Baby Steps
Since I'm writing again, I've decided to see if I can make a living freelancing. I don't mean to just make a few bucks here and there, but to actually earn a regular, dependable income each and every month. In my quest, I've discovered that there is money to be made in blogging and in submitting articles to various websites who pay for content.
My first stop in this journey was Associated Content (If you're interested, please click the link provided so I'll get credit ($$$) for referring you. If the link doesn't work, please let me know). My due diligence has discovered several claims from fellow writers as to this company's legitimacy and integrity, so I jumped in with both feet and decided to submit some previously published pieces for them. After registering myself there, I spent well over an hour (probably closer to two) in editing and uploading a short story I'd written ages ago. After all of the time spent there, however, I found out that they don't pay for short stories. Took me a while to figure it out, but I'm told that because AC relies on traffic generated from people searching for info on a variety of topics, a short story isn't likely to draw a lot of traffic from those Google-type searches. Makes sense, but I wish I'd known that before all of that editing. You live and you learn and then you move on.
So, instead of submitting my story, I dusted off an article I'd published a few years back and I'm still waiting to hear if it's going to be accepted or not. I should know by this Friday and I'll be sure to post the results. I submitted a previously published piece because they only pay a very limited amount per article. A bit of a rip off if I submit something new that can garner more, but the one that I offered was published for free on an entertainment type eZine and, since it was several years old (and I hadn't thought about it since), I decided that I could afford to let it go for a few bucks (which in this case is more than it made the first time around). AC says they prefer first time works, but that they do accept previously published material, so we'll see.
If and when I do publish with AC or any other content sites (There are a lot more and I'll list them later), it will most definitely be articles with topics they're requesting (they regularly give you a list of subjects that they want). In other words, I'll go outside my genre to write for them for a little extra cash and exposure, but I don't see myself giving my more passionate article subjects to them unless, of course, I can't get them published elsewhere. Even then, an article would have to be pretty old for me to submit it. Does this make sense? I also think these kinds of sites are great for showcasing writing samples to potential clients. Not to mention, AC has a great forum for networking with other writers.
Also, as mentioned in yesterday's post, I've discovered that money is to be made blogging. Basically, there are a lot of sites that will pay you to list their buttons, banners and links on your blog. Each time one of your visitors clicks on one of them, you're given a share of the revenue generated from the click. Cool concept. We've all seen the links on websites and blogs, but I don't know how many of us actually click on them. With these sites, you're also responsible for getting people to come to your site which can be tough and time-consuming. And once they arrive, there's still no guarantee that they'll be interested in clicking ads. Still, I signed up with a couple of sites offering this. One site accepted my application and another turned it down. I won't say the name of the one who accepted me due to my agreement with them. Basically, they have a lot of rules and I'm scared to break them. Not that they're paying a ton of money, but I don't want to get kicked out of the club before learning how to maximize the system. The other site, Blogitive, turned me down though, so I can mention them. I'll actually reapply to them after I build my blog up a little more (which, I strongly suspect, is the reason they denied my application...there's not enough here yet). My research indicates that they are also a good company with a good reputation.
Overall, there are mixed reviews about the whole making money publishing online thing. A lot of WAHM types are really into it as are other writers I've met online in the last few days of my new old career. One very helpful blogger swears she's making $1200 per month just by ads on her blog. Yet other writers are adamant that blogging for dollars and submitting articles for content sites aren't professional writing gigs, but simply marketing tools and ways for housewives to make petty cash. Okay, the housewives bit is all me, but it seems to ring true. The blogger making $1200 per month doesn't appear to be the norm. Most are making $50 per mo. or less. Still, I'll blog on and see if I can make a buck in the process. If I can/would do it for free, I should be able to turn a profit-even a teensy one-right? Besides, the blogging is a good exercise to get me back in the habit of toying with my talent.
Oh, and I was asked to write an article on a very juicy entertainment topic. If all goes as planned, I'll be combining the research and opinions of two experts in the field on a topic that's sure to garner the attention of those interested in the business side of the industry. The subject has the potential to be a Vibe, Rolling Stone or even a Wall Street piece. More on that as it develops though.
So that was my weekend start up project and I feel like I learned a lot and have quite a few possibilities left to explore. I'm finding myself brainstorming different ideas and topics during my quiet moments and I'm really looking forward to seeing where it all leads.
My first stop in this journey was Associated Content (If you're interested, please click the link provided so I'll get credit ($$$) for referring you. If the link doesn't work, please let me know). My due diligence has discovered several claims from fellow writers as to this company's legitimacy and integrity, so I jumped in with both feet and decided to submit some previously published pieces for them. After registering myself there, I spent well over an hour (probably closer to two) in editing and uploading a short story I'd written ages ago. After all of the time spent there, however, I found out that they don't pay for short stories. Took me a while to figure it out, but I'm told that because AC relies on traffic generated from people searching for info on a variety of topics, a short story isn't likely to draw a lot of traffic from those Google-type searches. Makes sense, but I wish I'd known that before all of that editing. You live and you learn and then you move on.
So, instead of submitting my story, I dusted off an article I'd published a few years back and I'm still waiting to hear if it's going to be accepted or not. I should know by this Friday and I'll be sure to post the results. I submitted a previously published piece because they only pay a very limited amount per article. A bit of a rip off if I submit something new that can garner more, but the one that I offered was published for free on an entertainment type eZine and, since it was several years old (and I hadn't thought about it since), I decided that I could afford to let it go for a few bucks (which in this case is more than it made the first time around). AC says they prefer first time works, but that they do accept previously published material, so we'll see.
If and when I do publish with AC or any other content sites (There are a lot more and I'll list them later), it will most definitely be articles with topics they're requesting (they regularly give you a list of subjects that they want). In other words, I'll go outside my genre to write for them for a little extra cash and exposure, but I don't see myself giving my more passionate article subjects to them unless, of course, I can't get them published elsewhere. Even then, an article would have to be pretty old for me to submit it. Does this make sense? I also think these kinds of sites are great for showcasing writing samples to potential clients. Not to mention, AC has a great forum for networking with other writers.
Also, as mentioned in yesterday's post, I've discovered that money is to be made blogging. Basically, there are a lot of sites that will pay you to list their buttons, banners and links on your blog. Each time one of your visitors clicks on one of them, you're given a share of the revenue generated from the click. Cool concept. We've all seen the links on websites and blogs, but I don't know how many of us actually click on them. With these sites, you're also responsible for getting people to come to your site which can be tough and time-consuming. And once they arrive, there's still no guarantee that they'll be interested in clicking ads. Still, I signed up with a couple of sites offering this. One site accepted my application and another turned it down. I won't say the name of the one who accepted me due to my agreement with them. Basically, they have a lot of rules and I'm scared to break them. Not that they're paying a ton of money, but I don't want to get kicked out of the club before learning how to maximize the system. The other site, Blogitive, turned me down though, so I can mention them. I'll actually reapply to them after I build my blog up a little more (which, I strongly suspect, is the reason they denied my application...there's not enough here yet). My research indicates that they are also a good company with a good reputation.
Overall, there are mixed reviews about the whole making money publishing online thing. A lot of WAHM types are really into it as are other writers I've met online in the last few days of my new old career. One very helpful blogger swears she's making $1200 per month just by ads on her blog. Yet other writers are adamant that blogging for dollars and submitting articles for content sites aren't professional writing gigs, but simply marketing tools and ways for housewives to make petty cash. Okay, the housewives bit is all me, but it seems to ring true. The blogger making $1200 per month doesn't appear to be the norm. Most are making $50 per mo. or less. Still, I'll blog on and see if I can make a buck in the process. If I can/would do it for free, I should be able to turn a profit-even a teensy one-right? Besides, the blogging is a good exercise to get me back in the habit of toying with my talent.
Oh, and I was asked to write an article on a very juicy entertainment topic. If all goes as planned, I'll be combining the research and opinions of two experts in the field on a topic that's sure to garner the attention of those interested in the business side of the industry. The subject has the potential to be a Vibe, Rolling Stone or even a Wall Street piece. More on that as it develops though.
So that was my weekend start up project and I feel like I learned a lot and have quite a few possibilities left to explore. I'm finding myself brainstorming different ideas and topics during my quiet moments and I'm really looking forward to seeing where it all leads.
posted by BabyBlogger at 3:12 PM
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