Freelance writers - why don't you start a company and work on your own?

Just curious as to why many of you freelancers haven't started your own company. A few of you could even band together to do it. Seems like all you need are marginal web skills and willingness to write. Just curious because many of you appear quite honest, but are complaining about bad companies when you could do it for yourself.

No one has answered. I have to wonder is it really that difficult to do.

It is difficult, outlandish. Without knowing one another and not knowing who or how it should be controlled, it is almost impossible. We are all in different continents and although the idea is fascinating, it is not pragmatic.

I don't think it's a hard a you make it seem.

Although you don't know each other, this board is full of people with common skills looking for similiar work.

Different geographical locations tend to matter much less when dealing with the internet and writing papers by a given deadline. If Pakastani writers can get it done, albeit of poor quality, then surely various members of this board could.

These companies are basically PIMPS. They are doing nothing but managing your money for services you could arrange and provide without them. Anyway... just my .02

That comment proves that you really have no clue what it takes to set-up, maintain, and manage such an operation.

It involves monitoring, discussing, marketing, corresponding, making money available for all functions, paying the writers, quality assessment and attending to minute details.

I occassionally market for a group of four research writers who are in different cities of the UK and even in such a small outfit, many problems cropped up, till they found a friend in Scotland to manage the financial matters. But it is not a real company.

There is a lot of work combined with multiple responsibilities.

It's likely that for a lot of writers, this is a supplemental form of income. It's a great part time job or a way to make extra money when you work for established companies with strong reputations and a large population of active consumers.

I doubt that many writers would want to involve themselves in the business side of the industry, particularly when enjoying this as supplemental income. I would question the wisdom behind entering into a business arrangement with strangers as well.

I think that some companies do more than others for their writers. The suggestion that all companies are "pimps" seems a bit off but I could see that applying to some of these companies that do little more than match up potential clients with potential writers. I don't think that they offer much to writers or clients.

However, the companies that I work for do the things that I have neither the time nor the inclination to do. They do the customer service, they handle payment processing and they do the marketing. They pay me on time, every time, and they let me pick the extent of work that I do, leaving me a lot of freedom to do other things as well. Seems like a win-win to me.

Jeez, I sound like a commercial.

Anyway, back to study and work.

Never claimed I did, hence my original inquiry. I may get to find out in a year or so.


But isn't that what many freelancers are doing with some of these random internet companies?


That's precisely what a pimp does. I could've been more politically correct and used the term "middle-men" though.

I concede that doing it for supplemental income is not worth the hassle of everything else involved also. Thank you (you too, Frost) for your insight.

I am not certain that I agree with that harsh word. There are many groups who write quietly with a sense of responsibility. Sometimes there is an urge to write and it is difficult to find an outlet. At the same time, as Lavinia has said, it is a source of income, especially for people like me, who are looking for research fees. I do not have the ability to start and run a company on my own.

Also I know now that most of the flashy companies in this trade are not as genuine as they say. If you read some of the evidences provided by WritersBeware you will know this fact. Some unknown companies, who might not like to get known beyond a certain limit, could be very helpful. They remain so, because they could be a bit ashamed of writing student essays and are doing it due to circumstances. There could be part time tutors, who need a second income and I know many of them. There are doctorates who cannot get a placement immediately. All of them are sincere. They do not want this to be a life time job.

Look who's sucking up now after all the drama you caused.

What did you think? That I had some personal hatred for WB? I did not like the way she wrote and I said so. Many others, including you, too said the same. If you can accuse a person for something that was wrong, you can also praise a person for something that is right.

You perhaps wanted to see a permanent quarrel raging on the Forum and are disappointed now!!!?? Come on, what is ailing you?

Indeed, it's quite sad.

Certain people claim that I am "rude" and label me in various other ways. But guess what--not a single one of those people can claim that my posts are FALSE. I provide nothing but verifiable evidence, and they can't stand it!

I do what I do for those who appreciate the TRUTH.

Actually, having read many of WBs previous posts, I have to agree with Lavinia that WB is probably the only member on here who talks sense regardless of her style of writing. My previous mistake was that i had only read a minority of WBs recent posts and I jumped to the wrong conclusion. So WB has my full respect regardless of whether the feeling is mutual or not.

If the posts you are referring to are in relation to the location of the fraudulent sites then I have no intention of disputing this as I can neither prove nor disprove your assertions. If however you are claiming all your posts to be TRUE I think we can both think of at least one post that wasn't TRUE - need I say more.

Probably, but they are putting themselves at risk for doing so. There are ways to have a bit more protection within the work relationship. For example, a contract and working for companies within one's nation helps to protect a writer if things break down.

Outlandish, I thought the pimp comment was rather insightful actually. I think you are correct to use it to describe some companies, just not all of them.

Do you REALLY want to start with me again? I have already PROVEN that your position was based PURELY on your SPECULATION of how and where you ASSUMED that I would submit a complaint. You were wrong then, and you are wrong now. Move on.

Oh..no... I knew the peace can't last long!

No I was stating the ONLY places were the complaint would be listened to in the UK. You CANNOT submit a complaint unless you can prove what you assert to be TRUE is true and the assertions you were making just were not true as they did not show what you claim that they showed. (as I proved from my connections with my line of work)

You insinuated that the pictures were obscene (and they weren't) and that you would report the site for the publication of obscene images (the site I mentioned in my original posting deals with obscenity on the internet, not solely for the UK but worldwide and would not be in the slightest bit interested in a picture of a man in the bath) There is no one else that could do anything about those pictures that would give you the time of day so get over it- you are not able to fix all the wrongs in the world so give up trying!

Clearly, your sense of the obscene has a very high threshold. For that, I can only sympathize.

I have no intention of humoring you further. Until you can quote a post in which I mentioned ANY particular agency to which I would report a violation of ANY particular law, your petty argument is futile and impotent. In the meantime, I'll continue to post information about which people actually care.

This has nothing to do with my sense of obscene this has to do with the statutory requirement laid down by legislation that determines which material shall be deemed to be obscene and which material will not. I did not write the law I just help to uphold it ...end of!

It never does. :p It's sad that I'm still far too busy to participate. :D

We rather missed you. I thought you had abandoned us! Welcome back! To tell you the truth, I too am terribly busy. I provide online psychological counselling now. Well, that sounds terribly dignified. Frankly, I help the providers. Cannot do it on my own. Started the research only a few days ago. But wil be there some day. FROSTATMIDNIGHT...ONLINE, INSTANT PSYCHOLOGIST! There is an advantage; you don't get murdered by your clients..ha..ha...

How is your online counselling going Frost? I myself was looking to get involved with this however I wasnt sure if there is a market for it?

Question to writers, why don't you write for yourself but work for companies?

Question to writers: if you are a professional freelance writer working for an essay company -- why haven't you set up your own website? It takes $100 to build a basic website and the cost of maintinance is very low too (this is assuming you use email as the main form of communication with your clients).

What makes you stay and write for a company (and earn considerable less per page if you were writing on you own?).

Hmm. Found this interesting. I've just signed up with a company that I won't name, after months of just observing this industry, I'm now part of it!!! Maybe I'll start a blog about it. Diary of a Call Girl, but with (much) less sex...

Most of us probably do have our own private pages and we do as much work privately as we can in addition to our work for commercial companies.

You are right, why cant the disgruntled writers come together to form their own company?

there are pimps, and then there are "gorilla pimps."

I agree, but there is certainly value to having one person or a few people handle promotion and management so that writers can focus on not having to do that.

[Moved from]:

Slow out of the gate working through company

So I've recently decided to embark on freelance academic writing work. After much research I found one company that seemed to be reputable and I'm working through them. So far, I've been bidding on projects but with NONE forthcoming. I suppose that I'll probably have to work for low wages until I build up a clientele. For a newb like myself, is there any tricks or tips to getting work?

keep at it. stay tenacious. the first year is the hardest.

There is no shame is getting a part-time job to help you weather the tough times until you make it (I did). Good luck.

Indeed: fisherhouse.org

I 100% agree :)

which company are you writing for?

Thanks for the feedback! Luckily I do have part time work already...I'm just a bit greedy and impatient!
The ball is slowly starting to roll now.
Editor75, The company I'm working for rhymes with bust-empapers.com ahemhem. And to avoid undue prominence: Other companies are available!

These are also prerequisites for the job.

In this instance, the writer may be more than willing to start their own company in order to bust out on their own but it is the logistics of running the website and finding clients that more than likely deters them from trying it out. While there are some successful independent writers here with their own simple websites, whose simple marketing ploys and advertisements work for them, the other writers may not be that lucky. Most of the others have other chores and responsibilities in life that will prevent them from being an all in one academic outsourcing machine. Not everyone can be the writer, researcher, marketer, accountant, and client relations officer all rolled into one. Real life and other responsibilities tend to get in the way of that. Which is why those who don't have the time to take on all those responsibilities don't even try. There simply isn't enough time during the day for some independent writers. While they do accept some freelance writing on the side, most of these writers still prefer to work with a company in order to avoid the hassles of having to do all the management work themselves. Whether it pays off or not for the writer is another discussion.

The logistics entailed in the setting up for this sort of business can turn out to be costly for the independent writer. The server rental and domain name charges alone can cost a hefty sum that not most independent writers are willing to pay or, if they have the money, that they are willing to part with. Not when they do not have any assurance that they will get an immediate ROI on the investment. Sure they can put together their own network of writers and throw work towards one another, but without any real method of seeking out clients and advertising their services, it doesn't come across as a logical alternative to working for a company. The only way most independent writers get their clients is from referrals and social media advertising these days. If a writer does not have a business background, it could be difficult for him to set up his own company and make it run smoothly. If he employs other people to help out, then he will lose more money than he will make.

I agree with what had been mentioned here that it's mostly due to the fact that not all writers would truly be competent enough to run a full-on business. When I hear this proposition, it almost sounds like a career transition rather than moving up the ladder. The monetary investment necessary when establishing a business in any field would require that individual would be willing to shoulder the costs of a possible failure in the long-run. This may not necessarily be profitable. As I believe that most academic writers do this as a source of supplementary income, I do not think that going through all the hassle would be beneficial for a lot of individuals in the field.

Every company writer I've ever known has also tried to generate as much direct work as possible. That can be much easier said that done, so most of us relied heavily on company work even while trying to build our own brands.