10 Tips on Rating Levels

Number 5 is my biggest pet peeve. When you charge by the word, you have a responsibility for not overusing words. Using the active voice cuts out a lot of superfluous text and just makes the piece easier on the reader.

added by: client 2104138 on 07/23/2010 - 10.23

Thank you. That was very helpful. I can't wait to read next week's post.

added by: author A-014884 on 07/23/2010 - 11.06

That was very helpful, thank you.

added by: author A-032998 on 07/24/2010 - 02.36

This was a great article to read. However, there are grammatical mistakes in it. For example, "The most important,(there's a missing word here),for level 3 authors are how to handle clauses with coordinating conjunctions, or FANBOYS, using commas in if/then clauses, and introductory elements." What is the most important for level 3 authors? I didn't get that information from the sentence. So this would be a level 3 rated article.

It's really easy to try to tell us what to do and nitpick, but why don't you nitpick your own blog posts. I understand that that you aren't being paid for this, but you do represent Text Broker. Otherwise, it was a good article.

added by: author A-031936 on 07/24/2010 - 02.46

I appreciate your help. You really support your writers.

added by: author A-034727 on 07/24/2010 - 03.27

Every little bit helps, I would love to perfect the art of communications; Two thumbs up!

added by: author Novelist on 07/24/2010 - 03.54

Thank you so much for this guide, it is so helpful!

added by: author A-047646 on 07/24/2010 - 06.01

Very helpful article, indeed. Thanks, Christina, for sharing.

added by: author jaliam on 07/24/2010 - 06.44

If you do not mind, I would like to put my 2 cents into this discussion. My biggest peeve, that I see when I read articles that are written on many other sites on the Internet.

I notice that many writers use the same words in each sentence but in a various ways. I see them more clearly now since I have learned more about grammar.

I think it is called 'fluff'.

For example: "The book was left on the table and when I went to the table I saw the book was left so I picked up the book and took it off the table."

The above is an example of what I am talking about. There are a lot of words for the word count to increase and fill the article. However there is no information given.

I did not take this example from anyone in particular. I am just more aware now of proper writing.

added by: author SondraC on 07/24/2010 - 07.32

This blog is great! Thanks for including this idea for helping writers. I have just recaptured a 4 star rating and want to keep this. This has been a good review for me and I look forward to next week. Thanks again!

added by: author A-041649 on 07/24/2010 - 08.10

"The most important for level 3 authors are how to handle clauses with coordinating conjunctions"

I see that my comment was erased. The most important what for level 3 authors? That doesn't make any sense to me.

added by: author A-031936 on 07/24/2010 - 10.13

Thank you for these helpful reminders. Even good/excellent writers make mistakes sometimes, and we all need to pay close attention, without getting defensive. We can all improve our writing. It's like a writing class we are getting paid to attend.

added by: author A-042184 on 07/24/2010 - 11.06

This post was informative, as most are. It is helpful to have a refresher about grammar. To the author who felt that something was missing from the paragraph on commas:

"There are many comma rules to be aware of. The most important for level 3 authors are..." Rather than repeat the words "many comma rules," the author assumes that we are following the topic introduced in the first sentence. Thus, the second sentence continues this idea with the subject understood from the first sentence. It is very clear.

added by: author Susan A on 07/25/2010 - 02.11

I was a level 4 writer and then the last few articles were rated 3, so I got knocked back down. the criticisms were very minor. I suppose this system is meant to inspire us to do better, but it had the opposite effect on me. I'm not sure I want to work for this site any longer. Lord knows, there are a ton of other ones who pay for web articles.

added by: author A-044119 on 07/25/2010 - 08.17

Some confusion often arises that I would like you to consider. Some clients state that assignments should be written in British English. Unfortunately, when you rate the articles, the variations are marked as mistakes, hence contributing towards a lower rating. Therefore, I think that it is helpful to check the client instructions during the rating process.

added by: author Richlan on 07/25/2010 - 11.01

Thanks a lot. The newsletters are proving quite helpful.

added by: author A-041767 on 07/26/2010 - 03.02

"There are many comma rules to be aware of. The most important for level 3 authors are..." Rather than repeat the words "many comma rules," the author assumes that we are following the topic introduced in the first sentence. Thus, the second sentence continues this idea with the subject understood from the first sentence. It is very clear."

Clear, yes. Grammatical, no. As item #1 says, every sentence needs a subject and a verb. There is no subject in the second sentence of the quotation. Blogs, like the spoken word, can sometimes get away with some loose grammar. Given topic of this blog, I would've expected more careful writing. "The most important rule for level 3 authors..." is the obvious wording choice for the example.

There are several such "loose" grammatical constructions in the original post.

In item 1, "These two items must agree." What does that mean, we want them to be friends? I presume Ms. Zila means "must agree in number", but a style guide should not require such inference. In many languages, they must also agree in gender.

"There are too many spell-check products to have spelling errors in your work" is an awful sentence.

In "Capitalization counts for company and product names like eBay, iPod...", "counts" is surely an example of an incorrect word choice. Capitalization is required for proper nouns. Company and product names should be capitalized as they are by the company or product manufacturer. But there is an issue here that is more important than the nitpicking. Textbroker really needs to give us guidance on capitalization for required keyword phrases. Must we follow the requestor's capitalization? What if the phrase is not a product name and the requested capitalization is ungrammatical?


Item 4 in the second list is a missed opportunity. Just what "other online resources" do textbroker editors recommend? Please include links to appropriate resources, or properly reference a real style guide.

"Refrain from starting your sentences with a coordinating conjunction (and, but, so) since" should be "Refrain from starting a sentence with a coordinating conjunction....", or "Refrain from starting your sentences with coordinating conjunctions.."

It's hard to take this sight seriously when a grammar lesson is so ungrammatical.

added by: author A-044541 on 07/26/2010 - 02.13

@ A-044541 When writing to level 2 authors, I try to keep things as simple as possible. A verb always has to agree in number. I've never seen a verb agree in gender or declension in English, French or German. Were you thinking of adjectives and articles instead?

Please use a dictionary when attempting to discern whether word choice is appropriate. We do.
From http://www.dictionary.com, "to count":

11. to be accounted or worth something: That first try didn't count—I was just practicing.
12. to have merit, importance, value, etc.; deserve consideration: Every bit of help counts.

Always follow keyword phrases as given by the client, even if misspelled, mis-capitalized, or incorrect. We take the client's instructions into consideration when evaluating your work.

I have an entire post online resources here: http://www.textbroker.com/blog/authors/content/the-editor-s-toolbox.html

Please check your work for homonym errors; you're reading a site, not a sight.

added by:  Textbroker  on 07/26/2010 - 02.57

Please check your posts for grammatical and logical errors. You're supposed to be writing a tutorial. By the way, breath/breath and bath/bathe are not homonym pairs.

added by: author A-044541 on 07/26/2010 - 03.39

I do sense some arrogance and disrespect with regard to apparent criticism of Ms. Zila’s blog entries. I also wonder about a comment saying there are many other websites like this one for earning freelance writing income.

That said, I would put forth that in my two years with Textbroker, I have found this website to be the very best, most reliable, and honest such website for writers. As a level 5 writer for almost that entire time, this opportunity has been amazing and fruitful. I even have gone so far as to compose an eBook that I sell under Grandma’s Little Black Book – Writing for Textbroker. It contains all the information that I have learned over the past two years about writing for Textbroker and is a great guide for newcomers.

Ms. Zila has not indicated what level writer at Textbroker she may be, nor does she claim perfection. Most people who put in blog entries do them on site, without benefit of a word processor spell check or grammar check. Typos do occur that sneak through in blog entries even when they are proofread and double-checked.

It is disturbing that a person would go out of their way to criticize another writer’s blog entry with that knowledge about blogging in mind, and that they do it with a touch of sarcasm or meanness. Criticism with intent to provide constructive instruction is different than that mean style of criticism.

added by: author A-002484 on 07/27/2010 - 08.47

I would like to applaud the last blogger for their sober entry into this conversation. Salute! I appreciate every bit of criticism that I get from the editorial department, in fact, I sometimes solicit their feedback. That said, I would like to thank Christina Zila for taking the time to compile the information she has been so gracious to disseminate to us. We are all on a quest for betterment, and the only way we shall achieve this is by sticking together and sharing what we learn. Quite frankly, it has been rather amusing to see the same malicious critics making the same mistakes they were purporting to expose. lol (please do not lambaste me for that grammatical quirk!) Anyway, let us stick to constructive criticism and mutual respect. Thanks Textbroker, you rock!

added by: author A-041069 on 07/28/2010 - 03.50

"Quite frankly, it has been rather amusing to see the same malicious critics making the same mistakes they were purporting to expose."

I agree. Some of you need to chill out :).

added by: author A-005762 on 07/29/2010 - 06.14

I can't believe other authors are criticizing this blog. This person goes out of her way to help us. If you cannot get past criticizing others who try to help, maybe you do not belong here.

I was at a level 4 for two weeks, it was great. Now I'm back down to a 3. I just cannot seem to get a grip on proper comma usage. I've studied. I think I have a grip on them, and then it is wrong. Oh well, as they say back to the drawing board.

Good post.

added by: author blackdog on 07/31/2010 - 07.10

Thanks Christina. As usual, you’ve provided valuable info. Thanks also to A-002484 and the other supporters. It’s a shame that some folks feel the need to adopt such a nasty tone. I’ve taken time out from TB as I’m now making about four times as much writing elsewhere, but I am forever indebted to TB for my start just one year ago. The instruction and support I got here enabled me to hone my skills and earn while learning. Where else can you get a paid education? So lighten up and appreciate this incredible opportunity. And if you aren’t happy writing here, move on.

added by: author C.Marie on 07/31/2010 - 01.33

Dear Nay Saying Authors,
I have just finished my fifth article for Textbroker and have already been contacted by a client to do DirectOrders.
When I first started writing for this company two weeks ago I read most of the comments on the authors' pages. Of course I too started to feel depressed and as if getting back into professional freelance writing was worthless and near impossible. I too did the math and felt the doom-and-gloom atmosphere present all around me. But, still, the writer in me kept ticking away.
I am now waiting for my rating from Textbroker and cannot write anything else until it comes (as you all know). But after receiving the note from the fifth client I wrote for, telling me she has her own website and tons of work for me and only me, I just HAD to give the rest of you hope. This is not a brag; I am as taken-back by my good fortune as the rest of you. And as a Christian, I assure you that I AM FOR REAL AND MAKING NONE OF THIS UP!!!
I come from a professional newspaper/marketing/editor background. But I don't believe that to be the key to early success. I believe you have to write with your heart--yes, even about auto parts and dating Asian women online--and don't ever, ever give up.
You're a writer; hone your skills and keep going. In the end you will be paid off financially, professionally, emotionally and spiritually. Good luck to you all and God Bless.
B.Casper on 8/1/2010

added by: author Bobbi on 08/01/2010 - 01.57

For the author who says "The most important for ...." is not grammatical.
A subject does not have to be a noun. It can be a pronoun or a phrase referring to a noun (in other words, a phrase acting as a pronoun). It is very clear that "the most important" is referring to "rule", thus it is a subject.

Another way to look at this is that articles ("the", "a","an") can become subjects if they refer back to a previous subject.

So it is grammatical, though admittedly not ideal as it requires the reader to have a great grasp of sentence structure - something a lot of people have trouble with since it is rarely taught anymore.

added by: author Caren on 08/02/2010 - 10.28

@Richlan - I write for UK audiences here on TB all of the time and I have never been rated poorly because of it. The editors are generally quite aware of the client requirements on articles.

@Bobbi - I totally wish I would have gotten the dating Asian women online article. That would have been interesting. I have done one on anal beads, though. As a Christian, myself, that was quite interesting. :)

@A-044541 - Lighten up. You're spending more time griping about the blog post than you are writing Direct Orders. Go make some money. BTW, if bath and bathe aren't considered homonym pairs, why are they listed as homonyms in "Dictionary of Homonyms"? For the record, breath, breathe AND breadth are all listed as homonyms. Just sayin'.

-Neal

added by: author Neal on 08/18/2010 - 01.53

I have been reading the comments here and the comma problems that seem to be keeping me at a level 3 are the very same comma rules that this blog says we should be using.

I even was able to write an article without any commas at all, they were not necessary, and the editorial staff gigged me for NO commas.

I am an excellent writer, as those who commented before me, and I have the very same problem with the nit-picky editing.

It is as though exceptional writers are being kept in level 3 on purpose by uber-specific editors who do not seem to be noticing the requirements of the client.

For example: write in a conversational tone means that you **should** use a comma if you would verbally pause however, that is not given the proper attention when the articles are reviewed.

I only had 1 level 4 article a long time ago, and the frustration here is mixed messages. Either you want us to use commas or you do not, but in any case commas that are not overdone and do not detract from the flow of the reading, those that indicate a mental pause in the though should be considered acceptable.

Most of us have college educations and have passed with great scores our College level composition classes. Myself? I got a perfect score in College Comp II and yet the editors say I am not a good writer... Or, rather, that is all I am: "good".

This comma thing is frustrating beyond most people's abilities, as one woman is leaving the service because of the editorial staff. Is it possible that they could use a little training as well? No one is perfect, even if they are being paid to be perfect.

added by: author A-021313 on 10/01/2010 - 12.26

I was frustrated at first by consistently only receiving a 3 rating, but I have found the editorial comments to be very helpful, and by following the rules for commas and other punctuation at Purdue's OWL website as one editor suggested, I was able to raise my 3 rating to a consistent 4. This is not beyond most people's ability as a previous post suggested.

I understand how frustrating it is to have a college degree, be an excellent writer, and yet have trouble increasing your rating, but if you follow the same guidelines that the editors here use, your rating will increase. Here is the URL for the punctuation rules that the editors follow: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/6/

added by: author Lumara on 11/29/2010 - 01.26

I would like to thank Christina for her insightful post. I have been with textbroker for less than 6 months. I started as a level 4 and continue to maintain this level. This is a blog post and we all make mistakes. To criticize so harshly is ridiculous.

If you are unhappy with textbroker, then move on! Do not continue to write for textbroker if you are unhappy.

I have been treated fairly and the editors have been fantastic. I appreciate and read any comment they place on my work. Often, the comments are "great article" or "great work". I enjoy the feedback whether it is positive or negative.
It helps me develop my writing skills.

If your rating is not where you believe it should be, criticizing another writer will not improve your rating. Take the time to review the feedback and spend your time developing your writing skill instead of bashing other writers.

I thank all of the writers that have taken the time to post helpful tips and information. I use many of the tips and websites to improve my writing skills.

added by: author A-052305 on 01/05/2011 - 12.13

Thank you so much for this post, as a new writer I tend to make a lot of mistakes. I am happy that I am rated at 3 stars and I can not wait until my writing is worthy of 4 stars. Any way just wanted to thank all of the editors at Textbroker who usually send me feed back on how my article is rated so that I can work on my mistakes.

@the negative remarks, we all know that when you correct said mistakes you are trying to make yourself stand out as a better author. The fact is that when you correct in a negative way you're looking conceited and it is aggravating to those that are really reading the comments and post to further help them with their writing (this is my personal opinion).

Thank you Textbroker I plan to write here for a long time.

p.s. this is a comment I will probably not read through the comments again so there is no point in pointing out my mistakes (I know I made some).

added by: author Natasha H on 01/18/2011 - 03.00

I look eagerly towards these blog posts because I am learning so very, very much. Not only in proper usage of grammar but in the actual research that I do for the clients. I love Textbroker but of course I would appreciate a higher pay. However, I know that as long as I am learning, I am so very gratified.

And thank you so very much Christina for your help and mentoring all of you at Textbroker. Beverly Anne S.

added by: author A-058314 on 03/02/2011 - 08.01

Just to throw my own two cents in, it is obvious from A-021313’s post what keeps him/her at level 3. Missing commas, misused commas, missing semi-colons, and poor sentence structure: I am not an editor, but it is writing like this comment that drives me nuts and makes me long for a red pen.

Perhaps if she had been more willing to accept the CONSTRUCTIVE criticism offered, rather than throwing up the “well, I got this perfect score in a college class” defense, she would have learned something. It is possible to be conversational and correct at the same time. It merely requires that one care about what one is doing—something she obviously did not.

The claim that “This comma thing is frustrating beyond most people's abilities” is laughable. While I am not claiming to be perfect—I am aware that I still make mistakes—I learned in elementary school where the commas go. I had an excellent teacher who cared that I learned to write, and her lessons have served me well in my writing life. A-021313 should learn that a perfect score in college comp does not make one an excellent writer, nor does a college degree necessarily make one educated; often it just makes one arrogant.

added by: author Loves2Read on 03/22/2011 - 09.33

I follow all these rules and have only been getting threes. Is there also a certain amount of time/article requirement for getting to level 4/5?

added by: author A-067783 on 04/07/2011 - 01.52

I too feel a certain amount of regret that authors could be so rudely critical of a source that is available to help us become better writers. On top of that we get paid for it. I would like to ask those critics, how many places have they submitted articles for publication and had them returned without much of an explanation? If this has happened to them in the past, then they should consider taking the free wrting lessons offered through Textbrokers with grace before submitting their next article. Just maybe they will get further along in their writing career.
Thanks Christina et al you are extremely helpful to budding authors like myself.

added by: author A-055682 on 05/17/2011 - 10.48

Yesterday I had a problem because I had two Key Word phrases to be included. The instructions indicated they could be used as either singular or plural.I used the word hotels instead of hotel three times. The program would not accept the article. I received the message that i did not have the required 2 keyword phrases.

I finally had to add "helping words" to hotel (as mentioned in # 5) to make the phrase fit in properly.

Some of the Key Word phrases furnished by the clients are terrible. They require a lot of manipulation to become a decent sounding sentence or paragraph. It would work much better if clients would just furnish a selection of words to go in a phrase, and let the writers adjust them. That could maximize the SEO even more.

added by: author A-076293 on 07/09/2011 - 08.27

I understand where everyone is coming from with regard to nitpicking Ms. Zila's post, and the various responses to these criticisms. I also know why there's so much venom and passive aggression directed at Ms. Zila and the editors. I often feel it myself.

Textbroker is the strictest grammar group I have ever come across. To put it in perspective, I breezed through my college writing classes, and I would've done very well in my AP English Comp class in high school if I'd bothered to read the assigned books. When it came to the writing, I did very well across the board. I scored a 710 on the SAT verbal section. I write at the 3-5 cent per word level almost everywhere... except Textbroker.

The emphasis on this site is frustrating because very few clients really care about "perfect" writing. They want to establish their expertise, sell their offering and use their time as usefully as possible. So when I get a tiny, trifling bit of criticism on something I put maximum effort into crafting, I get frustrated. It's as if nothing I do for these people is ever good enough to advance. I can't live on a single $4 article per hour. Words on a page can't express how exasperating it is that a single thing keeps me from the land of milk and honey, 4-star ranking.

We all know writing is extremely subjective and that our language is constantly evolving with is functional usage. How we write creates the language, not the other way around.

I also think the editors come off as a bit condescending. Who do they think they are? Neither they nor Ms. Zila claim perfection, so what right do they have to declare that I'm not a good writer? What right do they have to deny me the very chance to prove to the 4 and 5-star clients how thoroughly I can please them?

The annoying part is, Ms. Zila and her editors are authority figures, and are thus "right" by default. This is why people nitpick the blog posts, and why I believe Textbroker is a seething mass of suppressed rage waiting to erupt somehow.

All right, back to work...

added by: author Pongun on 09/14/2011 - 03.42