If you are looking to make money online in the world of freelance writing then Writer Access is one of the options you have. But the question remains… Is it a good option?
There are plenty of people out there online looking to have content written for their websites, so you are by no means limited when it comes to websites like this where you can get paid to write.
In this review of Writer Access we’ll be going over it all, the goods, the bads, how it all works, the pay, complaints and more.
Overview of Writer Access
Writer Access (writeraccess.com) is what you can call a “content mill”. They are basically a platform that connects clients looking for unique content with a pool of freelance writers willing to create that content. But they aren’t your pure freelance site like Upwork or Freelancer. They play more of a role as a middleman between the two parties, which can be seen as both good and bad.
The upside to working at a content mill like this is that it is very easy to find work and you can start out making money fairly easily with zero experience. The downside is that you won’t get paid that much, at least when just starting out.
The nice thing about Writer Access is that they give you the potential to really move up and earn good money if you stick around, in addition to providing an easy way to get started in the world of freelance writing.
How It Works
When people are looking for content for their websites and don’t feel like writing it themselves, they often come to content mill sites like this. They post their project and then it is available to the qualified pool of writers, which will include you, to pick up.
Some common writing jobs you will encounter include things like…
- Blog posts
- “How to” articles
- Product descriptions
… and so on.
As you can imagine, when it comes to your schedule, things are very flexible. This is the type of job you can work whenever you want to, assuming that you complete projects you are committed to in a timely manner.
There is no minimum or maximum amount of work you have to do. You work when you want and can fit this around just about any busy schedule.
The Growth Hub:
This is something that they just launched in February of 2019 and is really great for freelance writers, especially those who are just starting out. In this area of the site you get access to training, templates, stock photos and more–so that you can get better at freelance writing and hopefully make more money in the long run.
Pay Rates
Before we even start talking about the pay rates, we first need to give over the rating system they have in place, which will determine how much you make.
Star Ratings
When you first sign up and go through the process, you will be assigned a star rating from 2 to 6. This will be based on your experience and the writing samples you submit. If you get a low rating, don’t think it is the end of the world. Clients will have the ability to rate you and you will be able to improve your rating overtime as you complete more projects, assuming that you do a good job.
Some of the metrics that go into determining your star rating include:
- Minimum test scores
- Minimum work experience
- Portfolio strength
- Timely order delivery
- Minimum quality scores
- Minimum revision requests
- Average quality scores
- Customer reviews
Basic Marketplace Pay Rates
It’s Pretty simple. You earn anywhere from 1.4 to 7 cents per word that you write depending on your rating. It goes like this:
- 2 stars – 1.4 cents per word
- 3 stars – 2.8 cents per word
- 4 stars – 4.2 cents per word
- 5 stars – 5.6 cents per word
- 6 stars – 7 cents per word
The difference between someone who has a 2 star rating and a 6 star rating is described by Writer Access like this…
A 6 star writer demonstrates “mastery of the language and have deep industry experience” whereas a 2 star writer meets the minimum requirements on the initial screening test and has a “ basic grasp of grammar, punctuation and spelling”
Pro Marketplace Pay Rates
A newer feature to the platform is the pro Marketplace, which gives Freelancers the ability to make considerably more money than they would in the basic Marketplace. This area of Writer Access is comparable to your normal freelance websites like Upwork, Guru.com, Freelancer, etc.
In this area there is no star rating and pay rates are negotiated between the writer and the client. Clients can choose to pay an hourly rate, a flat rate, or per word. The minimum amount you will make in this Marketplace is…
- 11 cents per word
- $35 flat rate
- $17/hr
*Payments are made through PayPal
Who Can Join?
If you live in the US, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa or the UK then you are able to join.
The Process:
The first step of the process is to apply for the position that you want, which I’m guessing is that of a writer (they also have positions for content strategists and translators). When applying you will attach a resume, some writing samples, and provide typical information you would expect to when applying for a position.
After that is out of the way, it will be time for you to create your profile and take their proficiency test. Take your time on this part. Try to spice up your profile and make it look as professional as possible, and be sure to Ace that proficiency test.
After that it is game on. You have access to the marketplace and can pick and choose what you want to write, as long as you are qualified. Writer Access will also help match you up with writing projects that are good for you based on your profile and writing samples.
Overall this is a very easy application process and super easy way for Freelancers to get some experience under their belt.
*It could take a couple weeks to hear back from them after applying.
What We Like
When you start out as a writer things aren’t that different from other content mill websites like Textbroker. However, where Writer Access goes above and beyond is with the potential that they offer.
If you’re able to make it to a 5 or even 6 star rating then you should be doing fairly well for yourself as a freelance writer. Some writers at this level claim to be making full-time incomes off of the site.
If you are good enough for the pro Marketplace then things are even better.
So not only does this platform offer an easy way to get started in freelance writing, but also gives you potential to earn some decent money, which most content mill websites do not.
Oh ya… and we love that they pay via PayPal. This is always an easy and trustworthy payment option.
What We Don’t Like
Lack of Jobs
There have been some complaints from writers about a lack of available work, in particular when you are at the lower star levels, such as a two or three star level.
Long Wait Time
Who here likes to wait to get paid?
We are assuming that you don’t, because we certainly don’t.
Unfortunately it can take up to 14 days for your content to be approved and for the payment to be approved. Usually it won’t take this long, but it can.
Clients Have All the Power
This is a complaint you will find for any content mill website like this… The clients have all the power. They have the power to approve or disapprove of your work. And they have the power to ask for revisions again and again.
Most clients are fine, but you very well might run into an overly picky client that you just can’t seem to satisfy, which can end up wasting your time.
Unfortunately there will always be some bad apples and you are just going to have to deal with them as they come, which hopefully will be never. Writer Access pretty much gives all the power to clients, as most places do, since they are the ones paying.
Projects Could Be Filtered Better
We didn’t come across many complaints about things like this, but there were some things mentioned on Glassdoor about clients asking for “sex article requests that make no sense”.
Maybe Writer Access can do a better job at filtering out requests like this?
Is Writer Access a Scam?
No this place is not a scam. Of course there are always going to be some upset writers that take to the internet to voice their complaints and call places like this a scam, but the simple fact of the matter is that it is not.
Yes, you may run into some disrespectful insatiable clients that can be hard to deal with, but the platform itself is in no way, shape, or form a scam.
Conclusion – Worth Joining or Not?
This really depends on what exactly you are looking for, but all in all Writer Access is a good content mill. They aren’t a scam, their rates are right around the industry standard for their basic marketplace, they offer the ability to move up quite a bit in the world of freelance writing, they give newbies the opportunity of an easy start, etc.
Just don’t expect to make much when you are just starting out. We always suggest that you DO KEEP your normal job. You can start out here and test the waters. See how you like it. See how much you think you can make. Go from there.
If you are a complete newbie looking to get involved in freelance writing you may also want to check out this list of 33 freelance writing websites where you can find work that doesn’t require experience.
Or… If you want to potentially make more money writing for yourself you can check out our #1 recommended training program for creating a profitable blog.
*If you still have more questions about Writer Access you can always check out there FAQ page!
Feel free to leave us any comments or questions below. What do you think of Writer Access? Have you worked there? We’d love to hear from you!