Advice for new and/or ESL writers looking for work

Avoid Errors

The more errors in your ad copy and initial communications with potential customers, the fewer jobs you will receive. The writing in your ad copy and emails should be flawless, but, at the same time, the level of writing in your ad/emails should be representative of the level of writing that the client will actually receive from you. (NOTE: If you're not sure if there are errors in your writing, that is a clear sign that you are not yet ready to accept money as a professional writer in the English language.)

Always be Honest and Maintain Integrity

Never lie about your experience, areas of expertise, native language, or writing fluency. Remember-customers aren't paying you to "learn on the job."

I am an exceptional writer in the English language, but I couldn't write in Polish or Chinese to save my life. I certainly wouldn't take people's money under false pretenses while "trying," either. The moral? Always be honest and up-front about your qualifications. If you're not getting hired, that's a sign that you are simply not yet ready to write, professionally, for American consumers.

Sites at Which to Apply

Sorry, but naming specific sites at which you may apply is against the rules of the forum. You'll have to find sites on your own. Don't worry-if you know how to use Google, you can find literally hundreds of sites that will accept your resume.

Not Qualified Yet?

Write for customers in your native language, while honing your English skills in your spare time.

THanks for your explanation, I was confused about this.

Essay writers, I need advice

I'm trying to get started with one of these businesses as an essay writer, but I don't know which one to use. I don't want to get ripped off by someone who doesn't pay me for my work, I just want to make a little extra money to pay the bills. Since many of the people here seem to have done this type of work before, I'd love to hear what feedback you guys have on these places from the writer/employee point of view. Telling your own stories is allowed here, and giving positive feedback isn't the same as advertising. Let's avoid explicitly mentioning names that are on the "Do Not Discuss" list, but that doesn't mean we can't get our points across. Let's not argue about the rules either, the mods can take care of enforcing the rules. Let's just have a friendly, productive discussion on where to make a little money as essay writers without getting scammed.

hard to say, as they all seem to have some controversy related to them. It's a gamble either way.

[Moved from]: The main problem with Kenya, Pakistan, etc writers...and clients need to recognize it

There have been plenty of discussions about bad language skills of ESL writers from Kenya, Pakistan, etc. But what is missing from this conversation is the fact that clients most of the time attend North American, European, Australia/NZ Universities and these writers from Pakistan/Kenya do not have formal education to even rise to that level. I have seen numerous essays written by such writers and while their English is awkward and weird, the essay structure and research are even more troubling, because in many cases the stuff they write does not even make any sense. The bottom like is, these people are not qualified to write essays at such level not only because of their poor language skills but because they do not have education, training and abilities to handle this level of work. Solution: hire ESL writer with diploma from North America, Europe, etc. You will get high level of ESL plus ability and education to understand assignment and do required research.

Instead of hiring an ESL writer with diploma, it is better to hire an ENL writer.

Which one do you think is better: ESL with a degree or ENL without a degree?

This comparison is invalid. There are great writers without degrees and great writers with degrees (though on balance, someone with proven success in a university setting would clearly be preferable), and great ESL writers as well as great ENL writers (though again, on balance, a native-speaking student would likely prefer a native-speaking writer if there were any discernible ESL traits in the ESL writer's product).

Focusing on what degrees someone has or what country they are from are bad ways to choose a writer, both because it's easy to lie and because neither one provides evidence of qualification. The country to which a payment is sent is a much greater risk factor (or risk-reducing factor) than the country of a writer's origin because it actually impacts the ability for a customer to hold a writer/company accountable. A writer's demonstrated ability to write in a given area, such as can be seen by ordering a small amount of work before ordering larger projects, is the only meaningful qualification that exists in this industry.

I personally think ESL with a degree from the North American/European University is much better compared to a native speaker without a degree. The reasons for that are: a) writer with a degree knows how to do research and understands the essence of academic writing; b) has critical thinking skills and other valuable skills; b) knows proper formatting, structure, reference styles, knows and has access to peer-reviewed articles and databases. Clients need to realize if a writer has a degree from the North American/European University this alone is a very good qualification.

The worst thing however is ESL without a degree and without a clue. Just last month I saw a master level project written by some Kenyan villager and I felt so bad for a client. Total rip-off and scam. How did this Kenyan villager get such order and what possessed the client to work with him is a mystery for me.


Not necessarily true. Some writers can do it for lower taxes for example.

You misunderstand the point. The country you send a payment to matters because some countries are within the easy reach of the law and some aren't. A payment sent to a UK account is much safer than a payment sent to an account in Kenya regardless of where the writer lives or is from, because the UK account will be much more within the reach of the law (especially for a student that lives in the UK).

Whether the writer actually lives in the Cayman Islands or not is immaterial--if a customer cannot take steps to force a return of their money in the event of non-delivery or a fraud, sending the money is a bad idea.

Need Students' Work

It is true that there are writing sites which may not be honest, and that is sad because they give a bad name to writers. I am a writer and so far, no one has complained about the quality of my writing, even though I am not an English native speaker. I check for grammatical errors and plagiarism for all work assigned to me by a student before I send it back. I use APA, MLA, Harvard and any style a student wants done. I am able to write up to 22 pages in two days because I am dedicated and passionate about writing.I don't know if I should post my email here for students who want their work done, but I would be happy to help anyone with their work. My rates are a little high but that is because I produce quality work. So here is my email, in case it is ok for me to post it here: @gmail. Please do get in touch. A word of caution: do not send your work in late and expect a miracle. This is because there is work that can take less than an hour to complete while there is work that can take longer than 5 days. But you will be happy with the end results. Mode of payment is PayPal or i will send you an Account to deposit the money.

This sounds like practical advice except for the bit about writing in your native language until you can perfect your English skills.
Unfortunately (or fortunately), due to globalization, most ESL countries (Kenya, India, Nigeria, Pakistan) actually have their curriculums in English throughout high school and college (sometimes right from the start of education in primary school). However, the standard of writing in these institutions is lower given the teachers are ESL themselves. This is what sets ESL writers back. They know their native languages well but have never written anything formal or substantial in these languages. On the other hand, no one told them that the standard of English in their countries was different (lower?) compared to that in countries that speak English natively.

Again, due to this fact, there are simply no customers for ESL writers in their native languages.
My advice here would be to work with ESL customers until your English language skills are perfect. I have found that working with ESL customers when ESL is great because it reduces chances of suspicion from the lecturers. In addition, it is not fraudulent when compared to lying to native English speakers about being native.

If anybody wishes to work as an ESL writer in this field, I have only one piece of advice for you; look at your English grades from elementary school up to college. If you are getting only average/ passing/ barely passing/ failing grades throughout your academic history, then don't bother trying to become an academic writer. You are not going to make it. Students will constantly ask you to revise the work, the company will constantly fine you (if such a policy exists with the company), and you will be in constant danger of not earning anything at the end of the month because penalties ate up your earnings. Just because you can read in English doesn't mean you can write in English. English academic writing requirements are too stringent in both the US and the UK, which is why, if you are not taught to write in English using one of the two English academic writing styles, you will suffer as an ESL writer. What passes for English writing in your native country will more than likely not pass as even acceptable in a real English academic research setting.

As an ESL writer myself, I would also agree with most comments here. Establishing yourself as an ESL writer is tough. The level of competition is intense. If ENL writers can barely get by at times because of the tightness of the competition, then it would be three times harder for an ESL writer. It is not impossible, though. I have personally been able to sustain myself for years now through freelance writing. I do admit still that I have lapses, so I always ensure that I'm constantly learning and progressing as a learner myself. It's imperative that you understand your limitations - and that you constantly work your way up.

Like with any other freelance writing task, I would suggest building great relationships with your potential employers or contractors to ensure that you will be compensated nicely and sufficiently. I find that it will be especially difficult in the beginning because there will be a lot of people who would doubt your writing skills because of your background. Having a substantial and juicy academic record alongside a great track record working in smaller projects will definitely help in the long-run. Practice and consistency is key.

My advice is to new ESL writers is, recognize the importance of direct communication with the client and act accordingly. The private messaging system is there for a purpose. Stay in touch with the client. Update your client once a day regarding the progress of the paper. Don't wait for the client to ask for an update. Clients appreciate writers who take the initiative to advise them of the progress of the papers. It also helps to clarify any possible revision situation with the client. By informing the client of the progress of the paper, the client can correct any instructional errors or misunderstanding that might exist. Communication is the key to repeat client business. Show the clients that you value their business by giving importance to them, regardless of how many papers you have in the pipeline. An important client will always turn into a repeat client for the writer.