Hello Studio writers,

 

We wanted to address some threads in the forums regarding writers being let go this week. We have actually been doing this since the inception of Demand Studios, especially in regards to a high number of rejected articles (as a percentage of their total articles submitted) and uncontested plagiarism flags. We also take a hard look at writers who have had more than 40% of their submitted articles (all time) sent back for rewrites. One of the major complaints we’ve heard from our writer community is not having timely, fair reviews of their content. One issue that works against that is poor writing which backs up the copy-editing queue.

 

We don’t want you to panic and think we are on a firing spree, because we’re not. We are currently working on tools to give you better visibility into your library of content. As a reminder, things that play a big part in terminating a writer’s privileges are a high number of valid rejections, a high percentage of rewrites, poor content that doesn’t meet the stated guidelines and plagiarized articles. Of course, we will also continue to give you tools and training like the recent writer conference call hosted by the Demand Studios team and featuring writing tips from Richard Lally and Eve Lederman. We do want to help in every way to make you better at your craft – but we also believe that a key way to do that is by supporting our community of quality writers through efforts like this. 

 

I hope this puts most of your minds at ease. Thanks for listening.

 

Johan and the Demand Studios Team

Hello Writers!  We want to take a moment to address some common questions relating to plagiarism flags. Every article you submit goes through an automatic plagiarism checker, but a flagged article is not tantamount to an accusation of plagiarism.

 

Demand Studios is proud to showcase original content from writers like yourselves and it is our belief that taking measures to ensure that all of our articles are original best serves our growing community.

 

We realize that appealing a plagiarism flag is an extra step for you and for our team but we’re confident that this simple system ensures that we continue to produce content we can all be proud of.

 

Here are some points of interest regarding the process, including tips for helping the process run more expediently.

 

·         To appeal a plagiarism flag, contact the editorial team editorialteam@demandstudios.com within 7 days of the flag. Please be prompt. You should receive a trigger email informing you of the flag, however, it’s always prudent to check the status of your articles on a daily basis.

 

·         When submitting an appeal, please clearly state the exact title of the article. Giving the correct title will help expedite the process. Also, please submit one appeal per article. Please avoid writing the editorial team to ‘follow up’ on a number of your flagged articles as it slows up the system.

 

·         It’s best to be direct and to the point when submitting an appeal. No need for an expansive story, just a quick note highlighting areas of concern is sufficient.

 

·         If you have questions about proper sourcing, please contact us through HelpDesk or reference resources on the General Forum and Blog. Some great resources for using proper parenthetical citations etc. can be found here:

 

http://www.demandstudios.com/community/forum.html?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3a2385d292-db38-4e0c-8199-ba98a40f2029Forum%3a5a3012ed-e3b5-41fd-8400-225d3d8fdcdfDiscussion%3aefabcdd1-a9b1-4a02-baed-c1e86f88e6c2

 

http://www.demandstudios.com/community/forum.html?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3a5731a318-d80f-429c-80a6-39f4320162c6Forum%3a7b503d4c-4bad-43d2-b2d9-f760c5926b49Discussion%3a83cfdcf4-5fc3-41ca-b35d-aac046fbf8a8

 

·         If an article is cleared of a plagiarism flag and then sent back for a rewrite, it will inevitably be flagged the second time around. The second flag needs to be appealed in the same manner as the first flag. We understand that appealing a second flag is time consuming, but running articles through the plagiarism checker after a rewrite allows Demand Studios to ensure the highest quality of content.

 

·         Demand Studios treats duplicating content from your own work in the same manner as plagiarism. All articles must contain original material. If you do not feel that you can create an article that is unique from your previous work, please do not attempt to write the article. This also applies to similar titles that you grab from our assignment list. If you grab two similar titles, the content from one article cannot be repurposed for the second. If you don’t think you can write two completely unique pieces, it’s best not to grab both titles.

 

·         Including a reference at the end of your article does not mean that direct quotes can be used without citations in the text. Rewrite facts and information in your own words or include citations within the body of the article to avoid plagiarism flags or rejections. Including citations within the body of the article also adds credibility to your work.

Hi, my name is Jay Holzer, the Director of Video Production for Demand Studios.  Every day, I have the privilege of working with filmmakers across the globe to create high quality video content for sites like eHow and LIVESTRONG.COM.  In the four years since we launched what has become the Demand Studios Filmmaker Program, I have also had the privilege of watching the production process for online video go through a significant evolution.

 We shot our very first made-for-Internet instructional videos on a Canon GL2 (a $3,500, standard-definition MiniDV camera) and published them to a then-unknown video sharing site named YouTube.   Today, our original videos have been viewed by millions of users and the landscape couldn’t be more different.   Online video is expected to account for 80% of all Internet consumption within the next year. Thanks to innovations from companies like RED, Panasonic, and Canon the barrier to entry for professional-quality high-definition video continues to get lower.   The lines, especially around cost, are already starting to blur between still camera and video camera.  Many SLR-like 2009 models now come standard with interchangeable lenses, full HD resolution, and variable frame rates.  Seasoned professionals are now able to create even higher quality content while a new crop of budding filmmakers, once barred due to high costs, are able to equip themselves with the latest technology. 

At Demand Studios we’re already seeing this trend within our filmmaker community.  When we began recruiting filmmakers in 2005, our application form had a drop-down for “Camera Model” and a list of the 10 industry-standard cameras for any prospective filmmaker.  Today the pro-level camera options for filmmakers are far too numerous to list. Our filmmakers shoot with everything from the $800 Canon HV20 to the $18,000 RED ONE, each capable of producing the professional HD images that our sites have come to expect (and demand) from our videos.  Whether it’s How to Use a Stationary Bike on LIVESTRONG.COM, or How to Grow Green Peppers on eHow, these advancements have made it possible for Demand Studios to build one of the largest libraries of HD video, and add to it daily. 

In an environment where technology has led to smaller, less expensive cameras, while distribution channels for video continue to grow, the opportunities for filmmakers will be limitless.  When I started with the company I was a film school grad working on borrowed equipment that I couldn’t afford to buy.  My goal was to be able to go out and shoot something I would be proud of.  Looking back, I never dreamed that we would have created opportunities for filmmakers like myself to produce more than 150,000 videos and become the No. 1 contributor to YouTube-- all while helping to build great brands like LIVESTRONG.COM and eHow.  As the Demand Studios team works to build the world’s largest filmmaking community, we look forward to providing current and future filmmakers with a way to put their talent to work.

A Demand Studios title determines how content is created, indexed by search engines, and seen by someone reading an article or watching a video on the Internet. Since Demand Studios titles are generated from a variety of sources, including specific content requests made by users on our network of sites, you may see incomplete or poorly worded phrases presented as titles. The role of title proofers and title reviewers is to select those titles that can potentially be made into an article or video, while making sure each one presents a clear directive for writers and filmmakers. Additionally, proofers and reviewers select and approve other related data with every title.

In other words, title proofers are the gate keepers for titles that need a bit of work before writers can well, write them.

Title Proofers assess title quality, then edit the title watching out for grammar, word order, misspellings, punctuation,cosmetic phrasing and capitalization. They then choose the format for the title, select a category (which determines how Demand Studios organizes titles) and match the title for a keyword search term.

Below are a few examples of titles that need title proofing, followed by the end result:


How to Potty Train Irish Setter ‐‐‐> How to Potty Train an Irish Setter


How to Paint a House Video ‐‐‐> How to Paint a House


Is There a Recipe to Make Body Butter? ‐‐‐> Recipe to Make Body Butter


There are also titles that need to be rejected. Titles should always be clean, legal, grammatically sound, practical, sensible and factual. A few titles that had to be rejected:

How to Steal Satellite TV - This is illegal and content we do not want on our sites

Zagat Restaurant Review - Zagat provides Zagat Restaurant Reviews. We don’t replicate others’ content.


Have any specific questions about the title proofing process? Don't hesitate to email us: editorialteam@demandstudios.com

The short answer to the question above, is yes! We realize that many of our writers have had or still have careers as editors and vice versa and so there’s always been an opportunity for dual roles at Demand Studios, providing the requirements and qualifications are met.

To become a copy editor, you must have 5 years of demonstrated editing or copyediting experience with a newspaper, magazine or book publisher. The position is part-time and all work is done online. We do require our editors to commit to working a minimum of 12 hours per week, every week. We pay a flat fee of $3.50 per article, with most editors averaging $20-$25 per hour, paid on a weekly basis via PayPal.

If you're already a writer, the procedure for applying as a copy editor is simple. On the left hand side of your Demand Studios profile, there is a section titled “Studio Jobs.” The section lists different positions at DS, including copy editor, filmmaker and transcriber among others, followed by an “Apply Now!” link where you can  upload a new resume and provide links specifically for the position you’re applying for.

-Liana

We get questions from potential writers all the time about the legitimacy of Demand Studios: Is Demand Studios a scam? The answer is, simply, “no.”

With over 2000 active writers who create content and reach an audience of millions, as well as filmmakers, copy editors, transcribes and title proofers who contribute their skills and talent to Demand Studios every day, there's one thing you can be sure of- Demand Studios is not a scam. Writers within DS have contribute articles to websites such as eHow, Trails, Travels, Modern Mom and LIVESTRONG.com. The best part? Not only does Demand Studios pay per assignment, but payments are made through PayPal every week. No checks. No paperwork and no hassle.

In addition to flat-fee assignments, Demand Studios also offers revenue share, which means that you earn a portion of the earnings generated from an article you publish through Demand Studios. This means that you can reap the rewards of your high quality writing long after the assignment is published.

When you're accepted as a writer, you will need to supply basic tax information including a social security number, however this information is encrypted for security purposes and the information isn't stored anywhere.

Our home page has featured creators who have shared their experiences with Demand Studios and if that's not enough, people are tweeting about us too!







-Liana

Hi, my name is Jeremy Reed, the Senior Vice President of Content for Demand Media and Demand Studios. From 1992 until 1998 I listed “freelance writer/editor” under “Occupation” on my tax returns, and that line often included a supplemental source of income, such as “bartender.” For the past 11 years, however, I’ve been fortunate enough to hold full-time positions in the publishing world, both print and online. Today my team and I spend our days (and our nights) building the content strategy for Demand Studios and understanding how it can fuel the editorial voice of sites like eHow.com and LIVESTRONG.COM. I, humbly, like to think I’ve learned a thing or three.

On the wall in my office I’ve posted four quotes that summarize some of the most important lessons (good and bad) I’ve picked up over the years. The notes read:

“Hello, babies. Welcome to the Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies – 'God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.'” – Author Kurt Vonnegut

I once had an editor at an established alt-weekly who gave me the opportunity to write on a topic (“the Web”) that was beyond my proven expertise (music, books, dining). She spent hours helping me shape the piece until it was perfect. It became a writing sample I used for years to come, and the byline—mine—offered no hint of the assistance she gave me. I’ve never forgotten that generosity, and I hope we extend it to everyone we work with.

“Take it easy, but take it.” – Author/Historian Studs Terkel

There’s a hustle that’s inherent to freelancing. You must get published in a number of different places, gain experience creating content on a variety of topics and, most important, continually improve your craft. It’s often a tiresome process, but over time I’ve learned not to sweat the small stuff and to focus on getting what I wanted: more opportunities to spend more time doing what I love—writing.

“A good writer need only do two things well: Live and write, and the job is done.” – Author Charles Bukowski

The more I practiced, the more my writing and editing improved. And the more I lived and experienced the world, the more opportunities I had to “write what I know,” simply because I knew so much more.

“ … I want each of you to adopt the philosophy of the detective Al Pacino played in the film, “Sea of Love.” When someone asked how he subdued a criminal, Pacino replied,”I get in, I hit 'em hard, I hit 'em fast, I hit 'em a lot, I get outta there.” - Demand Studios Copy Curator Richard Lally

This last reminder comes from our own copyediting community. This passage was taken from a copyediting workshop in which Richard explained the art of editing copy at scale. But it also perfectly captures the art of effective writing, editing and communication. The best freelance relationships start with the publisher (in this case, Demand Studios) clearly conveying instructions and guidance to the Creators—the writers, filmmakers and other artists—who then compose, film or edit content to those specs.

Those relationships have produced measurable dividends. Demand Studios is publishing more than 2,000 pieces of content a day (including videos and articles), and we will soon surpass $15 million dollars in payouts to our creator community.

We all take pride in reaching these milestones, but we’re especially pleased that we accomplished this while keeping an eye on what all creators should hold so important: sharing the knowledge we’ve acquired through researching subjects and just walking the planet.

We will make mistakes along the way, and we will continue to learn from you. I promise to remember the importance of being kind and building something that goes beyond numbers. That would be something we all can take pride in.

"When Does Demand Studios Pay?" is a very common question we regularly receive from new writers. The process of payment is straightforward and outlined below:

As stated in our FAQ, writers will be paid following acceptance by us of each assignment.However flat fee articles and revenue-share articles differ slightly where payment is concerned.

Flat Fee

• Articles approved by copy editors at 11:59pm Pacific time or before on Wednesday are paid that Friday
• Articles approved by copy editors midnight Pacific time on Thursday and beyond will be paid the following Friday

Revenue-Share

• Revenue-Share articles have a slightly different payment process. After a revenue share article is published your earnings are deposited into your PayPal account on the 10th of every month, but only after all of your rev-share articles have started earning a combined total of $10 or more. So if your article earned $1 in February and $11.50 in March, you will be paid $12.50 on April 10. Similarly, if you had 11 articles that earned $2 each in March, you'd get paid $22 on April 10. If you article has not yet earned $10, the payment will cycle to the following month.

If you feel there has been an error with your payment, please contact us When you write in with a specific payment issue, please include the titles in question.

-Liana