Looking to pitch TechRaptor for Freelance Guides? Then you've come to the right place! Read on for details about how you can what we look for, our freelance guide rates, and how you can pitch us below!
Freelance Guides - What We Look For
There are a few elements that make up a good guide, and it's not just SEO that we focus on. While there is a deep reliance of creating guides that meet certain criteria to be listed in search, we're also looking for guides that:
- Explain mechanics clearly, concisely, and effectively
- Have a structure that makes information easy to find and digest (and SEO)
- Bring good advice, that isn't surface level. NOT "Here's how this mechanic works" or "Here's who this companion is and their skills"
- "Here's how to use this mechanic to X effect"
- "Here's how to best utilize this companion/character"
- "Best Skills for X Class"
- A reader is coming to our site to learn how to get better, find something, or complete a quest - not re-read a tutorial that was already explained in-game.
- Pictures - these are more important than you'd think, so make sure you're adding pictures that give more context.
Read on for the types of guides we're taking pitches on.
Freelance Guides - Types & Examples
Beginner's Guide (Guide Hub for larger games)
For games that have <10 guides, we're sticking with the Beginner's Guide formula, but for games we're allocating significant budget to - we're merging the Beginner's Guide and Guide Hub together. For most games, this is a good place to start. This piece would house some tips and tricks that players will want to know. Just avoid really obvious things or anything prominently mentioned in a tutorial. "Press X to Jump" is hardly a noteworthy tip because a game will likely tell you that. However, if there's a special mechanic that affects your jump (like the "Enemy Step" in Devil May Cry), then that's worth mentioning.
Examples:
- Core Keeper Guides - Guide Hub
- Genshin Impact Guides - Guide Hub
- Lost Ark Guides - Guide Hub
- Tiny Tina's Wonderlands Beginner's Guide
- Sifu Beginner's Guide | Tips and Tricks
- Vampire Survivors Beginner's Guide
Collectibles Guides
Collectibles are a big thing in games, and gamers need help finding the ones they miss. Which is why when you're writing a collectibles guide, we're expecting a screenshot of each one's location, and a description of where to find it. If you can make a map, you'll get bonus points as well!
Examples:
- Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Destroying Starkiller Level Guide
- Tunic The Quarry and The Monastery Collectible Guide
- ELEX 2 Unique Weapons Guide | Locations & Stats
- ELEX 2 Map Piece Locations Guide | Map + Reward
- Dying Light 2 Downtown Collectibles Guide
- Pokemon Legends: Arceus Unown Locations Guide
- Pokemon Legends: Arceus Spiritomb Wisp Location Guide
Mission & Quest Guides
These guides are really dependent on the game and the mission/quest. If it's really easy and straightforward, we probably don't need a guide. However, if you have to find something that's really well hidden or solve an obtuse puzzle, it might be worth writing a guide for it. These guides are meant to offer the full details of a mission, including things like pictures of hard to find things, and quest rewards depending on the choice(s) you make.
Examples:
- ELEX 2 Con Job Mission Guide - Games With Felix
- ELEX 2 - Tilas' Apprentice Guide | Kill or Save Marwin?
- Weird West Abducted Blacksmith Guide
- Dying Light 2 Bazaar Mission - "The Only Way Out” Guide
- Biomutant Myriad or Jagni Tribe Choice Guide
- Stardew Valley v1.5 - Ginger Island Hidden Shrine Guide
- Icarus 'Waterfall: Expedition' Prospect Mission Walkthrough & Guide
- Icarus 'Searchlight: Scan' Prospect Mission Walkthrough & Guide
Systems Guides
These guides answer questions that people might have about the more in-depth systems of a game. Is crafting complex? Is this free-to-play game juggling multiple currencies? Is co-op hard to figure out? These guides would explain and answer those sorts of questions.
Examples:
- How to Get 2+ Free Level 50 Lost Ark Characters | Boosting Guide
- Core Keeper Skills Guide
- Core Keeper Crafting Guide
- Medieval Dynasty Crafting Guide
- Chernobylite Crafting Guide – Weapons, Armor, & More
- ELEX 2 Skill Points Guide
- ELEX 2 Attributes Guide
- Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX Monster Raising Guide
Skills & Build Guides
Are there classes in the game? If so, it's worth writing a guide that breaks down these different classes, their skills, and how to best use them. As an extension, if this is a game with a lot of loot and attributes, then that means people are out there looking for the "best" builds.
Examples:
- Darkest Dungeon 2 Grave Robber Guide - Best Skills and Shrine Battle Tips
- Darkest Dungeon 2 Jester Guide - Best Skills and Shrine Battle Tips
- Hades Twin Fists Build Guide
- Tiny Tina's Wonderlands Stabbomancer Guide
- Tiny Tina's Wonderlands Brr-Zerker Guide
- What are the Spellbreak Classes?
- Icarus Combat Classes
Boss Guides
Often, bosses can be one of the trickier aspects of some games - requiring not only player skill but knowledge of how to take them down, time attacks, or when to avoid certain abilities. These are hyper-focused guides that focus on the boss fight from start to finish, offering tips and details on how to defeat them.
Examples:
- Tunic Boss Scavenger Boss Fight Guide
- Genshin Impact Ruin Serpent Boss Fight Guide
- Core Keeper Hive Mother Boss Fight Guide
- Tales of Arise Lord Ganabelt Boss Fight Guide
- HuniePop 2 Final Boss Guide
- Sifu Boss Battle Guide
- Moonglow Bay Boss Guide
- Returnal Nemesis Boss Guide
SEO-Focused Guides
At the moment - these types of guides, which are ones dedicated to satisfying a certain search phrase, aren't something we're actively seeking. Our preference, as a guides team is to create helpful content around mechanics found in game, and while SEO is a focus in their creation - we don't want it to be the only reason we're writing.
An example of this type include "Does X have Multiplayer" when the game does not have multiplayer, and has no intention to do so.
Freelance Guides - Pay Details
Over the last 3 years, TechRaptor's guides pay has increased by over 350% - and continues to do so with our latest pay change (March 2022).
We base pay upon timeliness of publishing, weighting new games higher than others. In 95% of cases, we're able to to provide the game to our writers - should we be unable to procure codes - for large games we offer a copy bonus, in which you'll be paid the full cost of the game (MSRP) for writing a certain number of guides. While not spelled out, Rutledge does give out bonuses when a writer puts in the work, and the guides do well. TR wins, and so should you.
TechRaptor Guides Pay Scale
Day Of Release (By midnight of Release Day)
< 500 Words = $17
500-800 Words = $27
800+ Words = $47
Within 72 hours of release time
< 500 Words = $17
500-800 Words = $24
800+ Words = $42
Within 7 days of release time
< 500 Words = $15
500-800 Words = $22
800+ Words = $35
More than 7 days of release time
< 500 Words = $12
500-800 Words = $15
800+ Words = $25
How You Get Paid
TechRaptor pays on-publish, meaning that you'll setup an OutVoice account ahead of publication. When we hit "Publish" - the money heads to your account, and should be in your bank within a few days. No Invoicing. No Net-Whatever, and no BS. Just get paid for good work.
Freelance Guides - How To Pitch (+ Details on Freelance Trello/Slack)
Pitching us is fairly easy. You can either DM @therealrutledge on Twitter with your ideas & interest, or e-mail freelance[at]techraptor[dot]net with the information below:
- Subject: "Guide Freelancer Interest"
- Name / Information / Social Accounts
- What game you want to pitch, and your pitches (or just your interest in joining our freelance pool)
- Your portfolio (please keep guide focused)
- Any other info you may feel is relevant.
Guides Slack
For our freelancers to have more direct access to the guide editing team - we've created a Slack that's open to freelancers, if you send over your portfolio and we're interested in working with you - you'll get access!
We're looking forward to working with you. We've been lucky to work with a number of incredible freelancers, and we hope to continue to build that pool of awesome people.