Checking Examiner Out

Since I’ve been sniffing around for new places to write, I thought Examiner would be a nice fit. After all, I had received a few offers to write pieces about my local area, I figured I might have what it takes to do well with Examiner.

Examiner Application/Approval Process

The application process is simple enough. I went to their site and filled out the appropriate forms. I was also allowed to suggest a new Examiner channel for which I’d be interested in writing. Their channel selections for my area were pretty broad so I wanted to narrow it down just a bit. In addition to completing the application I provided a couple of samples and wrote a 200 word test sample.

Approval is not automatic. They review the application and send notification within 5 business days of acceptance. Upon acceptance, you have three days in which to reply and provide them with the information outlined in their acceptance email.

The one thing that I noticed in the acceptance email is they suggest you write four to five posts per week .  According to Examiner this translates to approximately three to six hours of writing, publishing and promoting your content (uh oh, I’m feeling a case of work-aversion-itis coming on).

Examiner Payment Structure

It’s difficult for me to provide information on payment since I don’t have first hand experience. From what I understand earnings are based on page views and payment is made monthly via PayPal after your balance reaches $25. I’m not clear as to whether or not Examiner offers up front payments. They do, however, have a referral program where the referring Examiner receives $50 for each referral. [smartads]

Applauding Examiner’s Style

Examiner is serious about their web presence and looks like they truly want their writers to succeed. I don’t know of another site that offers weekly conference calls to help their writers. I was impressed with what they had to offer and their writer support system.

Why I Just Couldn’t Do It

Call me crazy but I chose to respectfully decline the Examiner position. It’s not because of anything Examiner has done, as you can see, I was rather impressed with them. It’s because I know myself and I know how I want my online freelance writing career to play out.

My goal (which is no secret to my regular readers) is to earn 100% residual income. The weekly writing requirement for Examiner was a deal breaker for me. Everything else looked very attractive, but I know myself well enough to go with my gut. Eventually I would resent the writing requirement and feel like I was working at a job again. In other words, my work allergy flared up (I develop an allergic reaction to anything that starts to look like work, sound like work, smell like or quack like work).

Final Thoughts on Examiner

I believe Examiner is a perfectly legitimate place to work. There are several freelance writers who write for Examiner and are doing very well. For those without severe work allergies, I believe you should give it a shot. Don’t let my allergic reactions affect your decision.

If you currently write for Examiner.com, I’d love to hear your take.