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 Media 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 Erika Watts. I graduated from college in May 2006. I taught English and language arts to grades sixth through eighth before becoming a stay-at-home mom. I discovered Demand Media Studios after trying and failing to find another teaching job. I have had a great experience with Demand Media Studios so far. I love being able to set my own schedule and get paid well for what I do, all from the comfort of my recliner. Thanks Demand Media Studios for the opportunity.
I'm Erika Watts. I graduated from college in May 2006. I taught English and language arts to grades sixth through eighth before becoming a stay-at-home mom. I discovered Demand Media Studios after trying and failing to find another teaching job. I have had a great experience with Demand Media Studios so far. I love being able to set my own schedule and get paid well for what I do, all from the comfort of my recliner. Thanks Demand Media Studios for the opportunity.
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Media 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 Nancy Engel. I love the freedom to work when I want, where I want and as much or as little as I want. I love the freedom of no commute, no office politics and no invoices as well as the flexible schedule and predictable pay. I can work more hours one day and less the next as long as I meet my weekly goal. I work, and I receive pay; what could be better? The ultimate freedom is that I can indulge my passion for travel. As long as a hotel has wireless, I’m there. Thanks Demand Media Studios.
My name is Nancy Engel. I love the freedom to work when I want, where I want and as much or as little as I want. I love the freedom of no commute, no office politics and no invoices as well as the flexible schedule and predictable pay. I can work more hours one day and less the next as long as I meet my weekly goal. I work, and I receive pay; what could be better? The ultimate freedom is that I can indulge my passion for travel. As long as a hotel has wireless, I’m there. Thanks Demand Media Studios.
Travel writing is notoriously subjective, and lately the forums and groups have been abuzz with rumors about Demand Media Studios hotel articles. I’ve been the on-staff travel editor at DMS for nearly two years, and I want to address some of the more persistent rumors and give the definitive answer.
Q: Can I use the hotel’s website as a reference?
A: Of course. A hotel’s website is often a goldmine of information, especially if it has an online press kit, and can be more accurate than a guidebook in many situations. All we’re saying is this: take the website’s information with a grain of salt. The site is a marketing play. It’s your job to sift through and curate the marketing jargon and look into what the hotels’ website is not saying.
Q: Am I allowed to list amenities?
A: Please do. The trick is to think about the notable elements when you’re researching a hotel online. We don’t want a standard laundry list of amenities. (I’ve seen hotel articles that boast a room has “queen beds, televisions, phones and coffeemakers”—what about four walls and a locking door?) I want to know what sets this particular hotel apart from the pack.
Copy Editor PhyllisG summed it up well in a forum post:
If the swimming pool has a 100-ft circular slide, don't just say there's a pool; if the on-site restaurant serves French bistro food, discuss a few of the mouthwatering menu items. If suites have cooking facilities, that might be important to families; if there's a nearby attraction for kids, discuss that; if there's a lake for fishing, discuss that; if the town has interesting historical meaning, discuss that. Give the reader a picture of the particular property and surrounding area without the usual cliches.
Bottom line: Listed amenities need to enhance the article as a whole. I think Where to Stay in Chicago with Kids is a great example of using amenities to enhance the title.
To quote the great Richard Lally, one of our copy curators: “In other words, tell readers where they can comfortably bed down for the night, but don’t put them to sleep.”
Q: What adjectives am I allowed to use?
A: All of them – provided you use them wisely and well. Hemingway once wrote that Ezra Pound taught him to “distrust certain adjectives as [he] would later learn to distrust certain people in certain situations.”
All the talk about “empty adjectives” or “marketing copy” is really a result of using adjectives without proper details or context to back them up. The word “exotic,” for instance, means something different to a lifelong world traveler and someone who has never left the Midwest. As C.S. Lewis said, “Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say ‘infinitely’ when you mean ‘very’; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.”
Q: Can I write about a location if I haven’t been there personally?
A: Yes, provided you’ve done enough contextual research to present an authoritative take on the subject. Your writing will always be richer if you’re describing a place you’ve been in person—all the Internet and phone research in the world can’t make up for firsthand experience—but we do know the realities of writing travel articles for DMS.
Regardless of your experience, it’s important to present yourself as an insider or concierge. Give the reader a reason to trust you. Convey the idea that the person writing the story knows the reality on the ground, or at least has done some homework that enables him to aggregate the right resources and present them.
Have more questions? Ask in the comments, and we’ll compile them into Volume Two.
Congratulations to filmmaker Max Cusimano, the winner of September's Filmmaker iPad Giveaway!
Check out the announcement video below to get a peek at our Austin office and some of the DMS video team members who work there.
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Media 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 Selena Templeton. After earning a BA in English and hopping around from one job to another, dealing with commuting, office politics and rigid time clocks, I finally discovered the world of freelance writing. What I love about writing for Demand Media Studios is that I write, they edit, it gets published, and I get paid. No stalling, no excuses, no nightmares. I also love that I get to use my experience and knowledge to write informative health articles that receive feedback from readers. And best of all? I get to work in my pajamas, and no one calls office security.
My name is Selena Templeton. After earning a BA in English and hopping around from one job to another, dealing with commuting, office politics and rigid time clocks, I finally discovered the world of freelance writing. What I love about writing for Demand Media Studios is that I write, they edit, it gets published, and I get paid. No stalling, no excuses, no nightmares. I also love that I get to use my experience and knowledge to write informative health articles that receive feedback from readers. And best of all? I get to work in my pajamas, and no one calls office security.
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Media 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 Alex Cosper. I like Demand Media Studios because of its flexibility and the fact that it pays better than any other writing site I've found. I would like to expand into film eventually. I like interviews. What Demand Media Studios has taught me since I began is that there's a wide opportunity to write the best Internet articles on some of these deeper topics.
My name is Alex Cosper. I like Demand Media Studios because of its flexibility and the fact that it pays better than any other writing site I've found. I would like to expand into film eventually. I like interviews. What Demand Media Studios has taught me since I began is that there's a wide opportunity to write the best Internet articles on some of these deeper topics.
Your weekly update on what’s happening now. Each week the editorial team will highlight trending topics that are creating buzz on the Web and what you should keep an eye on in the coming week. For more information on how to best use this information, log in and check out the community forum post located here.
Five Trending Topics:
Five Breakout Topics:
Five Trending Topics:
Nobel Prize
Facebook privacy settings
NFL trading rules
Columbus Day
Fall Break
Five Breakout Topics:
Blackberry Tablet
IE9
Breast Cancer Awareness
Voting Registration
IE9
Breast Cancer Awareness
Voting Registration
Halloween
It's Writer Wednesday! Each week we ask our writers a question via Facebook and Twitter. The answers, stories, and overall response have been so great that we want to feature them on our blog! We'll highlight the most creative, intriguing and engaging responses and let those who are featured bask in the limelight just a little bit. Check back each week to see what question we ask, answer it yourself, and see who gets featured! This week we want to know:
When or how did you know you wanted to be a writer? Did a certain author inspire you? Maybe a teacher? Tell us your stories !
Thanks to everyone who chimed in! These were just some of the responses that caught our eye this week. Be sure to check back for the next installment of Writer Wednesday!
Ever wonder what it's like to work for Demand Media 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 Sherry Gray, and writing is my passion. With the goal of a writing career in mind, I took every writing, journalism and English course available in college, along with courses to enrich my general knowledge. But life, marriage and children intervened, and I was sidetracked into Web development. When the company I worked for began to fail, I was thrilled to find Demand Media Studios. Writing for Demand Media Studios allows me to work on my own schedule, take time off when I want and work extra hours when I need extra money. It's perfect.
My name is Sherry Gray, and writing is my passion. With the goal of a writing career in mind, I took every writing, journalism and English course available in college, along with courses to enrich my general knowledge. But life, marriage and children intervened, and I was sidetracked into Web development. When the company I worked for began to fail, I was thrilled to find Demand Media Studios. Writing for Demand Media Studios allows me to work on my own schedule, take time off when I want and work extra hours when I need extra money. It's perfect.
You Can't Be Scared to Talk to People if You Want to Be a Good Writer
Posted by Johan | October 5, 2010 | Comments (15)
When I told my mother I wanted to study journalism in college, she didn’t immediately shower me with support and encouragement. Her first words were something along the lines of “But you’re so shy, how’s that going to work out?” Not the response I wanted as an aspiring writer, but it was a valid point. You can’t be scared to talk to people if you want to be a good writer.
My mother has always been very supportive with whatever I’ve wanted to do in life, but seeing her shy son walk up to strangers and conduct interviews probably felt like a stretch. I admit, it intimidated me a bit at first. However, I knew I wanted to be a writer, and solid reporting requires you to talk to people. It can be the worst part of the job, but it can also be the most rewarding.
Interviews don’t have to be long and dry. They can develop from great conversations between you and the interview subject – it just so happens that you’re writing down everything he says. You can plan your questions ahead of time, but always be ready to abandon them if you get an answer that leads to a more interesting interview.
Demand Media Studios writer Jan Stowell recently took a trip down to his local fire station to interview the chief for his article Structural Firefighter Annual Training Requirements, and the first-hand information made the article come alive. The use of direct quotes was spot on and not excessive.
I’ve done more than 300 interviews in my writing career, and while some were not so great, others were fantastic. I ended up coming back to some people repeatedly because they were easy to talk to and had a lot of useful information to share. They were also great with referring me to other people I could talk to on similar subjects.
The point is, if you don’t know all the information required to complete an assignment, there is someone out there who does. Go find them and talk to them. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Jon Franklin once said “Back when I first started, I thought intelligence was the most important attribute a reporter could have. I have since changed my mind. You do have to be intelligent, but the big thing is courage. Courage to open your mind and let the whole damned confusing world in. Courage to always be the ignorant one, on somebody else's turf. Courage to stand corrected. Courage to take criticism. Courage to grow with your experiences. Courage to accept what you don't understand. Most of all, courage to see what is there and not what you want to think is there."
