This is a such a cool post . As a freelancer myself, I agree with all the points you have mentioned. It's great to have talented people like you who are well versed with content creation & blogging.
$5 for a 3000-word topic is such a shame. Sadly, when you start, this is what you get for your efforts. As you move on and get more experience, you can charge more for the value you are providing.
I have done many jobs for free just to learn stuff, gain experience and get decent reviews. But don't do it too much! There has to be a line drawn when it comes to doing work for free.
RE: How Quitting From Freelancing Sites Made Me A Better Freelancer