by Eric Bank
A good many freelance writers will testify that the arrival of blogging and site-building assignments cannot be reliably predicted. Intense spells of non-stop activity are often punctuated by unwelcome periods of “enforced rest.” Unfortunately, expenses keep mounting even during the dry periods. There are, however, a few fee-per-article shops that freelance writers can count on when needed.
With a daily readership exceeding 70 million visitors, the biggest and most well-known of these “content farms” is Demand Media Studios (DMS), the company that publishes AnswerBag, eHow and LiveStrong. As with most other content publishers, DMS first asks new authors to submit a writing sample of approximately 400 words. Upon approval, you commence a try-out stage in which you have a week to write three blogs. It’s up to you to pick your article topics from the DMS portfolio of over 160,000 titles. You can winnow your selection by screening for topic, file format, and fee. Let’s examine each selection factor:
Topics
DMS provides sixteen top-level topics including weddings and pets. Each topic covers dozens of subtopics that guide you as you select your articles. For instance, should you like weddings, you’ll find subtopics on brides, decorations, engagement rings, and so forth. Even though competent freelancers can write on almost any subject, it is reasonable to select topics that correspond to your interests and experience. DMS promotes a helpful yet professional writing voice that requires some familiarity with your topic. In other words, you are encouraged to choose topics you already understand.
Formats
You can choose from about two dozen formats, ranging from simple lists to full “topic views”, which are well-balanced articles that examine a topic from an array of viewpoints. You needn’t be concerned about the details of different formats because DMS offers a style guide for each one. In fact, DMS has put together a fairly comprehensive resource facility that aids new writers in rapidly acquire a feel for their assignments. Articles require 400 to 500 words. (I have to admit that I invariably write on topics that, in my opinion, require, approximately 600 words to cover in sufficient detail. Once I got slapped down for a 700 word write-up. Bottom line — you are encouraged to stay close to the length limits). My personal recommendation is to work with several formats — you’ll quickly discover a couple that match your inherent writing style.
Fees
Look, you are not going to retire on a yacht working for DMS, but if you have other sources of revenue, the modest money you earn from DMS might come in handy. Prices for write-ups range from $3 to $40, but the majority of articles earn $15 or $17.50. In addition, you can join a revenue-share plan in which an author creates articles from his or her own topic list; the articles pay to the degree they assist in generating click-through revenue for advertisers. Payday is twice a week via PayPal.
It’s possible to reserve up to a dozen articles at once, but be advised you’ve only one week to complete the whole lot. I often reserve just two or three; in any event, there are always a lot of topics from which to select. Every article you post is edited via a network of experienced copy-editors. These worthies will occasionally return your work so that you can fix up any particularly significant errors. Most editors make the small fixes for you. You’re evaluated with respect to grammar and research; it is a cumulative one-through-five point rating scheme reported by month. Just hang in there and you’ll quickly learn how to satisfy editors.
Besides freelance writers, DMS uses movie makers, copy-editors and topic professionals. Wages vary by job. Other names within the content creation and distribution industry include iSnare, Writer’s Access, Suite 101, and About.Com (owned by the New York Times). If you want or need to generate some extra cash and can devote the time, perhaps a gig with one of these content farms will fill the bill.
About the author: Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Eric Bank has been a freelance writer of business-related articles since 1985. He holds a Master of Business Administration from New York University and an Master of Science in Finance from DePaul University. Eric freelances through EricBank.Com
Courtesy: www.isnare.com
