Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Where do you find writing gigs?

Oh - do you mean the kind of writing gigs that actually pay? : )

Because there are lots and lots of writing gigs out there that don't! And while there are definitely times when it's a great idea to write for free, I'm thinking you don't want to build a whole business model out of that!


I use Guru.com a lot. In fact, I've found some of my best clients there. There are a few sites that are similar - Elance, Rent-a-Coder, Editfast, and others - but my very favorite is Guru. (And nope - I'm not an affiliate for Guru - in fact I don't think they've even got an affiliate program - rats!!) Here's why:
  • The bids are sealed. (Let's talk about that tomorrow, okay? Actually, maybe we'll get into each of these over the next few days.)
  • LOVE the escrow service - even though it takes a little more out of your paycheck.
  • It helps you systematize your business.
  • The instant payment option sure beats waiting (and waiting) for a check.
  • The ranking system is an awesome motivator.
  • Clients love it! (This might stir up a hornet's nest, but quite a few of my clients on Guru have used the other sites and ended up with less than stellar results. I've seen several projects where the request is to fix what someone from Elance wrote. Hmmmmm....)

Have you used any of these job boards? Which is your favorite?

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