Surprisingly, I get asked quite often to write sample articles for other writers to use on systems like Textbroker. Sometimes it’s people out of the US, while other times it’s writers who know they don’t have the skills. Needless to say, I won’t help you in this fashion. And here is why.
It’s not because I am trying to be mean or that I want you to beg.
I view myself more as a teacher. And a good teacher isn’t going to do the work for you. It all comes down to your ability to learn, grow, and develop.
Reasons to Write Your Own Sample Articles
Now, writing your own samples should be quite self-explanatory to anyone who wants to succeed as a freelancer online. But, let me break down the reasons behind why it’s a good idea to put in the effort yourself.
And these are not in any particular order.
It’s Not a True Representation of Your Work
When you have someone write a sample piece for something like Textbroker, you’re trying to pass off that person’s work as your own. It does not demonstrate your skill, style, or tone.
So when you start writing for Textbroker and your skill does not match the level you were given, Textbroker will drop your star rating according to how you actually write.
And speaking from experience, you can lose that awesome 4-Star profile within three days. You have to maintain a high level of quality.
Can Potentially Damage Your Online Reputation
Should a content mill find out that your sample articles were not written by you, they can, and often will, remove your account. If you try to pass someone’s work off with private clients, you can damage relations.
Eventually, your online persona can be filled with complaints of plagiarism and fraudulent practices. In the end, you’ll find it incredibly more difficult to succeed.
Being a freelance writer has a lot of potential as being a great way to make money online. You don’t want to come out of the gate identified as a fraud.
I Have No Respect for Lazy Writers
I know this isn’t a practical reason, and a lot of writers probably don’t care. But, one of the reasons why I won’t write sample articles for others is because I have very little respect for those who won’t do the work themselves.
I’ve felt this way even back in my college days when some students made a decent living writing papers for others.
Part of that is because I value education and knowledge. And when you give a man a fish, you only feed him for a day. Teach the man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.
It’ll Save You Money
You’ll see a lot of writers advertise how they’ll write content for you. So, unless you have a business that needs content, that’s an expense coming out of your pocket that has very little chance of a return.
That’s because of how there’s a good chance you’ll lose any clout with a content mill once they really see how you write.
In other words, paying someone for a sample piece to pass off as your own has little to no impact on how content mills will rank you next week.
In essence, you just gave away that money.
And…It’s Fraud!
The biggest reason, and the most prolific in this list, is that having someone else create sample articles so you look better to a content mill is fraud. Plain and simple.
Unfortunately, not many people care if it’s fraud or not. This is why our email accounts are always full of scam messages.
So tired of African princes trying to send me gold.
But, I will not contribute to that mentality.
How weird does it get when asked for sample articles?
Since WriterSanctuary has been gaining popularity, I am approached by some questionable people on a regular basis. And sometimes, the interactions are just downright weird.
One of the weirdest points to these, though, is how it’s always people on Facebook. I don’t get this level of interaction on sites like Twitter.
For instance, I’ve dealt with people who:
Try to Bride Me
Bribes to write for other “writers” is a common element. Whether it’s sample articles or using my Textbroker profile to help someone out of the US make money, people are eager to hand me cash.
I guess this is a milestone for someone becoming an influencer in their niche? That would be nice, but it’s probably more of scammers trying to take advantage of a small creator.
Either way, bribing me with riches isn’t going to work.
Say They’re In Love with Me?
I had one person say how she was in love with me in the course of a two-hour conversation. I figure fraudsters like this think that playing on my heartstrings will work to agree to write sample articles.
It might work for some lonely guy sitting in a basement under the glow of a low-watt bulb wishing for human interaction. But, I’m a successful writer, miss. Saying how you’re in love with me after an ultra-short conversation throws up red flags for fraud.
- You don’t even know me.
- We’ve never met outside of Facebook.
- You don’t even live in the US, let alone my state.
- And even if you’re sincere, telling someone that you’re in love within a couple of hours is a good way to scare off any reasonable person.
Who I feel bad for are the people who actually fall for this kind of set up. And you know some have, otherwise scammers wouldn’t constantly play the “love” card to try to get what they want.
Sorry…it doesn’t work on me.
Constantly Beg
There have been times when I had to outright block people because of incessant begging. When someone tells you no, leave it at that and move on with your life.
It’s OK to ask for a reason behind the answer, but don’t keep asking to write sample articles over and over. Accept the no answer and go about your day.
Write Your Own Sample Articles
I don’t think of myself as too much of a purist to want writers to create their own content. Especially if it’s used to get a job or a higher ranking in content mills.
If you want to make money as a writer, then be a writer. But don’t ask others to create the content for you.
Learning to do it yourself gives you the means to succeed over the long-term.