When it comes to a content marketplace like Content Runner, there’s a certain level of trust held between the Writers and the Users. The Writers must trust that their articles will be accepted within reasonable parameters, and the Users must trust that the freelancers fulfilling their requests are professional and talented.

Writers, like most of us, are human. At least, so far they are – you can never really tell what Google has up its vast sleeve – and one of the hallmarks of being human is to err.

Human error can manifest in a few different ways. Perhaps the article you receive from a Writer is not what you expected. It might stray off-topic, miss a key point of the prompt, be poorly written, or it could be the wrong article entirely. When this happens, don’t get discouraged – there are a few things you can do to remedy the situation.

1. Start with writers from the site-wide Favorites pool.

Before you post your order, make sure you safeguard your articles by offering it to one of your writer pools. When you sign up as a User on Content Runner, your account is automatically loaded with a carefully-curated site-wide Favorites list. These Writers have a proven history of high-quality writing skills, professional User-Writer interactions, and timeliness. Each Writer will have their own strengths and special skills, as well, so always reach out with any special projects or direct orders to see if they match.

2. Try a round of revisions.

If the errors are relatively minor – verb tense and verb-subject agreement, punctuation, missing words, or typos – try sending the article back for a revision. Many times, it can be a simple matter of having written a little too fast; most freelancers are receptive and open to a polite, reasonable revision request. Writers have two days to complete their revisions; any articles sent back for revision that remain incomplete will be subject to an auto-drop, and the article will become open for assignment once more.

And less expensive in stamps!

A message via Content Runner might be faster, and you’ll save on stamps.

3. Send a message.

There may be times when you see an article that just isn’t going to make the cut. This is usually a case of either a very rushed writing job, or a Writer who’s following their dream but perhaps needs a bit more practice. In this case, when it’s apparent that the article can’t reach an acceptable level of quality, consider sending the Writer a message. You can ask them what went awry here, solicit advice for how they could do better, or you could even ask them to drop the article altogether. While every Writer is due at least two revisions for their own safeguard against unnecessary article rejections, sometimes it’s in everyone’s best interests to simply move on; although the drop will be reflected in the Drop Rate Percentage on their profile, a drop is probably preferable to a rejection. If you know in your heart of hearts that you aren’t going to accept an article that’s been submitted, reach out and let the Writer know. Remember, though, that if no action is taken on the submitted article within 7 days, it will auto-accept and you’ll have to work with the content on hand.

4. Always be respectful and kind.

When interacting with anyone online, it’s important to be aware of how you’re coming across. Written communication is notorious for misunderstanding: a lack of body language and social cues can cause certain phrasing and punctuation to come across incorrectly. Always consider using the compliment sandwich, say your pleases and thank yous, and be up front with your Writers – clear revision requests and messages can go a long way toward ensuring that the content you receive is the best it can be.