Why I Quit Writing on Textbroker, It's Not What You Think

Last Updated on May 17, 2023 by Michael Brockbank

I still support using content mills, especially if you’re new to writing. However, there comes a time when you have to move on. Let me explain why I quit writing on Textbroker and how appreciative I am about the experience.

In fact, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for using content mills like Textbroker in the very beginning. It opened so many doors as a creator and professional.

You never know where the path will take you until you walk it.

Table of Contents

Why Content Mills Still Hold Value for Me

As I said, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for taking those first steps with Textbroker. Although many other people didn’t have the same experience as me, it was one that I’m truly thankful for having.

Practical Client Experience

For one thing, you’ll get a significant amount of experience in dealing with a wide variety of clients. You’ll come across everyone from the easy-to-please type to downright hateful.

And as a professional, you need to learn how to adapt to each situation.

Thanks to writing on Textbroker, I realized just how good I am at diffusing tense situations. Although I didn’t have many angry clients, I was able to subdue nearly all of them due to a respectful and professional approach.

Learning AP Style Writing

When I started writing, I had no idea what I was doing. Sure, I dabbled a bit on my company’s website and helped a few clients over the years. But as for AP Style itself, not a clue.

The editors of Textbroker, WriterAccess, and even Constant Content helped me figure out where I needed to improve. Every comment they left on the orders I completed, I would take to Google and research how to fix them.

For the first six months or so, I bet I probably spent more time researching AP Style and practicing than I did actually writing for Textbroker clients.

Able to Bring In a Full-time Income

After a lot of hard work and determination, I was able to bring in a full-time income that surpassed what I was making at the school district. At which point, I was able to quit.

And I’ve been a freelance writer ever since. That was back in 2013.

While purely writing for content mills, I was averaging anywhere from $15 to $25 per hour, depending on the clients that day and what kind of work was available.

Why I’m Not Writing on Textbroker Today

So, let me get the biggest complaint from other authors out of the way. Content mills don’t pay nearly what you can get with a private client.

With that being said, that’s not why I don’t spend much time writing for content mills today. In fact, I keep all of my profiles updated just in case.

But the reality of it is:

My Private Clients Pay Me Plenty

Right now, I am the Content Marketing Team Lead of GreenGeeks Web Hosting. I also have a few other clients between writing and WordPress development.

Needless to say, the momentum I carried from writing with Textbroker has built up a steady stream of income.

All of my bills are paid and I have a bit extra every month. I’m also able to put a bit of time into my personal projects as I don’t have to grind out the content on those mills.

I Have a Variety of Personal Projects Going

Writing on Textbroker is a good start, but it’s not my end game. I want to be more than just a content mill creator.

With the many blogs, YouTube channels, podcasts, and books I’m working on, I simply don’t have time to browse the Open Pool today. I barely have time to do the things I want.

Right now, I guess I’m a blogger/YouTuber/gamer/novelist?

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Call me Buckaroo Banzai. Only, minus the dimensional creatures. Though, I did play a bit of the piano back in the day.

Focusing On Growing as a Creator

Thanks to all of the projects I have going on, I am spending more time forging myself into a creator. I love being creative, and all of my side projects are helping me explore what I want to do when I grow up.

That’s been the hardest part in the past; separating the freelance writer from the author.

In fact, some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time has been developing the Despair videos and the new Creative Sanctuary YouTube channel.

Though, I do get yelled at by my friends quite often because I kind of suck at self-promotion.

I Just Outgrew Content Mills

The short of it is that I just outgrew content mills. They were a great way for me to get the snowball rolling down the hill. But today, that ball has rolled into a massive boulder.

The opportunities available to me today just outweigh what I can make writing on Textbroker. And that’s what it all boils down to: Do what’s best for you as a professional.

Sure, I still have a lot to learn for being an individual creator. But, I wouldn’t have all of the above things in my life if it wasn’t for that first article I wrote for Textbroker on January 1, 2012.

Do I Still Promote Writing on Textbroker?

When people ask how to get started as a freelance writer with no experience, I’ll always respond with start writing on Textbroker. The sheer experience of learning the ropes alone is worth the time.

If you do have experience with clients and writing in AP Style English, then, by all means, find some private clients. You’ll make far more money.

But when you really don’t know what you’re doing and just like to write, content mills can give you practical experience. And private clients love that you have a handle on those things.

And if all else fails and I find myself without daily clients again, I know I can always go back to writing on Textbroker and bring in enough to pay the bills.

Things you need to keep in mind about my success on content mills include:

I was driven to become a freelance writer. Making $8 per hour with a household of four just doesn’t cut it.
I wanted to prove that I could become more than what I was.
It wasn’t an instant success story. I had to work exceptionally hard to get where I am today.
My goals were set for self-improvement. Each week, I’d work hard to surpass the number of words I wrote the week before.

In other words, I was driven to become the best content mill writer I could possibly be.

When Should You Move On from Content Mills?

Everyone is different when it comes to skill as a writer. Yes, anyone can slap words together. But, not everyone can structure them properly to engage an audience.

And that’s what writing online is all about.

Yet, if you’re working with content mills today, there may come a time when you’ll want to expand.

Once you’re confident and comfortable with your abilities, start testing the waters for finding a private client. I started by filling out a profile on LinkedIn.

And I get inquiries all the time from nearby businesses needing to fill a position. I have no doubt that my background would be a shoe-in for many of these companies.

But, that would mean I’d have to quit the blogs and YouTube channels.

Nevertheless, there is a plethora of opportunities online that can propel you forward as a professional or creator. You just need to decide that’s what you want to do and do it.

Sometimes, I feel as perhaps I should have made myself more available for private clients sooner.

Success is All About Growth and Advancement

In the end, growing as a professional and finding ways to advance will take you places you never thought possible. And if it wasn’t for writing on Textbroker, I would never have found a lot of these possibilities.

Use those content mills today, but plan for more in the future. They are a stepping stone into a world that has a lot of different paths to travel.

You’ll never know what you can accomplish unless you put in the effort.

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Michael Brockbank

Michael has been a freelance writer since January of 2012 and has contributed to a long list of blogs throughout his career. He is also a published author and continues to help other writers find their own paths. Maintaining both the WriterSanctuary blog and YouTube channel, he covers topics that relate to writing in all forms.