Initial reaction to a freelancer's website who is working independently?

What's your initial reaction to this site: friendlyghostwriter dot com?

This guy is working independently and I may try to do the same, and was just wondering what your reaction is to his site. If you were a customer would you shy away from this site because it's just one guy who could be trying to scam you and not a business, or does it seem safer because it's not some overseas business that could just be trying to scam you? Is there some way he can make himself more credible, such as adding a page to his site for customer reviews...but even then, how would one do so such that it is clear that the reviews are not fake, or is there even a way to show that the feedback is real?

My initial reaction is that it's pretty obvious that you just posted your own new web page on this forum and that you think people here are too stupid to see right through your pretending to be just asking for reactions to some random website put up by someone else. Personally, I think mine's a lot better but I know I'm not allowed to post it here.

Hey freelancewriter- I have something to ask you

So ask! This is a public forum.

I know this has been asked 5000 times on this post which is why I was wondering if I could post my email and have either freelancewriter or WritersBeware email me.

Seeking company or writer with legit services
thanks
lynchburg2009@yahoo

Nope, I found it on essaynews.com and thought it'd be a good example. I plan on mine being a lot better too. It's funny when someone not only claims a falsehood to be true, but also claims it's "pretty obvious".

And it was posted there Oct. 24, 2009.

At first this site seemed promising. While I've found some useful information on this forum, in general it seems that people only post when they want to get involved in a fight. Or, like freelancewriter did above, make an accusation and leave. And then there's this christina ***** who wants to turn threads on one topic into a thread about her needing to ask a question, but not actually asking it.

I did't "leave"; I just didn't feel the need to respond further (until now). You asked for "reactions" and I gave you mine. If it's not your site, you're just a little bit dopey for publicizing the website of a competitor for the business you say you're hoping to start, especially on a forum that prohibits you from doing the same with your own site once it's up. Brilliant move. As someone who is already in the business and can't post my web page here, I also don't appreciate the free publicity you just gave that website on this forum.

Personally, I still don't believe it's not your site. If it's been up since 2009, that just suggests to me that you lied in your original post about getting into the business now for the first time, not that it can't be yours. You asked for reactions; that's my honest reaction to your initial post and to your apparent need for additional "reactions" to your responses. In my opinion, there's really no point to asking people here what they think about that website if you're really just getting into the business and not associated with the site you posted. The most likely reason you posted it is simply that it's yours. Again, that's just my honest "reaction."

So, you're either a liar or you're just a little bit dopey; I apologize for not knowing which one fits best. OK? If you still need any further "reactions" just keep responding.

@somewriter -kiss my foot :0 -hater

Actually, I asked for reactions to that site, not reactions to the fact that I posted it, so you're incorrect to say that I asked for reactions and you gave me yours.


I don't see it as "dopey" to post a competitor's website since I'd guess a very small percentage of my intended customers actually see this site. They probably should, but they probably don't.


I guess I don't see the guy as a threat. If you do, too bad. I broke no rules.


The point is clear. This guy works independently instead of for an essay-writing company. I'd like to do the same. However I realize that doing it independently can come off as shady even when the person doing so isn't trying to scam anyone. I raised a similar question for the same reason in another thread and actually had a helpful response.


So, according to you, either (A) I'm a liar or (B) I'm dopey

If A, then (C) I'm the sort of person who would try to circumvent the rules by posting a site that's really mine while claiming that it's someone else's.

If B, the reason I'm dopey is that (D) I posted a competitor's site here and can't post my own when I get it going because that would be against the rules, thus giving the edge to my competitor.

But if C, then D isn't a problem because even though I'd posted a competitor's site I could still post my own, pretending it was someone else's, because if A is true then I'm that kind of person.

So if you suspect A at all, then D doesn't make sense as support for B, but that's the support you gave. So given that you have strong suspicisions that A is true, your accusation that B is true if A isn't just doesn't make sense. That is, given you suspect I'm the sort of person who'd pass my own site off as someone else's, it makes no sense for you to think I wouldn't do the same in the future even if I'm not doing it now, so to think I'm hurting myself by posting this site and not being able to post my own, and that I am thus "dopey" just doesn't follow.

So really, the only accusation you can sensibly make here is that I'm lying about it being someone else's site. I knew of course when I made the post that someone might think that, and I can totally understand it. But really you have no evidence one way or the other. All you really know is that I said it wasn't mine and that I'm either being honest or dishonest. But we all already know that everyone is always either honest or dishonest. Good job, you pointed out that what someone posted on an internet message board might not be true. Why not go ahead and add that cigarettes are unhealthy and staring at the sun isn't good for your eyes?

Wow. I guess I was completely wrong.

You're probably a liar and dopey.

Again, my apologies.

Now that definitely wouldn't make sense, for the same reasons given above. Snappy comeback though, you're obviously much smarter than me.

:)

Damn I love winning arguments.

The writing business is a free enterprise just like all others. Freedom of choice exists for a reason. No one person holds the right to be the only independent writer with his own website at this forum. Whether the owner of the site is self promoting or not isn't the issue. competition is always good and healthy for our business. If independent writer does a good job for their clients , then everybody wins. To each his own promotional style and client base.

Nobody ever suggested otherwise. The point was simply that we're not allowed to advertise our own websites "at this forum" in the way that the OP quite obviously tried to do. Incidentally, Christina eventually figured out how to contact me and exercised her "freedom of choice" to become a client of mine for 5+ years. Since she made her email public and since it's still here, I'd humbly invite anybody to contact her directly to ask her about her experiences using me and about the quality of my work.

It would appear that the assumptions posted about the owner of the site posting an indirect advertisement at this forum were correct. I tried to visit the site just now and found out that it is no longer existing. The url itself is owned by GoDaddy.com and they have put the name up for sale at the moment. It is free to buy but it seems there are no takers for it. This is a clear representation of a failed business. The OP thought he could make a go of the business, but did not manage to move the needle over time. He had to give up because he did not have the talent that it takes to last in this business. Some people think this job is very easy and anybody can do it. Nothing could be further from the truth.