What: Compose.ly enlists freelance writers to create blog articles, white papers, press releases, product descriptions and other content for corporate clients.

Expected pay: 10 cents per word

HuslScore: $$

Commissions & fees: Not applicable

Where: Nationwide

Requirements: over 18; US Citizen; pass a writing proficiency test and produce a writing sample

Review:

Compose.ly offers writing services to clients who need blog posts, white papers, product descriptions and press releases, enlisting a stable of freelancers to write the copy. The site maintains its screening process, which includes writing a sample article, and says it filters out all but the top 1% of writers.

However, the rates that Compose.ly pays to freelancers are far lower than what a seasoned writer should expect. Typically, the site says it pays 10 cents per word. Higher rates are only available for rush-jobs and highly complex stories, according to a company spokesman. Even then, the per-word rate is just 14 cents. In other words, if you write a technical article of 1,000 words, you might earn as much as $140.

That might be an acceptable rate for a young writer  — or for stories that don’t require any research. But a Compose.ly spokesman says that, “writers are expected to familiarize themselves with a client’s brand profile attached to every project, as well as any attached style guides, examples of voice and tone, and any other provided criteria.”

They are also required to produce “as many revisions as necessary to meet the client’s expectations.”

Writers are given the financial details when they’re invited to claim each project and are paid through PayPal twice a month. On the bright side, writer payments are not contingent on client payment.

Recommendations

If Compose.ly was billing itself as a way to get paid while learning your craft, we’d be a little more accepting. But the skilled writers the site seeks can find much better deals elsewhere. Writers looking for corporate clients should check out Contently and Skyword. These sites provide much the same service as Compose.ly, but pay better.

1/11/2021