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
A great List article should strive to marry knowledge derived from both the writer’s own expertise as well as additional research done to complement that knowledge, or at the very least reinforce it. Each section should tie in to the title to make it all relevant to the reader and deliver the information they seek. It’s not enough to only list the different things, ways or locations the title asks for, it should also explain why these are the ones you chose to include and how it relates to the title.
A great example of how writer background enhances credibility to a piece of content can be seen in this article below where it shines through in both the author’s writing as well as in her bio. Each section explains why the breed mentioned is good for seniors in particular, it's not just a list of dogs and what they look like.
Thanks
A great example of how writer background enhances credibility to a piece of content can be seen in this article below where it shines through in both the author’s writing as well as in her bio. Each section explains why the breed mentioned is good for seniors in particular, it's not just a list of dogs and what they look like.
http://www.ehow.com/list_5814477_dogs-people-over-50.html
We also want you to go beyond the minimum requirements. We see a lot of three-section List articles when there were more that could have been added to make a more complete article. The articles should only have three sections if there is absolutely nothing else valuable to add. Or, if the three sections and overview are already 500 words and you can't cut it down to make room for more sections. We don't want you to start adding sections just for the sake of adding sections, but we want to make sure you provide the reader with a good experience and that requires going beyond the bare minimum.Thanks
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 Heather Vale Goss, and I've been working as a journalist and freelance writer in all media—TV, radio, print and online—for more than 15 years. I love the flexibility and control Demand Studios gives me; sure, I could spend days sending out queries to magazines and waiting weeks for replies—and I do that sometimes—but even if they pay a higher rate per word, it's a big gamble with a lot of wasted time. On the other hand, with Demand, I can just log in any time from home and focus on doing what I love: writing! Not only that, I can write as much or little as I like and get paid for it quickly. As the parent of a young toddler, that's crucial in being able to manage my time, and my freelance writing career.
I'm Heather Vale Goss, and I've been working as a journalist and freelance writer in all media—TV, radio, print and online—for more than 15 years. I love the flexibility and control Demand Studios gives me; sure, I could spend days sending out queries to magazines and waiting weeks for replies—and I do that sometimes—but even if they pay a higher rate per word, it's a big gamble with a lot of wasted time. On the other hand, with Demand, I can just log in any time from home and focus on doing what I love: writing! Not only that, I can write as much or little as I like and get paid for it quickly. As the parent of a young toddler, that's crucial in being able to manage my time, and my freelance writing career.
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 Luke Neumann, and I'm a filmmaker with Demand Studios. I have been making movies since I was 10 years old and just recently started turning it into a profession. After many horrible jobs (busboy, gutter hanger, fast food) and many major changes, it was a no-brainer at that point to start my path on video production. I took about a year to teach myself all I could and build a portfolio. Demand Studios was an absolute godsend. Without it, I could never have made it through the first parts of this journey. Now I am shooting weddings, music videos, commercials, corporate events, and I even find time to do some charity video work for free. Demand Studios is still a steady part of my income and will continue to be for as long as humanly possible. I love the freelance aspect of it; it appeals to my creative nature. To be doing something new and fresh every week keeps my brain churning and the creative juices flowing.
Check out this video Luke made for eHow:
How to Take Wildlife Photos
My name is Luke Neumann, and I'm a filmmaker with Demand Studios. I have been making movies since I was 10 years old and just recently started turning it into a profession. After many horrible jobs (busboy, gutter hanger, fast food) and many major changes, it was a no-brainer at that point to start my path on video production. I took about a year to teach myself all I could and build a portfolio. Demand Studios was an absolute godsend. Without it, I could never have made it through the first parts of this journey. Now I am shooting weddings, music videos, commercials, corporate events, and I even find time to do some charity video work for free. Demand Studios is still a steady part of my income and will continue to be for as long as humanly possible. I love the freelance aspect of it; it appeals to my creative nature. To be doing something new and fresh every week keeps my brain churning and the creative juices flowing.
Check out this video Luke made for eHow:
How to Take Wildlife Photos
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 am Charles Calmbacher. I have been publishing articles for the past 42 years. Some of the articles are technical in nature. I have worked as a sports editor, technical editor and restaurant critic. I have written for the “Atlanta Journal-Constitution,” “Occupational Health and Safety” magazine, “Inside Environment Magazine” and “Environmental Protection” magazine. I started working with Demand Studios last June. I enjoy the flexibility in choosing topics. I can indulge myself by writing about topics of which I have knowledge and that interest me. It is a great way to help satisfy my need to write.
I am Charles Calmbacher. I have been publishing articles for the past 42 years. Some of the articles are technical in nature. I have worked as a sports editor, technical editor and restaurant critic. I have written for the “Atlanta Journal-Constitution,” “Occupational Health and Safety” magazine, “Inside Environment Magazine” and “Environmental Protection” magazine. I started working with Demand Studios last June. I enjoy the flexibility in choosing topics. I can indulge myself by writing about topics of which I have knowledge and that interest me. It is a great way to help satisfy my need to write.
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 Shannon Cottongame, and I spent nine years writing for a small-town newspaper before becoming a stay-at-home mom. My husband and I quickly realized that we would need more income to make ends meet, and I missed writing. I found the solution to both of these problems when I applied at Demand Studios. I love the flexible schedule that allows me to care for my children, and I enjoy having the freedom to choose from so many titles and determine how much money I want to make. I can’t imagine ever being satisfied with a traditional office job again.
I’m Shannon Cottongame, and I spent nine years writing for a small-town newspaper before becoming a stay-at-home mom. My husband and I quickly realized that we would need more income to make ends meet, and I missed writing. I found the solution to both of these problems when I applied at Demand Studios. I love the flexible schedule that allows me to care for my children, and I enjoy having the freedom to choose from so many titles and determine how much money I want to make. I can’t imagine ever being satisfied with a traditional office job again.
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 Linda Ray, and I've been a professional journalist working for a range of daily and weekly newspapers and regional and national magazines for more than 20 years. Since the huge reduction in available print work has hit, it's been important to find a digital medium at which to publish. Demand Studios not only allows me to continue with my chosen career, but I get to do it from my window-lined office in the Great Smokey Mountains. It just doesn't get much better.
My name is Linda Ray, and I've been a professional journalist working for a range of daily and weekly newspapers and regional and national magazines for more than 20 years. Since the huge reduction in available print work has hit, it's been important to find a digital medium at which to publish. Demand Studios not only allows me to continue with my chosen career, but I get to do it from my window-lined office in the Great Smokey Mountains. It just doesn't get much better.
Thanks to the tireless work of our community, together, we were able to donate a total of 16,072 new books to First Book through our Write for a Cause program. Take a moment and think about that number. 16,072. That is the size of a small public library (Andrew Carnegie Free Library has 17,475 printed materials according to the Institute of Museum and Library Services).
It is also 16,072 unique bedtime stories and 16,072 chances to share something new with a child.
In the month of December, the Write for a Cause program witnessed writers and editors contribute 128,577 articles. Without the combined efforts of writers and CEs, we never could have achieved this impressive and amiable accomplishment. Thank you all for your generosity and enthusiastic support of this program – we couldn’t have done it without your help.
Also, we wanted to take a moment and applaud 25 writers (in no particular order) that went into overdrive this last month, together contributing more than 1,000 books to children in need.
Hayley Harrison, Greyson Ferguson, Bonnie Conrad, TS Jordan, Kathryn Hatter, Lisabetta DiVita, E. Burgess, John Hewitt, Jennifer M, Mark Kennan, Kevin Whipps, Russell Huebsch, Denver Mike, Jason Artman, Paul FR, Alexis W, Jenny Harrington, Erin S, Stephanie Mojica, Tracy S. Morris, Matthew Fortuna, Kefa Olang, Jennifer L. Potts, Christopher Godwin, and Gillian G.
Write for a Cause was a great success by all measures. It was a fantastic way to end this year and an even better way to swing us into a new decade. The support for this project was inspiring and we encourage you to suggest other programs where the work of this great community can make a difference in the world we all live in.
Thank you from us at DS and from the kids you’ve helped by participating!
It is also 16,072 unique bedtime stories and 16,072 chances to share something new with a child.
In the month of December, the Write for a Cause program witnessed writers and editors contribute 128,577 articles. Without the combined efforts of writers and CEs, we never could have achieved this impressive and amiable accomplishment. Thank you all for your generosity and enthusiastic support of this program – we couldn’t have done it without your help.
Also, we wanted to take a moment and applaud 25 writers (in no particular order) that went into overdrive this last month, together contributing more than 1,000 books to children in need.
Hayley Harrison, Greyson Ferguson, Bonnie Conrad, TS Jordan, Kathryn Hatter, Lisabetta DiVita, E. Burgess, John Hewitt, Jennifer M, Mark Kennan, Kevin Whipps, Russell Huebsch, Denver Mike, Jason Artman, Paul FR, Alexis W, Jenny Harrington, Erin S, Stephanie Mojica, Tracy S. Morris, Matthew Fortuna, Kefa Olang, Jennifer L. Potts, Christopher Godwin, and Gillian G.
Write for a Cause was a great success by all measures. It was a fantastic way to end this year and an even better way to swing us into a new decade. The support for this project was inspiring and we encourage you to suggest other programs where the work of this great community can make a difference in the world we all live in.
Thank you from us at DS and from the kids you’ve helped by participating!
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 Jerry Shaw, and I have spent more than 35 years in newspapers, magazines and book publishing. My career includes writing for Gannett newspapers and for AMI tabloids, such as “National Enquirer,” “Globe,” “Sun” and “Weekly World News.” I started with Demand Studios when LIVESTRONG.com launched. I am now making real money for the first time since newspapers began folding. Demand Studios allows me to work on my own time, but it also has given me the chance to make a full-time living again. So long, print world. It was nice knowin’ ya. Hello, Demand!
I’m Jerry Shaw, and I have spent more than 35 years in newspapers, magazines and book publishing. My career includes writing for Gannett newspapers and for AMI tabloids, such as “National Enquirer,” “Globe,” “Sun” and “Weekly World News.” I started with Demand Studios when LIVESTRONG.com launched. I am now making real money for the first time since newspapers began folding. Demand Studios allows me to work on my own time, but it also has given me the chance to make a full-time living again. So long, print world. It was nice knowin’ ya. Hello, Demand!
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 Kevin Rail. I have a degree in sports management, and I specialize in building faster, stronger, leaner and more flexible bodies. Along the path of my fitness career, I started writing articles for clients, which morphed into writing gigs for "Park City Exercise Guide," "Flipside Magazine," Gurlfytrz and Ron Jones-High Performance. My writing career spans about nine years, and I've been with Demand Studios for about a year and a half. My favorite thing about writing for Demand Studios is the fact that you can write anytime, anywhere. This makes relocation a lot easier knowing that you already have an income.
Check out this article Kevin wrote for LIVESTRONG!
Bodybuilder's Diets
My name is Kevin Rail. I have a degree in sports management, and I specialize in building faster, stronger, leaner and more flexible bodies. Along the path of my fitness career, I started writing articles for clients, which morphed into writing gigs for "Park City Exercise Guide," "Flipside Magazine," Gurlfytrz and Ron Jones-High Performance. My writing career spans about nine years, and I've been with Demand Studios for about a year and a half. My favorite thing about writing for Demand Studios is the fact that you can write anytime, anywhere. This makes relocation a lot easier knowing that you already have an income.
Check out this article Kevin wrote for LIVESTRONG!
Bodybuilder's Diets
If you write about travel for Demand Studios, you've seen your fair share of titles like "Hotels in Appleton, Wisconsin" and "Hotels in Los Angeles," and puzzled over how to best write them according to DS guidelines. Trust me, I've felt your pain. As editor of Travels.com, I'm the go-to person for Studio Editors as they field your questions about travel in the Title Clarification forum, and I've seen firsthand the volume of questions these particular titles have raised. What kinds of hotels should be included on these lists? Can the list include motels, inns or bed & breakfasts? What if there are only two hotels within the town limits, but more in the next town over?
I knew that I needed to create guidelines, but your questions were so varied, and the answers were often so subjective, that I didn't see how we could create one set of rules to address everything we'd answered on a case-by-case basis. But, as Demand Studios EVP Steven Kydd once told in his infinite wisdom, it's sometimes necessary to live with an issue for a while until you understand the best and simplest solution for it. So I took notes on your feedback, and as patterns began to emerge, the answer eventually became clear: a visual Hotel Title Workflow of the thought process you should follow when faced with a title like this. (The full version lives in the Resource Center. Print it out and pin it up next to your computer if you write a lot of these titles.)
I'll be honest: Making this flowchart was not easy. First, I had to work with other editors to define every accommodation type, and decide how strictly we would stick to those definitions. What was a "hotel" anyway? Was it materially different from a "lodge" or an "inn" or even a "motel"? Where did "hostels" and "bed & breakfasts" fit in?
As a group, we eventually determined that a reader searching for a list of "hotels in Anytown, USA" is actually looking for a list of "accommodations in Anytown, USA." These accommodations can include, in order of editorial preference: hotels, resorts (not all-inclusives), motels, inns, lodges, bed & breakfasts, cabins, vacation rental and hostels. The list should never include campgrounds or all-inclusive resorts, because they are very specific experiences outside of the realm of "general lodging."
Always make sure it is clear from your description of the location what kind of accommodation it is.
The problem with creating hard-and-fast rules like these, however, is that they leave little room for nuance and subjectivity. So here's my caveat: Use your best judgment as a professional travel writer when it comes to following this hierarchy. If the title is "Hotels in Appleton," and Appleton offers two hotels, one super-sleazy motel by the highway, and a gorgeous and renowned bed & breakfast in the town center, you should choose the bed & breakfast over the motel. I know not every judgment call will be so cut-and-dry. If you do have questions, please write to the Title Clarification Forums for Trails and Travels if you want feedback from specific site editors, or the Demand Studios Title Clarification Forum if you need general feedback from Studio Editors.
Finally, I know that it can be hard to choose three or five locations out of hundreds for a title like "Hotels in Los Angeles," without your choices sounding totally arbitrary. Set up the criteria you used to choose your hotels in the Overview (I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago about What Makes a Good Overview), and then choose locations that best capture the experience of Los Angeles for a range of personalities, budgets and experiences. So, I might pick a kid-friendly hotel by the beach in Santa Monica, a trendy boutique hotel on the Sunset Strip, a history-drenched grande dame hotel downtown, a cheap hostel in Venice, and a romantic hideaway somewhere in the Hollywood Hills. The key for big markets is to pick locations that tell a story about the city. See "Tips for Writing a Good List" for more helpful hints.
If you have feedback on the Hotel Title Workflow, please leave comments here, or PM me directly if you have private concerns. And stay tuned for more travel-related posts in the near future, including a post about how to do research for travel articles, which will include tips and tricks on how to find the best hotels in a location.
