Crowdsource Top Tier Writing Hits

Discussion in 'Requesters' started by jbird7, Nov 2, 2012.

  1. pieper

    pieper User

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2012
    Messages:
    291
    Likes Received:
    0
    I don't know that for a fact, winner. I found out about the website by accident. I do think CS got overwhelmed when they got the newest contract, but it appears they are making a decided effort to get everyone on the same page.
     
  2. TurtleTape

    TurtleTape User

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2013
    Messages:
    575
    Likes Received:
    0
    Honestly, I hope they don't start adding new writers, right now they need to focus on getting things running smoothly. I've been having articles hit auto-approve time regularly, which just screams that something isn't working right.
     
  3. McUser

    McUser User

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2012
    Messages:
    51
    Likes Received:
    0
    Except some of us aren't "new" - we have been writing for four years or more, but haven't been re-added to the new system! ;)
     
  4. TurtleTape

    TurtleTape User

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2013
    Messages:
    575
    Likes Received:
    0
    You'd still be new to this workflow, essentially a new writer.
     
  5. McUser

    McUser User

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2012
    Messages:
    51
    Likes Received:
    0
    Tomato tomahto.
     
  6. amberkshire

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2013
    Messages:
    89
    Likes Received:
    0
    Anybody else get the email about changing to 400 words for $12? Pay cut essentially...
     
  7. pieper

    pieper User

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2012
    Messages:
    291
    Likes Received:
    0
    Yes, I got that memo...:) or maybe that's :mmph:
     
  8. pieper

    pieper User

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2012
    Messages:
    291
    Likes Received:
    0
    I got an auto-approved article too...almost fell off the chair! It HAD to be a mistake! LOL...they are struggling, that's for sure. I also wrote to them about a couple of things - like all those titles that would guarantee you a ding for not making the article "evergreen." Does anyone else think some of those titles are ridiculous? Who would want articles on "Men's Yellow Summer Hats?" Pfffttt.

    I also wrote about that one lone recipe article, which is in the wrong category, or the title is screwy. They have been really responsive and are looking into things. The new thing I like is that inquiries are now assigned a "ticket" which will help us all get issues resolved.
     
  9. amberkshire

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2013
    Messages:
    89
    Likes Received:
    0
    I've sent a ticket about the recipe error(s) more than a week ago.

    Definitely shouldn't post titles that can't be evergreen.
     
  10. pieper

    pieper User

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2012
    Messages:
    291
    Likes Received:
    0
    There were TONS of those...so, if those titles were written under "Title Creation" why didn't the editor catch that? They are plenty strict with me! LOL :) Stephanie said they were aware of the "non-evergreen" article titles and they would fix them (or delete them, not sure which) - in the meantime, she said not to touch them so we don't get dinged...at any rate, they closed my ticket on the topic.
     
  11. amberkshire

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2013
    Messages:
    89
    Likes Received:
    0
    I hate getting rejections. Ugh...I should've researched better. That's all. :(
     
  12. GoddamnedColleen

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2012
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Does anyone know the best place to discuss CrowdSource stuff with other writers or editors? The Write.com forum is overrun with spam, and the other CrowdSource forum is extremely inactive. I was coming here for a while, but it seems discussion has dwindled. Is there a better place to talk CrowdSource?
     
  13. mischa

    mischa User

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2009
    Messages:
    176
    Likes Received:
    0
    I noticed the dwindling discussion related to CS writing here too. I thought maybe I missed a memo from CS about not posting on this forum. There may be a discussion at the other non-CS Turker forum(s), but I'm not part of any but this one. I mostly depend on the in-hit feedback links for info regarding hit instruction changes, etc. (That might be better than relying on forum hearsay anyway, LOL)

    Hope all is going well with other CS writers; I've never managed to run out of work, though I sometimes wish I would just for a break.
     
  14. GoddamnedColleen

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2012
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    I'm mostly looking for a place to vent frustration haha. Writing for CrowdSource is both rewarding and confusing. It's nice to share in that with others.

    For example, twice now my articles have been edited to say there were spelling errors, yet both times the editor merely changed one acceptable spelling of a word to another acceptable spelling. I can't figure out if the feedback affects my status as a writer. Suzanne told me in an email that it doesn't, yet there's a post by Suzanne on the Write.com forum that says that repeated errors are noted and can result in restrictions for writers . . . so I'm not sure what to think! If the feedback does result in penalties for the writers then I have a lot more issues with them -- for instance, being marked as having a grammar error due to an obvious typo seems wrong. If there are no repercussions for marked errors (which so far, there hasn't been for me), then it's not a big deal. I've written another message to ask but another question of mine has gone unanswered for over a week now, so we'll see what happens.
     
  15. Granny56

    Granny56 User

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2013
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    0
    There is another forum that is referenced at write.com that is very active. I think it's against the rules to list it here, but it is recommended on write.com. Crowdsource actually is active on that forum as well as a lot of disgruntled workers. Lot's of info. there that isn't shared elsewhere.
     
  16. McUser

    McUser User

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2012
    Messages:
    51
    Likes Received:
    0
    Are you posting about the pay cut that was effective today?

    CrowdSource recently made some decisions that have degraded their workers. First, they almost doubled the word count. Then, they instituted a new tiered system in which many workers will earn only 2/3 of what they earned before. For example, a 250-300-word article used to pay $12. Now, this same article is 420 words and pays only $8. It's a sad situation all around, and unfortunately, this seems to be the way things are going for all online content.

    I occasionally do work for Reputation.com, which used to pay $10 for a 150-word article and $20 for a 200-word article. Now, they are paying us only $7.50 for 150 words... still much better than CrowdSource.

    What is most humiliating about these situations is that the writer is expected to produce professional-quality work for less than minimum wage. It's only getting worse.
     
  17. winner

    winner Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0

    After being left behind by CS I finally found work elsewhere and was happy as a clam to be making $7 for 500 words. I'm still very grateful.

    Now, CS has finally allowed me to take the assessment only to find out I didn't pass the multiple-choice. It makes sense and all, seeing as how I studied their entire website.

    The point of what I'm saying is, I know CS writers are upset about all the changes and certainly the pay cut. Just remember, though, it could be worse. Making $8 for 420 would be an upgrade for me LOL.

    I wrote on "another forum" about the fact that the people there should take time and remember to be happy about having a source of income and they REAMED me, pretending I was being snooty and stuck up in what I said.

    Also, do you have to pass EVERY question on the assessment? Apparently I'm allowed to take it again, even though I don't think I did terribly.
     
  18. McUser

    McUser User

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2012
    Messages:
    51
    Likes Received:
    0
    I'm not sure how many questions you have to answer on the test.

    I don't think it's right that people flamed you, but you have to understand that for many professional writers, CrowdSource is already the low end of low. So you can imagine how up in arms people are. Many of us have spent thousands of dollars on our bachelor's or master's degrees in English, only to watch our dreams go down the toilet.

    Unfortunately, even as requirements become more stringent, the pay for online writing is going down, down, down. It just isn't valued. Traditional employment (newspapers, print magazines) for writer-journalists is going the way of the dodo bird, but online writing is proving to be no substitute. For those of us who anticipated that we would make an actual living writing, the reality is a crushing disappointment.
     
  19. BadWolf1

    BadWolf1 User

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2012
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    0
    Can I vent my frustration about Crowdsource for just a moment? From what I can tell, it looks like over the past 6-8 months, they gained a ton of business without the infrastructure in place to support their growth. I get that - it happens in every industry. I understood when it took them over a week to approve my hits a few months back. To some degree, I can even understand a tiered structure. That said, I cannot tell you how frustrated I am that i worked my butt off to do well on their writing test. I actually gained the Beta Qualification because I scored at least a 90%. A day or two after I received the qual, I get the mass email that they are dumping the Beta Qual and I'm now a level 1, just as I would have been had I not spent all that time studying their training verticals and taking a test that I wasn't compensated for.

    I'm not normally one to complain about Turking; I'm especially not one to complain about Crowdsource, but the misrepresentation on this process has been irritating to say the least. Honestly, I don't even think they deliberately misrepresented their intent - I think they saw how few new writers they got qualified to Beta and changed the rules so they can make sure they get the articles done on time. But to have people waste their time and be rewarded with a huge pay cut? Ugh.

    *breathes* Okay, I'm good now, lol.
     
  20. winner

    winner Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    You know, I never considered that perspective. I'm sorry for what you are going through professionally, but you never know what may be around the corner. Expect great things. I sincerely hope everything improves for you.

    Do you mean you were already a writer or just became one? If you have a writing history, you may be able to move up quickly. I'm sorry about that. I know how draining it is to study all of the writing guidelines all in vain.
     
    #400 winner, Aug 8, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 8, 2013

Share This Page