Since I am out of school for a few weeks, and I’m not one to sit idle, I have been doing a bit of thinking lately…I know, what else is new. Well, as of about 10 days ago, I started doing some freelance writing. It took a little navigation to find legitimate assignments, ones that didn’t require filling out capchas, becoming a spambot, or writing car rental travel articles that took me about an hour each and the pay ended up equaling $0.002 per word, far less than what I’m worth.
I found someone who was looking for people who excel at research and academic writing. Well, that’s me! Sure, sometimes my darn ethics scream in my ear about the fact that something I am writing, will soon be passed off as someone else’s original work. I wonder just how dim their professors must be to not realize that the work is not that of their student, especially when the request states that the assignment is their last chance to pass the class. I pride myself in my academia, so if an “F” student turns in an “A” paper, I would think there is something amiss.
However, as the saying goes, “A fool parts with their money,” or “An idiot who buys their way through school is poor in knowledge.” Since I left my job at the end of January (due to some conflicts within management, I chose to resign), it’s nice to have a little income, especially when it involves something I enjoy doing. A friend had suggested that I start writing a book, as I can easily lose myself in research, however, I am finding that I am enjoying my freelance work, so the book may have to wait.
I had an interview today, and a different one is scheduled for tomorrow. I know my heart isn’t in it though, as I really would rather write instead of have a “normal” job. I like the variety, the range of topics have included Twilight (I analyzed the role model potential of Belle for teen girls…by the way, she’s a horrible one), the obesity epidemic in the UK, and most recently I had a rush job to proofread (and basically redo the attempt that a previous writer fumbled and fucked up…royally). The rush job was interesting, as it let me improve on my Word skills (the review and table of contents made me slightly insane), and it allowed me to use my mechanical knowledge, as it was a thesis paper (57 pages) on turbojet engines.
I couldn’t believe how badly the previous writer had mangled the original manuscript. Some of the keys and symbols he used aren’t even located on my keyboard. The spacing, spelling, grammar, and format were off. I had two days. Some of the original figures had been deleted by the previous writer, so the customer sent the pictures, and I placed them where they needed to go, in order to make the framework fit.
Sure, I have received feedback like this from a customer (a 2800 word essay on examining the saying “Punishment can never be just in an unjust world,” with the focus on the penal system):
And for the record, I did use most of the references they suggested. However, I revised it with the one that was missing. By the vernacular used in their feedback, I am pretty sure that any paper I wrote for them would be guaranteed to be a couple grade marks higher than what they would have received. While most people regard emails as an informal venue, not requiring proper spelling, grammar, or punctuation, I could not write like they did, even in an email.
While there are some douches out there, I quite enjoy the work. Just this week I will make enough to pay my car note. Sure, it’s not much, but it’s better than spending my time in a job that I loathe, or worse, endure physical and emotional abuse. While I am not sure how long it will last, I shall enjoy the freedom, variety, and the lack of need for pants as long as I can manage. I have two assignments due this week…one regarding drug testing requirements for those receiving welfare benefits, and another one that addresses why diets make you fat.
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