General Qs
How should I approach the writer-editor relationship?
The CW writer-editor relationship is collaborative and constructive, rather than critical. Often, the editor’s approach guides that journey. Remember that the writer will receive the majority of both negative and positive feedback from all sides (editors, proofreaders, administrators, clients) – a kind or friendly word never hurts!
What’s the difference between editing and proofreading roles?
Editors are expected to review and confirm that each piece of content meets the requirements of the Job Brief, as well as making edits for structure, formatting, flow, and grammar. The earlier we can catch larger errors (tone, keyword usage, etc) the better. Proofreaders are expected to ensure that the piece is client-ready before submitting – this includes, but is not limited to, catching grammar, spelling, and spacing errors. Please see the Editor Guidelines and Proofreader Guidelines, available in the Resource section of your dashboard, for a full breakdown of responsibilities.
How can I see what jobs are assigned to me?
When you first log into your profile, you'll see all jobs that have Action Required and are ready for your review. By selecting the "In Progress" job status, you can see jobs that are assigned to you, including those still in the writer's hands.
How can I communicate with CW writers?
You can contact writers, editors, proofreaders, and CW administrators directly through each job’s internal Discussion Board. It’s a great way to share any feedback, questions, or suggestions for future reference.
Process Qs
Should I be using any editing software?
While we don’t require you to use anything in particular, we recommend running your work through a program like Grammarly, Hemingway, or ProWritingAid to check for any spelling, grammar, or spacing errors before you submit your draft.
When is it appropriate to send a piece back to the writer for revisions?
The goal of the editor or proofreader is to facilitate the writer’s best work. It is not the editor or proofreader’s job to rewrite or restructure the content. If the writer has not met the requirements of the job brief (e.g. keyword use, tone, word count, etc), the editor should send the piece back.
Please note: The more specific a revision request is, the more likely a writer will successfully fix the issues that were caught by the editor.
Why do I need to provide feedback about each piece?
The information you give upon submission is invaluable. It’s a quick way for us to get a feel for whether the piece needs extra care, or if the writer needs guidance or support. Similarly, if they’re doing great work, we definitely want to know!
What kind of information should I include, and how honest should I be in my feedback?
Be as honest as you can! Helpful notes may touch on the writer’s tone, voice, any errors in structure or formatting, errors post-revision requests, etc. If you know the writer you’re reviewing and have noticed any consistent issues, feel free to mention this in your feedback and we’ll address it.
How should I rate pieces?
You will be asked to rate each piece on a scale of 1-5. We obviously hope for 4s and 5s, but please be honest. Rating a job at a 3 will generally alert CW admins to take a closer look at the copy. If you are rating a job 1 or 2, please consider first sending it back to the writer for revisions or reaching out to an admin.
Is my feedback about a writer’s work public or private?
Any feedback you provide after completing your edits and submitting to the admin will be confidential. CW may share your feedback with the writer if we feel it is relevant for further success on an account. If you want to send a friendly note to the writer directly, you can do so by flagging them on that job’s Discussion Board.
Payment Qs
How do I know how much an assignment pays?
Each job ticket will provide the specific rate information within.
What does the typical timeline for assignments look like?
After a project is assigned, writers have either 1 business day (for a 3-business-day client order) or 3 business days (for a 5-business-day client order) to complete the assignment. After submission, the assignment goes through editing (1 day) and proofreading (1 day) before being submitted to the client. The client has 3-10 business days to review the content after submission, and either accept the content or request a revision. These timelines may vary depending on the assignment.
How soon will I receive payment for assignments?
Payments are made on the 15th and 30th of every month, or the closest business day. All jobs that are marked “complete” within 2 weeks of the next pay period will be queued for payment. Jobs are marked “complete” after the client’s review period*, or after client-requested revisions are made and accepted. If you are unsure when a job that’s marked complete will be paid, check the Pending Payments page in your dashboard.
*Please note that most clients are on a 3-, 6-, or 10-day review period.
Why has X job been paid out but not Y job?
A job is processed for payment once a client marks it as complete. Most clients are on a 3-, 6-, or 10-day review period, so jobs will closeout according to that schedule. Clients may occasionally ask to extend their review periods, and we do our best to keep our writers apprised of such changes.
How do I handle taxes at the end of the year?
All writers for CW are independent contractors responsible for their own taxes, withholdings, and deductions. The IRS requires that you fill out a W9 as a condition to accepting jobs.
Are there any penalties for missing a deadline or cancelations?
If the writer fails to meet a specific deadline, CW reserves the right to reassign that job and to discontinue working with that writer in the future. Deadlines are critical to ensuring quality control and client satisfaction. Other penalties may apply, as outlined in CW's Writer Services Agreement.
Platform Qs
What if I need to take time off from my work with ContentWriters?
If you need to take any time off, simply enter a Time Off request in your profile. This will notify our team and we’ll hold off on sending you any new work while you’re away.
Am I able to access my account on my mobile phone or tablet?
While a mobile app is on our roadmap, until further notice all jobs and updates must be checked on contentwriters.com
If I have an issue, who should I contact?
CW wants you to know that we are here for you when you need assistance. Please feel free to email us at [email protected] to speak with our Writer Team. If you have a question about a specific job, you can also contact the account manager on the Discussion Board – don’t forget to Flag them!
If you're not subscribed to our Network Newsletter, let us know at [email protected]. We'll get you on the list and in the know!
