Interpreting a client's "budget"

[francinehuss1]

I'm new to odesk as of today. Applying for my first jobs. Noticing many budgets are so small that I'm thinking this can't be right and I'm not understanding something correctly. One client wants 11 articles research AND written for $50. Seriously? This can't be right! Please illuminate me on how the budget thingy works! Will be ever so grateful to get help from one of you veteran freelance writers!

[bronnyslav]

This budget thingy work in pretty simple way. En example you stated, 50$ for 11 articles and research is a good price... if client is alright with getting slightly rewritten copy-paste from publicly available source. Or client is intentionally hiring someone with no skills / absolute newbie. By the way, I'd strongly recommend you to adjust your profile, because your hourly rate is outrageous.

[marciamalory]

Have a look at other writers' profiles. Look at their profile rates and how much they have been paid for jobs and compare with their work experience and the quality of their portfolios. (There is an enormous range in quality.)

[natacharodriguez]

[quote=Francine Huss] One client wants 11 articles research AND written for $50. Seriously? [/quote] Typically $5-$10/article

[marciamalory]

I don't think "research" for and "writing" a $5 article mean what you think they mean. $5 research is finding an article on the topic already published on the internet and $5 writing means changing the words around enough that you can't be accused of plagiarism. For fixed price writing jobs, confirm the rate with the client. Sometimes clients do show per article rates rather than rates for a whole batch of articles. You have to apply to a job before you can ask the client a question, so you have to decide if it's worth applying.