Ted Bendixson, Freelance Copywriter and Shred Advocate

As a freelance writer, I get a large share of my work from bidding sites. Because anybody can post a project on these sites, there is amazing proliferation of unethical behavior. I have seen it all, from buyers who want you to create testimonials out of thin air to the “gracious” employer looking to pay unsuspecting souls a mere $1.50/hr for good work. Having spent as much time as I have in this profession, I have learned something. Being ethical and selective with the projects you choose to take on, while emphasizing the quality of your work, will always give you a better income than being willing to compromise any of these.

My ethical dilemma. What would you do?

Here is a case in point. I was hired over Elance to write some website content for a new product. I didn’t know the exact specifications until I had won the auction. The buyer sent me the instructions after he escrowed the money. Within his set of instructions, he told me to make up a few testimonials for the product.

I saw this and felt a little uneasy. There is no question that I was facing an ethical conundrum. The money was already in escrow. He was waiting for me to get started on the project. If I were to reject the project based on ethical considerations, my client would have to go through a lot of red tape before getting another project going. My reputation could suffer.

Your reputation as a writer is always on the line.

In the heat of the moment, we often forget to step back and think about what our actions could mean in the long term. The reality is that if I were to make up testimonials, my reputation would suffer much more than if I were to simply refuse to work for somebody like this. It really isn’t enough to only refuse to do the testimonials. If you are serious about ethics, you wish your client well and tell him you can’t work with somebody who is willing to falsify important information. And then you move on.

Think about who your work for. If your employer doesn’t have a clear understanding of what is ethical, he should be avoided. It will catch up to you.

Whatever you do, don’t buy into the idea that you have to be sneaky in order to make money online as a freelance writer. There is an ethical way to promote products and websites via Search Engine Optimization (SEO), splash pages, press releases, and original content. Ironically, the most demanding clients are also the least ethical. My best clients give me more than enough time to complete a project, and they pay me quite handsomely. I make good money, and I’m not writing 500 SEO spam articles in three days.

You don’t have to either.