If you’re on this website, then you know I’m an author. You may also know that I’m a ghostwriter, too. Recently, I responded to a solicitation on Facebook for a ghostwriter. Details were lacking, so I commented with questions requesting basic information: genre, production schedule, compensation, etc. After all, if the project isn’t a good match, then professionals like me won’t waste a prospective client’s time with proposals for service. The original poster replied to my comment to send him a direct message (DM).
In Facebook Messenger, I complied with his request and reminded him of my questions. He sent three replies, all identical. The warning bells pealed. In broken English, he explained he was looking for a female writer to write 2,000-word erotic stories and asked if would I send him a sample story.
I replied with a statement that I could write erotic fiction and directed him to my website for writing samples and gave him my email address. His response was to ask whether he ought to share a sample story to show me what he was looking for. I replied that I’d be happy to review the sample story.
By this time, I was not surprised by the response, just dismayed at the confirmation this person was a scammer. He did not send his sample story to my email address or send me a link to a web page, which is what anyone with common sense would have done, but he posted the entire content of a short story in Facebook Messenger. (Here’s a hint: Legitimate clients don’t require freelancers to communicate through WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Skype.)
I skimmed through the story. It was dreadful. He followed it with a a question as to whether I could create such stories for his website.
I wanted to reply that no, I could not because my pride actually would not allow me to produce such horribly written content. However, I tried to tactful and answered in the affirmative, adding that my questions had yet to be answered.
Let it be noted that these are not unusual questions designed to trick anyone; these are basic questions.
- Does the author receive authorial credit, or was this a ghostwriting gig? No, it was a ghostwriting gig.
- What language(s) was(were) preferred? English.
- Did he want to stick within a contemporary world or would he be interested in sub-genres, such as fantasy, historical, or science fiction? Contemporary.
- Would the stories be “episodes” or “chapters” within a plot arc, or would each story be standalone and complete in itself? Each story would be complete in itself.
- What was the production schedule? Twenty stories per month, 2,000 words each. (By the way, 40,000 words a month is a lightning-fast production schedule.)
- How much was he paying? [crickets]
He replied with what I already knew: “It’s erotic full story.” He ignored the other questions. I asked him to answer those. His response was for me to send him a sample story. Again, I repeated my request that he answer my questions. He answered some of the questions. I asked him to answer the rest of the questions. He answered all but the question of payment and requested that I provide him with my rates.
Ding! Ding! Ding! The warning bells continued to ring.
My rates are published on the website I gave him, as well as my writing samples (which he obviously hadn’t looked at or read). So, I asked again, “What are you paying?” He replied again, “Share your rate.”
At that point and out of patience, I tired of the game and blocked him.
The publishing industry is rife with bad actors, people set upon taking advantage of others. Scammers.
When you’re a freelancer, one’s motto is always caveat emptor (buyer beware). In this scenario, the freelancer and writers are game and so-called clients and publishers are often predators. You have to keep your wits about you and maintain a healthy level of skepticism to avoid becoming a victim.
Publishing is a predatory industry. Don’t be prey.
