All About Writing

Archive for the ‘Freelance Writing’ Category

Posted on November 13, 2008 - by Nicole Humphrey Cook

Articles Picked Up By Reuters

Holy craziness! I just signed onto one of my accounts and found out that I have had a few articles picked up by various places. I was most excited about being featured on Reuters. That’s pretty huge! LOL

So here’s where you can find them:

Reuters: Our Favorite Dry Rub Recipe It was also picked up by chefs.com

Reuters: Meal Planning – 21 Meals

Chicago Sun Times: Menu Plan Monday with Recipes (this one surprised me a bit!)

And then oddly, Computer Shopper.com picked up my Moist Banana Bread Recipe.

So wild, but kinda cool all at the same time!

ETA: I just did a full search and I found 18 of my articles on Reuters, and eight of them picked up by the Chicago Sun Times. There were also several that were included on chefs.com. Amazing!

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Posted on September 10, 2007 - by Nicole Humphrey Cook

What Happens When a Publication Closes?

It is every writer’s worst nightmare. The publication you are writing for closes its doors. Goes out of business. Disappears.

How do you cope? More than likely you depended greatly on that income and losing it is going to change things for you fast.

I have had this happen to me once, and I feel extremely blessed for two reasons. One, because I had the opportunity to write for a fabulous company, with good people that made up the whole of the company. And two, because I got my feet in the door there, I was able to land many other positions that I was coveting.

The first part of coping is NOT TO GIVE UP! Don’t let it get you down. I won’t lie, it hurts and it is scary. You wonder how you will make all of the bills, or how you will be able to afford certain things. It is difficult to see the big picture when you are wrapped up and scared, so as I mentioned, do not give up. Which takes me to the next step.

Persistance. This is the key to freelance ANYTHING. No matter the job or the theme, anything requires great persistance to succeed. So what does this mean to you at that time? Start looking for new clients immediately. Do not wait. If you can find a temporary fix – terrific. If you feel you can make it with Associated Content to replace that income, that is great, though I will admit as of late I would never trust that as a source of main income.

Flexibility. Remember when you are searching for something else, that an opportunity might present itself that you are not interested in. It might be a topic that you do not know much about, it might be a topic that bores you. But remember, you just lost a good job that you needed to pay bills. Being picky at this time is not an option.

Research the subject in any manner you can. Contact places that revolve around that subject and spend time there. I was offered a column once writing editorials on a local baseball team (no it was not the St. Louis Cardinals – how I wish!). I am absolutely not a sports gal, and know very little. But how I wanted my name on something important, so I discussed how I felt with my editor. I did not go and tell him, oh I hate baseball. Because honestly, that was not true. I didn’t know enough to feel I would be a good editorial columnist, but I really wanted the job.

Well, to my surprise he recommended a book I should read.  Well I got it and read it cover to cover. By the end of the book, I understood exactly what I was going to be writing about, and how I would write it.  All I needed was that boost with some research and I felt confident. My writing excelled and you’d have never known that earlier I had no idea how to write that type of feature.

That freelance job lasted four months and I loved it. It was a part-time (extra income) job for me, so when it was over I was fine.

Just don’t give up. There are hundreds of freelance jobs available, and not all of them are advertised. Look around locally, look around on the Internet and contact genre and topic specific publications. You might be surprised, because a place that is not advertising a position, might be the place that hires you based on your knowledge and writing ability alone.

Keep your chin up!

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Posted on July 31, 2007 - by Nicole Humphrey Cook

Is It Possible To Make $2500/month Freelance Writing?

(below is a copy of a response I posted on a message board to the above frequently asked question)

Yes, it is possible. The problem is, its a lot of hard work and dedication. So if you are serious about it, and you put forth the effort, not only to write well, but to market yourself, then you should do fine. It won’t happen overnight though.

AC (Associated Content) is a wonderful way to make a little extra cash and also get some writing samples out there. I’ve made a couple of hundred dollars writing just the few articles I have there, and not only have been paid well, but with their new performance bonus program, you have the potential to make quite a bit more, if you market yoruself.

Another resource is Constant Content, which I don’t see mentioned enough. I think that is because it is such a long wait to get your articles picked up. You do have to write the article, either something you want to write about or something that someone has requested. You then submit it for approval, and once approved it sits on the site until someone picks it up. While I know that seems like a pain, I have made over $500 with them, during the few short months I used them. You set your own price for your articles, and yes, they do take a portion out of it, but if you take that into consideration, you will do fine.

Edited to add: I have sold every article (using two names) for at least $50, with the exception of a few that I allowed to be downloaded for only $2.00 each and they can be downloaded as many times as people want them. My name has to stay attached to those, if used. You can do the same thing. You can write an article or two, and offer them at a low amount. I typically do my smaller seasonal articles that way. Then you can write big, nice articles and list them for whatever amount you choose. Typically I price mine between $50-$100 and yes, they’ve sold. Also be sure to check the requested material too. You can get some great offers that way.

There are resources all over the web to find freelance writing jobs. Deb’s blog is an awesome way to go because it lists all types of writing jobs. In order to make the desired amount, your goal is to find someone who wants ongoing work, and develop a client relationship with them.  This will ensure more work, better pay (sometimes) and a long term relationship.

I also recommend that you do extensive research into not only what you want to write about, but better writing. That helps a great deal in this business, when everyone and their mother thinks they are capable of making a true living out of being a freelance writer. It’s the freelancers who can prove themselves to be good writers that are the most successful.

I am no expert and this is only advice. Take it with a grain of salt, and do what you feel is best for your situation. Also remember, that while you are freelance writing, you can also do “blogging for money” things too. You can create your own blog, sell advertising, do pay per post, blogsvertise and several others. There is a forum on here for that as well. That is a great way to make a little extra cash. Don’t forget Google Ad Sense either – I’ve made a great deal of extra cash just from that, but it takes a bit to get there.

Don’t forget, you can also create your own clips. This gives you the ability to write a paragraph on something you are trying to land a freelance job on. Write it professionally and you might be able to turn that into an article for the very site you provide the clip to.

Good luck!

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Posted on June 13, 2007 - by Nicole Humphrey Cook

Finding Ideas

I often see writer’s ask the question, “Where do I find ideas or subjects to write about?”.

While, this is a great question, it somewhat concerns me that one would need to “look for” ideas. Typically, what makes a great writer, is the need, drive and desire to share the information they find interesting or are knowledgeable about. So here is an interesting concept, why would you have to find something to write about?

Isn’t it just itching to get out?

I am not saying that you don’t have to do research. In fact, research and fact checking are an important part of a writing career. However, researching further, into a subject or idea that you are interested in, and probably know something about or even if you don’t, you would like to know more about, is not the same as trying to find something to write about.

The way I see it is, if the writing is forced, and the ideas aren’t coming, take a break and come back later. If there is still nothing there, find something else to do for awhile. But if they are, you just conquered writer’s block!

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Posted on May 27, 2007 - by Nicole Humphrey Cook

Calling All Writing Moms!

If you loved Doug and Carrie on King of Queens, and you are pretty disappointed about the ending of the show, than this message might just be for you.

Leah Remini (also known as Carrie), has a new project in part by Sprint and Suave. She will produce webisodes written by YOU! Yep. That’s right. We get to tell our hilarious “mom” stories, and then the readers vote. After which they choose the best and turn them into webisodes. I am actually really excited to watch them. They look funny.

Go to www.inthemotherhood.com and check it out. Leah has a message you can listen to, and you can view the first round of winners. The “chapstick on the cats butt” story is really funny! That poor mom!

Anyway, if you are mom and you enjoyed Leah on King of Queens, I really think you will like her there! Check it out!

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Posted on February 17, 2007 - by Nicole Humphrey Cook

Book 100

Recently I came across an interesting concept that I feel like I should pass along to other writer’s. It’s known as Book 100. After you have selected the type of book that you want to write, (how-to, romance novel, children’s book, young adult, sci-fi) read 100 books in that selected genre.

I learned about this in Chapter After Chapter by Heather Sellers, which I wrote an earlier post about. I’m not going to tell you all about what Heather suggests, and why, because you really should read the book – it’s terrific. But I will clarify why I think it’s important to follow her suggestion.

Reading 100 books on your specific or chosen genre falls under the category of research. It allows you to get a glimpse into what sells, what other writer’s are writing about, and simply to get a grasp on what your chosen area contains. Obviously, if you are writing a children’s book, reading 100 children’s books will be easy and fun. It might not be as fun to read 100 how-to books or non-fiction or biographies. It is difficult to do this. But if you are an avid reader, you have probably already read dozens of books in your chosen area. And if you are not an avid reader, than why are you trying to be a writer?

Food for thought……

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Posted on November 29, 2006 - by Nicole Humphrey Cook

More FAQ From AC

I seriously have noticed an increase in posts on a forum I frequent that revolve around questions regarding Associated Content. I thought I might add a list of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) to make understanding how things work over there, just a bit easier. I will update it as needed.
Associated Content (AC) F.A.Q

Is it easy to get published?

The opinions on this vary, however so far it seems that there are very few denials. There have been several very low offers for work that took a bit to write for some writer’s but nothing denied except personal experience articles and some book reviews if the book isn’t real popular. So yes, I would say its pretty easy to get published. Now, making good money is a whole different ball game.

What is the minimum word count accepted?

The minimum is 400 but I would recommend being sure you have written a bit more. Although there is no direct correlation between word count and payment offer, it does help to write a little more.

How long does it take to approve articles?

Well, there are several items that weigh into effect when judging how long it will take to get your article looked at. First, the content manager’s and how many articles they have in their que is the biggest factor. Most people believe that it takes between 5 and 8 business days to get approved. I have had an article approved in 24 hours and then I have one that took ten days to get approved. So there is no simple answer. Only that the estimate as of this date, seems to be around 5-8 days.

Once my article has an offer on it, how long does it take before they publish it and pay me?

Well, again – this is a no simple answer kind of question. Sometimes my articles will publish before I get paid. Othertimes I will get paid days before I ever seem my article publish. However, it is usually much quicker, after you have accepted an offer, to have it actually publish and you get paid. It seems to be a 1-3 day turn around, however there are certainly acceptions to that rule.

How many articles can I submit at one time?

To date, I know of nobody who has ever exceeded any type of limit. I know a lady who uploaded ten in one day, and I know another who did fourteen. Here’s my take on that though. For consistancy, and always having money coming in, you might wish to post several each day, rather than huge batches all at one time. Unless of course you can write that many quality articles in one day, but fourteen seems to push it a little.

What is the average price that AC pays for articles?

Well, according to their website, they pay anywhere between $3.00-$40.00. I can honestly say that I have not met anyone who has earned $40 from AC for an article, but that is certainly not saying it hasn’t happened. The average price they pay per article at this time seems to be between $8.00-$10.00. However, this is different for everyone.

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Posted on November 28, 2006 - by Nicole Humphrey Cook

An AC (Associated Content) Tutorial

…or simply put, answers to the most frequently asked questions on AC.

It seems ridiculous to me both some of the habits AC’s Content Mangers (CM’s) have, and some of the things that other Content Producers (CP’s) complain about. There doesn’t seem to be a grey area either. It seems that with both sides, it’s either black or white. No compromise, no in between.

With the Content Managers, most of them are really decent. They are helpful, honest and obviously enjoy their jobs. But there is one, maybe two, that could benefit greatly from a class I once took called Interpersonal Communications. Keyword: Communication.

Some of the things that have changed at AC recently:

• Keyword Auto Linking System in place. Which is really kind-of annoying, because intersparsed in our articles are these ridiculous keyword links that take the reader to “related content” that really has nothing to do with the actual article, since it is just linking to a random keyword. Plus, CP’s have no control over which words the keyword auto linker selects. *sigh* I get the point, but it’s really not very professional looking.
• No Page View button or Vote Count stats. There used to be a way to check how many people had voted on each article. Apparently that has disappeared. At least as of the past week it has disappeared. Doesn’t AC think it would be great for their CP’s to be able to check and see how many page hits certain articles are getting? One would think this ability would help enhance the content at AC because people would begin to focus on certain subjects that bring readers, and try to write more like the one’s that get more page hits. I know CP’s would like to see this function returned.
• Clout Meter Broken. This is absolutely nuts to me, but I guess since we have pretty much come to the conclusion that clout means NOTHING anymore I should just let it drop. However, because I am new to being published on AC, it would be really nice to see where my “REAL” clout number is. Here’s why – because they removed the “vote count” feature and they don’t have a page hit feature, then the only way to tell how many readers are reading our things are by the CLOUT meter. Which happens to be broken. Which is annoying to me because I am new and I am still at CLOUT 1 and I know that is incorrect. Everyone I know has been clicking on my articles and I know, there is not one possible way I am under 101! Please AC, if there is nothing else you can do about any of the complaints that CP’s have – fix the freakin’ clout meter! That’s all I’m asking!

And then there’s the list of ridiculous complaints that I have found over at the AC forums. Go over there, sign up and read the forums. It’s nuts really. Some are valid complaints, of course. And I would certainly never deny ANYONE the ability to form an opinion on something they would like to see changed, but it seems lately, to be a WHOLE lot of whining. For the record, I hate the new formatting, I don’t like how close the “related articles” box is to my actual article, and I’m mad as hell that I cannot see how many people have been reading my articles. But that doesn’t mean I need to post about it in five different spots on the forums.

Ok, I’m stepping off my soap box now. *whew* I feel SO much better!

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Posted on November 27, 2006 - by Nicole Humphrey Cook

Eating Crow *gag* Re: Associated Content

I guess I am at a open mouth, insert foot spot. In fact, I am eating my own words from several weeks back. After this post, I wound up checking Associated Content out even further.

I was still wondering how it was going to benefit me at all, since I already had a pretty steady writing gig plus several freelance things.

However, I decided to write some articles for a content call they had. I felt the call was an easy one to do and didn’t require a ton of research to complete.

Well, guess what? Every one of them (five total) got accepted for publication at their given rate. That was some serious pocket money I needed for the holidays.

So for anyone who I offended by comparing AC and CC I now totally understand how different the two sites are. It is true that Constant Content pays better if you set your articles high, but the waiting game is excruciating. It can be weeks or even months before you get a nibble. Wherease with Associated Content you usually get an offer within a few days. There is simply nothing better than seeing “Offer from Associated Content” in your email box!

At any rate, I now to date have FIVE articles published with AC – and two of those came today! YAY!
I have three in que to go, but several I still need to get up and posted so I can be in agony over the wait to see if they make an offer and it’s not low-balled by the ridiculous CM (Content Manager) who constantly offers everyone $4 for any and all articles he makes an offer ON!

Talk to you all soon! Hey and go sign up for Associated Content. In fact, click on this link so I at least get credit for referring you! Please?!?!

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