Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Experiment with Suite101 and Y!CN

Well, it has been a few weeks since I embarked on the experiment with Suite101 and Yahoo! Contributing Network. The idea was to submit an article to each site and compare the publication process. This is what I have to report so far:

I did like I planned. On the same day I submitted an article to Suite101 and one to Y!CN. I was greatly surprised to hear that my article was approved and published on Suite101 THE VERY SAME DAY! Not only was I surprised but I was ecstatic! Elated! Proud! I proved to myself that I could do it, I could finally say, “Yes! Jodi, you are a writer!

When I received the news of my article being published on Suite101 I immediately went into the site to check it out. I then posted it to my Facebook page and on a forum that I recently joined. To date I have made 1 cent and have had 65 page views! Although those may not seem like astounding numbers they are priceless to me. I have to remember that my work has just begun and one penny will lead to another.

Seven days later the article I submitted to Y!CN was also approved and published. Once again I was elated! To date I have had 3 page views and made 0 cents at Y!CN. At this point I do not care. I am just happy to have gotten an article published on another site.

The next step for me is to promote my published writing. I want to try and generate more page views to make more money. In the email from Y!CN regarding my article being approved there was a link that listed tips for promoting articles. I am going to have to take the time to review and implement the ideas. What I learn there will help me elsewhere as well.

With the publication process determined - Suite101 is faster – and the numbers are in – Suite101 is higher - I have come to the conclusion that I will submit non-fiction articles to Sutie101 (I tend to write more non-fiction) and save my short stories for Y!CN (a side hobby).
  
Links to the articles:

Five Easy Tips for Saving Money

Writing for Money: Five Basic Steps to Get Started

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Happy Ground Hog Day!

As Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his bedroom to tell us if there will be six more weeks of winter left I have been busy writing articles for Demand Media Studios and researching information for upcoming blog posts. I want to offer a quick glimpse of what is to come – it is my intention to supply helpful advice and useful information for those who are traveling down the same road I am - the road to writing for money.

Feature Blogs
                       
I spend a lot of time reading what other writer’s have to say on the subject of writing for money. I will be highlighting the blogs that I read. My intention is to introduce you to a wider world of knowledge when it comes to freelance writing. Each blog featured will be certain to aid in your progress. Consider them a rest area where you can relax and learn new things while you drive down the road to making money as a freelance writer.

Forum or not to Forum

Forums can be an intimidating place for those of us who tend to stay in our shells; hiding ourselves from the outside world. I will explain forums and how they can be useful for generating more job leads, making friends and keeping you motivated. I will also include information on how to get involved in a forum that is right for you.

Content mills

Here, I will discuss what content mills are and the different mills available to writers. In addition, I will offer an explanation of each content mill and provide information regarding the benefits for writers.

My Success

As always, I will keep you up-to-date on my progress with writing for money. I will explain what I do and how I go about developing articles and generating ideas.

There is much more information on the way! This is an exciting time for freelance writers. Stick with me and together we will drive on the open road to writing for money!