Alt. title: Where Have I Been?
With sincere apologies to those few of you who have left me real messages in the “contact us” form, and who I’ve missed because of all the spam messages, Spencer Meadow Press has moved operations to the freelancer site: Upwork. If you want to find me and skip the rest of this post, just click here.
Upwork is a site that connects freelancers with clients. It has similarities to Fiverr, but screens the freelancers, employing those with a higher level of skills. Upwork is used by many businesses who hire a freelancer for a short-term project and also by individuals. On Upwork, you can find freelancers who will do any sort of work that is able to be done remotely, including book preparation and ghostwriting, which has become my niche.
There are several ways to find a freelancer on Upwork, but the most common method is to post a job (free) and look through the profiles of the Upwork freelancers who respond. Each freelancer has a profile page where you can see feedback from past clients, how many jobs they have done and what type, and a resume and portfolio. Jobs can be bid hourly or at a fixed rate, and the timeframe is totally up to whatever the client and freelancer negotiate.
Freelancer rates vary wildly, and this reflects a wide range of experience and also the fact that the site is international. If you prefer US-based freelancers, you can specify that in your job posting. You can also specify whether your job requires beginning, intermediate or advanced level skills, but keep in mind that the skill level is set by the freelancer, so it doesn’t mean very much. In general, though, you get what you pay for. The way the payment works is for fixed rate jobs you will need to pay upfront for the first “milestone,” and the money is held in escrow until the job is completed. At that time you release the funds to the freelancer. For hourly jobs, the freelancer reports hours spent during the week and you have some days during the following week to review the hours before the funds are deducted automatically. It’s a decent system, even if Upwork takes a 20% cut from the freelancer. Ouch.
There is more to learn about Upwork, but the best way is to just browse the site and see for yourself! It’s a great way to connect freelancers with clients, especially during this really weird year we’ve all had! Check it out! Upwork Link
