Demand Studios

The Resource Center, which is sponsored by Demand Studios, features articles, podcasts, webcasts and videos filled with in-depth information to help all freelance writers achieve success. John Hewitt of PoeWar and I will take alternating Mondays for our featured content.

The content will be beyond what you see on our usual blog posts. We’ll be offering in depth tips and practices you can put to use right away and we’ve invited some special guests to join us. Chris Garrett, Carson Brackney and Thursday Bram are just a few of the fabulous freelancers who will be sharing the secrets of their success.

Currently, the Writer’s Success Resource Center will have a temporary home on a static page at the Freelance Writing Jobs blog and a special section of PoeWar. However, in the next couple of weeks we’ll be unveiling brand new, sleek, FWJ and the Resource Center will have a much more prominent location.

The Writer’s Success Resource Center is free and will launch Monday, June 1^st, 2010.

Yahoo! Buys Associated Content: Some Initial Thoughts

May 19, 2010 by david 12 Comments

You probably heard Yahoo! is to purchase Associated Content for $100 million. I feel it’s a smart move seeing as how AOL Seed and Demand Studios are topping the searches with their content. I’m not one to complain about content sites because I think quick web content articles and how to’s can be useful as long as they’re well written and factually correct. Also, I believe content sites are creating jobs, helping to improve the economy, and helping writers to earn money during a time when competition for gigs is fierce.

However…

It’s no secret I’m not a fan of Associated Content. The reason for this doesn’t have as much to do with the pay (though $3 per article sucks) or the writers as it does A.C.’s acceptance policy. I applied to A.C. several times throughout the years just to see if they changed their policy of accepting writers without viewing writing samples or experience. Each time, I was accepted without question. No one asked to see prior work or where I’ve been published. They congratulated me and sent me on my merry way.

I understand that Associated Content wants to give writers of all levels of experience a voice, but there’s a problem; they hobbyists aren’t writing slice of life essays or posting pie recipes. They’re writing serious articles. There’s nothing wrong with this, but because Associated Content’s editors haven’t always been known for diligently checking for quality and factually correct writing, there are some clunkers in there. I’m all for everyone having opportunities and choices, but I’m also against poor content. This isn’t to say everyone who writes for A.C. is a poor writer, but let’s be honest, not all web writers are good, either.

As I mentioned on the FWJ Facebook Group this morning, if Yahoo! wants to compete with AOL Seed and Demand Studios, they’re going to have to make some changes at Associated Content.

1. Be More Diligent About Hiring Quality Writers and Policing Content

I firmly believe the key to quality content on the web is a stricter acceptance policy. You can pay a poor writer $500 and he’ll still be a poor writer. However, if you appoint a few gate keepers to enforce a stricter acceptance policy the folks who bitch about “low quality” content writers won’t have a leg to stand on. Also, if writers are held to higher standards, content sites such as Associated Content won’t be the butt of a bunch freelance writing jokes and barbs.

The new Associated Content should:

Request writing samples to ensure writers can write.
Hire more editors to offer guidance to newer writers and tweak content.
Create better guidelines for writers.

2. Raise Rates

Though I believe a stricter hiring policy is essential in order to provide good content, I also feel that we offer more incentive to quality writers when we pay them well. I won’t argue rates right now as that’s not what this discussion is about. However, A.C. pays many writers below $10 per article which is hardly motivation to research and proofread. Higher pay will motivate existing writers and attract higher priced writers who originally felt A.C. was beneath them.

If Yahoo! wants to create quality content and not to want to be labeled a cheap “content mill, they’re going to have to raise the rates for Associated Content and ensure the ends justify the means for writers to spend the time writing articles that don’t suck.

Do a Massive Cleanup

Yahoo! has the opportunity to build something really big here. However, in order to be taken seriously by their peers, writers, journalists and those who read content, they’re going to want to make some changes and clean up those clunkers. It will be a massive undertaking, having to go through all those years of content, but it will be well worth the effort. Again, I’m not saying everyone who writes for Associated Content can’t write, but let’s be realistic. There’s some pretty bad stuff out there. Yahoo! should hire some editors to patrol the site, edit the stuff that’s salvageable and toss the writing that doesn’t make the cut. Yes, there are going to be writers who aren’t happy with this, but it’s for the greater good. Besides, I think it’s only a few bad apples spoiling a bunch of truly terrific writers.

A Good Investment

Now, I’m not operating under the impression that Yahoo! cares more about quality content than earning money. Make no mistake, every content site is in this for the money. However, if they’re going to keep up and be considered a positive site for both readers and writers, they’ll need to revamp the current model. Money is the motive for everything. Those who understand you have to spend money to make money, and those caring about producing the best writing they can, will win the search engine wars in the long run.

Yahoo! has the opportunity to leverage their name and pull in some hefty sponsors. Let’s hope they invest those dollars where it will do the most good – in the quality of the content and in the Associated Content writers.

Content Mill Writers ARE Business People – And We’re All Proof of That

April 30, 2010 by david 33 Comments

I just read, with interest, Yolander Prinzel’s post at All Freelance Writing entitled “Why Low Paying Gigs Are and Are Not Your Problem.” I’m inclined to comment, except my comment is so long that I decided to just post it here.

Warning: Reactionary blog post ahead:

In her post Yo discusses why you needn’t worry about content site writers as your competition, but offers an enlightening look at some of the things you should concern yourself with. I’m not arguing with most of her points because they’re fair.

For the most part, I agree with Yo in that content mill rates won’t affect you if that’s not what you’re in to. Twenty years ago, freelance writers complained about the local newspapers and magazines charging anywhere from nothing to $10 per article. The folks who aspired to do better, did.

Ten years ago, folks complained about content sites such as Suite 101 and Write for Cash, but they didn’t drive down the rates either. My big gripe was with bidding sites, but I was wrong, because they didn’t drive down the rates for anyone but bidding sites writers. So I’m not going to really pick apart the logic that content mill writers aren’t your problem because there are a world of opportunities out there. No one is lowering anyone’s rates.

So I’m not in disagreement there.

I did want to explore this a bit, however. In her post Yo said:

These low paying gigs keep the hobbyists and uncommitted busy which means they aren’t competing with you. I’m not saying that content mill writers aren’t real writers or that they don’t have a burning desire to create–I’m saying that they are not business people. Many of them don’t know how or where to market themselves, but if you are going to run a successful business you have to either figure out how to do this or hire someone who can do it for you.

Now, I’ve read enough of your blog posts to know that many of you think that “cheap” writers are bad writers and are, therefore, not competition. This is incorrect. They are not competition because many of them don’t know just how much they could be making or how to get there–not because they suck. That’s why blogs like this one are so important–there are good writers out there who need to stop being coddled and instead need a life preserver. We are that life preserver.

As a former content mill writer, I don’t believe this to be true. In fact, the author of the above referenced article is also a former content mill writer. Though we rarely agree, or even get along for that matter, I will go as far as to say we have a few things in common. We both know how to market ourselves, we both love to write and we’re both business people. I don’t think either of us are lazy or naive when it comes to business sense. So why are we the exception?

Because we’re not.

Plenty of content mill writers have higher aspirations but all our circumstances are different. I’m not saying the unmotivated and hobbyists don’t exist, but I don’t believe it’s fair to lump all content writers in the same category. Knowing how many of us (freelance writing bloggers ) are former content site writers who used those careers as stepping stones to better opportunities, I’m not sure the above is true. I don’t think folks who write for content sites are any less business savvy or lazy than we were back in the day. I wrote for several content sites, but at the same time I was finding higher paying opportunities. So are many of the people who write for Demand Studios, Suite 101 and others.

I don’t feel freelance writing bloggers hold their hands as much as we respect their choices while encouraging them to seek more lucrative gigs.

I’ve met people who write for content mills on many occasions, mostly at conferences and meetups. I haven’t met a single content site writer who feels this type of writing is a hobby or long term career choice, nor have I met a single content site writer who isn’t trying to land a more lucrative contract. Most content site writers are doing so to get a foot in the door or supplement their income. Yes, there are some who view content mills as a “Work at Home!!!!” job, but they’re not necessarily the norm. Most want to learn how to market themselves, or already do. They’re happy to write for these places because

A. They get to write
B. They get to earn money in between gigs.

I don’t think it’s fair to suggest most content site writers need hand holding, because that wasn’t/isn’t the case with us.

I think Yolander’s series on writing for content sites is an excellent resource in weighing the pros and cons of these types of sites. However, I’m not sure I agree with her assessment of the types of people who write for content sites.

After all, we were there ourselves.

P.S. In all fairness, Yolander did say “most” content site writers and not “all” content site writers. I still disagree.

Did you ever, or do you now write for content sites? If so, is it your intention to land better opportunities. Tell us about your experience – did you feel it was a good stepping stone, or did you feel it made you lazy?

(For transparency sake, it’s important to note that Demand Studios is a sponsor and pays to advertise on this blog. However, they didn’t pay me to write this (or any post) and I don’t need their permission. )

WRITERS FOR SERVICE JOURNALISM WANTED

February 10, 2010 by david 1 Comment

Apply your writing skills to an exciting and reliable freelance position in service journalism. Demand Studios, the industry leading article production studio powering the 17^th most visited network of websites in the world with high quality content, is looking for talented writers to join our team. Learn more below and apply to start writing for popular sites like LIVESTRONG.com, eHow.com, Trails.com and many others.

THE POSITION:

This freelance position enables you to write around your schedule with no min or max work requirements
Our robust assignment library enables you to claim and work on the articles of your choice
Focus on subject matter you’re most qualified to write about (ex: health, business, art, diet, etc)
Choose assignments based on desired topics, length, format and pay rates

Click Here to Learn More and scroll to the bottom of page to view sample articles

THE BENEFITS:

Get paid for each approved article – current writers earn an average of $15 – $25 per hour
Ability to interact with experienced copy editors, fellow writers and support staff
Tenured writers gain access to affordable group health insurance
Grants available to community members to pursue other creative projects

THE QUALIFICATIONS:

Exceptional writing and grammatical skills required
Educational and/or professional background in writing a big plus

To apply for this freelance writing position, please complete the online application form through the link below – make sure to have your most recent resume and a high-quality non-fiction writing sample available. Serious candidates only please.

Click Here to Apply For this Writing Position

Freelance Writing Jobs for January 25, 2010

January 25, 2010 by david 11 Comments

It’s Sunday morning as I start this post. I have some time to spare this week and I’m using it to get ahead. To me, there’s no better feeling than knowing I had a productive day. Actually…there is something better – knowing that I’m ahead for the week and I can take it a bit easier and put in extra time on a few projects. To be honest, finding leads is the most tedious part of the day. It takes two to three hours to get it done every morning. That’s why I try and get as much done the night before, so my whole morning isn’t spend doing the job search. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, but I do like to get it out of the way so I can work on other fun stuff.

Premium Job:

Dear FWG readers,

I need talented writers for putting together entertaining informational articles across a wide variety of subjects – from portable air conditioners to swimming pools, and everything in between. The ideal applicants will be able to conduct research and write about often potentially bland subjects in and interesting, engaging manner.

Please also do not apply for this position unless you are able to produce at least five to ten quality articles per week (with a minimum of 500 words each).

If you think this sounds like you, please send me an email at [email protected] with a short paragraph about yourself and your background, as well as any experience you have in the freelance writing field (if applicable).

Thanks,

Jonathan

I hope you enjoy today’s lists.

Your daily lists

There’s lots of good stuff here today. Let us know if you particularly enjoyed something mentioned in today’s lists.

New around the Freelance Writing Jobs network

Your daily freelance writing jobs

Content Writing Jobs

Web Content Writer for Valley Direct Media
Freelance Online Writer
Web Content Writer – $20 – $28/hour – Houston
Content Writers for Legal Industry Topics – $25 – $40
Health Writers and Bloggers
Web Content Writer
Web Writer/Social Media Wizard – Bethesda

Blogger Jobs

Business Blogger Needed for BNet
K-12 Teacher/Blogger for Teachpreneur.com – Atlanta
Wedding and Fashion Blogger -Chicago
Website & Social Media Blogger
Freelance Financial Writer/Blogger
Bloggers for Hispanic Site – $30/post

Proofreading/Editing Jobs

Copywriting Jobs

Freelance Copywriter – Boston
Copywriter – Philadelphia
Experienced Copywriter for Online Retailer – Los Angeles
Freelance Copywriter – Omaha
Freelance Copywriter for Classmates.com Seattle
Freelance Pharmaceutical Copywriter – Newtown PA
Experienced Copywriter -Hutchinson KS
Editors & Copywriters Wanted

Journalism Jobs

City Pets Reporter – New York City
Freelance Reporter/Copyeditor – San Francisco

Social Media

Technical Writing Jobs

Contract Technical Writer – SF Bay
Technical Writer/Editor – Atlanta
Technical Writer – Golden CO – Telecommute OK

Business Plan/Proposal/Grant Writing Jobs

Grant Writer – Denver – Full time but telecommute is Ok.
Business Journalists with Strong Resources Background – Sonoma
Business Plan Writer -Chicago

Travel Writing Jobs

Travel Writers Wanted – $10 – $50

Sports Writing Jobs

Golf Writer -Kansas City
Sports Writer Wanted – Atlanta

Resume Writing Jobs

Professional Resume Writer Needed – $75

General/Misc. Freelance Writing Jobs

Freelance Test Question Writers
Researcher/Writer/Editor – Rehoboth Beach – Very vague ad
Freelance Press Release Writers
Freelance Writer at Think Communications/Philadelphia – $50 – $75/hour
Writers/Bloggers – $15/hour Seattle
Ambitions Talented Writer Needed – Rochester MI
Securities Law and Finance Writer
Script Writer Needed – Twin Cities – $150
Review Writer for Head Pain Games
Writer with Background in Classical Music – .05/word
Gorilla Tango Theater is Looking for Scripts – Chicago
Write About Denver
Sitcom Writer Watned
Writers with Bartending Experience – $35 – $100
Freelance Writers and Editors
Financial/EFT Writer Wanted
Freelance Writer – Instructional Designer – Fountain Valley
Freelance Script Writer – Philadelphia

International Freelance Writing Jobs

Editor/Proofreader Needed – Sydney
Resume Writer Needed – Toronto

Magazine Submissions, Guidelines and Markets

Write for Hippie Magazine – They promise $5 – $50 – Make sure you’re being paid on the higher end of the spectrum.
Contributing Writers/Reporters – NYC

Today’s leads were found via the following websites:

Today’s leads and lists are brought to you by:

Experienced Online Writers Wanted: Telecommute

January 20, 2010 by david 4 Comments

Experienced freelance writers needed to create informative and engaging online articles on hundreds of unique topics. As a Demand Studios writer, you are able to claim and work on the assignments that appeal to you most and enjoy a timely payment schedule for each approved article.

The Position:

• Freelance position enabling you to work around your schedule
• Write on diverse subjects that interest you most (fitness, auto, outdoors, gardening, etc)
• Receive feedback from industry leading copy editors to ensure high quality work
• See your work published on today’s leading websites (LIVESTRONG.com, eHow.com, etc)
• Received bylines on every published article to extend your personal brand

To see a sample article, please visit eHow.com

The Benefits:

• Get paid for each article written and earn an average of $15 – $25 per hour
• Receive reliable twice-a-week payments delivered directly into your PayPal account
• Tenured writers gain access to affordable group health insurance

Qualifications:

• Educational and/or professional background in writing, journalism, blogging, etc
• Expertise in a specific topic category preferred (health, gardening, business, nutrition, etc)
• Familiarity of writing in AP style preferred

Apply Now:

To apply, please upload your resume and a writing sample through our online application form. If you have expertise in a specific topic category, please highlight this in your resume and/or writing sample choice. Serious candidates only and please do not email applications.

About Demand Studios: An Interview with SVP of Content & Editorial, Jeremy Reed

January 12, 2010 by david 63 Comments

Jeremy Reed

Deb’s note: This interview is part three in a series offering a behind the scenes look at content sites. As there have been much speculation and a few rather one-sided “investigations” regarding some of these sites, I felt it would be fair to talk to the people who run content sites and let them tell the FWJ community a little about what they do, the benefits to their writers and why their sites are unique. In the past we featured interviews with the people behind Suite101 and HubPages.

This interview was conducted in the beginning of November, but hopefully isn’t too outdated.

I had the pleasure of meeting Demand Studio’s Senior Vice President of Content and Editorial, Jeremy Reed, in September when I was invited to attend their Creator Conference in Santa Monica. What struck me about Jeremy wasn’t necessarily his passion for good writing, which he has in spades, but his passion for writers and the Creators who make up the Demands Studios community.

What is Demand Studios?

We are a very large freelance community made up of writers, filmmakers, copy editors and other roles. We produce articles and videos for our own owned-and-operated sites, such as LIVESTRONG.COM, Trails.com and eHow.com as well as for partners like YouTube (video), the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (travel articles) and others.

How is Demand Studios different from other writing and blogging sites?

When we set out to build Demand Studios more than three years ago, we focused on creating a good, reliable environment for freelancers to grow in their careers. For those of us who were former freelancers, it meant simply taking some of the headaches and risks out of freelancing. We wanted to make sure that all qualified creators had the ability for things like: unlimited work without having to pitch ideas; regular pay in the form of twice-weekly payments through PayPal; complete transparency into how much you make for each assignment; editorial feedback on every submission as well as the support of a creative community; and opportunities to write and film for many, different credible outlets. Freelancing has always been a ‘tough-skin’ business – where you really need perseverance to succeed. We saw an opportunity (and void) in the current economic landscape for truly talented creators to get steady work, grow their careers – and do so from the comforts of their own homes.

How many active writers are with Demand Studios now?

We have more than 4,500 active writers and more than 600 active copy editors. We now have more active copy editors than the top 5 newspapers combined. And yes, this has resulted in our ability to publish more than 1 million articles. But, there is also this great community spirit of teaching that takes place among these large groups in our forums and outside of our site. It is not all hugs and kisses. It’s also a lot of harsh criticism and tough love. It has a lot of the traits of good writing groups in the offline world.

What does Demand Studios offer as incentive and pay for their freelance writers?

We have assignments ranging in price based on factors like word count, level of expertise, etc. Typically, we hear from our writers that they earn somewhere between $15 and $30 an hour. We want writers to focus on researching and reporting on a topic. And, we will take care of other factors like SEO, coming up with titles, etc.

What does the average Demand Studios writer earn in a given month?

The majority of writers do this on a part-time basis to complement other forms of income. But, what we’ve seen is the typical active writer earns a few hundred dollars a month.

What sort of traffic does Demand Studios receive on a regular basis?

Demand Studios is the publishing platform for Demand Media. The majority of the content we create goes on our own media network, to sites like eHow.com, Trails.com and LIVESTRONG.COM. In the month of October, our media network was ranked No. 16 among U.S. Media properties (52.7 million unique visitors a month), according to comScore. This puts us ahead of the New York Times Digital.

What would you like to say to the people who criticize Demand Studios for being a low-paying content mill?

For me, it is very personal. I’ve spent almost 20 years in the publishing world. For a portion of that time, my career (and income) revolved around freelance writing. I felt like my experiences gave me solid insight into the difficulties freelance writers face. That said, I do take the criticisms from our writers very seriously. I spend many of my nights catching up on the forums and looking at Twitter feeds. We react to the criticisms within our community, and it has definitely shaped how we have built Demand Studios. We’ve made some mistakes along the way – but I know we’ve continued to improve the offering for our writers and it has resulted in better articles. I also know how hard they work with our editors to produce responsible, useful articles, so I jump at every chance to defend the quality of our writers.

Demand Studios has been receiving a lot of negative press lately, some of the reports were rather biased and one-sided. Here’s your chance to set the record straight and dispel any myths. Are there points you’d like to clarify, misconceptions you’d like to clear up or myths you’d like to dispel?

My background is in traditional publishing. I have so much respect for the steps needed to create responsible content. We qualify every writer based on experience, expertise and education. All of our writers are asked to write to specific guidelines and supply references for every article. Every article goes through a plagiarism check. Our copy editors come from the copy desks of some of the most respected newspaper outlets. They review every article and if it doesn’t meet our guidelines, it gets sent back for a rewrite or gets rejected. In this day-and-age of publishing, where so many decisions are driven by the need to cut or eliminate costs, we’ve gone to great lengths to develop a community of really qualified writers and put them in a position and environment to create quality articles.

What are your thoughts about all the other content sites? Room for everyone? Too much competition?

To date, we’ve focused most of our content on a very specific form of journalism often referred to as service journalism or ‘news you can use.’ These are typical evergreen articles like ‘How to Tie a Tie’ or ‘5 Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in the Southeast.’ With newspapers focusing on investigative reporting, this type of content is getting cut out of their coverage. And, in an online world, where content is accessible long after its published date, there is a real opportunity for this high quality, useful content to gain a large readership. The opportunities are endless, especially with the talented group of writers and copy editors we’ve assembled.

What are some of the things we can expect from Demand Studios in the future?

We have big plans in 2010. We are going to invest even more in content and in our freelance community. This means more opportunity for our writers to further their careers. We will continue to listen to our writers as we work together to build the No. 1 place for freelance writers.

To learn more and apply to Demand Studios, please visit DemandStudios.com
Do you have any questions for Jeremy or another member of the Demand Studios team? Feel free to ask in the comments.

Full disclosure: Demand Studios is a sponsor for this blog.

Demand Studios Donates 16,072 Books to Needy Children

January 8, 2010 by david 3 Comments

In October, Yury Polnar, Demand Studios’ Marketing Acquisitions Manager, and I sat down for breakfast at the Las Vegas Hilton to relax with a cup of coffee before BlogWorld. While we were chatting, Yury expressed his desire for Demand Studios to use their celebrity for good and help a children’s charity. At that time, there was no concrete plan, just good intentions.

A couple of weeks later, Yury called to tell me about a campaign to donate books to needy children. Working with First Books, Demand hoped to donate 20,000 books during the month of December. Even though Demand Studios fell shy of their goal, the Write for a Cause campaign was no less successful. 16,072 kids received books this Christmas thanks to the Demand Studios writers. For every eight articles written, one book was donated.

This news, along with the announcement that Demand Studios was beginning a grants program to assist writers with their personal projects, fits in well with the Freelance Writing Jobs network’s theme for 2010 – positivity. Thanks Yury, thanks Demand Studios and thanks to all who wrote articles for this great cause. Because of you children are reading or learning to read and that’s always a very positive thing.

For more information about Demand Studios or if you’d like to write for Demand Studios, please click on the image above.

Full disclosure: Demand Studios is a sponsor of the Freelance Writing Jobs network. As part of our partnership, I have the pleasure of reporting cool news such as this.

Freelance Health Writers Wanted

January 7, 2010 by david 1 Comment

Freelance Health Writers Wanted – telecommute
LIVESTRONG™.com is a leading online destination for health-related tips and advice, attracting more than 4.2 million visitors every month. To ensure LIVESTRONG™.com visitors are consistently presented with the best answers to their diverse health-related questions, we are looking for freelance writers across the country to create informative articles on thousands of unique health topics. As a writer for LIVESTRONG™.com, you’ll be able to share your health knowledge with a large and vibrant community while earning a reliable paycheck and extending your personal brand on one of today’s leading health websites.

View Sample Article

Learn More and Apply

ABOUT THIS POSITION:

• Claim assignments from our database that you’re most interested and qualified to write about
• Assignments vary in length and format with most averaging 300–500 words and addressing thousands of unique topics such as diabetes, cancer, nutrition, mental health and exercise
• Payments are issued twice a week for each completed article. Current writers earn an average of $20 – $30 range depending on their familiarity with the topics and their writing speed
• Your byline follows each article helping build exposure and authority around your name and writing
• Tenured writers gain access to affordable group health care

QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must have one or more of the following qualifications:

• Masters of Science in a medical field
• Accreditation in health
• Experience writing about health-related topics in a medical or health magazine, newspaper, journal, blog or other health website

**Note: if you do not meet the health accreditation requirements listed above, you can apply to write for other sites in our network which focus on other categories – click here to learn more

APPLY NOW:

If you meet the requirements outlined above and would like to join the LIVESTRONG™.com team of writers, we’d love to hear from you. To apply, please upload your resume and writing sample through the link below – make sure to highlight your experience in the health & fitness field and provide a high quality writing sample for the editorial team to review. Please note you will be directed to Demand Studios (the content production studio for LIVESTRONG™.com) to apply.

Learn More and Apply

New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network

Freelance Writing Jobs