Amy Suto

A modern #writer dilemma: what do you do when original client work tests high for AI-created content? This is not a problem I've encountered before. Now, not only do writers have to: 👉adhere to a brief 👉understand the voice 👉be a subject matter expert 👉do proper research 👉edit 👉& optimize for search engines We also have to pass a test from a robot to certify that our content was not written by robots. And what do you do when the robots don't believe you❓❓ I get the need to be proactive in combatting AI content. 🙅‍♀️ I get why Google ranks AI content lower ⬇️ (despite their own incessant use of it) But how am I supposed to prove to a robot that a robot didn't write my content? That I am capable of 100% original thought? (Looking at you, LinkedIn's "rewrite with AI" button👀) Using AI to write goes against every fiber of my belief system as a writer. It's plagiarization and it's lazy. But how do you argue with a copy checker that's known to be inaccurate, and yet still relied upon? This isn't an advice post, it's a shout into the void of an increasingly AI-driven future. I hate it, thanks! 🙃 (& pls don't drop into my comments fighting the nuances of "AI isn't a robot" bc I really DGAF)

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Over the last few months, folks have often asked me if I'm worried about how AI may impact my work. Technology offers a variety of tools that enhance the writing process, and AI is one of them. While AI writing can be a boon for mundane tasks and, in some instances, social media posts, it's crucial to acknowledge its potential to compromise the quality of our work. Readers are engaged by language that speaks to them personally, and that kind of nuance cannot be replicated by an AI, no matter who inputs the source data. Grammarly, whom I endearingly refer to as my Editor-in-Waiting, is one of my go-to tools, as featured in FreelanceWriters.io below. #AIwriting #futureofwork #contentmarketing #copywriting #freelancewriting #writingcommunity #writerslife #humanconnection #storytelling #creativity #emotionalintelligence #qualitycontent #authenticwriting #generativeai #writingtools

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PSA for writers and editors using MS Word Re: Disappearing editorial comments I just thought I'd alert everyone to an issue that's cropped up with a recent update to MS Word. It seems other editors are encountering it too; it's annoying a lot of people. The default setting for editorial comments in MS Word seems to be 'contextual', but, apparently, they've changed how contextual works. Now, if one deletes or changes a word of text and then tries to comment on that change already made, the comment made is *not* made visible in the comment pane - one can only see it by hovering over the comment highlighting in the main body text. It *may* become visible in the comments pane *after* the changed or deleted word is accepted, but that's really unhelpful if the comment is an explanation of the change. One would prefer to see the explanation first so as to be able to make an informed decision. Also, if one makes a comment on a whole block of text and the *first word of that block has been deleted or changed*, exactly the same thing will happen - the comment won't be visible in the pane. There seem to be two ways around this. 1) Go into: 'review' then 'show comments', and then alter comment style from 'contextual' to 'list'. Then all comments are shown in the pane at the same time. 2) Don't attach a comment on a change - attach it to the word before or after it. Personally, I think option 1 is the more sensible of the two. However, please be aware that an MS Word doc may reset itself to contextual comments after being closed and opened again. If you're going to use option 1, I advise checking every MS Word doc is in 'list' every time. One for the checklist.

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Pro writers and creators need a business model. Here are 5 popular models: 1. Freelancing Freelance writers spend most of their time creating content for *somebody else's business. That's ok when you're starting and need some money. But it's hard to scale a freelance writing business. And freelancers often find themselves chasing clients at the end of the month for payment or recurring work. With ChatGPT and dozens of other AI tools spitting out generic content at scale, it's a race to the bottom. 2. Paid newsletters Pick one niche. Write a weekly or daily newsletter. Turn parts of your newsletter into social content. Funnel social traffic to your list. Scale with ads. Growing a newsletter is easier than growing a website. You don't need to worry about SEO or publishing hundreds of articles. It's also more profitable than writing a book, as you can charge recurring subscriptions and add sponsors. 3. Authorship Writing a book is fun. I love holding something I wrote in my hands. And they're an amazing credibility builder. But it's hard to earn a living from writing books alone. The profit margin on a $10 or $20 ebook means authors need to sell thousands of copies. I did that with Amazon Ads for a while. Then publishing companies discovered ads... and my costs went up. It's hard to scale a single or even a few books into a full-time living. I've interviewed dozens of best-selling authors who write full-time. They all earn a living from a deep back catalog, think dozens of books. Or they use their book to sell a related service, like a course. 4. Course creation I've sold thousands of dollars of online courses. This model works well with the right amount of traffic from the right sources. However, selling online courses is more complex now than it was a few years ago. Most people don't want another video to scrub through on x2. Course completion rates are incredibly low. Instead, students and clients want access to the course creator through a cohort or community. That said, this model pairs neatly with writing a popular book. 5. Coaching and consulting Coaching and consulting is my preferred business model. I write in the mornings and coach in the afternoons. I work with a select group of clients who want to build their businesses. If you're an expert in a topic, you can easily coach someone in your niche. You don't even need to do sales calls. What's your preferred business model? Let me know in the comments!

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The perils of technical writing gone wrong - Is this your experience? How can you prevent this from being your experience? Let's connect in the comments below #technicaldocs #softwarestartups #softwareprojects #technicalwriting #customerfacingdocs #whitepapers #ebooks #longformcontent

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53 out of 72 applicants failed their initial application. Here is what video editors are doing wrong: Yesterday I posted an application for a video editor on different platforms including LinkedIn. We received 72 applications in 36h, only 19 made the first initial cut. Note, this is before we let them do a test trial. That is 26% only just by the way they apply. We've looked over 100s of portfolios of video editors, designers, writers, ... Here are the 5 things they are doing wrong in their application and portfolio. - Messy portfolio, too much context that is not within hiring managers' needs. We want to see their best work (work they are proud of), not everything they have worked on. We don't have time to see everything in the messy Google Drive link you sent us. - Simple editing mistakes included in the video they sent as showreels (amateurish graphic designs, poor audio quality) it makes us assume you are lazy with your craft. - Following the trends, nothing new - if I see types of editing that are simply copying other famous channels, nothing new from others, what makes you stand out? I've seen the same exact test project in 5 different portfolios. - Poor pacing and lack of visuals in their work Will keep you updated after the next round of the application what we learn from that.

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Four weeks ago, I deserted LinkedIn to save my mental health from the anxiety caused by the overwhelming demands of recruiters. My experience had become a futile cycle of applying to jobs with excessive requirements for freelance writers. For instance, freelance writers must be ready to work 6-9 hours a day—and 6 days a week. They must possess a BA in English or Journalism. They must be SEO experts. They must be ready to sacrifice everything. Why should I sacrifice when I can take my writing and editing services elsewhere? My primary niche—nonfiction, including memoirs, essays, articles, commentaries, and travel writing—isn't even well-rated on LinkedIn. I have seen enough of writer’s abuse on LinkedIn—the abuse of tasking writers with overwhelming requirements. Hence, I chose to go! But LinkedIn has consistently sent me hope-reviving notifications for the past four weeks, making it difficult for me to sever ties. They consider me relevant to their platform, and in the end, I’m wooed. Now, I'm back on LinkedIn—not to appease overbearing recruiters, but to leverage the platform on my own terms. I’ve cut ties with those who believe freelance writers must… 1)   Reside in the US or UK, as if good writing isn’t universal 2)   Be a native English speaker, as if good writing supports discrimination. 3)   Be a graduate of journalism or English or mass communication, as if good writing belongs to a select few. 4)   Have experience of SEO, data analysis, programming, and even un related skills like cooking, ignoring a writer’s primary job is to create engaging and effective content. 5)   Have a battalion of followers on LinkedIn, like Jasmin Alić, ignoring writers are often hermit crabs fearful of going out. These demands devalue the craft of writing and alienate skilled writers, which drove me away despite recognizing LinkedIn’s potential. Now, I'm returning, but on my own terms, fully aware of the pitfalls. #Writing #Writer #Editing #Editor #freelance

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"In the U.S., the average male freelancer charges $75.44 per hour, which is $15.74 or 26.4% more than the female rate of $59.70. However, the freelancer pay gap varies significantly between categories. While plenty of glass ceilings have been shattered, most good jobs are still seen as requiring what have traditionally been perceived as masculine qualities. Setting rates as a freelancer is a delicate process. Check that you aren’t undervaluing yourself due to the overconfidence gap or by conforming to expectations. That way, the “new normal” of freelancing might become a fair normal, where freelancers earn their true value." #freelance #paygap #wagegap #career #jobs #earning #salary #money https://lnkd.in/ghhrFkM8

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#WritingForHumans: Just started the Writing For Humans publication on #Medium to talk about the essential need for experienced human writers to steer the AI-generated content editing and review process prior to publication. Please take a look and let me know your thoughts about what you'd like to read about. https://lnkd.in/eTNE5cv3 #artificialintelligence #ai #contentstrategy #contentcreation #publicrelations #digitalmarketing #writing

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🔍✨ Every great piece of content needs a final polish! when a proofreader spots that sneaky mistake, it’s all part of making sure your message shines. because perfection is in the details. 📝💎 🌐 Explore our site: [workingofwords.com] 📞 Reach out by phone: [830-692-4665] 📧 Drop us an email: [[email protected]] #proofreading #contentquality #writingtips #editingmagic #grammarnerd #contentcreation #attentiontodetail #writingcommunity #contentmarketing #editingprocess #proofreaderlife #contentstrategy #wordsmith #creativeediting #writerlife #publishingtips #contentmatters #editingtips #contentisking #grammarcheck

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Don't draft a dead Frequently Asked Question section to impress search engines. Instead, write Should Ask Questions that readers will actually frequent. We're at a point where we need AI models to tell us which AI model to use. Clearly, putting "It depends" under an FAQ doesn't show your expertise anymore. It shows you're desparate, and soon out of touch. And yes, I know. LLMs aren't 100% accurate. But do you really want a list of things that kinda worked and still ended up being our go-to? If you want to stand out, don't respond to the superficial questions users might have after two clicks in the search results. Let AI handle that. In the meantime, you focus on the things your clients should be asking. Tell us what we haven't thought of. We'll love you for it. If you can make it in a sassy style, even better (at least as far as I'm concerned). #copywriting #contentmarketing #marketing

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People looking to hire writers and editors want demonstrations of competence. They want proof that the person they may hire can actually do the job at the level of expertise needed and in a style which appeals to the potential client. I understand that, but I also know that verification of expertise does not merit requests for free work. Some potential clients ask to see "before" and "after" samples of editing. That I refuse to do. I wouldn't want my editor sharing my unedited manuscript; therefore, I don't share my clients' unedited work. I only link to those projects the client published: "See, I edited that." For editing, I offer a sample edit of a limited quantity of text excerpted from the manuscript. This does two things: 1) it allows the client to see how I will treat the manuscript; 2) it enables me to judge how much work the manuscript actually needs. Remember, a sample edit is just that: a sample. It's a taste. When it comes to writing, I have long since refused to write "on spec" or as a trial assignment. That means I don't write custom content for free for a potential client. I do, however, have a portfolio of diverse projects to which I will point that potential client. "See, I wrote these, and the client published them." Those writing samples offer plenty of examples of my expertise. Someone who demands you work for free to secure a paying gig does not value your skill or time. I learned that the hard way. (The school of hard knocks is an effective teacher.) Does that mean you should never work for free? Certainly not. When you do work for free, you and the recipient of your efforts should understand the value of what you donate and appreciate the sacrifice as such. Uphold your value or no one else will. #henhousepublishing #ghostwriting #editing #bookdesign

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This job posting from Static Media is looking for "mid-senior level" writers, and offers 8 cents @ word for articles. So if you could possibly, say, write one 1500-word article in one ten-hour day (which is really, really pushing it), they would pay you $120, which is $12/ hr, or $4/hr less than NYC's minimum wage. But they do offer..... great exposure! Which is why I always say being a freelance writer in 2024 is the only way you can stay indoors 24-7 — and still die from exposure. https://lnkd.in/e4zEdAmp

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I will celebrate 20 years as a freelance writer in 2025. Here are 5 observations freelance writers should consider in the coming year. https://bit.ly/41l7CDC #freelancers #freelancing #writers #writing #freelancewriting #freelancewriters #freelancerevolution

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If you use #AI for #writing or #editing and you don't want your content to be used as training material for that LLM, go to settings and toggle off "AI Data Retention" (or similar wording). Not every AI service allows you to opt out! (*cough, Meta AI, cough*) This is what it looks like on #Perplexity:

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You Have to Fail to Succeed as an Artist #writers #writingskills #writingtips #writing #amwriting #writing #writer #writers #writingcommunity #writingservices #writingtips #writinglife #writingprompts #writingadvice #writinginspiration  #writingcourse

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Mastering the Art of Writing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Publishable Articles Do you want to turn your thoughts into compelling articles that people will love to read? Do you dream of seeing your work published and admired? This easy-to-follow guide will show you how to master the art of writing and create articles that captivate your audience. #WritingTips #ContentCreation #ArticleWriting #ResearchSkills #EditingTips #WritingProcess #ContentMarketing #Blogging #MediumWriters #SEO #WritingCommunity #ProfessionalWriting #EngagingContent #WritingGuide #ContentStrategy

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"In 2024, freelance writers are in high demand as newspapers continue to adapt to the digital age. "With the rise of online publications and the need for fresh content, many newspapers are turning to freelancers to meet their editorial needs." If you are looking for freelance opportunities, make sure you reach out to local and regional newspapers. They still use freelance writers, and while the rates for articles will vary, it's still a great way to make $$. I started writing book reviews for several local newspapers many years ago, and then moved on to feature articles. After a while, I was able to write freelance articles for The Washington Post, The New York Times and even The Wall Street Journal. For more tips on how to make $$ as a freelance writer, head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of "The Flying Nun, A Light Bulb Moment and Me: 40 Years Making Money As a Freelance Writer (Hey, You Can Do It, Too!)"

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