Studio Blog
Welcome to the Demand Studios Blog – a resource for writers, contributors and freelancers alike! Come here for answers to your questions, Studio news, writing tips and more.
Studio Blog
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
I'm M. H. Bonham, and I'm an award-winning, published freelance author of 30 books (Idiot's Guides, Dummies and other books) and hundreds of magazine articles. I enjoy writing for Demand Studios because it's an easy way for me to pick up a bit of cash between long assignments, and I can work on articles I would normally not be assigned. I can experiment and write articles not in my normal repertoire, which gives me great credentials. What's more is that I can always guarantee when a Demand Studios check comes out. I've recommended Demand Studios to a few of my writer friends who were looking for work.
I'm M. H. Bonham, and I'm an award-winning, published freelance author of 30 books (Idiot's Guides, Dummies and other books) and hundreds of magazine articles. I enjoy writing for Demand Studios because it's an easy way for me to pick up a bit of cash between long assignments, and I can work on articles I would normally not be assigned. I can experiment and write articles not in my normal repertoire, which gives me great credentials. What's more is that I can always guarantee when a Demand Studios check comes out. I've recommended Demand Studios to a few of my writer friends who were looking for work.
JE Myers is a premium How To writer for eHow. JE’s article How to Kill a Facebook Bot is one of our flagship examples for Premium How To’s and can easily be applied to any how to article.
All of us who write for DS regularly have been beat into submission by now about writing "For A Style." I mean, when you first start writing for DS, you're petrified of writing "the wrong way." Your first six weeks of "How To" articles is humiliating. Really. It's hard. So once you start to break through the crust and feel some confidence that a CE is not going to bat your ears flat about going out of the lines of a DS style, it is really hard to "let go" in Premium How To’s. I am a very bold person, but even I was downright timid on my first article - and the second. The cricket on my shoulder was whispering "Oh, Jay...Mr. Lally wouldn't like this..."
But it’s okay to lighten up a little bit.
When I taught acting and directed stage plays long ago, I always told actors to "Go there. All the way. Trust me: I'll pull you back. But you have to put it all out there first." I think it's easier to pull back on an artist than it is to get them to "go there." That’s what you have to do with these articles.
Articles written for the “inside” pages on eHow.com means exposure to potentially thousands of readers. While writers should always strive for an outstanding product, a good How To can follow these suggested steps and potentially be promoted to premium How to articles.
Here are some more tips:
The Writing Process
• Humor helps, when appropriate. But written illustrations are even more vital to this kind of writing. If length permits, provide written snapshots of what you’re writing about. Help the reader “see” the content with rich descriptions and examples. Don’t hold back the paint brush. Paint.
• Clarity is everything. This is a “quick” medium. Get to the point, nail the fundamental steps in a process, reach the bottom line fast - and make it all crystal clear to the reader. Confusion and murkiness are the eHow reader’s worst enemy - and the writer’s too. It’s very important to read and reread your own copy several times through, step by step, to be sure the writing is “tight.” If a chosen word doesn’t contribute to the story in a meaningful way, cut it or find a better word.
• Finally, envisioning the reader as a real presence is important. It may help to imagine a stranger asking the question of you, The Expert, hoping to get a really helpful answer that saves them time, trouble, money or a loss of some kind. Consumers need information and answers and they need expert help at no cost - now more than ever. Start writing with the reader’s needs in mind. Be generous with what you know and share it. Give good advice or information that you feel personally certain will work for them. Don’t let any reader walk away with a sack of Wrong. Serve them. Be aware they are there, on the other side of the computer monitor, and serve them as you write.
The Overview
• The opening paragraph of a How To should be like the first two minutes of a good motion picture: it’s got to grab the reader, intrigue them and get them to follow you into the meat of the article. You have to give the reader a reason to continue to read. Foreshadow a benefit they will gain, paint a picture of a threat coming their way, promise to make them chuckle, something that not only makes them want to read but need to read the article. The Overview should contain the standard “Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How,” briefly, but then pull them into the body of the article as well.
Bulking Up the Steps
• Research is important, not only about the “facts” of the topic, but the potential cultural context flowing around it. If the article is about how to combat a virus on Facebook, the writer needs to not only know how to fight the virus, but also understand where Facebook is in its development and how people have become enamored, if not dependent on it. This is especially true if you’re not personally “into” the Topic. A Premium How To should begin with a well-rounded understanding of the topic from many angles. Make the reader feel you are “into” it with them.
• If you are generous with illustrations and examples, you’ll have no problem filing out steps. While some steps are facile or obvious, and adding empty “bulk” would be disingenuous, you can easily “feed” other steps so they are packed with clues, hints, extra help and demonstrations. Cite the step, tease it out with necessary detail, and then illustrate it with an example.
Finding the Unusual
For me, the fun of writing is finding ways to say things that aren’t common or expected. I search for them gladly. How can I explain or state this idea in a way the reader won’t expect? How can I catch them off guard, or attract their attention by using words or anecdotes that are different? How can I throw a bucket of colorful words on a white wall? Many times, I draw on my own unusual life experiences that, thankfully, I’ve archived in memory over 55 years, to come up with that magical “different way.” Every writer, at least he or she who cares about being read and making a connection with a reader, has to find that “trick” that unearths the unusual in what they write. Caring enough to rise to the challenge, sentence by sentence, is most of the secret. The rest is, well, a secret!
All of us who write for DS regularly have been beat into submission by now about writing "For A Style." I mean, when you first start writing for DS, you're petrified of writing "the wrong way." Your first six weeks of "How To" articles is humiliating. Really. It's hard. So once you start to break through the crust and feel some confidence that a CE is not going to bat your ears flat about going out of the lines of a DS style, it is really hard to "let go" in Premium How To’s. I am a very bold person, but even I was downright timid on my first article - and the second. The cricket on my shoulder was whispering "Oh, Jay...Mr. Lally wouldn't like this..."
But it’s okay to lighten up a little bit.
When I taught acting and directed stage plays long ago, I always told actors to "Go there. All the way. Trust me: I'll pull you back. But you have to put it all out there first." I think it's easier to pull back on an artist than it is to get them to "go there." That’s what you have to do with these articles.
Articles written for the “inside” pages on eHow.com means exposure to potentially thousands of readers. While writers should always strive for an outstanding product, a good How To can follow these suggested steps and potentially be promoted to premium How to articles.
Here are some more tips:
The Writing Process
• Humor helps, when appropriate. But written illustrations are even more vital to this kind of writing. If length permits, provide written snapshots of what you’re writing about. Help the reader “see” the content with rich descriptions and examples. Don’t hold back the paint brush. Paint.
• Clarity is everything. This is a “quick” medium. Get to the point, nail the fundamental steps in a process, reach the bottom line fast - and make it all crystal clear to the reader. Confusion and murkiness are the eHow reader’s worst enemy - and the writer’s too. It’s very important to read and reread your own copy several times through, step by step, to be sure the writing is “tight.” If a chosen word doesn’t contribute to the story in a meaningful way, cut it or find a better word.
• Finally, envisioning the reader as a real presence is important. It may help to imagine a stranger asking the question of you, The Expert, hoping to get a really helpful answer that saves them time, trouble, money or a loss of some kind. Consumers need information and answers and they need expert help at no cost - now more than ever. Start writing with the reader’s needs in mind. Be generous with what you know and share it. Give good advice or information that you feel personally certain will work for them. Don’t let any reader walk away with a sack of Wrong. Serve them. Be aware they are there, on the other side of the computer monitor, and serve them as you write.
The Overview
• The opening paragraph of a How To should be like the first two minutes of a good motion picture: it’s got to grab the reader, intrigue them and get them to follow you into the meat of the article. You have to give the reader a reason to continue to read. Foreshadow a benefit they will gain, paint a picture of a threat coming their way, promise to make them chuckle, something that not only makes them want to read but need to read the article. The Overview should contain the standard “Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How,” briefly, but then pull them into the body of the article as well.
Bulking Up the Steps
• Research is important, not only about the “facts” of the topic, but the potential cultural context flowing around it. If the article is about how to combat a virus on Facebook, the writer needs to not only know how to fight the virus, but also understand where Facebook is in its development and how people have become enamored, if not dependent on it. This is especially true if you’re not personally “into” the Topic. A Premium How To should begin with a well-rounded understanding of the topic from many angles. Make the reader feel you are “into” it with them.
• If you are generous with illustrations and examples, you’ll have no problem filing out steps. While some steps are facile or obvious, and adding empty “bulk” would be disingenuous, you can easily “feed” other steps so they are packed with clues, hints, extra help and demonstrations. Cite the step, tease it out with necessary detail, and then illustrate it with an example.
Finding the Unusual
For me, the fun of writing is finding ways to say things that aren’t common or expected. I search for them gladly. How can I explain or state this idea in a way the reader won’t expect? How can I catch them off guard, or attract their attention by using words or anecdotes that are different? How can I throw a bucket of colorful words on a white wall? Many times, I draw on my own unusual life experiences that, thankfully, I’ve archived in memory over 55 years, to come up with that magical “different way.” Every writer, at least he or she who cares about being read and making a connection with a reader, has to find that “trick” that unearths the unusual in what they write. Caring enough to rise to the challenge, sentence by sentence, is most of the secret. The rest is, well, a secret!
Credit: Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Velo Steve
I was talking with Rachel, the editor and gatekeeper of one of our websites, Answerbag.com, and we noticed a high volume of articles (approx. 500) were being set under the subcategory “Random Knowledge.” This creates a huge problem for the site, but also for your articles. If you set the category incorrectly for Answerbag.com, your article will be set to that category and misfiled.
Even though our titles are crafted to be picked up through search, setting the wrong category or wrong subcategory will result in your article getting lost on the website to which it is being published.
Specifically, for Answerbag.com, the category “Education” is intended for articles or titles directly related to the institution of education, not anything that's knowledge (because really, that would mean everything). Articles that can teach you about a topic you could learn in school should not be categorized under "Education." For example, an article about applying to a university would be filed under "Education," but an article about the science of the ocean would not (it would go under Science).
Below is a list of all Answerbag's top-level categories - it should be a good reference when categorizing articles.
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
My name is Kate Massie. After majoring in journalism for college, I worked in the tattoo industry for more than 10 years. During this time, I worked as a professional artist and wrote press releases for industry-related publications. Two months after I retired, I received an acceptance letter from Demand Studios. With this company, I can continue to educate the public on the history, technical aspects and perils of tattooing and piercing. Demand Studios allows me to continue to educate others, while housing a fantastic community of talented people.
My name is Kate Massie. After majoring in journalism for college, I worked in the tattoo industry for more than 10 years. During this time, I worked as a professional artist and wrote press releases for industry-related publications. Two months after I retired, I received an acceptance letter from Demand Studios. With this company, I can continue to educate the public on the history, technical aspects and perils of tattooing and piercing. Demand Studios allows me to continue to educate others, while housing a fantastic community of talented people.
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
Eric Broder here. I've been a professional writer for 30 years; I was the managing editor and penned a weekly humor column for Cleveland alternative weeklies “Edition” and “Free Times.” I've been doing less writing lately and more editing—I've copyedited several books on a variety of subjects, ranging from Cleveland pro sports to digestive diseases (not that one has anything to do with the other). I love Demand Studios’ chunky, bite-sized nuggets of prose that I can edit quickly. It's been a dream to be able to self-supervise, working when I want and where I want.
Eric Broder here. I've been a professional writer for 30 years; I was the managing editor and penned a weekly humor column for Cleveland alternative weeklies “Edition” and “Free Times.” I've been doing less writing lately and more editing—I've copyedited several books on a variety of subjects, ranging from Cleveland pro sports to digestive diseases (not that one has anything to do with the other). I love Demand Studios’ chunky, bite-sized nuggets of prose that I can edit quickly. It's been a dream to be able to self-supervise, working when I want and where I want.
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
I'm Rica Lewis, a former health care professional with a longtime passion for reading and writing. I took a paying job in the nursing field, still desiring to write but not considering it a practical way to make a living. When I stumbled upon Demand Studios, I figured I'd make some extra cash and practice my passion. One year and hundreds of articles later, I realized Demand Studios could be more than a leisure pursuit. I now write full time, using my experiences in healthcare to string articles on my sofa.
I'm Rica Lewis, a former health care professional with a longtime passion for reading and writing. I took a paying job in the nursing field, still desiring to write but not considering it a practical way to make a living. When I stumbled upon Demand Studios, I figured I'd make some extra cash and practice my passion. One year and hundreds of articles later, I realized Demand Studios could be more than a leisure pursuit. I now write full time, using my experiences in healthcare to string articles on my sofa.
Are you a super-smart college student who will be in the L.A. area from June to August, or know someone who is? Do you want to learn how to survive in the rapidly changing journalism industry? Have you always wanted to hang out with the Demand Studios gang? You're in luck: We are looking for a group of talented interns to join our editorial team for an eight-week intensive summer program.
Our internship program is highly structured, with an emphasis on workshops and education. Demand Media interns walk away with a polished resume and working knowledge of HTML, Photoshop, Search Engine Optimization, Google Analytics and social media strategies. Demand Media editors fetch their own coffee.
Currently we have three different types of internships available:
Demand Studios
Work directly with in-house Demand Studios editors to develop guidelines, facilitate communication between writers and copy editors, audit quality and assist with writer development, and dozens more potential projects based on intern interest and editor need.
Successful Demand Studios interns will have a background in writing, journalism and/or copy editing and a desire to learn the ins and outs of online publishing.
Demand’s Owned and Operated Internet Properties, such as eHow.com, LIVESTRONG.COM, Trails.com, Answerbag, etc.
Work directly with in-house site editors to publish high-quality content in adherence with site’s voice and goals. Daily responsibilities depend on site assignment. Interns will also help select timely articles and write compelling headlines and copy for homepage and newsletters, along with syndicate content on sites such as Yahoo! Shine.
Successful site interns have a background in writing or journalism and a strong interest in magazine editing and/or web publishing.
Social Media and Marketing
Work with site and Studio editors along with representatives from community and marketing teams on how to socialize content. Develop Facebook, Twitter and Digg strategies for sites.
Successful marketing interns are avid social media users with a strong understanding of new media landscape. A background in marketing or communications is recommended.
Our office is located in Santa Monica, a block from the beach and Third Street Promenade.
To apply, please submit a resume, writing sample (no research papers, please) and cover letter explaining why you want to work at Demand to intern@demandmedia.com. Make sure to mention you heard about it on the DS blog!
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
I'm TS Owen, and I thought Demand Studios would be a perfect fit after I retired from newspaper editing. I could scratch my nose for news, take photos for art, earn real money and do it at home in the beautiful Canadian Rockies. For an old journalist like me, Demand Studios was like learning a new language that became easier as new formats and style guidelines came out. I love the endless titles that capture my curiosity and quick responses from the Demand Studios team when I have comments.
I'm TS Owen, and I thought Demand Studios would be a perfect fit after I retired from newspaper editing. I could scratch my nose for news, take photos for art, earn real money and do it at home in the beautiful Canadian Rockies. For an old journalist like me, Demand Studios was like learning a new language that became easier as new formats and style guidelines came out. I love the endless titles that capture my curiosity and quick responses from the Demand Studios team when I have comments.
Whenever anyone asks me for a tip for new writers, I always recommend they research. I especially recommend they research the types of opportunities available to freelancers nowadays and the various formats for each.
This is something that surprises many new writers. There’s more to writing than just, well, writing. Different types of writing have different formats. For example, an ebook is formatted differently than a magazine article and an article for Demand Studios is formatted differently than a blog post. Also, each different client has a different format for submission.
It’s been years since I worked in publishing but I still remember one editor who wouldn’t read any manuscripts if they didn’t follow the proper guidelines for format. We though she was just cranky but she was also a stickler for following directions, and she’s not the only one. The reason many clients request a specific format is because it makes life easier for them. They’re not making you follow guidelines or sticking words and sentences on specific forms and spaces because they want you to jump through hoops. It’s because everything has to have a place for it to work properly.
Here are a few tips for adapting to new rules and clients:
1. Always ask for submission and format guidelines
I’m not suggesting this to cause you more work or have you look like a suck up. It’s so that you don’t spend time on a piece only to have it rejected or sent back for rewriting because the format is all effed up. Also, sometimes editors forget to you tell you there’s a specific format. The last thing you want is to spend hours on something only to find out it won’t work out as written.
2. Ask if there are any glitches you should know about.
Before starting to blog for you here, Mary sent me a laundry list of do’s and don’ts. She didn’t do this to be difficult, she did it because this blogging application can be temperamental sometimes and if I put something in wrong, you’d see all sorts of wonkiness.
3. Ask about the platform itself
There are so many different types of blogging and writing platforms nowadays, and not all are created equal. There’s no shame in asking about the publisher’s platform before getting started. First, you want to be sure you’re experienced in this platform. If not, you’ll want to look up some tutorials. Also, you’ll want to be sure whatever applications you’re using are compatible with your client’s apps. I’ve been in situations where many clients couldn’t open my Open Office files and ended up having to break down and spend the money on Microsoft Office. Saving money wasted a lot of time. Always check for compatibility.
4. Formats aren’t difficult
Formats aren’t hard to learn. For most it’s a matter of margins and paragraphs. If a client asks for a specific format, look it up. If it’s something you’re not familiar with, it’ll be easy enough to learn, I promise. We don’t use typewriters anymore. Most online apps are self explanatory and those we have to format manually aren’t hard. It’s usually a matter of preference and ease on the publisher’s part.
To be honest…
Demand Studios has the strictest guidelines of any client I’ve ever worked with. That isn’t to say there’s anything wrong with this, but like the song says, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. Chalk it all up to experience. Following rules and submissions guidelines is important and no two clients are the same. Just don’t let it overwhelm you. If you mastered the Demand Studios stylesheets, everything else is gravy.
Deborah Ng is founder of the Freelance Writing Jobs network.
This is something that surprises many new writers. There’s more to writing than just, well, writing. Different types of writing have different formats. For example, an ebook is formatted differently than a magazine article and an article for Demand Studios is formatted differently than a blog post. Also, each different client has a different format for submission.
It’s been years since I worked in publishing but I still remember one editor who wouldn’t read any manuscripts if they didn’t follow the proper guidelines for format. We though she was just cranky but she was also a stickler for following directions, and she’s not the only one. The reason many clients request a specific format is because it makes life easier for them. They’re not making you follow guidelines or sticking words and sentences on specific forms and spaces because they want you to jump through hoops. It’s because everything has to have a place for it to work properly.
Here are a few tips for adapting to new rules and clients:
1. Always ask for submission and format guidelines
I’m not suggesting this to cause you more work or have you look like a suck up. It’s so that you don’t spend time on a piece only to have it rejected or sent back for rewriting because the format is all effed up. Also, sometimes editors forget to you tell you there’s a specific format. The last thing you want is to spend hours on something only to find out it won’t work out as written.
2. Ask if there are any glitches you should know about.
Before starting to blog for you here, Mary sent me a laundry list of do’s and don’ts. She didn’t do this to be difficult, she did it because this blogging application can be temperamental sometimes and if I put something in wrong, you’d see all sorts of wonkiness.
3. Ask about the platform itself
There are so many different types of blogging and writing platforms nowadays, and not all are created equal. There’s no shame in asking about the publisher’s platform before getting started. First, you want to be sure you’re experienced in this platform. If not, you’ll want to look up some tutorials. Also, you’ll want to be sure whatever applications you’re using are compatible with your client’s apps. I’ve been in situations where many clients couldn’t open my Open Office files and ended up having to break down and spend the money on Microsoft Office. Saving money wasted a lot of time. Always check for compatibility.
4. Formats aren’t difficult
Formats aren’t hard to learn. For most it’s a matter of margins and paragraphs. If a client asks for a specific format, look it up. If it’s something you’re not familiar with, it’ll be easy enough to learn, I promise. We don’t use typewriters anymore. Most online apps are self explanatory and those we have to format manually aren’t hard. It’s usually a matter of preference and ease on the publisher’s part.
To be honest…
Demand Studios has the strictest guidelines of any client I’ve ever worked with. That isn’t to say there’s anything wrong with this, but like the song says, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. Chalk it all up to experience. Following rules and submissions guidelines is important and no two clients are the same. Just don’t let it overwhelm you. If you mastered the Demand Studios stylesheets, everything else is gravy.
Deborah Ng is founder of the Freelance Writing Jobs network.
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Studios? We checked in with our community of freelance creators—writers, copy editors, filmmakers and titlers—and asked them to share their experiences. Hundreds of people chimed in about why Demand Media works for them. Tune in daily to read their firsthand accounts.
I'm Charlotte Gerber, and I've been a professional writer for 20 years and editor for the past five. I enjoy writing for Demand Studios because I can write when I want on the topics I choose. While I write for a variety of clients, I always come back to Demand Studios when I'm between jobs because it’s fun and supplements my other income. The flexible deadlines are also wonderful—they help me avoid stress if I have to drop everything and travel on assignment.
I'm Charlotte Gerber, and I've been a professional writer for 20 years and editor for the past five. I enjoy writing for Demand Studios because I can write when I want on the topics I choose. While I write for a variety of clients, I always come back to Demand Studios when I'm between jobs because it’s fun and supplements my other income. The flexible deadlines are also wonderful—they help me avoid stress if I have to drop everything and travel on assignment.
