One Goal At a Time

One big thing I learned last year is that to go big, you have to start small. If you are like me, you probably have 50 goals, but it is impossible to work on all of these simultaneously. There are simply not enough hours in the day. So, my 2012 goal is to take one goal at a time and get it started and going while working on my paying work. Of course, I plan to get each of these goals to become paying too, but they are going to need nurturing to get there as they are blogs that will eventually become websites, e-books, novels and art projects.

Since I am working on beefing up my celebrity and entertainment writing, I figure getting my celebrity and entertainment blog off the ground will be my first goal. I will work this throughout January. Then, I will work my Cleveland news blog and NBA blog (both play into each other) throughout February. From there, I will work on building a new blog up each month as I maintain previously built blogs, move them onto domains, keep up with paying work and of course, keep my grades up in school. I will post links to the blogs here as I get them built up.

So, what are your goals for 2012 and how do you plan to tackle them?

Writing Sites

I am often asked about sites to write for. Most folks know about Yahoo Contributor Network, Demand Studios and BrightHub, so I will not talk about those in this post. Here is a large list of sites you can check out. If you have any info/feedback on any of these sites (positive or negative) drop a comment on this post. I am sure your fellow writers would appreciate the info! Be on the lookout for individual reviews of these sites throughout the coming months and further info on other sites and writing gigs.

Writer Access can be excellent once you land on a few Love Lists (happens rather quickly). The application is kind of a pain, but worth it IMO. This site is like Textbroker on steroids. Also, do not forget about Textbroker.

http://www.constant-content.co​m/. Put your Non-exclusives up for reprints folks. Let your reprints earn more for you. If you need some help with this site, shoot me a PM. This site is sometimes slow-going, but the right topics can do you good. I am going to be posting a few posts about it on my blog soon about how to increase your chances of making a sale, so stay tuned.

http://www.consumersearch.com/​jobs - Very nice pay, but some work involved.

http://www.internetbrands.com/​work-with-us/ - Similar to Demand, but less strict editors.

http://www.bestcovery.com/writ​ers - Comes very highly recommended to me. There is a phone interview involved, but the staff is fantastic and pay is not half bad. Comparable to a YCN beat or DMS.

http://www.writersresearchgrou​p.com/ - Not sure if they are still hiring.

Pure Content - Not the highest paying, but constant steady work. UK-based company so you have to write in UK English. However, you can set your word processor to spell check in UK English, making this a breeze. Pay is once a month.

10dollararticles - similar to textbroker. Work is not always available so you have to check in often. $10 per article.

http://thecontentauthority.com​/application-writers.php - Not clear on the details, but I know they definitely pay and that it is halfway decent.

Skyword: Upfront pay from Pampers, Daily Glow and Bounty is $10 plus revenue share. IBM is $40 upfront. You can also do Gather through Skyword through a PV/rev share program. I personally love this company and they pay twice a month now.

https://www.writersnetwork.com​/ - Similar to Demand with slightly higher pay, but far less work at this time.

SheKnows and LoveToKnow also come highly recommended to me. I am not 100 percent sure what they pay, but I know for a fact that they definitely do pay.

A few others I do not know a ton about:

http://www.contentdivas.com/em​ployment/

http://www.techwriters.com/

http://www.rightcopywriter.com​/careers.html

http://www.qualitygal.com/

http://www.selfhelpguides.com/​authors_wanted.php3

http://www.writingassist.com/j​ob-seekers/

http://www.cyberedit.com/hub/j​obs.shtml

http://matadornetwork.com/cont​ributors/

http://admin.interactmedia.com​/apply.aspx

http://www.articlecontentprovi​der.com/article-writer.html

Avoid These Five Associated Content Writing Mistakes

This article was written by on of my fellow AC Contributors, Jolie du Pre. I thought this article would be useful for new writers regardless of whether or not they write for Associated Content. Avoid These Five Associated Content Writing Mistakes discusses many common mistakes that I hear many newbies and even some veterans discussing in the AC forums. I also discuss many of these mistakes with new Associated Content Contributors through PM's. This article is excellent and I think many aspiring freelance writers and current freelance writers will benefit from it.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE

Associated Content

What is Associated Content?
Associated Content is a writing site that is perfect for beginning writers. Associated Content was the spring board to my freelance writing career. Though there are guidelines, this site allows you to learn while being able to make some money. This is the perfect site for those seeking to make money writing while still learning SEO and other web-writing techniques.

The Associated Content Concept

Associated Content's concept is simple. "Everyone has a voice". You can sign up and earn as you learn the ropes of the web-writing world. It is important to remember, however, that this site is not a blog site nor is it Facebook or Myspace. Though you do not need to be a professional writer to write for AC, to be successful you need to have the drive to learn and basic writing abilities. As you can see the concept is quite simple: if you have basic writing abilities and the desire to learn web-writing while earning some money, then Associated Content may be a good fit for you.

The Associated Content Community
Another major plus to Associated Content is its community. Without the AC community I doubt I would know all I do about web-writing and writing in general. The forums host a variety of amazing people that are always willing to help and help to keep your spirits up. I must tell you that if it wasn't for the AC community I may not have developed my freelance writing career. The folks in the community kept me going and taught me just about everything I know. The AC forums offer a wealth of information about all things freelance writing and they also help to keep you motivated.

What Works, What Doesn't on Associated Content
On AC several things work and several things don't. So, what doesn't work? For example, simply stuffing an article with keywords will pretty much get you no where except banned from the site. Not appreciating the advice you ask for will prevent you from learning what you need to know about web-writing. Not following AC's simple guidelines will get you banned. Not trying to learn to write for the web will leave you making very little money. Also, writing short stories and poetry, while many are excellent on AC, often do not make you much money and they do not qualify for upfront payment.

What works? First and foremost, thoroughly read the FAQ's, TOS, submission guidelines and photo guidelines before you start publishing. Just about everything you need to know is there. If you need further information or help stop by the forums, introduce yourself and ask any questions you may have. Next, write what you know. If you are in the healthcare field and enjoy healthcare, write about it. If you love gardening or crafts, write about them. If you are a parent and have some unique insight that you would like to share with other parents, write about it. Write about your passions, interests, hobbies, life experiences etc. and you will find success at Associated Content. Learn as much as you can and incorporate it. When citing sources make sure that they are credible sources. For example, if you are writing an article on one of the types of hepatitis do not cite Wikipedia it's just not a credible source. Instead cite the CDC or another similar health organization. In fact, ignore Wikipedia completely when doing research or fact-checking your AC articles. Use proper web-writing techniques, use good grammar, spell-check, proofread and follow all of AC's guidelines and you will find success at Associated Content.


Tips for Associated Content Success
Basically everything I said above in the "What Works" area will help you find success at AC. Being successful at AC all depends on how successful you want to be. The more you strive to learn the more you will know. Write what you know, write about what you love, follow all AC guidelines, use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation, practice sold web-writing techniques, use credible sources and be active in the AC community. Most of all, do not give up. You will not make hundreds of dollars over night. Keep at it and your efforts will surely pay off.

Basic Associated Content Rules and Guidelines
Like all writing sites, AC has some guidelines. First and foremost, all articles must be at least 400 words. The exceptions are poetry, prose and assignments that say otherwise. In order to make money you must be a US citizen or resident and be at least 18 years of age. All writing must be your own; you cannot copy anyone else's writing ever. If you are caught you will be banned. You must follow the submission guidelines, photo guidelines and TOS. This may sound like a lot, but it really isn't.

Who Writes for Associated Content?
All types of people write for AC. Doctors, lawyers, other professionals, stay-at-home moms, stay-at-home dads, college students, blue collar workers, those who are retired and everyone in between.

How Can I Get Started on Associated Content?
To get started on AC all you need to do is sign up, complete the simple verification process, read the FAQ's/submission guidelines/TOS/photo guidelines and start submitting articles. When you sign up be sure to stop by the forums and stop by the "Welcome to AC" thread to introduce yourself to the community.

How Much Money Can I Make on Associated Content?
As much as you want. This is very true. The more you work, the more you earn. How much you earn is completely up to you. There are some Contributors making thousands a month and others less than a hundred. Associated Content is completely what you make of it. I try to make at least $500.00 per month between upfront payments and my performance bonus and typically exceed this every month. I could definitely make more if I had more time to dedicate to AC alone. The key is to write well and write often.

At AC you have the choice of making money through a monthly performance bonus, through upfront payments or a combination of both. Upfront payments are only available to US citizens or residents, but anyone can join and make performance bonus money regardless of where you live or what your citizenship status is. Clouts 1-6 make $1.50 per 1,000 page views and clouts 7-10 get a bonus which tops out at $2.00 per 1,000 page views. Now this may seem daunting at first, but once you get rolling you can easily get at least 1,000 page views everyday and it will only increase from there.

When it comes to upfront payments the average seems to be $0.99-$8.00 per article. However, some Contributors do make more. If you are selected to complete Partner or Targeted Assignments you can make up to $25.00 per article.

Let's just say you are a clout 5 making an average of $4.00 per article and 1,000 page views a day. You submit one article a day, five days a week to AC. In an average month of 30 days you will have made $165.00. Not bad for only working maybe 20 hours a month. If you submit more articles, you will make more money. If you are making an average of $4.00 per article and you submit 5 articles a day, 5 days a week that's an extra $400.00 per month in upfront payments alone as long as they are all submitted for upfront payment and accepted. Then you will also have your monthly page view bonus.

In closing, Associated Content is a great site to write for with an amazing community. If you are an aspiring freelance writer, whether you are seeking to write professionally, as a second job or as a money-making hobby, Associated Content is definitely worth your time. I am a writer, community guide, health and wellness category editor and advisory board member for Associated Content. I have been there since December of 2007 and my only regret is that I didn't start writing there sooner. Good luck to you if you choose to start writing for AC.

To visit Associated Content please CLICK HERE

To check out some comprehensive tutorials about Associated Content and web-writing CLICK HERE

To check out Associated Content's FAQ's CLICK HERE

Han Van Meegerin: Featured Freelancer for August 16,2009

Today's featured writer and the first ever featured writer is Han Van Meegerin. I chose to feature this Associated Content Contributor because of his amazing contributions to the AC community. He spends so much time motivating others through creating contests. He also highlights his fellow Contributors though his excellent interviews. Han Van Meegerin deserves to be featured because of his unselfish nature and his amazing contrubutions to AC and its community. If you would like to learn more about Han Van Meegerin or join one of his race to page view contests please check out his Contributor page HERE.

Featured Freelance Writer

I love featuring people and allowing freelance writer's to meet other ones they may not know. From now on I will be featuring several freelance writers every week here on by blog and on this blog's associated Ning. By doing this I hope to give my fellow writers some exposure and to introduce some writers who aren't as well-known to the world of freelance writing. Check back several times a week to see who has been featured, to congratulate them and to meet new writers.

Writer's Resumes

I have been helping a lot of freelance writers lately with creating a writers resume. Many writing sites don't require them, but some do. For example, Demand Studios requires one and this website can be quite lucrative. A writer's resume should focus on your writing experience. Things such as your niches, sites you write for and/or have written for, your education history, technology abilities, private clients and any awards should be included on your writers resume. If I ever send a "cold application" to a private client I always make sure to attach a copy of my writers resume. In your writers resume I also highly suggest providing links to some of your libraries of content. I personally provide links to two libraries of content: a link to my AC page and a link to my BrightHub page.

Your writer's resume should highlight your expertise and accomplishments. Many writer's also elect to add some of their past non-writing work experience. This can be beneficial, especially if you have limited writing experience.

Once you have a writer's resume be sure to update it often. Every time you start with a new private client or website, add it to your writer's resume. A solid and complete writer's resume is priceless for freelance writers. It can mean the difference between getting the client and not getting the client.

If you would like to see my writers resume template please send an email to americanbanana@aol.com. In the subject line please put "Writer's Resume Help" so that I know it isn't spam. I will not open any emails from an email address I am not familiar with so make sure to put "Writer's Resume" in the subject line.

Be sure to check out the Online Writing Opportunities Ning as well. I'm still getting it together, but the more members we get the more we can all learn.


Click here to check out my Online Writing Opportunities Ning

Update

I will be working a lot on this blog in the coming weeks. It will start to really come to life with tons of online writing opportunities and writing resources. Once it gets rolling, this will be the only blog that you will need to read to get your freelance writing career started. This blog will also discuss my experiences with different sites and will provide information about how to better your writing and further your career. I will also discuss the many online writing scams out there that you need to avoid. This blog will be updated frequently so check back often for new content and new online writing opportunities.