Do You Do Re-writes For Free?
By jswindell10
@jswindell10 (417)
United States
August 10, 2010 3:03am CST
Many of us here use content companies as additional income or part of our income.
The thing about some content companies, especially the ones that are ghostwriting (no byline) services, unlike print publications will not pay for re-writes.
I've had revision requests which I gladly honor but I had one client on TB who was especially picky.
Not only did he have about six rules for writing a 300-word essay but he wanted to contact the writer (this was also in his many instructions) before they got started.
I did so and although he seemed hesitant, he gave me the go on assignment. I checked his stats and it seems very little makes him happy since it showed that he rejects 93% of the submissions.
After following his special keyword instructions (nothing wrong with a challenge), along with other unusual requests, he wanted a complete re-write stating it seemed to serious (it was a business article).
I would have accepted a rejection but since I followed directives, he couldn't do this. So I kicked the order back in the system for someone else to pick up and figured I'd make up that money in residuals within a week.
Everyone makes their own judgment call but I want to know if you've been in that predicament and if you had to do it all over again, would you do it differently?
7 responses
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
10 Aug 10
I used to fool with those types of sites before I picked up better clients.
I had one rule when dealing with rewrites: they had to be serious.
If I felt they were just trying to milk different versions of the same article, I'd laugh and toss it aside.
Too often these schmucks will have you "change" the wording but "keep" the theme. 
That's when you know they just want twice the work done for the same rate.
But if they're seriously objecting to something about the article, to the point where you know you're the one who did it wrong, then it's fine to rewrite.
Writers are seriously taken for granted in terms of just redoing the work.
If you hire a carpenter to redo your bathroom and pick out the green tile, you can't then change to black marble tile FOR FREE after you see the green completed and decide you don't like it. Tough luck! You shouldn't have picked the green. It's not the carpenter's fault you're indecisive.
It should be the same with writing. If they got what they ordered, anything "extra" should cost extra. If not, you're being used.
That's when you know they just want twice the work done for the same rate.
But if they're seriously objecting to something about the article, to the point where you know you're the one who did it wrong, then it's fine to rewrite.
Writers are seriously taken for granted in terms of just redoing the work.
If you hire a carpenter to redo your bathroom and pick out the green tile, you can't then change to black marble tile FOR FREE after you see the green completed and decide you don't like it. Tough luck! You shouldn't have picked the green. It's not the carpenter's fault you're indecisive.
It should be the same with writing. If they got what they ordered, anything "extra" should cost extra. If not, you're being used.2 people like this
@jswindell10 (417)
• United States
10 Aug 10
Like I said, I have no problem with common revisions (i.e. keyword density, word count, changing the tone/wording of 1-2 sentences).
This guy reminds me of the days I used to do temp work. Clients that had constant turnover (and I could give first-hand experience with some big names) were just bad clients and some of them aren't around today or have downsized greatly.
Now that TextBroker has a blog for writers to post, I wonder if that's a matter that can be brought to their attention and they can stand up to these problem clients while being fair to the writer.
@nishdan01 (3051)
• Singapore
10 Aug 10
Nothing comes in this world for free and rewiriting is no exception. Writing and re-writing takes lot of time and hardwork. Writing must never be cheap. When a publisher look for so many rules, it causes suffocation for the writer. Ultimately, even creativity and good writing is lost.
@jswindell10 (417)
• United States
13 Aug 10
Here's a scenario that is a little more reasonable.
Just an hour ago, a client wanted a revision for an article about online insurance. Although in the description, they did say which audience this was being written for. So I went with was the main reason people would rather use online insurance - no agents.
The feedback was polite but they asked that I not give anything that could be perceived as negative just factual. Without example scenarios or filler, meeting this client's word count was impossible. So I passed with no hard feelings.
This particular company has a lot of insurance articles to be written and they go very slowly, wonder why? :))
@jswindell10 (417)
• United States
14 Aug 10
Oops, re third sentence - should read "they didn't say"
@peavey (16936)
• United States
15 Aug 10
I refuse to write for people like that. I may not make a lot writing, but my time is worth something. There are usually enough requests on places like Textbroker that I can find someone else to write for.
The one time I wrote a piece and the buyer wanted extensive rewrites, I put it back into the system. I figured if I had to do all that, I'd be better off starting fresh on something else.
I will do a rewrite for free if it's reasonable.
@jswindell10 (417)
• United States
15 Aug 10
Exactly. Changing a few words and changing the entire tone of an article are completely different issues - even when it's a small word count.
Just got an email from TB this morning (8/15) and they got a new editor so maybe this issue may be something that can be open for discussion and possibly implemented.
@antarcticpostcards (472)
• United States
10 Aug 10
It really depends on the situations. I sometimes have to do a little adding or polishing on articles I submit for writing gigs. However, if it was a total rewrite request with a client that it seems like it will be very hard to please, then I probably would not do it.
@jswindell10 (417)
• United States
10 Aug 10
The funny thing is I almost canceled it after his first request to contact because he seemed to have an attitude and I had other projects needing completion.
@rivengodwind (369)
• Philippines
11 Aug 10
I'm just curious; what service are you using? On topic, I do *rewrites* for free, but it's because I do work for middlemen content providers and not direct to the websites. It's just part of the daily grind for me, and I don't really think of it much.
@jswindell10 (417)
• United States
11 Aug 10
This was on TextBroker. I don't have an issue with them but am curious, with enough backing from fellow ghostwriters, could they police these overly-demanding clients.
In the beginning of my writing, I was accommodating and found that it was easier to do a final once-over when it came to keywords, redundancy, etc.
If tone is not specified and it is a non-humorous subject (in this case, small business), I will use a somewhat authoritative angle.
@Catana (735)
• United States
10 Aug 10
That kind of situation turns the writer into a helpless victim. When I was exploring the possiblity of writing for content companies, one of the things that turned me off was that clients could ask for rewrites, and there was apparently no limit to the demands they could make. I decided this wasn't something I was willing to do. My son happens to be a freelance graphic designer and I learned from him that artists who know what they're doing ask for half their fee upfront. They also specify how many do-overs they will accept before the fee goes up. In other words, they are paid for at least part of their work upfront and can't be totally victimized. That's why experienced writers go freelance instead of working for content companies.
@jswindell10 (417)
• United States
11 Aug 10
Hi Catana,
Yes, it does - especially if you're doing this to fill the time while looking for regular work. When I go to bidding sites and see people (usually overseas) who want 10, 500-word articles for $15, it breaks my heart because someone will take that job.
@puccagirl (7294)
• Israel
22 Aug 10
I have never been in a situation like that, but it doesn't sound reasonable to me, so I would say, no re-writes should not be free, unless there was a very good reason.
