₦airaland Forum

amechispeaks:
My friend shut your dirty mouth. You come to my thread to cause a rift, and the same has been done to you. And you're here saying "not everything deserves a clapback".

Oh, so you think you can just pour sand in people's garri and expect them not to throw the bowl at you?

Are you insane or something

I was minding my business, doing my own thing, and there you came out of nowhere to spew your cow dung opinions.

And your stupid criticisms were not constructive, they were born out of pure spite!

I insist, that your 100k per month offer for your "insanely experienced" writer is TRASH !!!

Lastly, tell your father to humble himself, not me!

ODE !!!

amechispeaks:
Dear writers, the poster laid emphasis on "Insanely experienced", and all he's offering for your "insane experience" is N100,000 per month

My people, don't you think your "insane experience" is worth more than 100k a month?

I wish us all the best!

amechispeaks:
Dear writers, the poster laid emphasis on "Insanely experienced", and all he's offering for your "insane experience" is N100,000 per month

My people, don't you think your "insane experience" is worth more than 100k a month?

I wish us all the best!

amechispeaks:
My Top 5 Lessons Learned As A Freelance Writer - By Amechi Okoli

Freelance writing has become one of the most popular, and in some cases, profitable stay-at-home jobs in Nigeria today.

I was excited to witness writing become a real business in Nigeria, as I have always had a passion for it since I was a kid.

From writing poems and essays in secondary school, to being the head writer at the since defunct Raindrops Magazine (University Of Port Harcourt's very first campus publication), to having my articles published on blogs as big as Pulse NG, NotjustOK, and 360 Nobs.

Even while I was working at Lagos Jump Radio, I was still writing. And somehow someway, clients started reaching out to me, and I started getting paid for my articles.

And that’s how I dabbled into the world of freelance writing!

It has been a memorable experience, and I’d like to share with you, 5 valuable lessons I have learned from all my years as a freelance writer.

1. Writing can make you a millionaire

Sometime in 2021, I wrote a short article about Ja Rule and Fat Joe’s Verzuz battle, and posted it on my Facebook and Instagram pages.

And by the time I woke up the next morning, Verzuz TV (which was founded by the legendary producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz), had posted both my article and handle on their Instagram Stories!

Verzuz TV's action caused a spike in my post, as it was packed with likes and comments (mainly from black Americans who were hip hop fans).

My short blog post had reached over 10,000 people, one of whom was an ex-marine, who later sent me a DM and asked that I helped him write a book about his experiences in the US – Afghanistan war.

Thousands of Dollars paid into my account, and just like that, a short article about Ja Rule and Fat Joe’s Verzuz battle which I wrote and posted on my page had triggered a reader to hire me for a job that paid me millions of Naira!

This was a big deal at the time, when most clients were paying between N2 to N3 per word!

That made it clear to me that, indeed, it was possible to make millions from one writing contract. Even in Nigeria.

2. You shouldn’t take every job

As a freelance writer, I’m sure you’ve set some standards regarding how much your minimum pay should be. However, you may find yourself in a tight financial situation where you would be tempted to take jobs that pay you far less than what you normally charge.

That wouldn’t be such a crisis if the particular task was an easy one. But it could be an emotional hellfire for you if that low-paying job is a tedious one, and your client is a total a**hole!

I’ve been in this situation a few times, and I regretted them all. I couldn’t deliver my best, as I couldn’t put my heart into the tasks, mainly because of the low fees and the uninteresting topics.

This is not to say I haven’t happily done jobs that paid very low. I have many times, as long as I enjoy the topics, then I’d gladly write it for peanuts.

But if you’re not inspired by the task, and the pay is as low as Messi's center of gravity, then DO NOT TAKE THE JOB!

Yes, I know, ignoring money when you’re flat broke is hard. But it’s better than taking the job, grumbling later, delivering below expectation, and quarrelling with your client afterwards!

3. You should determine your price, not your client

I always find it funny when I give a client my charge, and they say something like “No, I’ve been paying all my writers Bleep amount, and that is the amount I will pay you”.

Like, how?

You came to me with a task, and it’s only right that I give you my bill. Of course, we can negotiate the charges, but imposing an amount on me won’t fly.

And if the two of you can’t come to terms, then let it go. Sooner than later, you’ll secure a client that will pay your talent's worth.

In my early days of freelancing, I used to accept whatever I was offered, and that made me work harder, for longer, for less!

Very unrewarding!

4. Never agree to a pay-after-service policy

Distrust can go both ways, as many clients are weary of writers, and how they may abscond with their monies if they pay upfront. Writers too are afraid that their clients will disappear after submitting a task.

This has happened to me on more occasions than I’d like to remember. The most painful was being blocked by my client after I had submitted a 5,000 word project without collecting a dime!

Since my last experience, I made up my mind to always collect an upfront for any job. If possible, a 100% payment.

You might be scared that a pay-before-service policy will chase away your clients. Well, it may chase some, but the ones who are serious about their projects will agree to it.

Which brings me to the 5th and final lesson I learned from freelance writing.

5. Good writings are more valuable than the money being offered for them

How long will N2 or N3 or N4 or N5 per word last? Not long.

But how long will that book, YouTube script, or article last for your client? Probably forever!

What about well-written sales copies that can help a business gain thousands of paying clients, or statements of purpose that can help an aspiring M.Sc. student be accepted into a foreign university?

Are all these not worth far more than the amount of money your clients are paying for them?

This is not to say you should charge Heaven and Earth for your services, but make sure you charge an amount that you believe is fair reward for your work.

Besides the fact that your writings can help drive your client’s ambitions forward, have you considered the health implications of staring at a computer screen for too long?

Is the money you’re being paid enough for you to go and see an eye doctor, or take care of your eyes in general?

Once you realize that what you’re offering your client is greater in value than the amount they are paying you, then all the pay-after-service and N2 per word talk will end!

Final Thoughts

Writing is a serious business that can help one live an above-average life, here in Nigeria. It can even make you rich, depending on the quality of your work, and the quality of clients you work for.

There are many lessons to be learned from our experiences as writers (both good and bad). As long as we use the lessons to better our craft, and deliver top-notch services to our clients, then the only way we can go is up.

Thanks for reading!

My name is Amechi, a freelance writer with a lifetime of writing experience. I won’t say I’m the best at what I do, but I am yet to find a Nigerian writer who’s better (pardon the cockiness).

Want to reach me? Then give me a buzz on WhatsApp +2348033422206.

Let’s vibe!

MaeJ09:
Hey guys!

There's availability on my team for an insanely experienced B2B writer.

Emphasis on insanely experienced, please.

Do not apply if;

You can't tell good writing from great writing.

You can't research unfamiliar topics as an authority.

You don't have experience in SaaS or Digital Marketing. You must submit relevant portfolio in this field to be considered.

You can't tailor content for search intent.

You don't know how to source images, videos or gifs for examples.

Your work is fluff and filler ridden.

You're looking for short term work.

You're a student.

You have zero work ethics; can't keep to deadlines, no commitment, no communication skills, and dislike constructive criticisms.

That said, I'm hiring to optimize our work processes, and will pay for quality.

Salary: N100,000 pro-rata.

Apply via: bit[dot]ly/PhoenixWriter

Write the link out in your browser to apply.

champeeon:
Still available... SEO article writing, blog posts, YouTube scripts...

MaeJ09:
What makes you stand out as a writer?

I reviewed over 20 applications from Nairaland in the past one month, and not one stood out.

Not one.

Weak intros. Zero fact-backed statistics. Bad syntax and sentence structure. And the most irksome of all — No images.

I've reached the conclusion that many "self-acclaimed writing experts" are not worth a solid six months of writing experience.

Here's another scenario.

Once I reached out to this guy on LinkedIn with a buffed up bio that read, "SEO expert, content writing maverick, ad-hoc direct response copywriter and all-round tech enthusiast."

Two minutes into the chat and his misuse of "have" for "I've" threw me off like a pungent smell.

Let's take it back home — I don't know what y'all been doing. But clearly, it's not industry standard.

Hear me out. You can do better. You can BE better. You can EARN better.

What to do?

Toss the rewrites in the trash can. No, seriously. That's where they belong. Embrace research with all you have and are.

Get you a mentor. The industry is a tough one; take it from me. And no one is going to mentor you with a half-assed work ethic and commitment.

Don't know how to get one? Cold messages are quite intrusive so you don't want to go ham on that one. Nevertheless, if you must do that — offer value. There must be something you can give in exchange for their guidance.

Next, join a "god-fearing" writing agency!

See ehn, don't shy away from your days of humble beginnings. In my experience, writers with concrete agency experience are gold. They're dynamic. Adaptable and are likely better than self taught writers without diverse experience.

Wondering why I used "God-fearing"? Many writing agencies are content mills. Stay away from those that expect you to hit KPIs that they themselves cannot hit.

Anything above 2k words a day is slavery! It's largely unsustainable and bad for your mental health. You won't even produce great work for starters. So what gives?

Writing agencies have well-thought out guidelines as part of their cohesive writing strategy. These guidelines are what puts you on a tight rope to learn and adapt.

Aim to write like a native-english speaker. That includes learning their nuances and whatnot. Nigerian English is very different from British English. If your audience isn't Nigerian why on earth are you using "have" for "I've"?

Write in active voice. Passive voice is tiring, boring and less impactful to your audience.

E.g: Active: The man killed the dog.
Passive: The dog was killed by the man.

Scrap this kind of writing if you're not in Academia or Reuben Abati's colleague. You won't impress anyone with braggadocios writing.

Kill Fluff. Dive straight into the meat of it. Back up every bold statement with data or statistics. If you can't, then omit it.

USE IMAGES. That's all.

Read other blogs. Learn. Grow. Subscribe to other experienced writers' newsletters. I love Neil Patel, Ryan Robinson and Harry Dry and I've learnt tons from them.

Finally, streamline the industry you want to work in. Copywriting and Content writing are insanely different. You'll know if you've been doing both long enough.

Why this long epistle? I'm not selling a book — it's stressful.

Neither am I actively hiring, though I wouldn't pass up on an awesome, competent writer.

I'm writing this to help you. 'Cos if someone did same for me when I was starting out, my journey would've been way shorter.

Over to You — Go on and smash your career goals.

amechispeaks:
Hi, are you a freelancer who gets tons of jobs from platforms like Upwork, and in need of other freelance writers to sub-contract the jobs to?

I'm sure you are (that's why you're reading this in the first place).

I'm also sure you've hired a few writers here on Nairaland. And while you may have had pleasant experiences with some of them, you may have also had horrific experiences with others.

Trust me, bad experiences with your writers doesn’t necessarily mean that you're a bad employer, or the writer you hired is a terrible person.

The case may be that you didn't hire the writer that suits your needs, or the writer took a job from an employer whose demands he/she couldn't cope with, hence a fallout.

With that being said, I’d like you to sincerely answer this question –

WHAT KIND OF WRITER ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

A. Good, cheap, and fast

B. Average, cheap, and fast

C. Below average, very cheap, and very fast

Option A (good, cheap, and fast) is every client’s dream. They want a writer that is top-notch, who delivers articles on-time, and is equally cheap.

However, such writers are hard to find. Not because there aren’t any good writers out there, but any top-notch writer would charge a lot more than the average writer.

Good writers don’t come cheap!

After all, he/she is giving you high quality, plagiarism-free, error-free writing, with super-fast submission, courtesy of their years of experience, skill and the almighty Grammarly!

You cannot pay writers in this category N2 per word (how na?) Any writer who delivers world-class work will demand world- class salaries!

As for option B (average, cheap, and fast). Writers in this category are easier to find. They are good at the basics, which is to provide good content that is plagiarism-free, and they submit on time.

They may not use paid tools such as Grammarly premium, but they create great content and know how to proofread manually.

When you work with writers like these, you need to be prepared to make some very minor adjustments by yourself, since the writer doesn't have or cannot afford Grammarly premium and some other paid tools.

Then again, all you’re paying them is probably around N2 to N3 per word. And there's only so much one can do with that amount.

I'm sure you know Benzes and Volvos don’t cost the same!

Now option c is the least desirable option, as no client wants to hire a writer that’s below average, no matter how cheap. So let’s not even waste time analyzing!

Knowing the exact type of writer you want will help you filter out the rest.

And this leads to another set of questions you should ask yourself -

HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR HIGH QUALITY WRITINGS?

WHAT ARE HIGH QUALITY WRITINGS WORTH TO YOU?

DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE N2, N3 PER WORD IS ENOUGH COMPENSATION FOR WHAT YOU'RE DEMANDING FROM YOUR WRITER?

DO YOU ALSO BELIEVE YOUR WRITERS ARE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU'RE OFFERING HIM/HER, OR DID THEY JUST ACCEPT YOUR OFFER TO MAKE ENDS MEET?

DO NOT belittle a writer’s talent by offering him/her peanuts in exchange for gold.

And writers, if you know your skills are worth a certain amount, do not charge less, you don’t have to take every job that comes your way!

Trust me, I am speaking from experience.

There was a time I worked with too many clients who gave me too many tasks, but with too little in my bank account. Now I work with very few clients, but with a lot more in my bank account.

I consider myself one of the best writers in Nigeria, and all my clients can testify to that.

Knowing your worth as a writer doesn’t depict arrogance or pride. It just means you understand that the value of the content you are creating for your client is worth more than the money they are paying you.

After all, the payment will finish one day, but the content you create for your client can last forever!

Good luck!

ashatoda:
I'm trying to apply but this link isn't working. It opens a Google search page. I also visited your profile page if I could find it but couldn't

PrecisionAI:
I submitted an application. I still wonder why i wasn't contacted

Can I suggest you like your Skype contact for talks?

Udoboss:
Lol....thanks...

Having said that..is my normal line..
Grammarly premium has never faulted me....

Thanks for the eye opener..

Udoboss:
Expatiate on writing lyk the native speakers ...
I lost a gig....They said I sounded lyk a Nigerian...
Though My research and no fluff was commended

MaeJ09:
Hi there!

I'm looking for experienced content and copywriters to join my team for long-term work. We're growing and need high-performance writing mavericks who're humble, thoughtful, and know their onions.

Ideally, i prefer dynamic writers with SaaS or Digital marketing and tech agency experience.

Our application involves a short writing (unpaid) test. Please only apply if you're okay with this condition, and are willing to commit and adapt to agency-style guides and extensive editorial briefs.

Remuneration: N3.00 - N5.00 per word for content alone. Copy is paid at an unfixed price, per project. This means you can earn more than 100k a month if you're committed and put in the work.

Please apply using this link: bit[dot]ly/PhoenixWriter

Thanks!

MaeJ09:
Hi there!

I run a small, high-performance team, and we're in need of experienced technical copywriters to join our copy ranks.

To qualify, you must be able to follow extensive scope and brand style guides, be reliable and keep to deadlines. Missed deadlines are a deal breaker.

While we have a business-casual work culture, we require you to be courteous, have a strong work ethic and be professional at all times.

For example, do not send or reply to emails without a salutation or a conclusion. Some go as far as writing emails without a subject.

This is an absolute deal breaker and emails like that will be ignored.

I'll pay you for quality and expect your best work. I'll train you on this content type before you take on live projects. Regardless, I'll also train you if I feel you have the potential to shine.

Salary: Copy is paid (at an unfixed price) per task. Not per word. I'll disclose this at onboarding.

P.S. We're also hiring experienced tech and marketing content writers, but they're not of great importance now.

P. P. S. I won't pay for substandard/low quality work. Extensive rewrites are an uphill task I'd rather not perform.

Again, missed deadlines are a deal breaker.

Salary: N3.00 - N5.00, depending on experience.

Work commitment: 3000 - 5000 words per week.

The application process requires a short unpaid test (200-300 words). Only apply if you're comfortable with this condition.

Type this link on your URL dashboard to apply: bit[.]ly/PhoenixWriter.

MaeJ09:
What makes you stand out as a writer?

I reviewed over 20 applications from Nairaland in the past one month, and not one stood out.

Not one.

Weak intros. Zero fact-backed statistics. Bad syntax and sentence structure. And the most irksome of all — No images.

I've reached the conclusion that many "self-acclaimed writing experts" are not worth a solid six months of writing experience.

Here's another scenario.

Once I reached out to this guy on LinkedIn with a buffed up bio that read, "SEO expert, content writing maverick, ad-hoc direct response copywriter and all-round tech enthusiast."

Two minutes into the chat and his misuse of "have" for "I've" threw me off like a pungent smell.

Let's take it back home — I don't know what y'all been doing. But clearly, it's not industry standard.

Hear me out. You can do better. You can BE better. You can EARN better.

What to do?

Toss the rewrites in the trash can. No, seriously. That's where they belong. Embrace research with all you have and are.

Get you a mentor. The industry is a tough one; take it from me. And no one is going to mentor you with a half-assed work ethic and commitment.

Don't know how to get one? Cold messages are quite intrusive so you don't want to go ham on that one. Nevertheless, if you must do that — offer value. There must be something you can give in exchange for their guidance.

Next, join a "god-fearing" writing agency!

See ehn, don't shy away from your days of humble beginnings. In my experience, writers with concrete agency experience are gold. They're dynamic. Adaptable and are likely better than self taught writers without diverse experience.

Wondering why I used "God-fearing"? Many writing agencies are content mills. Stay away from those that expect you to hit KPIs that they themselves cannot hit.

Anything above 2k words a day is slavery! It's largely unsustainable and bad for your mental health. You won't even produce great work for starters. So what gives?

Writing agencies have well-thought out guidelines as part of their cohesive writing strategy. These guidelines are what puts you on a tight rope to learn and adapt.

Aim to write like a native-english speaker. That includes learning their nuances and whatnot. Nigerian English is very different from British English. If your audience isn't Nigerian why on earth are you using "have" for "I've"?

Write in active voice. Passive voice is tiring, boring and less impactful to your audience.

E.g: Active: The man killed the dog.
Passive: The dog was killed by the man.

Scrap this kind of writing if you're not in Academia or Reuben Abati's colleague. You won't impress anyone with braggadocios writing.

Kill Fluff. Dive straight into the meat of it. Back up every bold statement with data or statistics. If you can't, then omit it.

USE IMAGES. That's all.

Read other blogs. Learn. Grow. Subscribe to other experienced writers' newsletters. I love Neil Patel, Ryan Robinson and Harry Dry and I've learnt tons from them.

Finally, streamline the industry you want to work in. Copywriting and Content writing are insanely different. You'll know if you've been doing both long enough.

Why this long epistle? I'm not selling a book — it's stressful.

Neither am I actively hiring, though I wouldn't pass up on an awesome, competent writer.

I'm writing this to help you. 'Cos if someone did same for me when I was starting out, my journey would've been way shorter.

Over to You — Go on and smash your career goals.

MaeJ09:
What makes you stand out as a writer?

I reviewed over 20 applications from Nairaland in the past one month, and not one stood out.

Not one.

Weak intros. Zero fact-backed statistics. Bad syntax and sentence structure. And the most irksome of all — No images.

I've reached the conclusion that many "self-acclaimed writing experts" are not worth a solid six months of writing experience.

Here's another scenario.

Once I reached out to this guy on LinkedIn with a buffed up bio that read, "SEO expert, content writing maverick, ad-hoc direct response copywriter and all-round tech enthusiast."

Two minutes into the chat and his misuse of "have" for "I've" threw me off like a pungent smell.

Let's take it back home — I don't know what y'all been doing. But clearly, it's not industry standard.

Hear me out. You can do better. You can BE better. You can EARN better.

What to do?

Toss the rewrites in the trash can. No, seriously. That's where they belong. Embrace research with all you have and are.

Get you a mentor. The industry is a tough one; take it from me. And no one is going to mentor you with a half-assed work ethic and commitment.

Don't know how to get one? Cold messages are quite intrusive so you don't want to go ham on that one. Nevertheless, if you must do that — offer value. There must be something you can give in exchange for their guidance.

Next, join a "god-fearing" writing agency!

See ehn, don't shy away from your days of humble beginnings. In my experience, writers with concrete agency experience are gold. They're dynamic. Adaptable and are likely better than self taught writers without diverse experience.

Wondering why I used "God-fearing"? Many writing agencies are content mills. Stay away from those that expect you to hit KPIs that they themselves cannot hit.

Anything above 2k words a day is slavery! It's largely unsustainable and bad for your mental health. You won't even produce great work for starters. So what gives?

Writing agencies have well-thought out guidelines as part of their cohesive writing strategy. These guidelines are what puts you on a tight rope to learn and adapt.

Aim to write like a native-english speaker. That includes learning their nuances and whatnot. Nigerian English is very different from British English. If your audience isn't Nigerian why on earth are you using "have" for "I've"?

Write in active voice. Passive voice is tiring, boring and less impactful to your audience.

E.g: Active: The man killed the dog.
Passive: The dog was killed by the man.

Scrap this kind of writing if you're not in Academia or Reuben Abati's colleague. You won't impress anyone with braggadocios writing.

Kill Fluff. Dive straight into the meat of it. Back up every bold statement with data or statistics. If you can't, then omit it.

USE IMAGES. That's all.

Read other blogs. Learn. Grow. Subscribe to other experienced writers' newsletters. I love Neil Patel, Ryan Robinson and Harry Dry and I've learnt tons from them.

Finally, streamline the industry you want to work in. Copywriting and Content writing are insanely different. You'll know if you've been doing both long enough.

Why this long epistle? I'm not selling a book — it's stressful.

Neither am I actively hiring, though I wouldn't pass up on an awesome, competent writer.

I'm writing this to help you. 'Cos if someone did same for me when I was starting out, my journey would've been way shorter.

Over to You — Go on and smash your career goals.

Gem78:
How will successful candidates know they've been selected?

Premiumwriter:
I use trello.

We'll be doing video calls on Skype? cos I'm not really comfortable with that.

Premiumwriter:
wanted to apply but I don't have a Skype account (ID)

What's your rate though?

Premiumwriter:
Open and ready to give you the best quality

Gem78:
You could send me the link on whatsapp so that I'll just apply from there.
I don't know why I can't seem to access it here

Gem78:
Hi,
I can't access the link.
Can I email you instead?