Freelance Writers: Skip Past Scripted.com

Rejected by Scripted.com? Not to worry, their rates are low and good writers can get better work on their own, anyways.

Scripted.com (I will not include a link here as to not help with their SERP score) is a self-proclaimed ”best community for writers and editors,” except no one has ever heard of them and it seems they are biased against writers or editors with non-English, American, Australian or New Zealander-sounding names, although this isn’t stated anywhere on their website.

The proof:

1. Scripted.com will reject your registration based on you location. That’s right,  I was in Greece at the time of my first attempted registration and they told me they were not accepting applications from ”my part of the world.” Why is that? Because there are no native English or good enough writers in Greece? Luckily this can be easily surpassed with the use of a VPN tool. Once I registered from The Netherlands, it worked like a charm.
2. Scripted’s testing platform is full of bugs. They don’t allow you to click on any other windows while you’re conducting the test, as to not cheat on their veeeery basic grammar questions, however, their platform encountered an error in the middle of the test so I had to dismiss a scripting error message window to continue, which actually kicked me out of the test and I had to start it all over again. Then, when I was taking the product description part of the test, the image wouldn’t display so I talked to their chatbot which was extremely unhelpful and again, I had to reload and retake the test, wasting even more time.
3. Scripted.com has unrealistic, undisclosed expectations, which hang on a basic, timed writing test. Once I completed their grammar test, which was at third grader level at best, I had to take a timed writing test which involved writing a short blog post adhering to their requirements, in addition to a product description, again following some guidelines they provided. Here is what I wrote for both:

Writing test part 1: write a short blog post on the topic: why you should use mauve to better connect with your website visitors 

***

Mauve, is that the newest AI-powered chatbot?

You wouldn’t be alone in wondering what exactly mauve could mean in the context of your B2B- or B2C-focused website. We’re actually talking about the unusual colour, best described as a mix between light brown and pale purple. Winner of this year’s annual colour contest held by color experts at Panthony, mauve was awarded the prize without hesitation, thanks to its unique attributes, including ”approachability, warmth, elegance, likeability and strength,” as well as “the feelings that one has upon viewing it.”

Crazy about mauve

Adam Huckleberry, a dating app creator, credits much of his app’s success to utilising mauve in its main colour scheme. Science says he’s right, as backed by research conducted by Dr. D.Z. Qualia, an established neurologist and social psychologist. “Mauve is an enticing, yet comforting colour that stimulates various parts of the brain associated with connection and loyalty,” asserts Qualia.

What’s mauve got to do with it?

If mauve is so sure to increase connectivity between people, why not test this theory by adding a hint to your website in order to boost customer connections and drive leads? What’s mauve, if the colour does indeed have soothing and comforting properties, this could have an overall positive impact on your brand.

Once only found in your granny’s closet, this peculiar colour is making a comeback in today’s digital world. What are your thoughts on incorporating mauve into your website and/or app?

Writing test part 2: write a product description of a crochet-type sleeveless sweater 

An elegant, timeless, must-have piece

What does slipping into the Almond Lace Cotton Sweater feel like? We could only compare it to a light, yet sultry, summer ocean breeze. This sleeveless, tan-coloured long lace sweater vest is perfect for those afternoon walks at the beach when you’ve had plenty of sun on your back, followed by an early evening daiquiri at a beach bar overlooking the sunset.

The Almond Lace Cotton Sweater is a versatile companion that belongs in your next trip’s travel wardrobe, especially if you’ll be packing light. City breaks, shopping trips or walks in the park, we’ve got you covered. Get it once, enjoy it at many occasions!

The response I received from Scripted’s writing police is as follows: 

Thank you for applying to be a writer on Scripted. Our team has completed their review, and they have determined that your application did not meet the requirements to become a Scripted writer. Specifically, there were two key issues with your application: 

• Guideline adherence: Our editorial team has found that your application did not adhere to all required guidelines.

 • Quality of writing: Our editorial team has found that there were several grammar errors and awkward phrases throughout your application. Unfortunately, we’re not able to reverse this decision. 

Really, Scripted? I dare to say my writing sample was pretty decent for the assignment they provided, under timed conditions, but I suppose they are looking for writing scholars whom they can pay $20 per assignment. Not too sad I won’t be working with them, that’s for sure.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with Scripted? Let me know in the comments.