Writing Jobs For Expats

[girlx]

just curious if anyone here does any freelance writing for english publications and how that work came about for them here...? it's more of a hobby than anything for me but it would be good to get back into the habit of writing regularly and it being a job would help discipline me. i used to write for various travel websites etc. but it has been awhile. thanks in advance for any tips!

[girlx]

....................hrmm that's what i figured......................

[phaethon]

....................hrmm that's what i figured......................

Well, you are asking people to help you compete with them... remember the guy who posted asking for advice on how to be a 'consultant'?

This is something I would be interested in too, though in more technical/scientific/medical areas, so hopefully we wouldn't tread on each other's toes too often.

Have you tried picking up a copy of the Nation or BKK Post or some other EL publication, select an article, mark up the first hundred or so spelling/grammar/factual errors, send it in and ask if they need freelance editors?

Edited November 18, 2008 by phaethon

[mc2]

just curious if anyone here does any freelance writing for english publications and how that work came about for them here...? it's more of a hobby than anything for me but it would be good to get back into the habit of writing regularly and it being a job would help discipline me. i used to write for various travel websites etc. but it has been awhile. thanks in advance for any tips!

From what ive heard, just write up a good story, send it off to a list of newpapers / websites (that will pay) , it should go through the right channel/people, and if they publish it send off your invoice.

[benjamat]

I once got a writing job on a uk local paper because I noticed that they had nothing about simple Computer diagnostics and management. I sent a sample piece in and they gave me a regular slot answering readers questions.

In the end most publications will do anything if they see something that will draw in readers.

Oh, forgot to say that initially (1 month) I did it for free but after that they paid me.

Edited November 18, 2008 by benjamat

[kiakaha]

just curious if anyone here does any freelance writing for english publications and how that work came about for them here...? it's more of a hobby than anything for me but it would be good to get back into the habit of writing regularly and it being a job would help discipline me. i used to write for various travel websites etc. but it has been awhile. thanks in advance for any tips!

plenty of websites/blogs on various subjects pertaining to Thailand written by foreigners residing in Thailand that draw income, don't know if they are run legally though(work permits, tax etc..).

[kingwillly]

just curious if anyone here does any freelance writing for english publications and how that work came about for them here...? it's more of a hobby than anything for me but it would be good to get back into the habit of writing regularly and it being a job would help discipline me. i used to write for various travel websites etc. but it has been awhile. thanks in advance for any tips!

From what ive heard, just write up a good story, send it off to a list of newpapers / websites (that will pay) , it should go through the right channel/people, and if they publish it send off your invoice.

that's right, it's all about getting your name known to the right people (and being able to write)

publications are always looking for good content,

[siam4ever]

I'd suggest capitalizing the first word of your sentences if you want to be taken seriously as a professional writer in the English language.

good luck!

[photojourn]

I'd suggest capitalizing the first word of your sentences if you want to be taken seriously as a professional writer in the English language.

good luck!

<deleted>? Capitalizing the first word of a sentence adds to credibility? Much more important than grammar, word usage, or well researched material?

Capitalization of the first word of the first sentence is a style issue that some publications adopt. It's not what they want to see in a submitted piece.

[cymruambyth1]

I'd suggest capitalizing the first word of your sentences if you want to be taken seriously as a professional writer in the English language.

good luck!

You might want to try that yourself too!

Good luck!

[MacSpruce]

Has anyone noticed that the quality of English at The Nation, formerly just poor, has recently taken a turn towards the abysmal? Their home page a few a few days ago was so chock full of misspellings and grammatical errors that it would provide an English teacher with many hours of material.

The ad depicting an i-phone has been running for months now with the message "Recieve (sic) the lastest (sic) news from ... via SMS." I'm sure I'm not the firstest to notice this.

They seem to take about as much pride in their workmanship as the people who lay the paving stones on Sukhumvit's sidewalks.

Their self-contradictory message seems to be, "We want to be taken seriously as an English language newspaper, but we don't give a crap about the skillful - or even competent - use of the English language."

Perhaps the real showpiece of any newspaper is its editorial page. Ironically, this recent editorial talks about showing one's true color. The Nation's editorial staff should resign in disgrace.

EDITORIAL

The Burmese junta's true color

By The Nation

Published on November 14, 2008

When the Burmese junta decided to jail the 14 pro-democracy leaders of the 1988 generation to 65 years old each, or in other word life sentence, it was clear that the junta leaders want to challenge the whole world community to respond. The junta leaders know full well for now on it could do anything to any person who is considered a threat. Indeed, the Rangoon leaders are getting stronger by the day and become even more dictatorial in its approach and suppression.

It is amazing as well that the harsh jail sentences came at the time there are debates on whether the UN, international relief agencies should continue to engage Burma and continue to provide humanitarian aid in the post-Nargis. After the disaster in May, Burma has received overwhelming sympathy from around the world, foreign assistance have poured in to help the suffering Burmese villagers in the Irrawaddy Delta. Medical supplies and others items such as small tractors and other necessities also come to Burma. The point here is the Burmese junta could not care less about the international community. Its leaders happen to know the limits of international cooperation. Once it involves their own national interests, they would be discreet, for fear of further exposure.

Like it or not, the Burmese decision would pose a challenge to the incoming US president- elect Barack Obama. His vice president-elect, Joseph Biden, has a long history of support tough legislatures in the Congress in the past several years. The latest JADE ACT, which banned the import of Burmese jewelry, was also the product of collaboration of him and among key law makers. Throughout the Bush administration, the Burma situation has been a non-partisan issue in the Congress. President George W Bush and First Lady Laura Bush have been rather passionate about the plight of Burma. On their latest visit to Thailand in Augusty, they met with the Burmese dissidents and visit camps along Thai-Burmese border. They have done a great job in keeping the Burmese junta on the radar screen in Washington and the rest of the world. Now with Obama, it would be interesting to watch if the US can cooperate with China and India as well as Asean to improve the situation in Burma. Obama has said that he would use dialogue and negotiation to end deadlocks on issues the US encounters.

Intuitively, Burma is playing with the international shifting sentiment, which is very temperamental at best. In the time of global economic crisis, it would be difficult to discuss the Burmese suffering. After the Saffron Revolution last September, the sympathy from around the world increased towards the democratic groups operating inside Burma. Everybody thought that they would be able to embed further democratic values. Then, the May devastation caused by the Cyclone Nargis turned schemes of things inside Burma upside down. At first the catastrophe was a curse but later on it turned out to be a blessing because now the junta with a bigger coffer, thanked to influx of foreign currencies and aid; and it is stronger and is more determined to stay the course and annihilated all, both young and old, elements that challenge the regime.

The junta is proceeding with its seven-point roadmap with a planned election in 2010. Of course, the outcome is predictable at the moment. But it wants to be sure that in the next polls in 2010 there would be no surprise liked the one in 1990 when the opposition won a landslide votes. Sad to say, the junta leaders are not yielding because they realize that there is a high level of hypocrisy out there in the world. If they stick together and their leadership left unchallenged and do not crack on pressure, nobody can do anything about it. Changes will come only when the opposition groups or the rest of the world accept the junta's terms and conditions. Even at that kind of dire state, many observers continue to back the arguments that the Burmese regime should be engaged, no matter what because there is no other option.

Finally, it is obvious after the planned election in 2010, Burma plans to resume its Asean chairmanship, which it skipped in 2005, succeeding Vietnam. That would be the best of time because by that time there would be a surrogate government in place.

[Scott]

Why would they want something original--just copy from somewhere else!

Best of luck, however.

[jts-khorat]

just curious if anyone here does any freelance writing for english publications and how that work came about for them here...? it's more of a hobby than anything for me but it would be good to get back into the habit of writing regularly and it being a job would help discipline me. i used to write for various travel websites etc. but it has been awhile. thanks in advance for any tips!

Try your luck on eLance.com

[girlx]

I'd suggest capitalizing the first word of your sentences if you want to be taken seriously as a professional writer in the English language.

ha depends on the medium doesn't it... this is an internet forum so i don't give a rat's ass about capitalization.

anyway, thanks for the tips... i suppose i should just do something real with my blog (as i have in the past, when loads of people came to me with writing jobs)... i am just lazy.

[photojourn]

I'd suggest capitalizing the first word of your sentences if you want to be taken seriously as a professional writer in the English language.

good luck!

You might want to try that yourself too!

Good luck!

Thanks you for making such an intelligent and valuable contribution to this thread. Your insight is amazing. Pity you missed the point that I was referring to. The equally valuable suggestion I was referring to said CAPITALIZE the first WORD of each each sentence.

[siam4ever]

I'd suggest capitalizing the first word of your sentences if you want to be taken seriously as a professional writer in the English language.

good luck!

You might want to try that yourself too!

Good luck!

Thanks you for making such an intelligent and valuable contribution to this thread. Your insight is amazing. Pity you missed the point that I was referring to. The equally valuable suggestion I was referring to said CAPITALIZE the first WORD of each each sentence.

Each each person seems to develop a style of their own! Live live and let live!

[kiakaha]

I'd suggest capitalizing the first word of your sentences if you want to be taken seriously as a professional writer in the English language.

ha depends on the medium doesn't it... this is an internet forum so i don't give a rat's ass about capitalization.

anyway, thanks for the tips... i suppose i should just do something real with my blog (as i have in the past, when loads of people came to me with writing jobs)... i am just lazy.

I'd suggest that as a freelancer it is more important to "capitalize" your business so you can get a work permit and be legal

[johnnyk]

I've been a freelancer in Canada.

The #1 problem is getting paid, doesn't matter where you are.

[Valjean]

I hire freelance writers, copywriters and editors from guru.com and elance.com. If you want to live where you want to live and freelance then you can have customers anywhere. Both sites give you some help on getting paid also. There must be others but these two are big.

[girlx]

guru.com and elance.com

i use them sometimes for my real job, but haven't checked out the writing jobs... i shall. i don't like the two sites much though, i think they charge way too much to bid on projects.

[HorseDoctor]

I'd suggest capitalizing the first word of your sentences if you want to be taken seriously as a professional writer in the English language.

good luck!

<deleted>? Capitalizing the first word of a sentence adds to credibility? Much more important than grammar, word usage, or well researched material?

Capitalization of the first word of the first sentence is a style issue that some publications adopt. It's not what they want to see in a submitted piece.

WRONG, you'd never pass English Comp., 101. Capitalization of the first letter in a sentence is NOT about style. It is a grammatical rule- break it in a professional capacity and your editor will tire soon of correcting such sloppy, lazy mistakes. Submit in a sample and you'll probably not be hired.

[HorseDoctor]

My question would be does this violate the draconian work permit rules here in Tland, if yoou're residing here, and receiving payment , then you need a work permit, but no work permit unless the company is registered within Thailand, right?? Or what if one sets up auto payment to a bank outside of Tlnd I"ve read one cannot even volunteer without a permit, another way Thailand cuts off its nose to spite its face(s) .

[phaethon]

WRONG, you'd never pass English Comp., 101. Capitalization of the first letter in a sentence is NOT about style. It is a grammatical rule- break it in a professional capacity and your editor will tire soon of correcting such sloppy, lazy mistakes. Submit in a sample and you'll probably not be hired.

Inthat case whoever am repunsybul fer editin TV needs 2 bee sakt.

[phaethon]

My question would be does this violate the draconian work permit rules here in Tland, if yoou're residing here, and receiving payment , then you need a work permit, but no work permit unless the company is registered within Thailand, right?? Or what if one sets up auto payment to a bank outside of Tlnd I"ve read one cannot even volunteer without a permit, another way Thailand cuts off its nose to spite its face(s) .

Yes, you need a work permit... well, not need, are required to have a work permit. However most people seem not to bother and simply keep their head down and get away with it.

Anyone know, first-hand, of a telecommuter/author who has been prosecuted (apart from the occasional LM case)?

[ataloss]

MacSpruce queried: Has anyone noticed that the quality of English at The Nation, formerly just poor, has recently taken a turn towards the abysmal? unquote

Actually I have, and it is becoming more and more painful each day to read.

MacSpruce also wrote: Their home page a few a few days ago was so chock full of misspellings and grammatical errors that it would provide an English teacher with many hours of material. Unquote

‘The Nation’ runs a chain of English Language Schools under the name ‘Direct English’: their staff and English-teachers being mainly Thais. The chain assesses and places its learners through a computer-based test: the test itself contained many grammatical errors, but may have been corrected. Possibly ‘The Nation’ uses ‘Direct English’ to proofread their news content. :D