Demoted at Textbroker... Now What?

R

roseink

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2014
Messages
174
Reaction score
10
Well, after a year of being on level 4, I got demoted. Considering I get about half my income there, I'm pretty devastated. Some things even came back with a 2-star rating. I don't think I have ever gotten a 2-star rating before. Since I rarely get evaluations (my last one was January) I am at a loss of what to do. There is hardly any work as a 3-star writer, and even if I found it, it's still a third less of what I normally make. My evaluations came after I asked to be reconsidered for level 5, as I passed the proofreading test last September.

Anyway, I'm at a loss as to what to do now. I have profiles on Hire Writers and iWriter, but neither are very profitable. I tried writing on iWriter, for example, and got an article back with a three-star rating saying "unnecessary." I signed up for a couple others but they don't offer a constant workflow...

Has this happened to anyone else? What did you do?

Any good ideas as to how to make money as a writer?

Also, if I put this on the wrong thread, please let me know. I will delete & move. Thank you :-)
 
Advertise on BHW
Write for your own website. If you didn't learn SEO, now is a good time. Keyword research is the key. Reverse engineering works best. Hopefully soon you will be hiring writers yourself :)
 
Well that's sad to here. But matrix is right. Why not write for your own site and learn seo. If your lucky enough you might earn 3x or maybe more than that you are earning now. :)
 
One of my TB accounts went down to 3 as well, even though I'm writing the same exact way for it as the one that stays at level 4! Go figure. TB, or any of the other writing sites, are not what one should be relying on as a main source of income anyway. The best approach has always been to use it initially as a learning platform for feedback on your writing, and to earn working capital or pocket money to support more substantial IM projects. Ween yourself off of over-dependency on any one site. What do these TB-dependent writers do during the weeks when there are almost no new assignments available, even at level 4?
 
Textbroker is definitely a great site, but their ratings are a little whacky at times. Have you tried constant content? I have had some good luck with CC and the pay is much better.

I would keep trying to land freelance gigs while you attempt to get your rating back to level 4. It is difficult dealing with editors that can easily bump your level down on TB as you can't really get an explanation of what actually happened.
 
Thank you for the encouragement. I started posting a bit more on my blogs, but they don't really turn much of a profit. It's kind of funny, I write a lot about SEO and social media marketing but have a hard time putting it into practice. (Same problems in science class)

Anyway, I put up another Kindle book and started responding more to posts on here. If I can land some more Amazon reviews and articles I should be okay until one of these methods pay off. :)
 
This is a big problem for many writers on these sites. You're in a vulnerable position, being at the mercy of the editor. I've written for a good number of content mills, and I still do from time to time when things get slow. However, I would do all I could to turn TB into something you make extra on, rather than something you depend on. I'm sorry to hear about your situation.
 
I agree with whats been said above. You really need to become independent of big writing websites if you want to ensure your income. the thing is Text Broker should could shut down tomorrow then you'd be really stuck. Even though its harder starting and writing for your own sites it is defiantly the better option long term.
 
I was not aware that you could have multiple accounts on TB either. I'm in the same situation as well - went from a 4-star to 2(!) I was even on two expert teams, so I felt a bit taken back. I have been studying and practicing SEO... And it's definitely a challenge compared to the lifestyle of the article writer. If you truly feel that you can produce quality work, you should consider selling your own articles or ebooks. Just sucks going at it alone, because it's going to require more time and effort to marketing yourself out. Though as mentioned before, quality work speaks for itself. Also, I have found when selling my own articles that quality blog posts are like a perfect portfolio and does the selling for you :) good luck with whatever path you take, and stay passionate about writing!
 
It is best to have multiple accounts for sites like these. All it takes is one or 2 bad reviews and you lose all your cash flow.
 
As an outside observer, I think the worst thing is that all of that original content you are producing could go on your own website. But if you're getting paid well by TB, I guess that would be just as advantageous. I don't know how well they pay.
 
roseink said:

Has this happened to anyone else? What did you do?

Any good ideas as to how to make money as a writer?

Also, if I put this on the wrong thread, please let me know. I will delete & move. Thank you :-)
Click to expand...




  • Your own blog/website. ANYONE working online should have at least one personal money earning blog/website.


  • Private clients. Set up a site with sample of your work so you can showcase to potential clients. Next search on whatever sites (craigslist, forums, etc.) for clients. Even put out ads on sites (craigslist, etc.). My writer site is my pen name so it is easy to find me. I even set up social networking sites using my pen name so I am easy to find if someone search for me. I found a few clients on Facebook. ******Some people list their prices on their blog while others do not. The price you set is up to you. Don't sell yourself short. And always ask for half the payment upfront and the other half when you are finished the work. This way if the client runs away with your article, at least you were paid something for your effort.


  • Fiverr, amazon, etc. Some writers make good money on Fiverr (I haven't tried it..I am not interested in Fiverr at the moment). Others have created Kindle books and sold them on Amazon. These kindle books range from "How to make money online" to romance/drama/etc. type books. There are facebook groups where authors give away their books for free or at a discount in return for an honest review (this doesn't mean all positive reviews!!!).

Sorry this post is a bit long. Earning money as a writer online is a tough business but once you get the hang of it, the money rolls in. Remember, don't stick to just one stream of income. The more places you are earning money from, the better for you. If one place stops earning money, you'll still have something coming in from another place.
 
Advertise on BHW
You must log in or register to reply here.
Sign up now!

Main Menu

Home Main Forum List Black Hat SEO White Hat SEO BHW Newbie Guide Blogging Black Hat Tools Social Networking Downloads

Marketplace

Content / Copywriting Hosting Images, Logos & Videos Proxies For Sale SEO - Link building SEO - Packages Social Media Social Media - Panels Web Design Misc

Making Money

Affiliate Programs Hire a Freelancer Making Money Pay Per Click Site Flipping

BlackHatWorld

BHW Merch Forum Suggestions & Feedback Introductions Lounge Dispute Resolution

Other

Domain Name Forum IM Journeys Web Hosting Newsletter
Back
Top