After you explain why I am a "charlatan" and prove that I "lied about knowing graphpohobius," would you also explain why I am a "stalker"? In for a penny and all.


No, you don't, at least not in my case.

I didn't ask for your life story.

I asked you to substantiate your claim that I am a "charlatan" or the I "pretended not to know graphophobius."

If you had time to respond to me in two different discussions, you certainly had time to offer at least some evidence to support your position (if you had any such evidence, that is).


LOL! Bring it on.


This is just one more example of exactly the kind of behavior to which I have referred.

You have called me all manner of names, have accused me of being a "charlatan," have claimed that I am "dishonest," and have asserted that I "pretended not to know graphophobius." You do not know me, or know anything about me. Yet you have no problem with making unsubstantiated charges, calling me a "loser," a "dips***," etc.

Yet you find it surprising that I commented on your nastiness and negativity?

I came to this site hoping to find a positive environment in which to interact with other academic writers. What I found instead were your profane, nasty, and entirely misplaced personal attacks.

You made several false and unsubstantiated claims about me.

I'm a "coward" for commenting on your negativity and nastiness? Interesting. Are you familiar with the concept of irony?

commenting that a site run by ESL writers seems to be trying to hide the fact that they're ESL writers sounds like a pretty "serious reason" to me

I agree that the easiest topics can be the most difficult to write about. Yesterday I had to do 10 pages on "cognitive development," with an emphasis on (of course) Piaget and Kohlberg. It was for a lower-level psych course, so I had to keep it pretty basic. Once I hit the seven-page mark I felt like a runner flagging in the home stretch. I probably spent more time on the last three pages than I did on the first seven.

When I first started writing in 2010 I used to keep all kinds of crazy hours. I didn't stick to a regular schedule at all; I worked when I had work and I slept when I didn't. If I needed to finish something in 24 hours that was going to require 24 hours of writing, I would fuel up on coffee and get it done, then crash for half a day or more.

As I got better with time management, reference acquisition, and building a client base, I gradually adopted a stricter regimen. Now I have virtually the same routine every day, which allows me to fit in all sorts of other activities and pursuits, from exercise to time with my kids to working on personal writing projects. I spent 15 years in a field that required a lot of commuting and driving; it's astonishing how much more time I have now that I don't spend 2-3 hours (or more) in the car every day.

I certainly understand why some academic writers suffer from sleep deprivation, as it took me a fair amount of time to figure out how not to live that way.

In what language will this "good article" be written?

LOL!

whatever we're paying this graphophobius guy, it's not enough.

That's what I'm talking about: your "problem." As a newbie to this site, I was unaware of your "problem," and didn't think it was appropriate or necessary to contextualize my entirely innocuous question as you did.

As I see it, we're all just trying to get by, do some writing, and make some money (those of us who are legitimate, capable writers, anyway). If you think I as an individual freelancer could or should adhere to certain precepts, by all means, feel free to discuss those matters with me. I also welcome any advice you or anyone else might have about which companies operate in the most principled manner, so that I can apply to work for them.

As I noted, I am new here, and until a few days ago I have never had a chance to engage with others who write academic papers, either as freelancers or for essay services. I welcome any and all thoughtful advice and guidance, and welcome open, friendly discussion and debate on issues of importance to writers and to the industry as a whole.

What I find off-putting is the sense that I'm being questioned, challenged, or even insulted before I've even made it all the way in the door and had a chance to hang up my coat.

It seems you are not being truthful, Major.

This conversation was predicated on a discussion about ESL students who might be challenged by their professors if they submit a paper that is too well-written. You responded that such students would not have a problem "unless they violated the TOS."

You were clearly (at least it's clear to me) referring to essay-service TOS with that comment. In fact, you could not have been referring to freelance writer TOS, given the fact that you claim such TOS don't exist.

I don't particularly care for "gotcha" games and efforts to move the rhetorical goalposts during conversations/arguments/debates.It's just not my thing.

When I asked to which TOS you referred, you could have responded "the one that admonishes clients not to submit model papers as their own work." I did, in fact, assume that's what you were talking about, and my question was only meant to seek clarification. You twisted it into an effort to raise (revive?) a debate about essay services vs. freelancers. Let's just all be honest about the fact that that's what happened, OK?

Not from my perspective you're not.

I asked "to what TOS does this refer"? Instead of answering my question, you responded with a loaded question of your own, one that was clearly agenda-driven.

I don't enjoy that sort of "conversation"

I just realized that as I read through this thread

this quote from Major, for example: "I was referring to your (ie. a freelance writer's) terms of service" is clearly not true. After catching up on this topic, I see that when Major wrote "unless they violate the TOS" he was referring to the TOS of essay services. His assertion is that "professional freelance writers" don't have TOS in the first place, so he could not have been referring to them in the quote I asked about/commented on. He moved the goalposts a few times during the conversation i which I was engaged.

Seems like there is a s***-ton of agenda-driven sniping and arguing happening all over this site, and I'm not wired that way. Major could have just had a conversation with me, instead of trying to play some weird "gotcha" game

You wrote: "They don't have to worry about it unless they knowingly violate the TOS."

And again, I ask you: to which TOS does this refer? It was a simple question. It seems different writers have different TOS, and I just wanted to clarify that you were referring to some form of TOS about model papers, considering that some writers here don't seem to adhere to that standard.

What does this have to do with my question? My question was not about my TOS. It was about the TOS you referred to.

I've tried to preface every post by reiterating that I'm new here, and still trying to get a sense of the place and its participants. I am quickly beginning to realize that there is a lot of suspicion, snark and sniping going on around here.

You mentioned "the terms of service." I was asking to which terms of service that refers. Yours? Those of a specific site? Of a specific freelancer? One specific term of service in a larger set of TOS? Etc.

I have seen some posters who assert without equivocation that they write papers for their clients to hand in as their own work, and others who describe their papers as "models." I have been writing academic papers for a living for several years, but until finding this site I never had an opportunity to interact with or ask questions of others who do the same thing. I was simply asking for clarification about your post, and I don't feel that your response was warranted.

Listen, Antarch, I'm new here, and I'm not looking to get drawn into your personal dramas and obsessions. What I wrote was very clear, and it is entirely your fault that that you misinterpreted it to read as some sort of insult or slight to ESL writers, or took it as evidence of some sort of "obsession." In the future, I suggest you simply refrain from commenting on my post so as to avoid similar misunderstandings.


This is simply not true, at least in this instance. You most certainly did snipe at me, and you "made the case" that I am both "obsessed" and "on a high horse." As I noted, I have been participating in these forums for all of 72 hours; that is hardly enough time to demonstrate any sort of "obsession."

You very obviously have an obsession with this issue. That's your problem, not mine.

I don't know you, and I have only been participating in this forum for a few days. I assure you that I am not "obsessed" with this issue, nor am I on any sort of high horse. In fact, I don't have a strong opinion on the matter either way, largely because I've not given the issue much thought. I am inclined, at this point, to take the position that ESL and ENL writers each have their places in this business.

I find it ironic, however, that in defending yourself, you demonstrate your personal inability (at least in this case) to understand what I was saying.

My point was about the rhetorical approach taken by graphophobius. If he was primarily engaged in self-promotion, he could have easily CHOSEN TO make a stronger case against ESL writers. Instead, he chose to build a fairly balance argument. I wasn't speaking to the veracity of his arguments; I was simply commenting on the fact that he chose to build a balanced argument instead of a one-sided argument. It was a comment on his approach, not the facts of the case.

It seems to me that you're pretty defensive; as I said, I don't know you, I have only been here for a few days, and I have no dog in this fight. I was not trying to make a case against other writers, nor was I trying to make a case for my own competence/experience. I was simply participating in the conversation. You not only misread my point and my motives; you then assailed me based on your misreading. Perhaps you should take your own advice, and "make a stronger case FOR yourself and your competence/experience as opposed to making a case against other writers."

I disagree. At least that's not how I read it. In my view, graphophobius offered a pretty balanced, honest, and accurate view of the issue. Had he been interested in self-promotion he could easily have made a stronger case against ESL writers.

To which TOS do you refer? Does this post mean that students need not worry as long as they use the papers as models, rather than hand them in as is?

(forgive me if this is a dumb question. I am new here and still trying to get a sense of what this place is all about)

I've done quite a few papers for ESL and international clients, primarily though an essay service. In many instances, however, I have declined to apply for or accept orders from ESL clients specifically for the issues you raise. I have often found it quite challenging to "tone down" my writing to make it appear as if it was written by an ESL writer, and to meet an appropriate page count when trying to limit my vocabulary.In order to write quickly, efficiently and effectively I have to work with a certain degree of automaticity, and pretending to be an ESL writer simply slows me down too much.

As would I, though my ignorance about how this forum works means I am hesitant to reach out. After reading your previous post I decided to try to send you a message. After following the link, I saw this admonition: "Note: spamming, advertisements, or solicitations that may lead to a financial transaction is a violation of the forum rules."

I can only presume that sending you a message expressing my interest in your "network of writers" idea constitutes a "solicitation that may lead to a financial transaction." Then I considered your comment that my earlier post may "get (me) some clients," and I wondered how that would be possible if it is not appropriate to solicit other participants on this board. Can you clarify this for me? I'd hate to violate the rules of this place almost as soon as I arrived.

My pleasure; thanks for asking. In my limited time on this site I have seen a fair amount of sniping among posters here (mostly predicated on accusations of one form or another of shilling), so I was unsure how I would be received. I am grateful for the response I've gotten so far. I am equally interested in reading what other writers have to say about their experiences.

I have considered setting up a website, though I have never made any concerted effort to do so. I built my current client base almost entirely through word of mouth. after getting a few clients via a craigslist post several years ago. I probably should make the effort to develop a site, though to be frank I don't know much about it (which I suppose is an ironic statement coming fro someone who spends his days researching all manner of topics).

I am hoping to move in that direction, and figured that participating in this forum would be a good first step.

I think I was ignored because I applied to the wrong companies. I haven't exactly beaten the bushes; I have only applied to a handful of places, and the last was probably two years ago (until yesterday, when I sent an application to a site I saw mentioned on this forum). In each instance I have followed the specifics of the application process (resume, writing samples, and typically an essay prompt). I generally have enough work, though several of my long-term clients either recently graduated or are nearing graduation. I don't need a lot more work; I would just like to have more options/security/etc. With the current summer lull in full swing I figured I should do some research so as to target any future applications more effectively, and that research brought me to this forum.

I am a native English speaker from Pennsylvania (I now reside in Florida) with a B.A. and an M.A. I originally intended to enter the field of education but life had other plans. I did some writing on the side throughout my college years and when my wife was in grad school I did some writing for her; it was then that I first realized I could probably make some money writing academic papers. I got laid off from a sales job when the recession hit in 2006 (it hit Florida's real estate and residential construction industries much earlier than the rest of the nation), and from 2007-2010 I did some writing for local clients. In 2010 I started working for an essay service, and I currently balance my workload between their clients and my clients.

I realized fairly quickly that I have a knack for this work (not just because of my writing skills; I have the personality type as well: only child, can function independently, able to spend hours alone, etc.), though I am certainly much better at this now than I was four or five years ago. I have written over a thousand papers, though I have never taken a complete inventory count; I just have the running tally on the essay-service site and the hundreds of papers on my hard drive I have done for my own clients).

The "over a thousand papers" thing is a bit misleading, or at least non-specific, since the length of these papers varies so widely. As is probably the case for anyone who has done this for any length of time, I have written papers for everyone from freshmen to grad students, and from very easy projects to projects of significant scope and scale. I have taken online classes for students, polished articles for submission to peer-reviewed journals, etc. I won't bore you with a long list, as your experience is probably similar to mine. I don't have very strong math skills, so I avoid projects related to math/hard sciences and stick with Humanities/Liberal Arts/Education/Social Sciences and the like. I generally get positive feedback from my clients, and the essay service I write for is very good about assigning orders to me when I apply for them.

The first place I applied to, years ago, lined me up with some work almost immediately. I did a few short assignments to prove my mettle, and before long I was fairly busy just with the stream of work from them. I have been with them ever since, and have written 608 papers for them so far (I just checked my count earlier today). In my naivete I assumed I would have similar experiences if I applied to other companies; as it turns out, I was wrong.

I only stumbled across this forum a few days ago, and I sent an application/samples/resume to one of the companies I've seen mentioned here. No response yet, but it's only been 24 hours so I'm not discouraged yet.

I have only worked for two companies. I do not really know where to begin looking for more companies to write for, as there are so many out there. I only write for one company now, and have been with them since 2010. I have written about 600 papers for them, and get a lot of positive feedback from clients (and therefore a steady stream of work). But I have also applied for work with a number of other companies -using the same resume, samples, etc.- and been ignored. There is nothing on the surface that I can see which would distinguish the company I work for from the companies that have ignored my applications, other than the fact that one responded to me and the rest did not.

I don't mind the lower pay from the essay services; I balance that against the time I'm not spending on administrative tasks (dealing with clients, taking orders, advertising, and so on) and the relatively steady stream of orders. Don't get me wrong: I do have a fair amount of personal clients, and I do make more per page from them; I just don't mind balancing that with clients from essay services.

I would just like to find a few more services to write for to further shore up my work schedule.

btw, how did my comment become a thread? I thought I was responding to a comment in a different thread? Is there an admin who selects some comments for threads? Is there a primer for this site somewhere?

In most cases I give discounts to returning clients. I have several clients that I shepherded through their entire four years (as well as a few who are now grad students and one who is a med student). I have been fortunate that most of these clients are fairly bright, and our work together has been largely collaborative.

I generally encourage my clients to bring me a referral as a predicate for offering them a lower standard price, though I'm not pushy about that. If they're comfortable passing my info along to someone they trust, great; if they're not, I get it. Pretty much any client who is happy with my work and keeps coming back for more will get at least some sort of discount.