Archive for June, 2009
Jun 26, 2009 Associated Content, General
In times of shock and sadness writers turn to their words. We serve a purpose; to provide people with information they are seeking. With all the initials reports and confusion about the death of Michael Jackson, the world turned to the internet for the correct information. The world wide web came to a screeching halt with the news that the King of Pop died.
Soon, Michael Jackson funeral plans will be announced and hopefully a public memorial will be held. Hopefully Michael’s fans will have a chance to celebrate his life, and his extraordinary music career.
How will you remember Michael Jackson? What are your memories? Associated Content has been filled with great articles on Michael Jackson and his legacy. Somehow in some way we were all impacted by his music. Here is what we have to say about Michael, and our memories of the King of Pop:
“Associated Content Pays Tribute to Michael Jackson“
The legendary King of Pop, Michael Jackson died unexpectedly. Associated Content Sources join in remembering Michael Jackson, and create a lasting tribute.
Tags: Associated Content, memories, michael jackson, tribute
Jun 19, 2009 Article Writing, Associated Content
Writing is often about believing in yourself, and having patience that hard work will pay off. This week, I am celebrating a milestone at Associated Content – 132,000+ views so far on my published articles. While this is not a million views, it is still an achievement to be proud of. Of course, I am so very grateful to everyone who takes time to read my work and to Associated Content who has always helped to promote me as one of their writers. The best part about Associated Content is their awesome community of AC writers, who are so helpful and ready to have your back at any time. I have made some great friends at AC, it’s great to be a part of a community that supports each other and everyone’s work.
Here is a picture of my Associated Content tote bag, and notebook that I recently won as runner up for a “Green Contest”. I’ve been using the bag often, and last night AC made it to a Mets vs Orioles ball game.
Tags: Associated Content, page rank, page views, tote bag
Jun 17, 2009 Article Writing, Demand Studios
Demand Studios new changes have made me happy, and this week I’ve concentrated most of my writing time with them. The new fact sheet prices are a great change, but the queue changes are even better. Currently, I have 18 active assignments. Some articles are already completed and pending review, others are titles I picked up to do in the next couple of days. With the queue change, I believe that someone can really turn Demand Studios into a full-time income. With that opportunity comes responsibility, and here are some important tips on successful writing for Demand Studios:
Demand Studios is the place to be for freelance writers.
The company is changing into a very professional freelancing outlet. In a recent e-mail sent out to all contributors, DS wants its writers to have professional biographies. A professional biography gives more weight to an author, especially if someone is interested in browsing through your other DS contributions. That someone could potentially be a private client, or a high-paying job opportunity. You never know who’s looking, so constant professionalism is a must, but it should start from the biography. After all, it is what you have chosen to write about yourself, and those words represent who you are.
I also ran across this AARP article, titled “Earn Extra Cash by Selling What You Know“. Freelance writing was competitive enough before, but now it is also an opportunity others are willing to try out, and make some extra money on the side. Look at it this way, our country is in a recession and people are losing jobs. Even if they still have a job, they might have bills piling up or are looking to make money to put into a savings account. Demand Studios is making noise, and getting talented writers every day. Keep your fingers busy with work, and turn in professional material. If not, someone else will be willing to take your spot.
Reducing amount of Rewrites on Demand Studios
I particularly love the fact that Demand Studios is willing to inform, and properly train their writers on what exactly they are considering as quality work. In particular, the recent changes also brought out the need for further fact checking by Demand Studio Editors. A way for Demand Studios to remain as a source of talented writers and great articles is to have their work created in a professional manner. No one should be offended by a rewrite request, it can tell you exactly what DS is looking for and it’s very easy for anyone to miss a mark on an occasional article. DS is however giving your free advice on how to reduce rewrite requests. The information is easy to follow, easy to understand and priceless in terms of learning a good writing skill and applying it to other websites that you write for.
All DS contributors were e-mailed a link to a Power Point Presentation, “11 Tips for Surefire Success in Demand Studios.” Learn from it, apply it to your writing and enjoy the success.
Longer Review Time Complaints
I have heard from several writers about longer wait periods, and articles sitting in the queue. The new fact checking is now a must for every Editor, so longer wait times are to be expected. While I am never a fan of waiting, I understand why it is necessary. Again, DS is moving in a very professional direction and the changes will only benefit us. So patience, grasshopper. The queue change is most likely as a result of review delays, so writers do not complain as much about being able to write 10 articles only.
Overall, the changes are good and I am onboard with learning to adapt. Demand Studios is excellent when it comes to communication, and informing writers about upcoming changes. I cannot stress the importance of taking the time and reviewing the free information they provide. If you know exactly what DS wants, you’ll have no problems making money by writing for Demand Studios.
Tags: about, approval, Demand Studios, fact sheets, review, time, under review
Jun 15, 2009 Article Writing, Demand Studios
Today is a big writing day for me. Since the weekend was a “no-write”, I am punishing myself by writing as much as possible for all websites that publish my work. It is a rewarding day for them, they’ll be blessed with my “gems” of pure genius. Or something like that…
I am singing Demand Studios praises today, for all the great improvements and new features that freelance writers can benefit from. It is nice to see an article publishing website working on improvements, and offering new monetary incentives. The new, ubertastic features that I have noticed so far today are;
Fact Sheets Pay Raise at Demand Studios
It used to be that Fact Sheets at DS paid $5 flat fee. This morning, new titles are showing $7.50 flat fees, which is a nice pay bump. I am a huge Fact Sheet fan, as I can write up a 10 of these beauties quickly. DS Editors also approve Fact Sheets fast, often within hours of me submitting work for review. Never discount Fact Sheets, the pay may seem small at the start but the fast review can allow you to write up a large batch.
The fact sheets at DS can be written up quickly, as they require around 200 words.
Changes In Assignment Queue
At Demand Studios you are given a queue of 10 assignments. It means that you can have 10 working assignments at one time, and the articles have to be completed before other assignments can be added in. This used to cause complaints, because a writer could fill up their 10 assignment queue and have to wait on approvals in order to get a chance to write more.
Well, the new improvement is that articles marked as “Under Review” are pushed and space is freed up for you to claim more work. For example, I have 3 currently “Under Review” and the system is allowing me to find additional 3 assignments to fill up my active batch.
This particular change at Demand Studios is spectacular, and makes unlimited earnings at DS a true possibility. I know of several writers that are dedicated to DS, and have always wished to turn this gig into a full-time money earning opportunity. The two big changes with Fact Sheet pay raise and assignment queue should make those wishes happen.
Tags: about, Demand Studios, fact sheets, how does, how to, queue
Jun 14, 2009 General
Some days when I write a lot, I can’t feel my hands. Especially my finger tips, that discomfort is just plain annoying. Yesterday though, it was nice to have a break from work and pain in different places. Specifically, my legs. We went to the DC Zoo yesterday, which is The National Zoo.
Hiking up those hills is challenging, but the heat was worse than miles of walking. I plan to write about our trip to the zoo, which was fun but exhausting. I am glad that the Washington,DC zoo is free. I would have been upset about having to pay for a difficult experience, specifically the crowds of rude people. Never have I seen grown adults, pushing people or even trampling over kids, just to see a damn animal. The zoo should really do something for crowd control. There was several times when I felt that my son was unsafe, and we even walked away from several exhibits instead of allowing people to shove us around.
Kody had fun though, and that is all that matters. He did so well all day, even without a nap. At the monkey exhibit, he got to see a monkey up-close, which just thrilled him. I should write a thank you note to the zoo, Kody hasn’t stopped talking about the “monk” that he got to see and even doing his monkey noises. We did not get to see pandas, which disappointed me. A lot of the exhibits were either being renovated, or the animals were nowhere to be seen. It may have been the heat, or something else, but again I’m glad the zoo is free. It would not have been worth an entrance ticket.
Tags: family, family time, zoo trip
Jun 12, 2009 Associated Content, General
By now we have all heard the tragic news of the Holocaust Museum shooting, a horrible crime that was committed by James von Brunn. I was glued to the television when the news broke, and shocked that von Brunn was a war veteran who fought against the Nazis but somehow ended up being a neo-Nazi worshiper. Stephen Johns lost his life doing his job, while opening the museum door for an elederly man. I hope that Johns is remembered as a hero, and an innocent man who lost his life due to another man’s dillussion.
What shocked me the most is that von Brunn was a Holocaust denier, after fighting in the World War II against the Nazis. How exactly do you deny something that you witnessed? How exactly do you deny a genocide, and millions of innocent lives lost?
I do not keep my childhood a secret, but I prefer to not speak about it. Call it a healing process, call it whatever you wish, but I choose to not have every single day of my life defined by the fact that I survived a war. I feel that years have passed, and although my memories are not gone, I have had enough time to answers many questions. Inquisitive minds ask the same questions, over and over again. I will spare you some time and say that I have seen people die, get shot, blood on the street, have lost relatives, have lost family, have seen too much horror before the age of 11 and everything else you can think or imagine.
Associated Content of course wanted to be on top of this breaking news story, and as always wanted a personal angle on breaking news. An assignment popped up about the Holocaust Museum shooting, that wanted a personal story of a visit, how the shooting story affected us, etc. The article needed to be a reflection about the museum, our memory of it and such. I have always loved AC’s “first-person experience” angle, as you never know what you’ll end up getting.
I submitted my assignment, titled “Shooting at Holocaust Museum: A War Child’s Reflection“. The article took some time, and I even edited out some of the portions that were too emotional to read for me. I could not turn the assignment in the same night, but had to wait until the morning to finish writing it. Call it a way of healing, and a way of releasing a painful moment. I have always said that writing is cheaper than therapy, and hopefully other writers turn to producing work when something tries to get the best of them.
I guess the double edged sword for me is that I wrote something very personal, that many readers found inspiring, and connected to. I’ve found the article linked on several places, including The Wall Street Journal. If I should be celebrating, I’ll apologize for not having a margarita. My intention was not to get publicity, but to heal in my own way.
The tragedy of the shooting still remains, and a family has lost a loved one. We are also left with thoughts of terrorists that are born and raised Americans, yet choose to kill innocent people because they are not of their preferred race. There is no knowing as to what James von Brunn could have done if he was given the chance. It is scary to even imagine how many people could have lost their lives, and even one death is way too many. What is even scarier is that there are people who think like von Brunn, and are now celebrating his horrendous crime. These people, like von Brunn, deny the atrocities of Holocaust happened. People like von Brunn, and von Brunn himself, should burn in hell.
Tags: article, assignment, Associated Content, coverage, news
Jun 10, 2009 Reviews
Since giving birth to Kody, I’ve told my husband on several occasions that I would love to buy a “Mommy” necklace. I don’t wear rings much, other than my bridal set, so a necklace seemed like a perfect fit. I had looked at several unique necklaces with birthstones but it did not seem like my style. Right after Mother’s Day, I found an Etsy shop that had the perfect necklace for me.
The Vintage Pearl offers sterling silver charm, unique hand stamped jewelry. I chose the “I love you to the moon and back” necklace, with two sterling silver charms; a moon shaped with the words “I love you to the moon and back” handstamped on it. The other silver charm is a disc that is handstamped with names, or just one child’s name. The limit is three names on the disc. I chose to have my son’s full name handstamped on the silver disc. The necklace comes with an 18″ silver chain, and freshwater pearl dangling between the two sterling silver charms.
The moon charm seemed perfect for me, as I always tell my son that I love him “to the moon and back”.
I was surprised by how fast the item was shipped. As soon as the envelope arrived, my first impression was that the necklace is absolutely beautiful and the pictures do not do it justice. The silver disc is almost the size of a quarter, and the moon charm is even larger. The letters are easy to read, and beautifully hand stamped. With shipping costs, the necklace costs around $55, which may seem expensive at first. However, you deffinetely receive a great, quality item that is unique and personal.
Some time later, I plan to place the sterling silver charms on a bracelet, especially if I would like to wear it on something other than a necklace. This was my first time shopping on Etsy.com, and thevintagepearl has impressed me with their fast turnaround, fast shipping and the quality of this beautiful “Mommy” necklace. Check out thevintagepearl shop on Etsy, and below are pictures of my purchase.
Tags: beauty, etsy, product, review, thevintagepearl
Jun 10, 2009 General
Facebook announced a new feature that will be available on Saturday, June 13th, at 12:01am. Now all Facebook members will be allowed to choose and assign a username to their profile. This will significantly shorten profile URLs, especially for those members who display their maiden and last names. I for one choose to use both my maiden and last name on Facebook, due to old friends or relatives searching for me.
I am excited about the new feature, as Facebook’s administrators indicated that more will be available from the username links. I can see many benefits to it from Google search engine results. If you choose the right username, it can mean better Google rankings. For writers, I would suggest thinking hard about your username and what you’ll choose to display. The username is permanent, cannot be transferred or deleted, so be wise.
My Bukisa article “Building and Promoting a Brand as a Freelance Writer” is on business branding, specifically how freelance writers can benefit by promoting themselves as a brand. Choosing your Facebook URL should fit into the branding idea, especially if you use Facebook for article promoting. If your freelance writer brand is a pen name, then the Facebook username should relate to that professional pen name. Same goes if you are using your real First Name, Last Name combination. Obviously, a freelance writer who is trying to brand and promote their published work, should not choose “snowflakes” as their Facebook username. Again, choose wisely, as it cannot be changed.
I am excited to lose my mile long URL, and have a shortened version that is easier to remember. I’m particularly excited about the fact that my Facebook can relate to my other online work, and will help with my Google standings.
Tags: advice, facebook, freelance, promotion, writing
Jun 8, 2009 Associated Content, Content Promotion
Article promotion is essential to becoming successful on the web, especially if you are writing for Associated Content. A higher page view average can make a monetary difference in upfront payments. Page views also equal good money from AC, because of their monthly page view payments. Some people on AC are making hundreds of dollars a month, just from page views alone.
I am so excited to see a lot of happy writers that commented on my AC article “How to Promote Articles by Submitting RSS Feeds”. I have gotten a lot of feedback both on comments, and on Twitter about how everyone appreciated the information, or have already started using this method. It feels good to help other fellow writers, and I plan to do more articles geared towards helpful tools. It’s all about using the power of technology.
In terms of statistics, I used the same method for my AC articles as well as for my blog. Now AC does not allow me much information as far as statistics, so I’ll use mostly my blog to explain the benefits of RSS feeds. I can tell you that my AC article page views have doubled, and have been consistently higher since I started doing this.
As far as the blog goes, 11 Feeds and 352 Spiders crawled this page for content in May. So far in June; 44 Feeds and 715 Spiders. Visitors on the blog have quadrupled, and many of the web users are coming back. Page views on the blog are in the thousands. Not bad for a website that just got off its feet, and has much more to accomplish.
This promotional method is absolutely free, and as I stated before, the web is moving towards RSS Feeds with more websites offering this option. If you are a fellow writer, check out “How to Promote Articles by Submitting RSS Feeds” and start promoting your work too. Bukisa articles can be promoted this way as well, and I am certain that Examiner, Demand Studios and others can be done this way too. Happy writing!
Tags: advice, article, Associated Content, promotion, writing
