies that do not treat suppliers well, whether they are online or off. It does not matter if you are an employee or an independent contractor. It does not matter if a company is in Pittsburgh or India. It does not matter if a company attempts to treat U.S. workers as they are outsourcing in India to exploit workers. What matters is that you take your work supply to a business with a reputation for fair labor practices. I have never had any problems at all with Textbroker or any other U.S. based company with payment–just The Content Authority. I have never had any U.S. based company pay so poorly, just The Content Authority. No other U.S. based company that I’ve worked with requires a minimum $25 threshold, just TCA. I’ve never had a company retract my assigned level of writing just TCA. I’ve written for Textbroker since September 2010, and have never had an article rejected to date. I’ve written nearly 130 articles for this one company, and as much for other content providers.
It’s not all “winning” the game, it’s how you play the game and how you treat others. If the content providers played games with writers to manipulate their gains, including absolute failure to pay money owed, then shame on them. Hopefully, the word will get around and nobody with any sense of value or fair play will bring their word supply and skills to help that company obtain ill-gotten gains.
As a writer said above TCA operates like a scam. The CONtent Authority may be a better spelling. The Better Business Bureau in PA (where the CEO of TCA, if not the business resides. The IMarketing2030 company info seems to be as elusive and sketchy as getting payment) has been contacted as well as my state consumer protection division. They started a file to document there is a problem with this company. They have also informed me that the Dept of Labor in your state can be contacted to file a wage complaint. I’m going to contact the Federal Trade Commission (which looks into scam complaints) and the Dept of Commerce to see what they can offer. This is all ridiculous. This company is U.S. based, and since it knows better, it should do better business.
writing4effect
April 29, 2011
This is really interesting information. So glad you left an update here. Companies must use quality plagiarism tools to filter articles, and I know there are some out there that capture common phrases and words that should never be an issue. TCA may be one of those companies.
You have taken a very good route in attempting to address this issue. I know the BBB does contact the company for every complaint they receive in attempts to arbitrate the issue, so you may receive an update on their efforts. Companies often relent when faced with BBB complaints. Please keep us updated on your progress.
Annabelle Villanueva
May 10, 2011
Hi, ma’am. I’ve been writing for The Content Authority since April 2010. I’m so happy and proud to be with this company. Prior to being one of its writers, I wrote more than a hundred costume descriptions for another U.S.-based company, as a one-time deal that made me spend sleepless nights just to finish the project. But, when I submitted such, that particular company paid me almost two months later, despite my request emails that reminded my contact person of our agreement. More so, I also wrote a few articles for a local company (here in the Philippines) that paid so low, and had a manager who insulted me for being a “bad writer.” Definitely, TCA is not like any of the mentioned two companies, and I am sure that TCA is one of the best 🙂 Sir Shawn and Ma’am Faith are very supportive, approachable, and friendly (the exact opposite of that manager who insulted me, and to think he is also a Filipino). Five stars for TCA 🙂
Writing4Effect
May 10, 2011
Dear Ann, thank you for sharing your success story about TCA. So happy that you found something that works well for you. We always love hearing about how a company is working out, rather than the opposite. Congratulations on your good fortune and it was wonderful for you to visit us here at Writing 4 Effect. Hope you come back often — 😉 You seem to write in very good English. Have you tried applying at wiseGEEK? They pay $10 and $14 US dollars per 400- to 500-word article. It might be something you would want to consider. Best wishes on your continued success!
Annabelle Villanueva
May 10, 2011
Hello, ma’am. Thank you so much for your comment in my blog. Now I am all the more confident that I am indeed a good writer, as opposed to what that local company’s manager called me (I made a mistake in my last article that time, and he based his comment on that). Re wiseGEEK, I applied last year (at around the same time I applied at TCA), but was not accepted; it was most probably because of a grammatical error that I found out after my application. Since then, I did not apply at any other company again, most especially that I have become contented with TCA… Your blog is wonderful; I will visit this from time to time.
Writing4Effect
May 11, 2011
That is so great that you found a company for which to write where you are content. Those kind of compliments are always good to hear. Thank you, Ann.
Annabelle Villanueva
May 11, 2011
You’re very much welcome, ma’am. 🙂
Lee
June 21, 2011
Hello,
Great information you have here about paid-to-write websites, most particularly about the Content Authority Site. I am on the lookout for writing gigs that can help supplement my financial needs.
I’m a law student here in the Philippines and sometimes it can be difficult juggling between a 9-hour job and studying law. Because of that, I definitely think that this kind of job is definitely a good complement for people like me.
I am definitely coming back for more juicy information. Thanks.
Writing4Effect
June 21, 2011
Welcome, Lee. So glad you found something helpful. Congratulations on the law studies. My first impression is that you write in very good American English. If that is the case, you don’t have to settle for the minimal pay that TCA offers. There are several freelance writing websites with ads for jobs that hire international writers, too. Some good ones are jobs.problogger.net, http://www.bloggingpro.com/jobs/ and craigslist.com. For Craigslist, you need to select the different cities in which you want to look for jobs, then look under the Job heading for writing jobs. I will be posting the process to set up iGoogle to automatically receive writing jobs from ads posted on Craigslist from the cities of your choice in the next week, so you can implement it for your own use if you are interested. So glad you’ve joined our humble community!
Lee
June 22, 2011
Hello,
I honestly have no idea what that is but from what i have read so far from your reply I think that could do wonders for people like me.
Right now I’m doing the transition from writing using the keyboard to writing using voice dictation software using Dragon Naturally Speaking. It does take some getting used to as my brain is not quite used to speaking out thoughts consistently that flow.
Writing4Effect
June 22, 2011
Hello, Lee. I’ve heard of DNS, but never used it. I know what you mean. Sometimes when I write, I have a hard enough time “speaking out thoughts consistently that flow,” let alone trying to do it off the top of my head verbally. I have a great friend I met through my blog here that has a fantastic post on how to auto-setup job ads using iGoogle and how to set up the job hunting process using it, so I’ll just leave the link to her post here so that you don’t have to wait for my new post — http://www.yellowbrickroad.com/follow/how-to-find-a-job-quickly-and-easily-with-igoogle/.
Really glad you’re visiting here in our little corner of the blog world — 😉
Safwan R
June 25, 2011
Hi Writing4Effect writer,
I recently came across the TCA when I thought of taking my writing career online. I must say I had to browse many websites to get all the information possible on TCA while over here on this single blog post I received all the information I needed. Great blog, great admin who takes time to reply individually and encourage engaging discussion. I really appreciate it. Just took the time to make this post to appreciate who ever owns this blog. 🙂
-Safwan R.
Writing4Effect
June 25, 2011
Hello, Safwan. It’s always good to hear when someone finds something useful on this site. So glad you like the blog and appreciate the comment exchange. I appreciate your visit here and hope you return. Please let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see or see more of — 😉
–Sherry
Safwan R
June 26, 2011
One more thing I would like to add in this discussion that writers from Asia or Far east can make decent amount of money through TCA. It’s because the currency fluctuation, since I’m a Pakistani, I’ll only speak for my fellow citizens. If an average Pakistani makes even the least amount of $300/month at TCA, he’s still making 100% more then the 60% of Pakistan’s population. So in a sense TCA is very beneficial for international writers from third world countries or for those who want to fill-in-the-blanks in their free time.
For UK, USA or Canadian writers who find the pay ‘insulting’ should consider joining Demand Media Studio, TextBroker or BrightHub which pays relatively more.For Asian writers or writers without any prior experience, TCA should be a good place to start.
And I agree, some people pay less then what TCA is offering. I would like to admit that I got paid $0.50 per 500-word article on Odesk.com when I first joined it. I did it for the sake of ratings only so TCA isn’t the only lowest payer out there.
I will apply for TCA in a few hours and let’s see if I get accepted, or not. In any case, does anyone know how long does it take TCA to review and accept/decline you’re application? And do they send you an application rejection mail?
Writing4Effect
June 26, 2011
Good information, Safwan. It helps our visiting Pakistani friends understand the possibilities available to them. I can’t imagine you won’t be accepted by TCA. I understand from the owner that it could take more than a week depending on the amount of applications they have in the queue. Wishing you the best!
–Sherry
Safwan R
June 26, 2011
Thanks for the information and motivation, Sherry. I appreciate it all. I will hopefully check this blog from time to time and make an appearance. Till then, have a good one!
-Safwan R.
Writing4Effect
June 28, 2011
I forgot to mention this, Safwan, but when you apply at TCA, mention that you were referred by Sherry Zander at Writing 4 Effect. I have a good relationship with the owner and he may rush your application with that information … it could happen. I hope you do come back, Safwan. Would love to receive your comments and feedback!
Safwan R
June 28, 2011
Oh man! I forgot to add that in my application. Is there anyway you could contact her with that? I will deeply appreciate your help. Your simply the sweetest. 🙂 Thanks for your concern.
-Safwan R.
Matt
July 3, 2011
Great article and an excellent blog! 🙂
My work situation is not great at the moment, so I’ve been looking into these sorts of writing jobs as a way to supplement my income. So much useful info here, so thank you very much.
Do you know how long it should take to hear back from TCA? I sent in an application about a week ago but haven’t had a reply. I might send them a follow up e-mail if I don’t hear anything in another day or 2.
Writing4Effect
July 3, 2011
Hi, Matt. Thank you for that. So glad you visited and thrilled that you found something useful. Please note that TCA has been receiving an exceptional number of applications and are pretty much always backlogged. I recently talked to Sean, the owner, about this and he said it might be a week or two before people hear back from their applications. If you live in the US, UK or Canada, you might want to consider higher paying positions if you are confident with your American or UK English writing skills. Demand Media Studios and wiseGEEK pay the highest for content mills — from $10 to $15 per 400 to 500-word article. For either, just type in the name and the websites will pop up in the results, or do a search on my blog and you’ll find the links, too. I wish you great success in this, Matt, and please come back!
smanaher
July 9, 2011
Sherry, as always, thanks for keeping everyone up to date with changes going on at TCA and sharing them with your audience. Speaking of updates, we recently have been working with a client that will be looking for 100s of articles a day, starting toward the end of July. This should be on going and the rates will be between .01 and .03 per word. We are excited to see this growth and wanted to be sure your visitors were aware we are looking for some top writers to fulfill this request. Regards, Shawn
Writing4Effect
July 9, 2011
No problem, Shawn. That’s very good news about the new project. Hundreds of articles per day provides a lot of opportunity. I received several emails from newly subscribed members asking me about the time it takes to obtain approval/rejection through TCA and I told them that you typically have a backlog of a week or two. If that is not correct, please notify us here. Thanks for keeping us updated on TCA work. We appreciate it.
–Sherry
smanaher
July 9, 2011
Sherry,
Normally the wait time for new applications to be reviewed is 2 weeks, however, the word is out and we have been flooded… Over 500+ samples are still waiting to be reviewed.
For those who are really eager to get started, they are welcome to send Donna (our writer support lead) an email at support @ thecontentauthority.com and she will be happy to move their review to the front.
Regards,
Shawn
Writing4Effect
July 9, 2011
Thank you, Shawn, there are several subscribers here that will be happy to know that.
shantly
July 11, 2011
Excellent blog! This is for the first time I’m commenting on an article. To be honest, I’ve never seen such an informative one. Really thrilled to see this. Thanks Sherry Ma’am.
As I am from India, we dont have much opportunities like you peole. And I am relatively a newbie in freelance writing, though I have ghost written many articles and many are shown in the top 10 list when I search in google….may be I am good in SEO :-). I started my freelancing wring career with mturk (very very low in terms of pay), I was getting some decent pay(not that high) with elance contracts. But my last contract ended just two days back, and I have done enough research of freelance sites allowing international writers. But as i dont have much to prove as a freelancer in wisegeek or bright hub, still I have to earn something sitting at home itself (i need to take care of my 2 year old kid), I applied for The Content Authority. Waiting eagerly for the result. And from this blog, I understand that I need to wait for 2 weeks……..Thanks for the information
Writing4Effect
July 11, 2011
Hello, Shantly. Thank you for visiting and for the wonderful kudos you shared. Congratulations on all the articles hitting the top 10 list — I’ve probably visited some of them! In order to move your TCA application to the top, Shawn told me I could tell my viewers to contact Donna (the writer support lead) an email at support@thecontentauthority.com to move their application to the top of the pile. I would definitely email her and let her know, Shantly. Wishing you the best from Writing 4 Effect.
–Sherry
Vlad Tepes
July 26, 2011
“Shawn told me I could tell my viewers to contact Donna”
better not.
“Thank you for applying to become a writer at The Content Authority. Your application was submitted successfully.
Applications are handled in the order they are received. Please refrain from submitting another application or emailing support asking when the application will be reviewed as you will receive an email at that time. This could happen today, in two weeks, or it could be longer, depending on where you are in the ever changing line of applicants. “
Writing4Effect
July 27, 2011
Hello, Vlad. I know the owner, Shawn, personally. Regardless of the auto-response you receive after submitting your application, if you had sent it directly to Donna stating that you were told to do so based on Shawn’s instruction on the Writing 4 Effect blog, you would have received preferred status and your application would be reviewed much quicker. That is what the owner of TCA told me to tell my readers.
shantly
July 16, 2011
Hi Ma’am…I am very happy to inform that I got selected by TCA….just in 1 day as i sent a mail as you mentioned……The information was really useful………Because of this blog, I didnt have to wait much……….But now the issue is I could not find much artilces to write on………I am not sure whether there is some particular times when articles are available in bulk…..As we follow Indian Standard Timings, I doubt whether most of the work gets completed during US timings………I am not sure, still doubt so…….I need to check and ensure it……Anyways let me wait and see the result of my work………
Writing4Effect
July 16, 2011
Hello, Shantly, I know Shawn answered your questions, but I wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS! I am very happy for you and that this blog could help. If you ever need assistance or have questions, please feel free to ask on this blog. We have a great audience of followers, many who are experienced writers, who don’t mind giving direction or providing assistance. Again, congratulations!! 😉
smanaher
July 16, 2011
Shantly, the lack of articles is not due to a lack of business… in fact we are seeing record weeks of production, but what it is a reflection on is us bringing on more writers to handle the load of a client who will significantly increase our article orders on a daily and weekly basis… Therefore we have hired 400 writers in the last 2 weeks in expectation of more work coming through early next week and ongoing from there. I apologize for any inconvenience you are experiencing as a result of this. Regards, Shawn
Shantly
July 16, 2011
Thank you, Shawn…I’m really excited to see your reply……I am eagerly waiting to see the increase in number of articles……
MaryLu
August 2, 2011
Hi! I am leaving this reply with a different name b/c I plan to continue writing for TCA for a bit longer. I don’t think that TCA is a scam…I have been paid on time for the past two weeks, but I think that the website works to get your hopes up and then downgrades you when you least expect it. In the past two weeks, I have submitted 75+ articles. I am a fast typist and write well. I was promoted to a Tier 2 and then downgraded to a Tier 1 in all of two weeks (after successfully submitting 75+ articles). I was downgraded after receiving a request for a revision on one article. The only request for revision I received on this article was that there were typos…nothing else. There was one typo. Resubmitted the article and then received the notice that I had been downgraded to a Tier 1 several minutes later.
The e-mail indicated that there were deep concerns about my writing, so I responded and asked them to provide details. The concerns that they had were groundless…nothing that could not have been revised in a matter of seconds by me. However, other than the one article with one typo I was never asked to submit any revisions. Clearly, TCA’s goal was lower me to a Tier 1 no matter what so they had to find anythin to hang their hat on and they did.
I think that they try to hook good writers in promise them the world…yeah right…at a Tier 2 and then downgrade them with the hope that they will stay…Why would anyone stay on at Tier 1 after writing at Tier 2? Well, I can’t really answer that question…but if a writer does stay on at a Tier 1 level TCA stands to earn substantially more.
In any event, I think that anyone who writes on the Internet should never put all their eggs in one basket and always be on the hunt for the next Easter Bunny :)….They say there is always something better out there…that may not be the case with everything, but with writing there usually is. If you sell your self short, you’ll get taken time after time again.
In my opinion, everyone should think of TCA as a backup to their overall freelance writing plan. You have to think of yourself first before thinking of anyone else *especially if you have to pay the bills*! I will probably continue writing for TCA for the time being, but have lost faith in the organization. I don’t think that they really intend to attract high caliber writers with the goal of keeping them on too long, so if you don’t mind working for cooley wages then TCA is the best choice!
Best wishes and NEVER let them get you down.
a/k/a MaryLu
Writing4Effect
August 3, 2011
I agree with so many thing you said, *MaryLu*. Don’t put all your “Easter” eggs in one basket, even if one company is your biggest money-maker. I also agree with using TCA and companies like TCA as backup income and not ever letting any job get you down. Hold your head up, keep writing, keep honing your skills and continue to look for better paying positions. You will find them. 😉
MaryLu
August 8, 2011
John Grisham’s book The Firm was rejected 28 times before being accepted by a publisher…and if don’t know how well The Firm did look it up!!!! One of the best selling books of all time! See the movie if you haven’t read the book…it’s great!
Grossed MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!
Rocky….Stallone’s wrote the script for Rocky in just 3 days! He sold his 1st script for $100 USD. The guy was rejected by many agents. He had to sell his dog on the street to survive. Yes, he did. No matter what never give up…..
My Dad had less than a 7% chance of living…I was told to go in and say goodbye….when asked if he wanted to live another hour or two or go in for an emergency operation that could instantly kill him he said let’s give it a shot. He clung to life in the recovery room for one whole month *people are in an out of the recovery room in one day or less*. Guess what …he lived 20 years longer to the ripe old age of 91…:) NEVER GIVE UP no matter ho hard things get b/c it AIN’T OVER TILL THE FAT LADY SINGS :).
Don’t let rejection get in the way. Keep writing and what you need will come your way!
Writing4Effect
August 8, 2011
I agree, MaryLu, that was a whole lotta encouragement there.
Another good example is Stephen King. I’ll never forget his story. He and his family were living in poverty. He and his wife agreed that if his book was not accepted by the next editor he submitted it to, he would give up on writing and find a “real” job. Fortunate for him and those who love his genre, his manuscript was accepted and the rest is history … Don’t give up on your dreams. Eventually, they will come true!
A.Roddy
August 25, 2011
I have written for them a little over a year now. Much to my dismay , the rewrites are now only for level 2. This just happened today. I think they are going to regret this move because it could turn ff some potential clients who want the cheap. You cant always depend on standard articles for income. Their first mistake was hiring anew wave of writers. whose writing may not be up to par even on 3 or 4 level. I am very distressed over this.
Writing4Effect
August 25, 2011
Hello, A. Roddy. As you can see, we’ve had a lot of comments here about this particular company and it’s always interesting to hear about each one’s experience. Thank you for sharing yours. It makes you wonder what Sean’s strategy is in growing TCA with all the new writers.
smanaher
August 26, 2011
Unfortunately, the decisions that we make will not please everyone all the time.
In this case, this decision was driven by quality and response back from clients. There were way too many articles coming back that were not up the the level of quality that rewrites needed to be…
However, A Roddy, we are reasonable and do listen to feedback. (Which is typically not the case for many content companies). A Roddy, please feel free to send Kat or Donna and email at support@thecontentauthority.com to ask them to review your work for a tier advancement.
Based on what you have written above, you demonstrate clear thought and it comes out well in your writing. Unlike my writing many time, your sentence structure flows well and you bring across your point.
Sherry, you bring up a great point, “What is your strategy?” Our strategy is to create an experience for both writers and clients that make them not only like coming to us for content and writing assignments, but love being part of a company attempting to produce quality at all levels. As a result of this, we often have more work than writers and so we are constantly needing to hire more.
We feel this will slow down over the next few month as we institute our Writer Workshop(s) which will be exclusive to TCA, helping writers to learn their craft through educational webinars and interactive media.
Writing4Effect
August 26, 2011
As always, Shawn, thank you for providing feedback and unknown details. We have a lot of TCA followers on this blog, so I highly value your responses to the comments submitted here. You value their issues by responding and enabling them to have them resolved. As I am fully aware, quality is as, if not more, important as quality. Your writers must understand that.
They also should know how to be considered for higher levels if their writing warrants it. Please tell us how to do that. Do they simply follow the same process you noted to A. Roddy in your previous comment?
Love your strategy and happy to hear that you have more work than writers. It just shows that businesses value what you have to offer.
My advice to the TCA writers reading this is to take full advantage of any writer workshop or opportunities Sean provides through TCA. Even if you are a seasoned writer, you could use a freshening up and assurance that you are following the guidelines used in TCA.
BTW, folks, Shawn has offered to do an interview with me. You may be seeing the results of that interview on this blog soon!
smanaher
August 26, 2011
There you go, click a button and miss the final proof read. “needing”
Writing4Effect
August 26, 2011
LOL, I fixed it! 😉
A.Roddy
August 26, 2011
It hurts the ones who do quality rewrites at level 1. Some of the rewrites are poorly written. I had to correct several sentence fragments and try to make sense out of incoherence lately. Not all will have the experience for higher tiers. Suggestions:Why not block those with the most rejects? Other sites have block features. Second allow writers to set up resumes and detailed writer profiles. This can increase chancez of DOs. Thanks fir the comment Sean. Im not sure what my next move is but am staying at TCA for now.
John Low
August 31, 2011
Hi writing4effect,
I don’t usually post on blogs, but I would just like to let you know that I find your blog particularly informative and useful.
From this blog I managed to find out that, The Content Authority is not a scam, and in fact even hires international writers (many sites I’ve found only pay US citizens). The fact that the owner of the company comments on your blog also lends it credence.
Because of your blog, I submitted an application to TCA about 4 days ago, and only just sent them another e-mail to (hopefully) expedite my application. I would like to thank you for your blog and would like you to know that sometimes, even if you might not know it, there will be people that appreciate your work
Warm regards,
John Low
Writing4Effect
September 1, 2011
Hi, John. I feel honored that you commented here on my blog. Thank you for the kudos and the visit. Nothing makes me happier than to know that someone found something valuable on this blog. Wishing you the best with TCA. Take care. Sherry
John Low
September 2, 2011
Hi Sherry,
I got accepted into TCA yesterday 🙂
however my application with wiseGEEK was rejected. perhaps the writing samples I gave were too conversational and informal? slightly depressed by this.
Won’t let that get me down though, are there any other suggestions you might have?
Thank you in advance!
John
Writing4Effect
September 2, 2011
Congratulations, John. That’s wonderful news. In regards to wiseGEEK, I believe you can apply again in six months. I suggest that you research some of the WG articles and tailor your article to reflect them exactly before you resubmit your application to them. I believe there are some other companies that hire international writers. Read through the first paragraph of my “Jobs” tab on my blog and you’ll see some bidding sites that also hire internationals — https://writing4effect.wordpress.com/writing-jobs/. You may also find other companies as you read down the list there. Don’t be discouraged, since there are so many companies out there now that hire writers from all over the world.
John Low
September 20, 2011
hey there, just thought i’d leave a reply about my experience so far. Each of my first 5 articles (under probation) were reviewed within 24 hours and I just got my first pay out from TCA 🙂 the time it took was of course not TCA’s fault, it was because of my own busy schedule. Needless to say this company isn’t a sham and they pay when they say they’re gonna pay, plus, they very recently revamped their website too, it looks very modern now 🙂 hope this helps somebody else out there! cheers!
Writing4Effect
September 20, 2011
Hey, John, always glad to hear about someone’s experience with a company noted on this blog. I didn’t realize TCA modernized their website — will have to check it out. Thanks for the info and good luck on your writing — 😉
A.Roddy
October 18, 2011
Well, I just got demoted to Tier 0 with no warning. I am upset to say the least.
Writing4Effect
October 25, 2011
I am so sorry to hear that. Feel free to contact Shawn and ask for an explanation. I think he may be open to responding — at least, I hope so.
Rashida
January 24, 2012
As a Junior in high school, I am not seeking to become a professional writer. I have always found English to be a very simple subject, and I do enjoy writing. For somebody who wants a bit of extra cash, the website is fine. I have only had one of my articles sent back. Of course, better pay would be nice, but frankly it does not take me that much time to research and write the articles.
Writing4Effect
February 24, 2012
This is good to know, Rashida. I’ve heard this from many other international writers, too. Glad that’s working out for you and thank you for leaving the comment.
smanaher
February 15, 2012
Hi Sherry, I would like to let you and the folks here at Writing4effect know that The Content Authority is hiring again and if anyone is interested in applying they can fill out an application here: http://thecontentauthority.com/application-to-write. All the best! Shawn
Writing4Effect
February 24, 2012
Here’s the comment Shawn from The Content Authority provided to the readers here at Writing 4 Effect. If you’re interested, don’t hesitate to apply!
Surya
April 2, 2012
God the number of comments on your post are enormous, I have to leave it midway. But surprisingly, you reply to every comment!!
Writing4Effect
April 20, 2012
Hi, Surya. It’s only fitting to reply when someone takes the time to comment. Glad you checked out so many of them, though. Hope they were helpful and thanks for the visit.
smanaher
April 20, 2012
Sherry, thanks for keeping this alive and well… I am always open to field questions and provide as much detail as possible myself.
Writing4Effect
July 21, 2012
It’s a pleasure, Shawn, since it’s obvious many writers enjoy writing for TCA. Please keep in touch and let us know of any new things going on with TCA. 😉
Christy
May 29, 2012
Wow, I am really surprised to see so many complaints posted in the comment section. I’ve been writing for TCA for over a year now. I am tier 4 writer (expert level) and have always been paid on time. I stopped writing for Demand Studios after I began writing for TCA because the staff is so much friendlier and I found the system easier to manage. I have earned around $5,000 writing articles on all sorts of subjects. I still write for many other websites, but TCA is my favorite. I find it interesting that so many people mention the poor quality of the articles. Tier 4 articles are completely free of any errors. The writers at TCA not only write articles they also write eBooks which are eventually sold online. I’m not sure where people are getting their information but I know for a fact that there are many excellent writers who write for TCA.
Writing4Effect
February 16, 2013
This is very interesting information, Christy. Thank you for sharing. I’m posting this to encourage others.
Cheryl
September 6, 2012
Hello, yeah this piece of writing is genuinely nice and I have learned lot of things from it regarding blogging.
thanks.
Writing4Effect
February 16, 2013
Hi, Cheryl. Always glad to see comments like this. Thank you, and happy to know you’ve learned something from this blog!
Sherry
Debra Coover
September 30, 2012
i have published one book called Stumbles. Currently I am working on two more but my money situations are not good. I am very interested in doing freelance writing work
Writing4Effect
February 16, 2013
Hi, Debra. Congrats on your published book. You know, you may be able to find a publisher to publish your book without any up-front charges to you. It all depends on the genre and quality of writing. I had the name of one, but can’t remember it. I’ll let you know if I find it again.
Trimalean Garcinia Cambogia
January 31, 2013
Fabulous, what a website it is! This blog presents helpful information to us, keep it up.
Writing4Effect
February 16, 2013
Very glad you found helpful information here!