As many of you know, besides writing novels as an author, I also work as a writer for hire in various industries.
To many, this concept is foreign, as most people think that a company with a blog actually takes the time to write its own articles. In most cases, this simply isn’t true. While it would be nice if every expert out there had time to write their own blogs, they simply don’t. Rather, they hire a freelancer to write and manage it for them.
As a result, I have worked for a variety of companies over the years. While I have had many positive experiences, I have also had several negative ones. Although I can’t mention them all, I want to talk about some of them here, specifically the ones where I have a byline and haven’t signed an NDA.
The Best Websites I’ve Worked For
1. MusicinMinnesota.com
MusicinMinnesota.com is an amazing music platform that was started by someone who was passionate about the music in their state. I have worked for the platform since 2021 and have been lucky enough to write a variety of articles about my passion, music.
From music history, such as how Elvis died, to fact articles like 17 Facts About Zedd, I have truly gotten to write about every aspect of music working for this website.
Plus, they treat me well, and I have some say in the projects I take on. I hope to work for MusicInMinnesota for years to come.
My Favorite Projects for MusicinMinnesota.com:
· 27 Bands Who Have the Dumbest Fans
· 25 Performers We Wish We Could See One More Time
· 25 Famous People from Colorado
2. TheGrillingDad.com
A little secret about me, although I am a pescatarian, I LOVE to grill. There is just something so delicious about making fish over an open flame that I want to share with the world. Plus, meat replacements (mainly BeyondMeat) taste amazing when made on a pellet grill. Also, my partner still eats meat, so I am always grilling brisket for him and his friends.
I was lucky enough to work for TheGrillingDad.com and have my own byline with them, and they always treated me well. While I didn’t always have a say in what assignments I took on, I loved most of the topics I wrote about for them! Whether you need to learn How to Dry Brine a Turkey or some celebrity-approved grilling tips, this website has it all!
My Favorite Projects for TheGrillingDad.com
· Grilling Salmon on a Pellet Grill
3. ModernLifeJourney.com
ModernLifeJourney.com is a project I recently joined in 2023, and it is by far one of my favorites of all time. Geared toward those who are 55+ transitioning into the next part of their lives, it has information about physical fitness in the later years, travel, and even how to care for your aging parents.
As someone who used to work in a retirement home and who is lucky enough to still have living parents, this website really resonates with me. I also have a lot of knowledge to share. While I only have a byline for a few articles on the site, I do ghostwrite others, so you never know what work is mine and which belongs to the website owner.
My Favorite Projects for ModernLifeJourney.com:
· Resources For Caring For Aging Parents
· 10 Online Security Tips for Seniors
· The Best and Worst States for Retirees
4. MintDice.com
MintDice.com is a fully featured online cryptocurrency casino that also gives gamers the opportunity to both game and invest in the house bankroll. I was brought onto the MintDice.com project in 2020, and it is one of my favorite websites to write for.
Whether you want to learn more about blockchain technology, gambling, or even just cryptocurrency projects, MintDice.com can help. As of right now, almost all the articles posted since 2020 are written by me, though there are occasionally guest posts.
Plus, they have some pretty sweet casino games, if I do say so myself!
My Favorite Projects for MintDice.com:
· Why Does the World Need Cryptocurrency?
· Why MintDice Values Customer Education
· The Revolutionizing Impact of AI on Cryptocurrency
· Strange Things You Can Bet On
5. MoveBuddha.com
It’s no secret I’ve moved a LOT. First from state to state, then to another country, and let's just say I know how much moving sucks! I have gotten to put my expertise to work as a writer with moveBuddha.com, and I love every minute of it!
Whether you need to know the best interstate moving companies or how to ship your car to your new home, this website has it all! I hope to work for them for years to come!
My Favorite projects for movebuddha.com:
The Worst Websites I’ve Worked For
Honestly, when a website doesn’t treat me right, as a freelancer, I am quick to leave (and I have that right) however, the writing world can be competitive, leading me to stay with terrible projects for longer than I should have.
1. RxHealthyHabits.com
I love the idea of this website which is the main reason I stayed as long as I did. It was all about using food and exercise to control health rather than pills and medication. While I am a full supporter of this type of health journey, the website had problems.
First and foremost, while I loved the owner, he didn’t understand I was a freelancer and not an employee, wanting weekly phone calls and lots of availability which isn’t how hiring a freelancer works. Additionally, he wouldn’t listen to my suggestions and advice, and as a result, his traffic didn’t increase…as expected.
I no longer work for this project, and they deleted my byline, which, while within their right, feels a bit like they stole my work.
2. A Financial Site
Now I can’t mention this site's name as I didn’t have a byline and signed an NDA, but basically, while they paid well, they were so nit-picky, even their high pay wasn’t worth the effort. Things were okay with their previous editor, but once their new one came…I quit.
Let’s just say I got emails about using a single word too many times (27 in a 5,000-word piece), and I just couldn’t take the 9 hours spent editing each article anymore.
3. A Luxury Marketing Company
Another site I cannot name, but basically, this site expected the world for 0.03 per word. While I had agreed to that rate when the contract started, when I saw the massive amounts of work their articles required, I was quickly losing money.
I only worked for them for three months and about six articles before I called it quits, and I don’t regret it one bit.
I hope this article has given you some insight into how working with a freelancer works, as well as what it is like to be a freelancer. Remember, if you are reading this, you, as the freelancer, have control. Don’t stick with a project that doesn’t treat you right! You will find something better, I promise.
Have questions? Feel free to comment here or email me through my form on my website hopeedavis.com.
