Check Out the New Forum!

New Fiverr Forum is up and live, faster than ever, and offers you loads of fun.

There are badges and levels to be earned, it's easy to mute topics you're not interested in (like endless self-promotion), you can edit your forum profile (here's mine), explore, read, learn... And all of it works pretty good. Some tweaks would be helpful, like an easier way to follow a conversation within a certain thread, but I'm sure that the team is already working on it. EDIT: It looks like nested responses are not possible on this type of forum (Discourse). Well, at least everyone got the answer and the explanation within a few hours of the request being raised; that's SUPERfast.

On top of that, random bots can no longer spam the forum; desperate users will find it difficult to spam, too, because posting is limited at first, and I seriously doubt that spammers will get the limit lifted anytime soon.

So... Go on, and check out the new and improved forum. It might take some time getting used to, but it's really good.

P.S. As an added bonus, there are cat emojis, too. And a scorpion emoji. And a lot of fun.

5 Fun Things to Do During a Fiverr Dry Spell

A dry spell at Fiverr is often stressful, and, while stress can be stimulating, you also need to relax and take care of your health. Here are some ideas what to do to entertain yourself, and, possibly, give yourself strength to keep moving on.

1. Get a Silly Haircut

All right, don't get a silly haircut if it will get you fired from your day job, or if you'd really, really hate it. Do change your appearance, though. It can be a silly haircut (or simply a different haircut or a different hair color), or shaving your head, or wearing something you don't usually wear (switching from casual to formal or sportsy or hippie or whatever), or start wearing a lot of jewelry if you don't usually do it (it can be cheap), or...

Don't do something that would get you arrested, and don't do something that would be difficult to reverse (like getting a tattoo or having plastic surgery done) unless you're completely certain that you really want it and that it isn't the stress talking. The point is to temporarily step out of your own skin, and possibly see things in a new light (and, preferably, to have fun while doing it).

2. Call Someone and Request Something Silly of Them

Only do this with a person you trust. For example, call that person, and ask them to marry you (you should be certain that this person would not misunderstand you and really accept something that neither of you wants). Or suggest that the two of you run away together and see the world, or travel the space, or start exporting tuna to penguins. Talk about it. Make plans. Imagine, together, what will it be like. Dream. Joke. Laugh.

It's a good psychological trick to get yourself unstuck, so you can get back to the business (analyzing, if necessary, then coming up with solutions, implementing them, experimenting, finding new solutions... It's always a work in progress).

3. Dance a Silly Dance

Or do silly warrior moves. Or whichever silly physical action you can come up with, as long as you don't harm anyone (yourself included). If you have no idea how to dance, or have zero experience with martial arts, or can't think of anything physical to do, search the Internet, imitate what you see, and make it as silly as you can.

Ideally, it will make you laugh (possibly while feeling like a fool, but that's fine), help you relax a bit, and put some oxygen into your brain, so you can finally think of something more useful than endless worry and despair.

4. Create Terrible Art

Play an instrument you have no idea how to play (just don't break it!). Write poetry if you don't know how, and never read any. Sing, even though you can't catch a tune (especially if you can't catch a tune). Draw, paint, make ugly jewelry (you can wear it later), sculpt something, make something out of pebbles or newspapers or whatever you can get your hands on.

It's not supposed to end up good, or to teach you to do something (although, if you feel like learning something, go ahead and do it!). It's supposed to allow you to have fun, and to let you know it's perfectly fine if what you make ends up far from perfect (or even passable).

Relax. Laugh. Enjoy. You need it.

5. Make a Terrible Dish

It doesn't matter whether you know how to cook or not; either way, there's certainly something you don't know how to make. Go on and make it. Rush things up, or slow them down unnecessarily. Change the instructions at will, or don't even read them, and come up with your own idea how to make that dish instead. Don't poison yourself or anyone else (a stay at a hospital isn't going to make you feel any better), but other than that, feel free to make the worst dish on the planet.

Once it's made, smell it. Taste it. Eat it, if it's edible. Laugh about it. Notice whether somebody died (no), and whether the world ended (again, no).

The world didn't end, and neither did your Fiverr business. It's just a slow period, or maybe you're doing something wrong. After making yourself laugh and relax, you'll be able to see things in a new light, and come up with new solutions and new business ideas (Fiverr-related or not).

Allow yourself to act silly. Have fun. Learn something while doing it.

Keep moving, and win.

5 Things to Do When You Receive a Bad Feedback

It happened: you got a bad feedback. Maybe you did everything right, but the buyer was unreasonable. Or maybe you're not as good as you think you are (or, perhaps you're perfectly aware that you offered something you have no idea how to provide), and the feedback was deserved. Either way, since a bad feedback can slow down your business on Fiverr, what do you do?

Here are some suggestions.

1. Stay Calm, and Think About the Work You Provided

Easier said than done, of course, but it's important, otherwise you'll do something that will just make things worse. If you can't stay calm, step away, and do something else: go for a run, watch a comedy, meditate, clean your place, cook something, use a punching bag (an actual punching bag or a pillow, not a living being)... Whatever will help you to start thinking like a rational adult. Once you're sufficiently calm, it's time to think about the work you provided.

Was it really as good and professional as you promised it would be? Do you have experience in what you do (keep in mind that "half a decade of experience" is only impressive if you're a teenager)? Do you know exactly what your job entails (for example, delivering a unique logo does NOT mean stealing something from the Internet and then modifying it, it means creating a new logo from scratch; or, copywriting does not mean copying and pasting, it means creating original content (from scratch) that will be conveyed through online and print media, and that primarily serves for advertising and marketing)? Think about the quality of your work, and be honest with yourself.

2. Discuss the Matter with Your Buyer

This does NOT mean soliciting feedback removal; it's now forbidden by Terms of Service, and could get you banned from Fiverr. Instead, politely ask the buyer what went wrong, and why they're unhappy with your work. Read their feedback carefully. If you don't understand it, try asking once again (but only once, you don't want the buyer to report you for harassment or spamming) what would have made the buyer happy with your work. It might not help you change or remove the negative review, but you will learn something from it.

3. Answer the Feedback with Your Own

Tell your side of the story in a respectful and professional manner. Don't offend the buyer, and don't be rude; instead, explain what was requested, what you delivered, and why you disagree with the buyer. If your work was of low quality, you may wish to thank the buyer for their business and for giving you a chance, state that you have learned a lot from the project, and that you will strive to learn and do better in the future. It won't change the feedback you received, but it will present you as a professional, and, in the second case, as a responsible person who can admit a mistake.

4. If the Buyer Was Abusive, Contact Customer Support

Maybe the buyer threatened you, or demanded more work than agreed and left a negative feedback because you refused to provide it, or offered to remove the feedback if you refund them, or... Know the rules, and if the buyer breaks them, report the abuse to Customer Support. They will not remove the negative feedback just because you want them to, but if the buyer was abusive to you, they will step in and take action.

5. Request Feedback Revision

Be very, very careful with this one, because if you repeatedly use this option, you could get banned from Fiverr. However, if you're certain that you have delivered as advertised and that you did your very best, you may use the Request Feedback Revision option in the Resolution Center, explain your reasons to the buyer, and ask them to reconsider the rating. Be aware, though, that you could receive a lower rating, not just a higher one (unless you got a one-star feedback already).

If nothing works, remember that one negative rating isn't the end of your Fiverr business, it's only a setback. As long as you provide quality service (and if you don't, learn how to do it), keep improving, and keep advertising, things will work out.

5 Things Not to Do When You Receive a Bad Feedback

Sooner or later, you will receive a bad feedback. It happens to everyone, because it's impossible to make every single client happy. Negative feedback will lower your overall ratings and it might slow down your business on Fiverr, so feeling frustrated is completely understandable. It's best not to act out on that frustration, though, or you risk making things worse.

Here are some things to avoid when you receive a bad feedback:

1. Answering with a Vengeful Feedback of Your Own

It's tempting to tell that buyer exactly what you think of him/her. It's tempting to offend them and to try to hurt them as much as they've hurt you. Don't. It will just make you look unprofessional. One negative feedback won't necessarily make buyers choose someone else – they are aware that it's impossible to make everyone happy – but acting like a child having a temper tantrum will. Buyers want to work with a professional, not with someone who can't control his/her temper.

2. Spamming the Buyer and Demanding a Glowing Review

Repeatedly messaging the buyer and begging them to change the review to 5 stars is considered harassment, and could get your messaging disabled (or your account banned, depending on the exact nature of your messages). With the new Feedback Revision Policy, you're allowed to request feedback revision through the Resolution Center, but you can't do it repeatedly for the same order. Furthermore, repeatedly using this option can get you banned from Fiverr.

3. Spamming Customer Support and Repeatedly Demanding Feedback Removal

Before the new Feedback Revision option, if you could prove that you had done exactly what was requested and that the feedback wasn't justified, it was possible to contact Customer Support with the proof and ask for their help. Now, though, sellers can only get the feedback changed if they contact the buyer through the Resolution Center and request feedback revision, and if the buyer agrees to do it. The only exception is if the buyer has clearly violated Fiverr's Terms of Service (for example, the buyer was abusive); if that's the case, Customer Support will remove the feedback, but if it isn't, they won't. Keep in mind that spamming Customer Support, harassing them, being rude to them, or repeatedly demanding feedback removal even after they told you it wasn't possible has never been a good idea. Customer Support is there to help all users; harassing them isn't going to help anyone, and could get you banned from Fiverr.

4. Naming and Shaming in the Forum

If you can't get the feedback removed, it might feel tempting to rant in the forum. It's perfectly fine to do that, as long as you don't break Forum Rules (in other words, as long as you don't name the buyer). However, keep in mind that, depending on the nature of the buyer's feedback, it's possible for the other users to think that the buyer was right, and to openly tell you so. If that happens, remember to stay polite to all forum users, and carefully think about what they told you, and about the ways to improve your service.

5. Spamming Other Sellers

Messaging other sellers to beg them to buy from you is considered spamming, and it's forbidden by Terms of Service. Even if you're afraid that, after the bad feedback, you won't be able to make more sales, begging other sellers to buy from you is still spamming, and it's still forbidden. Begging them to help you remove the negative feedback is also spamming – and pointless, because there's nothing a seller can do to help you.

Don't panic. Don't get abusive. Don't spam. Use the tools you have at your disposal, and if they don't work, move on.

A negative feedback isn't the end of the world, and it isn't the end of your business on Fiverr, either.

Keep moving.

More Work in Progress

Do you make plans, and then go and do something else? I do, and it's not necessarily bad, as long as some progress is made. After all, there's so much to do, and the day only has 24 hours; as long as something is done, it's good, or at least that's how I see it.

Last time, I said I would create a gig for scripts for kinetic typography videos, and I did. I also said I would create a gig for writing inspirational articles, but I still hesitate to do it. Will I like it? What if people only want to order in bulk? Will the clients expect the impossible, or demand something that I don't actually offer? I'll probably create it anyway, sooner or later, and then deactivate it if I don't like the outcome. Just not yet.

The questionnaire for video scripts? Not done yet. Not good. Being more active on the blog? Not as much as I'd like to, but I hope I'm getting there. Tweaking the gigs some more? Yes, and will keep doing it. Being more active on Twitter? Yes. Also, I have activated the Catwriter Facebook page again, and now I'm thinking about the stuff I could post there that I don't post elsewhere (otherwise, what's the point? Why would anyone want to look at the same stuff on all the social media?).

More progress: learning new stuff. I know way too little about advertising and about using social media in general (well, I'm not exactly social myself), so I've read Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy, and Crush It!: Why Now Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk. The next one I intend to read on the subject is Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World, also by Gary Vaynerchuk. A businessman teaching me how to tell a story? Sure, why not? He's great at it, and I'm always looking to improve.

I keep thinking that I could have done more. Well, I could have. It's always possible to do more. But then I look at what I've actually done (the stuff I'm posting here is related to being a freelance writer on Fiverr; I do other things, as well), and I think to myself that this isn't bad. It could have been better, but it's still not bad. Not bad at all.

5 Things to Do When a Client Becomes Abusive

It's rare, but it happens: some clients on Fiverr either start out abusive, or become abusive down the road, for whatever reason (a misunderstanding, or their own client pressures them, or cultural differences, or...). You might be afraid of a negative review, but you're not obliged to tolerate abuse, and in most cases, as long as you remain calm and professional, you will get help.

So, what to do if your client is abusive?

1. Try to Communicate

If the situation doesn't cross a certain line (for example, the client tells you that he/she wishes you were dead), it could be a misunderstanding, so politely explaining what's going on from your point of view might help. Remind the client what they requested of you, and what, exactly, you did to fulfill that request. Remind them that you want them to be happy with your service, and ask them to explain why they're not satisfied. It could have been just the language barrier and/or cultural differences, so this approach is definitely worth a shot.

2. Stay Polite and Professional

No matter how abusive the client becomes, remember to stay polite and professional. If necessary, step away, calm down, and then respond to the client. Harassment is strictly forbidden by Fiverr's Terms of Service; neither you nor the client are allowed to break the ToS, and if your response is unprofessional, you could get yourself in trouble. Besides, if someone is abusive on purpose, nothing will anger them more than seeing that they're not affecting you.

3. Document Everything

Make screenshots of the entire conversations, both in the inbox and on the order page. That way, if the abusive client doesn't quickly calm down, you have all the proof you need to support your case.

4. Contact Customer Support

If the client refuses to behave reasonably, and keeps abusing/threatening you, submit a ticket to Customer Support, briefly and politely explain the situation, send them the screenshots, and ask for their help and advice. Keep in mind that, due to the Privacy Policy, they can't tell you what they did with the abusive client (other than telling you that they have removed the negative feedback, if you have received it).

5. Be Patient

Sometimes Customer Support is surprisingly fast. Sometimes it might take them time to get back to you (say, they have a ton of tickets to respond to, so you have to wait for your turn). Don't open multiple tickets (it will just slow the whole thing down), patiently wait for the Customer Support to answer you, and once they do, don't forget to thank them for their help. If you feel that they didn't help you and if you disagree with their decision, it's still a good idea to stay polite; kindness and politeness will always get you much further than "yelling" at someone already swamped with work and complaints.

In short, stay calm, polite, and professional, don't break any rules yourself, and in most cases, you will receive the help you need.

5 Things Not to Do When a Client Becomes Abusive

The majority of Fiverr buyers are really nice. Some are a bit confused about the platform or about what they actually want, and some don't speak English very well, which can easily lead into a misunderstanding, but overall, they're good people, and good to work with.

Unfortunately, some of the Fiverr buyers are abusive. They might be over-demanding, and/or offensive, and/or repeatedly requesting something that you don't offer (whether it's a particular service or doing revisions until they're happy, and they're never happy), and/or threatening to ruin you, to leave a bad feedback, to report you because of whatever even though you did nothing wrong...

Sounds familiar?

It's easy to get upset or angry in such a situation. It's quite understandable that you feel frustrated. However, there are some things that you shouldn't do, even if you feel that this particular client must be the worst person in the world. The short-short version would be: don't become abusive, and don't break the rules. Let's see some examples:

1. Insult the Offensive Buyer

Yes, the buyer was abusive, but it doesn't mean that you should become rude, too. Read Fiverr's Terms of Service again if you need to, and remember that you should be professional and polite. Don't let the offensive/abusive buyer drag you to their level, and don't give them the ammo if they decide to complain to Customer Support. On top of that, if you decide to report the abusive buyer to Customer Support (you should do that), and the staff sees that you were impolite and unprofessional to the buyer, you could get in trouble, too. Remember the rules, and stick to them!

2. Name and Shame the Buyer in the Forum

It might feel good to vent in the forum, but if you decide to create a new thread in the Ranting Pot (or post in an existing one), don't name the buyer. That's against the Forum Rules, and on top of having problems with someone unreasonably difficult, you will get in trouble for breaking the rules, too.

3. Create Multiple Tickets When Asking Customer Support for Help

If a buyer is being abusive, you should definitely report them to Customer Support, politely and briefly explain the problem, send them screenshots of the conversations (it will help a lot if you're impeccably polite and highly professional in those conversations), and ask for help and advice. However, no matter how upset you are, you should be patient, and you shouldn't create multiple tickets, otherwise you will only slow down the response, and you might get blocked as a spammer.

4. Do Something Rash/Unethical/Illegal Outside of Fiverr

Depending on the information you have received from the buyer, you might be able to find them (or their website, more likely) outside of Fiverr, and it could be tempting to do something vengeful in order to make their life difficult. However, remember that you're obliged to keep all the information confidential, and if the abusive buyer reports you to Fiverr, you could get banned. Is this person really worth it?

5. Break Any Rules

Try not to break any rules. No matter how angry you are, don't scream at the buyer, don't send them malware, don't post the buyer's username all over the forum and/or Fiverr social media accounts, don't... Don't do anything that would get you in trouble with Fiverr. Try to stay calm and professional, don't answer abuse with abuse, report the abuser to Customer Support with all the proof you have (and if you stay calm and professional, the chances are that you will have plenty of proof of their unreasonable/abusive behavior), and wait for Fiverr staff to take care of the problem.

In short: don't get yourself in trouble because someone was disrespectful/abusive to you. It won't help you, and that person is certainly not worth it.

Figuring Out What You Want

When choosing what to do on Fiverr (or in life), it's a good idea to figure out what you want, and what it really means. Not what others think that you should want, not what is considered appropriate in your family/neighborhood/city, but what you want, and what it means for you.

Yes, of course, you want to make money. Maybe you just need pocket money, or you need money to pay bills and feed your family and avoid starving to death, or you're trying to supplement your income... Whatever your needs may be, the chances are, if you're on Fiverr, you're trying to earn money, unless you're one of the rare members who need something to do with their time (and even they don't work for free).

But, other than not starving to death, what do you want? What do you want to be? What do you want to do? Sure, you can do a lot of stuff you don't like if you have to, and not just for money; nobody enjoys washing dishes or scrubbing floors or cleaning the toilet, but people who don't want to live in filth do it anyway. However, what's the point of spending day after day, month after month, year after year doing something that you hate? You might manage to pay the bills that way, at least for a while, but your happiness and your health would suffer, and you'd end up hating your life, and possibly hating everyone you feel responsible for.

On the other hand, if you figure out what you want and manage to earn money doing that, there will be no burnout. You will enjoy it. You will work with joy. Not every project or every part of it will be enjoyable, but overall, you'll be happy. Your family will be happier that way, too.

But how do you figure out what it is?

There's no definite answer that I'm aware of, but if you don't have even the slightest idea what it is, it might help if you start thinking about the things you enjoy doing. They don't have to be related to any kind of work in the usual sense; list them anyway. Reading books, watching movies, watching sports, taking long walks, watching clouds, making stuff out of chestnuts... Whatever you like, there are other people who like it, too; and if you really know a lot about it, people will be willing to pay for your knowledge. Book recommendations, movie recommendations, tips and tricks on finding the best route for a walk and what to bring with you, pictures of the clouds changing throughout the day, how to make this or that with nothing but chestnuts and toothpicks... Use your imagination, and then find a place where you can sell it (say, Fiverr), or create one. Or create several.

A very important part of this process is, once you've gotten an idea about what it is that you want, figuring out what it actually means. Say, you want to design clothes. Is it high fashion, and do you want to be famous? Or do you absolutely love the look of joy on your friend's little daughter's face when you tweak a little something on her simple dress, so it looks special and different from anything else?

For me, the real meaning was the difficult part. I knew I wanted to write for a living, but it was only a few years ago that I realized that my name didn't have to be on it. It can be, no problem; I certainly don't mind if my story is published under my name. But it doesn't have to be. I've realized that I honestly don't care if nobody knows that I've written the script for that video, or that I'm the real author of this article or that story. And once I knew that, I could stop trying to do stuff I've read I should do as a writer, and start making money by writing instead.

Is it always perfect? No. Sometimes there are annoying people to deal with (but there's no avoiding them, no matter what you do), and sometimes there are dry spells (which I use to learn, improve, and try new stuff). However, I know why I'm doing what I'm doing, and it's not just because I'm desperate to avoid starvation. I've figured out what I want (write for a living) and what it really means (anonymous is fine, as long as I get paid for it), I have my long-term goals in mind, and it works.

It really works.

Organic Followers Are People!

Every now and then, I notice someone seeking to buy or sell "organic followers" for a Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram account, or some other social media page/account/whatever.

They sound so mysterious, these organic followers.

Are they like organic food?

Well, strictly speaking, almost all food is organic. If I remember correctly, other than some salts that we need, there's no such thing as inorganic food. Rocks are inorganic, and you better not eat them. Metals are inorganic. Walls of your house are inorganic, unless you're a witch living in a house made of candy.

In other words, organic food doesn't simply mean that your food is organic – if it's edible, it's almost certainly organic – it means that your food is supposed to be super-healthy and safe to eat. It's not really as healthy as those selling it would want you to believe, but it's advertised as such.

Just like organic followers are advertised as safe. They'll follow the account you want them to follow, and stay with it forever.

But what are they, and how do you get them?

If you wish, try to imagine Charlton Heston saying this: "Organic followers are people!"

Wait, what?

That's what the term "organic followers" means. People.

People like your Aunt Amanda, who wanted to be a ballerina when she was a little girl, but is now selling insurance, and hating it.

People like Cousin Molly, who works in retail and wants to get married. Or like your friend Linda, who is working hard to become a nurse because she enjoys helping people; or her sister Megan who is a doctor.

There's also your Uncle Bob, who is a carpenter. And your Mom, a proud housewife and a mother of four. And your Dad, who recently got retired but still wants to work. And this girl you know, who wants to travel the world and become a marine biologist and...

And many others.

People.

People with hopes and dreams, people who desire and get bored and tired and want a lot but have a limited amount of time and energy.

People who are all labeled as "organic followers" and seen as numbers following a social media account.

But why would they? What's in it for them? Why should they care about that social media account? Will it solve one or more of their problems? Will it entertain them? Will it do something useful for them? Who is the person or the company behind that account, anyway, and what does that person or company want from all these people? To help them (how, exactly), or just to sell them stuff that will clutter their space and their lives and do nothing good for them?

When thinking about how to get (and keep) "organic followers", those are the questions that you might want to answer.

Because organic followers are people, not just numbers following a social media account. And they should be treated with respect, and offered something of value. Just the way you'd want your friends and family to be treated.

Work in Progress

Freelancing is, just like everything else (life included), a work in progress. There's always room for improvement: improving skills you apply to do the task, improving your marketing skills, improving the presentation of your offer, to name just a few.

It all applies to Fiverr, too, and that's what I've been doing since I got back from vacation. Obviously, I'm not done yet, nor will I ever be completely done; so far, I've taken a few steps, plan on taking a few more, and keep learning from the more experienced sellers. While I have yet to see the results, it doesn't discourage me, because I'm aware that seeing results of anything takes time.

So, what have I done so far?

I've changed my profile a bit, and added a few skills, as well as my education info (though I'm not sure whether The Faculty of Dramatic Arts from Belgrade, Serbia, is going to mean anything to anyone).

I have created another gig, for whiteboard animation video scripts. I've already written a bunch, and it was covered by my main gig (video scripts in general), but a separate gig might make some things simpler. Or not. I'll see what happens. It might also increase the overall exposure of my gigs (or, again, maybe it won't).

I have switched almost all of my gigs to packages (the only exception is the one for totally custom orders), and I've added an extensive FAQ to the main gig. I was afraid of switching my main gig to the packages system, but, hey, right now I'm getting only a few sales anyway, and I'll have to do it sooner or later. It's best to get it over with. Adding the FAQ has also enabled me to shorten the description of the gig, change it a bit, and add a call to action.

I have altered some gig pictures, and added text to them, mentioning the services offered in the gig.

And the plans?

I have ideas for two more gigs (one for scripts for kinetic typography videos (DONE 3 days after posting this!), and one for inspirational articles), and hopefully I'll create them soon. (If this gave you an idea to offer something similar, go ahead!)

I intend to write a somewhat lengthy questionnaire for those who need a video script, but are not sure what they want. I hope it will help them communicate what they need.

I'm trying to be a bit more active on Twitter, and I'm trying to be a bit more active here on the blog, too.

That's it, for now – but, as the title of an awesome book says, my work is not yet done.

Being Available All the Time

Every now and then, both on Fiverr and outside of it, I see the idea that a freelancer should be available all the time. I even see some Fiverr sellers claiming to be available 24/7, and I see suggestions on how to be on at all times (basically, utilize the Fiverr app so that you can take Fiverr with you even in the bathroom, and set the alarm to alert you (and possibly wake you up) whenever you get a new message or order).

The thing is, biology exists, and it has some rules. Health has some rules, too. If you are running a team, then yes, it's possible to organize the members so that someone is always available. But if you're one person, with no team behind you? Then you need to sleep, otherwise you'll ruin your health. Perhaps you also have a full-time job, and will lose it if you check your phone and answer Fiverr messages during work. Not to mention that you might also have a family, friends, and life outside of your freelancing work, whether it's on Fiverr or somewhere else.

This isn't to say that you can just chill at your favorite pub, and only work (or answer messages) when you feel like it, if you feel like it, and if the stars are right. Successful freelancers work a lot, communicate well enough, and are available reasonably often.

Reasonably. When you're sleeping, you're sleeping. When you're taking your kid to the hospital or spending some quality time with your friends and family, that's what you're doing, not answering a message sent by someone with no time management skills who must have this done three weeks ago.

But won't you lose some clients that way?

You certainly will.

You will lose a small number of clients who have an urgent task through no fault of their own (an accident happened, something came up, there was a natural disaster and ruined months or years of their work, an entire team of highly-skilled people suddenly died... You get the picture). If the service you offer is time-sensitive, then you'll also lose some clients because they needed something done while you were sleeping.

You'll also lose a bunch of clients who don't know how to manage their time, or who accepted to work for people who don't know how to do things on time. You'll lose clients who would message you every five minutes, asking you when they'll get their work done. And, surprisingly often, you'll lose clients who want it done yesterday, but are not willing to pay for the extra fast delivery.

In other words, by not being available 24/7, if you offer good work and valuable service, you will mostly lose the problem clients. The ones you'd prefer to avoid anyway.

The Perks of $5 Orders

When you first think of it, doing something for only $5 might seem like a terrible idea. Your work is worth much more! What can you buy for $5, anyway? What's the point?

The thing is, $5 is just the beginning. The starting price. You offer an actual useful service, yes, otherwise nobody would be interested in buying, but you also offer something that you can do without too much effort. Then you can do another one, and another, thus proving yourself, and becoming able to offer upgrades and more expensive (but still a bang for the buck) stuff. And in the process, you learn a few things, and see for yourself that doing (at least some) stuff for $5 can be useful.

1. You get practice. With the starting price of $5, many people are willing to take a risk with a new seller (new to the platform, or new to them). You get to use your skills, become better at what you do, and also become faster, meaning that you spend less and less time on a single order. And, because you become better, you're more likely to attract buyers.

2. Saying 'no' becomes easy (or easier). Would you turn down a $1,000 job, even if you're not certain how to do it, or if you don't like it, or if you feel uncomfortable about it? It's much easier to turn down a $5 job you don't like, or feel uncomfortable about, or would need too much time to do. It's just $5, you're not losing all that much, anyway. And once you start saying 'no', you learn that it's not that hard, and you become more comfortable with the idea, and more confident about what you want and don't want to do. You stop being scared of refusing work you feel uncomfortable about for any reason (you don't like that type of work, the buyer seems fishy...), even if it's for far more than $5. You start feeling better and more confident, and that definitely shows and attracts the kind of buyers you want to work with.

3. It becomes easier to experiment. Have an idea about something that you could offer, but are not sure how that's going to work? Will you like it? Will it become too much? Will you hate it? Will it attract exactly the type of buyers you don't have the slightest wish to work with? Try it out, and see whether you're getting sales and whether you enjoy it! If it works out, great! And if it doesn't? It's $5 stuff, no biggie, you'll try out something else. With $5 gigs, you not only lose the fear of saying 'no' (something that can be quite difficult if you have family to feed), you lose the fear of trying out new things and experimenting, too. As a result, you learn new things, you become better at them, you can offer a wider variety of services at a higher quality while avoiding the stuff that you don't want to do – and with hard work, it can only lead to success.

Getting practice. Losing the fear of saying 'no' and the fear of experimenting. Learning new things, and becoming better at what you do. And all of it for $5 at the time.

Not bad. Not bad at all. And it's just the beginning – at any time in your life.

Outsourcing With Respect

Some Fiverr sellers outsource work, or part of work, to other Fiverr sellers, and it's perfectly fine, as long as you're honest about it, and as long as you treat other sellers with respect.

For example, you make videos, but you don't do voice overs, nor do you write scripts. If the buyer doesn't provide you with the voice over or script, it makes perfect sense to outsource these tasks to sellers who do it (and charge the buyer extra for it, of course).

Or, you do a certain thing, but you got too many orders to deliver in too little time, and you can't make it on your own. As long as you're not lying to your buyer, it's fine to outsource some of the work to other sellers.

However, whatever the reason for outsourcing, it should be done with respect, and respect doesn't mean just saying 'please' and 'thank you'; respect means much more.

A new buyer may get the benefit of the doubt if he offers $5 for work that costs $50. Maybe he still doesn't know how to read the gig description. But someone who's selling on Fiverr? Sellers must create one or more gigs of their own in order to sell, so they know exactly how to read the gig description. They know where the prices and the delivery times are located, so trying to get something for $5 when the seller's price is clearly $10, or trying to get it in one day when the seller's delivery time is five days, and refusing to pay for the extra fast delivery, leads to three possible conclusions:

1. Seller A (the one who wants to outsource work to Seller B) didn't bother to read the gig description, which is disrespectful;
2. Seller A did read the description, but is trying to pretend that he didn't, which is both disrespectful and dishonest;
3. Seller A did read the description, but is trying to manipulate Seller B into lowering his prices and speeding up the delivery time just for Seller A, which is disrespectful, dishonest, and makes Seller A a person that nobody would want to work with.

Is it always that bad? Not necessarily. In some cultures, haggling and trying to lower the price is the norm, so it could be a matter of cultural differences. The trouble is, in other cultures, haggling is seen as an act of a dishonest cheapskate, and those who do that are often portrayed in jokes in rather unfavorable light; they're certainly not seen as professionals, or as someone people would want to work with.

So what happens if you want to outsource work to another seller, you really like their samples and their reviews, but you need it faster or at a lower price? Does it hurt to ask, or should you just find someone else?

You may ask, but be honest about it. Acknowledge that you have read the description and that you know what the regular prices and delivery times are, explain your situation, and ask if the seller is willing to help you. They might accept – and if they do, thank them for it, and try NOT to ask them for another favor in the future, unless they offer it themselves; instead, if you decide to work with them again, pay their full prices, and pay for that extra fast delivery if you need it, too.

And if they don't accept? Respect their decision, thank them for their time, and don't try to manipulate them to change their mind. Try to find someone offering what you need at the price you can afford – and if you can't find anyone on a site like Fiverr, you might have to offer more, because in that case, it's not others asking for too much, it's you offering way too little.

The Glamorous Life of Freelancers

Go and become a freelancer, they said. It will be fun, they said. You can work in your underwear and go out for a cup of coffee whenever you like, they said.

Yeah, right.

Some people strongly believe that being your own boss is awesome. It is, if you either honestly enjoy working, or if you're capable of bossing yourself around in order to meet the deadlines, advertise your business, and get stuff done.

And that's just work; let's see what my last Friday looked like.

Woke up at 6:30 in the morning, read a book for an hour because I work better if I start my day like that and because I'll be writing about it on one of my blogs (and because I'm interested in that book, of course).

Then, the morning routine, then putting the laundry in the washing machine and starting the machine.

Making coffee, then checking out Fiverr. A client wanted some changes in the script, so I did them. There was no more work, so I took care of the social accounts stuff.

Got the laundry out of the machine, placed it to dry. The client loved the revised script. Yay!

Went to the Post Office to send a book I sold via the local version of eBay, then to the bank to pay the electricity bill (the payment line in the Post Office was too long). Went to the green market, got potatoes, went back home to drop potatoes, went to the supermarket to buy groceries. Washed the dishes, started preparing lunch/dinner (we think about it as lunch, but considering when we eat it, it's closer to dinner). Cleaned the bathroom (cleaning toilet bowl included), vacuumed, watched over the lunch/dinner. During the breaks, participated on the Fiverr forum and a bit on the social accounts. Also answered some questions some prospects had and sketched some blog posts.

Lunch/dinner time, ate, kept checking the Forum and social stuff.

And that's what it looks like when there's very little work (one script only); I still have to take care of the housework (being a freelancer doesn't make housework and all the mundane tasks magically go away), send sold books, pay the bills, cook, and so on. Now imagine there were also a few scripts, book blurbs, and book titles to write.

Sometimes the business is slow (often on a Friday or during the weekend), so I take care of other stuff. Sometimes it's writing all day, and still not finishing it all. Sometimes it's attending book promotions or festivals and then writing about it, plus writing for clients. Sometimes it's networking (online, RL, or both), and then writing for clients. Or a combination of it all.

There's always work, in its various forms, and I like it. Glamorous life, on the other hand? Or spending all day in my pajamas, and only working when/if I feel like it? Not going to happen.

P.S. And today? I couldn't do the laundry because the valve for the washing machine broke (hopefully I'll manage to have it fixed within a somewhat reasonable time-frame), and I couldn't deliver the work because Fiverr was first down for 8+ hours, and then the messaging and the delivery didn't work for some time. Glamorous.

Gig Time: A Script for an Animated Explainer Video

With my usual video script writing service, sometimes there are issues: some people don't realize that they need to tell me not just what they want the video to talk about, but what they want it to look like, too. Or, they're not quite sure what they want their video to say, they just want me to 'do my magic', even though they haven't provided me with enough specific information for it. So, I'm slowly creating more specific services. I've got one for music video scripts, one for Christmas promotional video scripts, and now one for scripts for animated explainer videos.

When it comes to the last one, I don't have to ask about the visuals or the audio part, because I know that it's going to be an animated video with a voice over. I don't have to send a bit vague question asking for all the key points and all the information to be covered, either; explainer videos usually have a specific structure, so I can ask very specific questions.

The questions are:

1. The desired length of the video (the best length is about 90 seconds; it can be as short as 60 seconds, and it shouldn't be longer than 2 minutes, because only a few people would watch it to the end)
2. The target audience, and their problem/pain point
3. What does this business/company offer them, exactly
4. How does that offer solve their problem
5. What other benefits will they get if they use the product or service
6. How should they feel after watching the video
7. What should the call to action be
8. Anything else the client would like to add

With the answers to these questions, I can write the script, and the client can proceed to get the video done.

Scripts for animated explainer videos are fun to write, and it's wonderful to know that they help businesses a great deal. Not everyone wants to read pages and pages of website content to figure out if that company has something of value to offer, and an animated explainer video solves this problem rather nicely: in less than 2 minutes, it outlines what people will get, and the benefits coming with it. These videos are often cute and fun, they can be watched on the go, and they explain the basics in the terms that a six-year-old (or a very distracted adult) would understand.

And have I mentioned that they're fun to write, and that it shows in the final product, making people enjoy it and share it?

It's All Right to Change Your Mind

So, you have created a Fiverr account, you looked around, got an idea (or several ideas) for a service or services that you could offer, and you created some gigs. And then, something happened.

Maybe you realized you don't want to do that particular thing. You thought you wanted to, you honestly did, but you changed your mind. It just wasn't fun, or inspiring, or whatever you wanted it to be when you created the gig.

Or, someone ordered the gig, and you realized that it wasn't working for you. Maybe you offered too much for too little, maybe they wanted it in bulk and you hate doing things in bulk, or maybe, once you saw what exactly you promised to deliver, you thought to yourself: "I don't want to do this!"

Or, perhaps, you spent a few months doing this gig, you delivered on time, buyers were happy or mostly happy (you can't please them all!), and then you realized that it was just too annoying. You say you offer one thing, and some buyers try to get something else, or message you asking why you're offering X and not Y, what's the difference, or place their order for something you clearly stated you wouldn't do, and then get angry when you refuse to deliver what they want you to deliver.

Whatever the reason, it happens. You try offering a certain service, and then you realize that, for whatever reason, you don't want to do that. Sometimes it's possible to modify the gig description, change your offer somewhat, and turn it into something that you enjoy doing, but sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's just not working for you, and you start feeling trapped. You start feeling forced to do something that you have no interest in. Then what?

It's perfectly fine to change your mind, and to stop offering certain gig. Ideally, you should avoid doing it when you have active orders with the buyers waiting for delivery, but even then, if you politely explain them what happened, most will understand, accept cancellation, and find someone else to do it for them. And if they don't? Try doing your best if you can – or take a hit of a negative review and an angry buyer if you can't, and move on with your Fiverr adventure.

Fiverr is not a get rich quick scheme; if you're there, you're there for the long run, and that means that you shouldn't force yourself to provide a service that brings you (next to) nothing of value. It's perfectly fine to try doing something and then, once you discover that it isn't for you, change your mind and move on to something else. Once you discover what truly inspires you and brings you joy, both you and your buyers will be much happier. That way, everybody wins – just as it should be.

Complaining Can Poison You

Both on Fiverr and outside of it I see people complaining.

I get it. I really do. You need to get it off your chest, you feel that you have to get it out of your system or you're going to explode.

And that part is fine. Like punching a bag or something, then feeling better and calming down.

But then what?

Then, some people keep complaining. And that's where it gets bad. Mostly for those people.

The thing with complaining is that it doesn't help. It can bring you a short relief – if it didn't, nobody would do it – but it doesn't solve anything. Doing solves problems. Waiting it out (which can also be seen as doing) can solve problems. But complaining? It solves nothing. Let's forget for a moment that people who constantly complain are seen and described in non-flattering terms; let's forget for a moment that complaining over and over and over again about the same thing (or always finding something new to complain about) is annoying. Let's even forget that, if a potential buyer sees you constantly complaining on Fiverr forum, he or she is highly unlikely to ever buy anything from you (and if they don't visit the forum, but do their research before the purchase, they can easily find all the Fiverr sellers who complain through Google).

Let's forget all that, and stick to the basics: complaining doesn't solve anything, and it doesn't help.

And it gets worse.

Complaining gives you an illusion that you're doing something. You spend energy on it, you get it off your chest, and you feel as if you've accomplished something.

Except you didn't, and the problem is still there. So you complain again, chasing that feeling of accomplishment and relief, and you do it over and over again.

And the problem is still there, and it will stay there until you solve it.

So, if you need to get it off your chest, go ahead and do it – and then go and solve the problem, before complaining takes all of your energy and leaves you feeling miserable and like a failure.

Go and solve it. Whether it's a buyer who doesn't know what he wants but keeps demanding, or a leaking faucet, or a pesky cold, complain if you must, but then go and solve it.

I Can Do That vs. I Want to Do That

When thinking about what service to offer on Fiverr, it can be a good idea to look at the gigs posted by other sellers. What do they offer? How much do they offer for $5 (if anything), and what costs extra? What's their delivery time? How did they describe their offer, and what would you change in the description if you were to offer something similar?

Gigs posted by other sellers can be a source of inspiration, and it's easy to think to yourself: "Hey, I could do this, too!" Pretty soon, you will run into another service you could offer, and another, and yet another one.

It's great, but... Do you really want to offer that particular service? Do you want to do something like that time after time after time? Or in bulk? How long do you think it will take before you feel sick of it, before it's too much, before you run out of ideas?

"I can do that" easily turns into a trap. The fact that you can do something doesn't mean that you actually want to do it, especially not over and over again, just slightly different. It could easily lead into a burnout, make you feel exhausted, maybe even lead you to believe that Fiverr isn't for you.

Well, maybe Fiverr really isn't for you, and maybe you've just chosen the wrong service to offer. Maybe you've chosen something that you can do but don't find it fun and don't truly enjoy. That's all right; it's perfectly fine to try out things, to try offering something, and then decide that you don't actually want to do it.

Keep looking. Keep trying. Keep coming up with new services, until you find those that you really want to offer, and won't get bored of for a long time to come.

Keep trying, find out what it is that you want to do, and you will succeed.

5 Things Not to Do During a Fiverr Dry Spell

A dry spell in sales can be scary. Perhaps you depend on Fiverr sales (though it's never a good idea to depend on only one source of income). Perhaps your family depends on your earnings. It's frightening when there are suddenly no sales, especially if you're used to them, so some people start panicking and doing things they shouldn't do, and in the process, only harm their own business.

The short-short version of things-not-to-do can be described as begging and spamming. Let's see some examples:

1. Complaining/Begging on the Fiverr Forum

Some sellers are going to complain/cry/whine on the forum that they're not getting any sales, and beg that someone orders from them. Why is it a bad idea? Because it makes whoever is doing it look desperate and incompetent. It annoys regular forum visitors, and doesn't present the seller as someone who could do a good job. The result? Still no sales, and possibly getting banned from the forum, getting an account warning, and maybe even being banned from Fiverr.

2. Messaging Other Sellers and Begging Them to Buy

Fiverr's Terms of Service clearly state that users shouldn't send unsolicited messages to other users for the purpose of advertising their services. In other words, if Seller1 doesn't message Seller2 to ask for a service that Seller2 provides, Seller2 shouldn't message Seller1 and beg him/her to buy the said service.

Think about it: if you're busy, a message from a seller advertising services that you neither want nor need is annoying. If you're in the middle of a dry spell, and you see that someone has messaged you, you will hope that you're finally going to make a sale – and it will definitely be annoying if it turns out that it's just someone trying to take your money in exchange for something you don't want. Either way, you don't want people to message you offering you something you have no interest in, so you shouldn't do it to others, either. Not to mention that the penalty for spamming other users is having the messaging function disabled, or even getting banned from Fiverr.

3. Spamming on Social Media

Advertising on social media can be useful. However, social media are for people to socialize. It's perfectly fine to talk to other people about this and that, to offer something of value (like a useful advice/recommendations/whatever it is that you can genuinely contribute), and then, sometimes, to mention specific services that you offer. On the other hand, people who do nothing but post their ads and beg for buyers quickly get ignored/blocked by pretty much everyone, making advertising impossible.

4. Applying for a Job Without Knowing How to Do It

In the Buyer Requests section, buyers state what they need done, and sellers who provide relevant services can offer them. However, there are many sellers who apply for as many jobs as they can, regardless of whether they can actually do them. It doesn't help them get a sale, and it only puts buyers off – and, in some cases, convinces them to abandon Fiverr completely.

5. Offering Services in the Buyer Requests Section

This section is for buyers to post what they need, not for sellers to offer their services. That is why requests can only be seen by those who offer a service in the same category, making advertising there completely useless – buyers can't even see the ad, only other sellers see it, and they have no intention of buying.

So, what to do during a Fiverr dry spell? You can read some suggestions here, or visit the Fiverr Forum for more.

5 Things to Do During a Fiverr Dry Spell

Experienced freelancers know that sales are never guaranteed, and that they come and go. However, that doesn't mean that the the time you spend not making sales is wasted, not if you use it wisely.

The short-short version of using the time wisely would be self-improvement. How? There are many things that you can do, and what you choose is solely up to you. Here are some suggestions (basically, things that I've tried and that worked for me):

1. Improve Your Skills

No matter how good you are, there's always room for improvement – plus, the better you become, the bigger the demand for your services will be. Go to a course related to your niche, learn from tutorials and books, watch what the experts are doing and think about how to apply it to your own work. Once you start selling again, your service will improve, meaning happy clients, recommendations, and the possibility to charge more.

2. Learn New Skills

Is there something you could add to your services, if only you were familiar with (insert another skill here)? Learn it! Maybe it's working with a new software, or learning another writing technique, or expanding into another niche. Whatever it is, use the idle time to learn it – the time will pass faster that way, and you will have more to offer.

Or, you could learn something completely new and unrelated to your current services, and offer that. With prices starting at $5, Fiverr is great for that kind of experiment – someone will try you out, and you will see whether it works for you or not.

3. Learn About Marketing

Whether your services are related to marketing or not, you need to advertise your business, and you need to know how to do it efficiently. Perhaps what you offer is awesome, but only a few people know about it? Advertising will take care of that. There are plenty of books, websites and tutorials on the topic, so find something that you're comfortable with, and use that knowledge.

4. Read for Pleasure

Quiet periods can also be great to relax a bit and recharge your batteries. Read books, watch movies, listen to music, take on some hobbies... Enjoy yourself! It will not only help you rest, it could also give you some new ideas, help you broaden your horizons, and give you a fresh perspective.

5. Play with Your Gigs

Can you improve your gig description and make it more clear? Can you make it more attractive? How about changing your title a bit, playing with keywords, maybe adding another extra? Adding a new photo, or an example of what you can do? If you're not getting sales anyway, it could be time for experimenting with your gigs, until you find something that works.

If you're offering a genuine, useful service, sooner or later, the sales will come – and in the meantime, you can work on yourself, take care of yourself, and have a good time doing it.