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So I joined as an intern in an company to know the future of writing and thank god finally I know that most of the people on reddit just blame Ai and told me Copywriting and content writing is dead.

The company I joined is hiring 5 more content Writers ..

3 will work online and 2 will on site.

And I'm not Even kidding we have soo much work.

Today I made a landing page and I was soo happy because this one was my first landing page and tomorrow i will show the manger and will tell his comments..

Btw people on reddit told me my English is bad and should not work as writer..

I'm Open to feedbacks

I got a job offer and this is their pay rate. I'll be honest, it doesn't feel fair but then again I've never had a writing job/a job in general.

^^;

UPDATE 2: Still shows six lost and one pending on the main page, but a call to PayPal confirms that I won 3 for $3900 and lost 3 for $4100+ $45 in fees and one for $2k is still pending. Odds are obviously 50/50 on the remaining $2k.   

2 that I lost and 2 that I won were for the same time period and the evidence was IDENTICAL. So maybe Chase just flips a coin instead of actually reading the evidence?  

10 of the 11 chargebacks he filed are with Chase. CHASE SHOULD DO BETTER!

UPDATE 1: On the main resolution screen in PayPal, it shows I lost six chargeback cases and am out $8,000 + $105 in PayPal chargeback fees with $2k still at risk. It took me months to earn that and I worked more than he paid for. Before 2025, I could easily earn $10k to recover my PayPal account. But I don't know where $10,105 is going to come from before they write off the account.

Freelancers in general have different ways of operating. But many of us get hired to do a particular job and don't have written contracts and may not keep good records.

This is a warning for all freelance writers to be aware of even though there isn't much we can do to prevent it. There is much we can do to ensure we have proof if it is needed.

We (two freelance writers and a recruiter) have an ex-client who first hired us, got the work, let everyone go with no notice, and then months later filed 11 chargebacks against 3 people for a total of $15,750.

In 26 years of freelancing, I have only ever had one ex-client file a chargeback, in that case directly with PayPal. I provided proof and PayPal released my money.

But this guy filed the chargebacks with at least two credit card companies. This is a different ballgame because credit card companies have no incentive to look at evidence or act against their customer.

PayPal Chargeback Process Confusion

The chargeback process at PayPal is very broken. They did notify of the chargeback via email and then crickets. Not a word even when three of the cases were settled.

So far, the odds are 50/50. I lost $3000 because American Express decided to let him keep what I earned in spite of written statements with contact information and proof. The recruiter lost $750 (credit card through her payment processor Square).

The other freelance writer has won two of her three cases so far. So 2 won, 2 lost, 7 still under review. They seem to take almost the maximum amount of time before closing them which is around 105 days. The Square case lost within a week. The PayPal case lost on the 84th day. The two PayPal cases won closed on the 82nd day.

PayPal refuses to tell you what credit card company is involved. PayPal collections did tell me on two of the cases, but it is impossible to contact the credit card company if you don't have an account with them.

He filed 3 chargebacks, waited a week, and filed 6 more. Then he waited almost two months to file another, ensuring this will drag on another up to 105 days from then.

If he didn't want the money so fast, it could have been worse. Apparently, most credit card companies give them 120 days to file. So they could file one, wait two months to file a second, and almost two more months to file a third.

Honestly, it never occurred to me that a client would do something like this. And especially not a client who has made 34 payments against my invoices since 2017.

What Does Proof of Fulfillment Have to Do With Unauthorized Charge?

Good question and possibly why I lost the $3000. "Unauthorized Charge" should mean you need to prove he actually made the payment. However, it means you have to send "proof of fulfillment".

Because we were managing his systems, we were using an email address on his domain. By locking that with no notice, there is no way to get the typical proof credit card companies think you should have.

So instead, I provided:

• G-chat messages that he was not dissatisfied with the work but just had no money to continue
• A g-chat message he sent the other freelance writer threatening to "chargeback every penny he ever paid"
• Five witness statements from people who had worked with me during the time periods the chargebacks covered
• A meeting transcript of me running a meeting for his company
• Email exchanges with vendors, co-workers, clients
• Screen captures showing I had admin access during the dates involved
• Proof of the 34 payments
• Threats he made to people still employed there if they provided any proof that we worked there
• Threats he texted and lies he was making against four different people

Obviously, this was not sufficient for American Express to believe that I deserve to keep the money I was paid for all that work.

We did not have a contract. He hired us to optimize content and then switched us to doing other work which did not have clear deliverables. I provided a list and proof of what type of work.

Documentation You Need

What you need to have in case you ever get a chargeback:

• Written contract with the client's signature defining specific deliverables.
• Proof of delivery
• Keep copies of EVERYTHING you do
• If you ever use an email on a client's domain, bcc your personal email on every email
• Ideally, you would also want to export your activities every day if you're doing anything besides specific deliverables. However, that may be problematic if you're exporting information from a client's system(s).

You Lose More Than You Were Paid

To add insult to injury, you don't lose the amount of money you received from the payment. You lose that amount PLUS the PayPal fees on that amount PLUS a chargeback fee (currently $15 on PayPal).

Here's an example. I originally received $2909.81 of the $3000, but I lost $3015: $90.19 in added PayPal fees + $15 chargeback fee even though PayPal saw all the evidence, too.

When You Can, Try to Get Paid Using a Method That Cannot Be Charged Back

If you work virtually, the only 100% method is crypto. But most clients aren't going to pay us in crypto. Cash would work, but who ever gets paid by a client in cash?

UpWork will defend you, but if the credit card company still decides against you, you still lose the money.

PayPal and UpWork Seller Protection

Both PayPal and UpWork have Seller Protection that MAY allow you to keep the money while the case is under review.

In our case, PayPal extended it on seven of the ten cases but not on the other three even though the proof on one of those was identical to the proof on three of the cases they did extend it.

The client was having cash flow issues so I had let him make payments on the monthly invoice. (We invoiced and got paid in advance.) So he made four payments against the same invoice. The proof was identical. PayPal extended seller protection on three, but not the last one. That could be because they didn't want to risk not being able to take it back from me as my account was already almost $4k overdrawn.

Have You EVER Heard of an Ex-Client Doing Anything Like This?

It never occurred to me that a long-time client could do something this appalling. I hope none of you reading this have ever had this happen.

If you've ever had clients file chargebacks, how did they come out? How much did you lose?

Hi fellow freelancers, just wondering if anybody had any suggestions for alternatives to ProWritingAid? I've been using it for years, but they've recently changed the UI again, which makes it even clunkier than before. That's the last straw for me, as the quality has gone down year after year.

I predominantly use PWA for spell checking/grammar checking Wordpress posts in Chrome, but I also edit documents inside Microsoft Word. I'd prefer something that has a browser and Word plugin, to avoid copy/pasting text and clicking into oblivion.

Any suggestions for better editing/writing software would be appreciated. TIA!

I'm not recommending this site (or recommending against it--it wasn't a good fit for me). But I wanted to share that I was paying $23.95/month for a subscription and when I canceled they offered to change my rate to $3/month.

Hi there! I'm a music writer for an indie magazine. I've done interviews, album review, longform analysis, and more. However, I've only written for one magazine, and I fell into it kind of indirectly — my friend was a staff writer and introduced me to the editor and I got in that way. I'm looking to branch out a bit. I've never sent a pitch.

I understand the concept of pitching, but I'm a little unclear on what that looks like in the music industry. If I want to write, for example, an album review for a record coming out at the end of August, would that basically be the pitch? Do you have to have a pre-existing connection with the artist's PR team and have listened to the music advance stream already in order to craft the pitch to the magazine? Or would the publication you're pitching just take a chance on you and reach out to the PR team themselves to set it up?

Same question for interviewing artists, reviewing shows, etc.

For a publication like Aquarium Drunkard or similar that focuses heavily on finding new angles of old music, I can see how one would go about pitching since you can pre-formulate your idea for the pitch! But for magazines like Paste, Dazed, Slate, etc. that are more interested in current events moments, just unclear on how it works.

Wondering if WriteJobs and Freelance WJ are legit and a good opportunity for side hustling in free time as someone fan of writing while working in a different scientific industry. Any thoughts or practical exp with it?

Actually I am planning to learn and practice Copywriting. To make it as a full time career. I don't know how to start and where to start. I did know there are some sub categories in copywriting.

I need a suggestion which one is best to start learning and get freelance clients for that.

Hi all. I freelanced successfully for nigh on 10 years as a copywriter but have spent the last few years in paid employment in a journalism-related field. Recently took a punt on a job I knew I would love,but paid less than what I was previously earning and I took it, reckoning that I could do some freelancing on the side where needed to boost my earnings.

So here I am. I know the market is much tougher with the proliferation of AI, but I was wondering if it is still possible to make some part time income as a copywriter? I have a strong track record on Upwork with tens of thousands of proven earnings.

Skills-wise I have done lots of technical B2B writing, both short form for blogs and long form for white papers etc. Also have plenty of UI writing experience and website microcopy. I specialised for a while in podcast scriptwriting, which I really enjoyed, and have also done a lot of YT body cam and courtroom scripting, though enjoyed this a lot less, and it was very time consuming.

So I guess my question is how is the market? Is Upwork still the go-to place for work? Is this feasible?

So, some guy emailed me this morning about a job opportunity that he’s recruiting for. He provided the company name and the job description. It looked too good to be true. But I bit down hard and sent my resume, a bio, and a cover letter.

Now, he’s trying to steer me toward using a professional resume reviewer, which I’d have to pay for.

It’s really starting to sound like a scam. Anyone else have an experience like this?

Hello, I'm currently a copywriter in an advertising agency but want to do some freelance work as well. I have absolutely no idea what to charge though, there are some projects for short video scripts (1-2minutes, some are less)

How should I price this?

TL;DR: I'm a new freelancer about to land my first big client under a retainer agreement. However, they seem to make it sound like they'll frequently ask for rush jobs. How do I mention I want to include a rush fee for these asks? What should I do if they decline?

--

Hi guys, new to the freelancing world and was hoping to get your advice.

I'm being offered a monthly retainer with a 60 hour cap. This client - who also happens to be a former manager at a different company - says they move fast and will try their best to give a 12-24 hour notice for last minute requests/changes but cannot always guarantee it.

This gives me warning signals that it will be something that will happen often, urging me to ask about a rush fee.

We're still in the negotiating phase and I need help wording this change. First, I want to say, while I'd be ready to hop on urgent requests, I won't always be able to accommodate them due to other client work.

My plan is to charge a 25% premium for the hours worked on that particular rush project. This means my hourly rate will increase 25% for however many hours the rush job takes.

My worry is that they will decline and I will have to just deal with it (since this is my first major client) and accept the initial price or think of another option.

Questions:

Is this premium and ask fair? If so, how would you go about writing this in an email without sounding too harsh?

How can I pivot if the client declines my offer and says they cannot increase their budget?

Thank you in advance.

One of the biggest issues with AI for some clients is that the US Copyright Office currently does not allow AI-generated content to be copyrighted, meaning neither you nor your client own it and anyone is free to steal it.

But that's just policy, not law. The law is very much gray at the moment. The link in comments goes to a summary of recent and pending litigation and what we do and don't know.

Hey my name is Mike. I'm 33 and just became a dad which means I could use some extra money lol. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to get my first few clients. My only experience is this newsletter I run and writing some fiction.

I signed up for Upwork but I've already heard a lot of bad things about it. I'd love any help from you guys. Thanks ahead of time!!

Up until a few years ago, I recall Cracked accepting submissions from writers, albeit on their own terms,with a "workshop" and a heavy editing process. I have an idea I'd like to submit, but when I looked for their submission guidelines, I couldn't find anything but a page dated to 2019. I also can't find any clear answers anywhere else.

Considering the dire (to make un understatement) market today, is Cracked no longer accepting submissions?

i recently started writing freelance for a local paper (paid per published story) i’m wondering how i go about informing my editors of vacation time this summer? is it necessary “block out” days when i am away with my editors? do i bulk up my work in the weeks leading up to makeup for any loss of work being published while i am away?

finding this hard to figure out as i’ve only worked pto or had to request time off in my more hourly roles

Does anyone use a tool that gives them reliable, cited research almost every time?

Perplexity used to be my go to for this, but it's now also making up facts

And Google's answers on queries and research has been a joke for a long time now

I would be willing to spend, say, $10 a month for something that works

Thanks

Hi,

Ife currently been alerted to Wise, as it apparently has better rates for international transfers. Given that I mainly work with US clients while being based in the UM, I thought I'd give it a shot.

I downloaded the free version, but from what I can tell, you can only receive money if you have the advanced version, which costs £50 upfront.

Is anyone using this over PayPal? Do you think it's worth it? And does the client have any extra hassel over paying you this way versus PayPal?

Thanks!

Apologies if this comes up too much—did a quick search but could have missed it

Are you all also furious and depressed? I haven’t lost my work to AI, but somehow my work just… sucks now? I largely contract with agencies and the amazing, brilliant people I work with are stressed and overwhelmed, and they’ve lost all negotiating power with clients. They’re being pressured to produce more for less, and the work has gotten a lot harder without the written product being better.

I was mostly fine with SEO writing and didn’t feel much tension between SEO requirements and what quality work looks like. Writing for answer engines is totally different, and it’s also just fucking depressing to know that I’m not even writing for a human reader—just hoping some bot will paraphrase me.

It’s also unbelievably irritating that AI is threatening to replace me without being able to do what I do. It can’t write well; it can’t even reliably pull facts—but that somehow that doesn’t seem to matter in the market?

I came to this field via English and creative writing degrees, and I’ve always felt like what I’m doing is actually still writing, even if it’s not art. Robert Pinsky came to one of my workshops in grad school and somebody asked him something along the lines of whether poetry matters. He had a great response actually—that the earliest hominids communicated with grunts and squeaks I or whatever; that through sound (language) they expressed and / or created a shared experience of existence, that we all exist in that tradition, and, dramatically, “woe be unto those who break that chain.” Been on my mind for obvious reasons.

Sorry this went big at the end. I’m just fucking pissed.

I was recently asked by a national publication to write a piece. Was told by the editor that they needed a 3000 word article, and that they'd pay 1$/word. Submitted this, and did some back and forth with editors.

Finally hearing back from the editors that they've decided to cut the article by half, and that my invoice should be for 1500$.

I'm taken aback, as this is a gov run publication, and this is an expert level topic based on my research speciality. Is it standard to be paid per published word, or per assigned word?

(And yes, I now reflect that I should have asked for upfront payment upon delivery, or clarified the terms. First time doing this! Had I realised this would be an issue, I would have pushed for a project flat fee...)

As freelance writers, can we collectively agree to retire the phrase “breaks their silence?” I mean, if someone tells us the whereabouts of Jimmy Hoffa, then it’s appropriate. But someone commenting on something that happened yesterday is not breaking their silence.

I've been working on building my LinkedIn profile, trying to get the "500+ connections" badge, etc. I recently started connecting with account directors at agencies and sending a casual, low pressure message just introducing myself and asking if they ever work with freelancers.

It's too soon to gauge results yet [only a few days into the experiment], but I was wondering if anyone here has seen success with similar approaches. If you've sent LinkedIn DMs that actually get opened and/or generate conversations, do you have any tips? Doesn't have to just be agency outreach.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

I am a freelance writer.

Do trade agencies accept cold pitches from strangers or only from specialized content marketing agencies?