WriterAccess is bursting at the seams with writers who are looking for work. When you place a “Crowd” or “Love List” order, writers usually come running from all directions in cyberspace, eager to stake a claim on your orders before anyone else gets to them.
Once in a while, though, that doesn’t happen. Orders may sit unclaimed. So sad! This doesn’t have to happen. A few simple steps can make your orders as sought after as a glittering stream in the Gold Rush days.
In a recent blog post, we looked at some of the reasons why orders might not be picked up: perhaps the instructions were too long, the tone too negative, or the expectations too unrealistic. What do you do, though, if none of those things apply to your orders, and you are still waiting for someone to pick them up? Here are a few more things to look out for, along with solutions:
Instructions Are Unclear
The instructions you include are the main, and often the only way you will communicate your expectations to your writer. While instructions that are way too long may scare writers away, instructions that are too short or not clear don’t give writers the information they need to do their jobs. There’s definitely a happy medium here to aim for.
Orders with unclear instructions are risky for writers, who have to guess what clients want and could guess wrong. If a client sends a revision request saying they had wanted a completely different approach or angle, writers will be writing two articles for the price of one. That risk is enough to make many writers avoid orders where the instructions are sparse or murky.
Solution:
Aim for instructions that are clear and complete, while still being concise. Answer these basic questions (when relevant to your assignment):
- What is the purpose of the assigned piece? To create long-term brand awareness or to make an immediate sale? To inform or to entertain? To attract new customers via search engines or to provide updates to existing customers?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Where will it be posted? Providing a link to your site (or the site where the assigned piece will appear) gives writers context and helps them match your desired tone.
Requirements Beyond Writing
At WriterAccess, writers usually just write. The standard pay levels are set up with that in mind. Requests for additional tasks, such as finding images or gathering information by listening to recordings or watching videos, can significantly increase the time a writer needs to complete an order. Writers may think the standard pay won’t be worth the time.
Solutions:
Assign tasks like finding images in-house and let the freelance writers just write. Alternatively, consider increasing the pay rate to compensate for the additional work. This is especially helpful if you have an order with a low word count but with a requirement to listen to a lengthy interview or other recording. A fair pay rate that takes into account all the requirements of an assignment will get your order picked up quickly.
Lower Level Order Sent Only to Higher Level Writers
Once in a blue moon, a customer will place an order that pays, say, Level 3 rates, but the instructions in the order say that only Level 5 or Level 6 writers should pick it up.
Solution:
Everyone likes a bargain, but this isn’t fair. Pay for the quality that you want, and your order will get picked up with enthusiasm.
Small Love List
The Love List feature at WriterAccess lets you hand pick a group of writers and place orders that will be available to everyone on that list at once. This is a fantastic option which usually gives terrific results. Sometimes, though, if the list is small, you may hit a snag.
For example, if you have a list with three writers on it, and they all happen to be busy at the time you place your order, the order can sit for a while.
Solutions:
If your top priority is to get your orders picked up more quickly, you can simply expand your Love List by adding more writers. Alternatively, if you want to retain maximum control over who works on your assignment, and you aren’t in a rush to have it picked up, you can send it as a “Solo” to just one writer instead of to a multiple-writer Love List. With a Solo, it is easier to communicate with the writer and to make arrangements to reschedule, if necessary.
Order Not Sent to the Right People
Many freelance writers are generalists who can do a bang-up job writing on a wide range of topics. However, if your order calls for specialized, in-depth knowledge or expertise, it may remain unclaimed if you send it to writers who know little or nothing about the subject matter.
Solution:
Use the convenient screening tools at WriterAccess to find writers who have the industry experience and knowledge that you need, and you will have a perfect match.
The New Gold Rush
These simple tweaks can make your orders glisten like gold, attracting writers who are looking for the best opportunities.
Marjorie R has written articles online for more than 15 years and has also written humor for American Greetings and crossword puzzles for the New York Times. She wrote an entertainment blog that was consistently in the top 5 in the Google search results, and at its peak was #1 out of a total of 66,499,997 results. She has a B.A. in Psychology from UC Berkeley, an M.A. in Creative Writing/English from SF State, and a J.D. from UC Hastings.
