Three Handy Tools No Textbroker Author Should Be Without
by Gabriella
In the two and a half years I've been with Textbroker, I've gotten hooked on three basic tools. Without them, my job would be unmanageable.
Dictionary.com
Is there an author out there who isn't already using this website? The Dictionary.com toolbar (http://dictionary.com/tools/toolbar1?trackid=gog-187) is easy to install and very convenient, but it's no longer compatible with Firefox, my browser of choice. Instead, the website is front and center on my “Recently Bookmarked” list, and I have the website up and running whenever I write.
Sometimes, I need to clarify the precise meaning of a word. I may think a word means one thing when it actually means something else. By checking when in doubt, I avoid using a word that confuses the meaning of my writing and makes me look unprofessional as an author.
There are also words like “silhouette” and “corduroy” for which I can never quite recall the correct spelling. If I check a word on Dictionary but spell it incorrectly, Dictionary will suggest other words, one of which is usually the correctly spelled version of the word I'm after .
Dictionary. Read more...
posted on 06/03/2011 - 04.51 | authors | comments: 29
How to Improve Your Experience at Textbroker
by Keira, Textbroker Editor
This week's blog focuses on ways to improve your Textbroker experience. We at TB HQ have included some tips on how to make yourself more marketable as well as how to expedite your inquiries and problems.
Making Yourself Marketable:
Many authors have stressed the importance of customer rapport or sending out feeler messages to potential clients. Several clients also ask our staff for recommendations, so here are three things you can do to make your name stand out above the rest.
Change Your Name:
There's no need for a trip to the courthouse. Go to Account > Public Profile and click "change" next to "Nickname." There are tens of thousands of authors in the system known only by A- and a series of numbers. Changing this to something unique will make you more memorable to staff and clients.
Change Your Occupation:
While we're pleased to see so many stay-at-home parents, students and writers, nothing in these titles stands out. Include a hobby or skill on this line. List your major. If you have spent your life traveling through South America, indicate it. The next time we have a client asking for knitters, coupon collectors, biologists or world travelers, we'll know who to turn to. Read more...
posted on 05/20/2011 - 08.11 | textbroker blog | comments: 18
Ask an Editor: Answers
by Keira, Textbroker Editor
We've compiled many of the questions you asked and tasked some team members with answering them. Ed. 1 and Ed. 2 have PhDs in Being Awesome, so we think you're in good hands.
Q. What would happen if I went over the word count and let the client have the extra words for free?
Ed. 1: The fabric of the universe would unravel!
Ed. 2: You would just be giving the client extra words. Some clients may ask you to lower your word count if you go over, but otherwise, you're just writing without pay.
Q. Is there any other way to make it to level 5?
Ed. 1: You could try chocolate. It won't work, but we encourage our authors to try.
Ed. 2: No. We do recommend authors once in a while, but otherwise, authors must pass proofreading prior to consideration.
Q. Do the editors just skim each article and look for major errors or do they check each line carefully? Does each editor read a group of articles from the same writer or do they get one article from one writer so they don't get tired of reading the same writing style?
Ed. Read more...
posted on 05/06/2011 - 06.29 | textbroker blog | comments: 32
Working with Clients at Textbroker and Dealing with Daily Distractions
by Maryanne M.
Working with clients at Textbroker and dealing with daily distractions are two vital parts of working at home and writing articles, blogs and press releases for clientele. The following text will cover general information about both these topics as well as offer some tips to help other authors become more successful and work quickly yet proficiently.
Positive clientele connection is extremely important, and how it is done can either make it or break it for an author. If one client is satisfied with your work, he or she may tell other clients, which could lead to receiving direct orders. Not every client is the same, and not all of them will like your specific writing. Each person prefers a different style and tone; therefore, what works for one might not work for another.
It is vital to keep emotions separate from working with clients at Textbroker. There is an old saying, “What happens at home stays at home, and what happens at work stays at work.” It is a good statement to live by, but we are all human beings and will make mistakes and allow emotions to crop up. If that happens and we tell a client how we felt about a bad rating, we might be able to write later and apologize; however, we have probably already ruined that bond with the client by reacting and allowing our feelings to hinder our business thinking. Read more...
posted on 04/29/2011 - 07.03 | authors | comments: 23
Ask an Editor
by Keira, Textbroker Editor
posted on 04/15/2011 - 06.19 | textbroker blog | comments: 39
5-star Process
by Keira, Textbroker Editor
Authors,
Though we were hoping to wait until we had completed the revamped author FAQ, we have decided to push forward with the new 5-star process.
Our goal with the 5-star process is to offer our clients top-notch content and service, and we are also working on things behind the scenes to make this process faster for our authors. This process may not be easy, and it may be controversial, but please remember that our 5-star authors are paid three times as much for their work. We expect a significant difference between our 5-star authors and our 4-star authors. Just as our authors want more transparency, clients have requested more safeguards.
Before we go into the process, we'd like to answer a few questions pre-emptively as well as explain our rationale for the change.
Q. Why is Textbroker changing the process?
A. There are many reasons for this change. For our clients, the quality level has been inconsistent as of late, and we need to ensure that our highest paid authors are delivering top-notch content. For our authors, the evaluation process takes a long time, and there is little transparency involved. Read more...
posted on 04/08/2011 - 04.42 | textbroker blog | comments: 59
This Month at Textbroker: April
by Keira, Textbroker Editor
Textbroker would like to introduce a new editor! He has adopted the name Hōjō Keiji after recently finishing his studies at Oxbridge Academy for Super Gifted Writers Who Can Excel at Haiku. While he's been busy rating articles, he still had time for a brief interview.
TB: How did a famed haiku master like yourself get started at Textbroker?
HK:
unemployment sucks
ramen only so tasty
stomach was growling
TB: Where do you get your inspiration?
HK:
kittens are manly
please do not say otherwise
my sword hand is quick
TB: What is your pet peeve?
HK:
semicolons win
abusers will be fileted
stick with what you know
TB: Boxers or briefs?
HK:
garments offend me
elastic waist is stifling
the ladies approve
TB: How did you get your mad ninja haiku skills?
HK:
this question is silly
at ninja academy
editors are noobs
TB: Any advice for our authors?
HK:
be sure to wear pants
probation limits your jobs
learn from my mistakes
TB: Absolutely riveting, Keiji. Read more...
posted on 04/01/2011 - 03.25 | textbroker blog | comments: 42
Comma Trauma
Melissa, Textbroker Editor
Hey all! Keira will be back for the next post to let you know how we're going to be streamlining the 5-star process, so stay tuned. For now, though, all aboard the train to Commatown!
Comma Splices
I'm not sure about you folks, but when I think of the word “splice,” I think of some strange genetic experiment, like in that movie with Adrian Brody and that lady from “Go.” While a comma splice isn't quite that disturbing to most people, it is an incorrect construction and, as such, is very disturbing to the TB editors.
A comma splice occurs when you splice two independent clauses together using a comma alone:
“I like wearing this helmet, it totally accents my pumps.”
An independent clause is a clause that could stand alone as its own grammatically correct sentence. “I like wearing this helmet” and “It totally accents my pumps” are both independent clauses because each could function as a grammatically correct, self-contained sentence with both subject and verb. As a result, they cannot be joined by a comma alone.
Thematically and stylistically, however, these ideas complement each other, and your reader should experience them together. Read more...
posted on 02/25/2011 - 05.19 | grammar and style | comments: 38
Give a Little to Clients, Get A Lot in Return
by John R.
When I was given the prompt for this blog post, Keira was nice enough to tell me that I had been asked to write it on account of my devotion to client satisfaction. It's been said before that every client should be treated as if a stream of direct orders could possibly come out of the transaction. However, it's even more important to remember that clients are human beings. While many of them can seem busy or distant at times, they are still people. Treating them with respect can go a long way to building up a genuine rapport.
One of the ideas pitched to me was to write this blog post on dealing with clients. However, I really don't like to think of it as dealing with them. For me, I try to avoid ever getting into the mindset that talking to clients is a major hassle. In fact, some clients have expressed an interest in having a short discussion. This can be a great time to draw out some possible new assignments for yourself. Perhaps you can make some suggestions regarding future articles.
While Textbroker doesn't require you to report errors corrected in editor feedback, I've always made sure to message the client back with the correction. Though I admittedly first did it out of guilt, I found that a number of clients really appreciated the gesture. Read more...
posted on 02/11/2011 - 08.25 | authors | comments: 28
This Month at Textbroker: February
By Keira, Textbroker Editor
Hi Authors,
First off, thank you for your enthusiastic response to our last post. We here at Textbroker have made a lot of changes, and we're glad to see that they have been well-received.
For our punctuation contest, we had some amusing submissions, but the one that stood out the most to us was from AutumnB. Congratulations, AutumnB! You'll be receiving a small token of our appreciation in the mail, so be on the look out for it.
In other news, we are re-evaluating our 5-star procedure. Our authors are so productive that our editors are struggling to keep up, and the 5-star evaluation demands a lot of attention on our part. Currently, our policy is to evaluate any author who requests the upgrade after writing five to 10 articles at 4-star level. Since we have every editor evaluate the author's work, this process takes a long time, especially when so many authors ask for the upgrade. Once we have considered all the angles, we will be posting a new 5-star procedure. This change will not affect authors already at the 5-star level.
This month, the blog will feature a post from a fellow author as well as a grammar guide from Melissa, an editor here at TB HQ. Read more...
posted on 02/02/2011 - 05.56 | textbroker blog | comments: 13
