Pros and Cons of Writing Packages

Writing packages consist of multiple articles. Occasionally packages are for articles on related topics, but more often they cover the same topic. For the most part, I enjoy doing packages. However, there are some drawbacks.

Pros

• Research is faster. Instead of having to research each individual article, you can research the subject once and do all the writing from a single research session.
• Clients get to see more than one sample of your work. On content sites, work usually goes to the writer who claims it first. Unless you get lucky and snag multiple orders by the same client, you're left trying to make that one article convince the client you're the best writer for any future work. With a package, you have several opportunities.
• You gain skills in originality and creativity. This is especially true of packages in which the subject matter is very narrow. You may end up covering the same ground multiple times and each article needs to be unique.

Cons

• If you have trouble with one article in the package, you may have trouble with them all. This happened to me recently when I took on a writing package of five articles on a popular cosmetic procedure. When I first accepted the job, it seemed like it would be an easy one. However, once I started writing the first article, it quickly became apparent that meeting the client's needs and writing effectively was going to be difficult. With every subsequent article in the package, my frustration grew. While I did manage to complete the package, it was not a pleasant experience.
• You may get paid less. In a world with buy one get one free or other discounts promoted everywhere, clients may expect a discount for giving you multiple articles to do. While it may not seem much to offer a $0.50 per article discount, it can quickly add up. Over 100 articles, you'll make $50 less.

What are your thoughts on article packages? Are they worth it?