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.
Posts from February
On February 21, 2010, I set out to earn $50,000 using the Demand Studios system.
My goal for week one was a modest $750. I'm pleased to say I've passed it. Rev share hasn't fully updated yet, however from current records my rev-share articles earned $80 last week with an additional $727.50 coming in from my standard flat-fee articles. The combined total from rev-share and flat-fee published articles comes out to $807.50... before taxes (sigh). During week two, I'll increase my goal to $1,000 per week, which will bring my total at the end of 12 months to just over $50,000.
So why exactly did I set my first week's goal below what I hope will be my average? I'm a big believer that goals should be determined through trial and error. By picking a modest number, I was able to test the amount of time it would take for me to write a large number of articles using the Demand Studios system, and therefore determine how much time I would have to write. I find, on a personal level, that gradually building goals allows me to set my own pace. I also needed to figure out how to balance my Demand Studios time with my own business and blogging duties, which was easier than I had originally thought.
What I noticed most this past week was the number of writers who seemed to be looking for motivation. I've been able to meet a lot of great writers, spend time managing a Facebook fan page, and received over 100 new Twitter followers @Techobsessed. The main response I received from writers was quick thanks for giving them motivation and inquiring what it is that keeps me motivated to achieve my desired goal.
I soon realized that many writers were losing motivation because of the amount of time they spent blindly researching each article. Research time is necessary, but cuts into the article creation process to one article per hour, in some cases even one article every two hours. For all those people, I have four words for you: Google Custom Search Engine. If you aren't using the power of customized searches, you're simple wasting time as you siphon through blacklisted site links and other useless information. The system is rather simple to use and can be found at www.google.com/cse.
I'll attempt a screencast of Google CSE in the coming weeks to show exactly how simple it really is to setup various custom search options. Once you start using Google CSE you'll never look at article researching in the same way again.
I'm going to keep this second post short, partially because I still have a lot of emails to return to my fellow writers and I want to open up the floor to questions from everyone reading this post. What do you want to know about my challenge and freelance writing in general? I'd be happy to offer tips, tricks I've learned as an online content writer, managing editor and content website developer over the years and other information you may want to know the answers to.
Send me your questions via Twitter or directly at James@indyposted.com and I'll incorporate them into my weekly blog posts.
Finally, if you want some extra motivation, join my "jogging team," which is basically a group of fellow writers who have come together to keep each other motivated. Simply tweet your daily article totals to my @techobsessed Twitter account, and send along any daily motivation tips and tricks you've been implementing. Just like exercise, working with a group of people helps all of us keep pace and is a great motivational tool, which I personally use every single day.
So come join the jogging team and let’s have a great 2010 with a team effort.
My goal for week one was a modest $750. I'm pleased to say I've passed it. Rev share hasn't fully updated yet, however from current records my rev-share articles earned $80 last week with an additional $727.50 coming in from my standard flat-fee articles. The combined total from rev-share and flat-fee published articles comes out to $807.50... before taxes (sigh). During week two, I'll increase my goal to $1,000 per week, which will bring my total at the end of 12 months to just over $50,000.
So why exactly did I set my first week's goal below what I hope will be my average? I'm a big believer that goals should be determined through trial and error. By picking a modest number, I was able to test the amount of time it would take for me to write a large number of articles using the Demand Studios system, and therefore determine how much time I would have to write. I find, on a personal level, that gradually building goals allows me to set my own pace. I also needed to figure out how to balance my Demand Studios time with my own business and blogging duties, which was easier than I had originally thought.
What I noticed most this past week was the number of writers who seemed to be looking for motivation. I've been able to meet a lot of great writers, spend time managing a Facebook fan page, and received over 100 new Twitter followers @Techobsessed. The main response I received from writers was quick thanks for giving them motivation and inquiring what it is that keeps me motivated to achieve my desired goal.
I soon realized that many writers were losing motivation because of the amount of time they spent blindly researching each article. Research time is necessary, but cuts into the article creation process to one article per hour, in some cases even one article every two hours. For all those people, I have four words for you: Google Custom Search Engine. If you aren't using the power of customized searches, you're simple wasting time as you siphon through blacklisted site links and other useless information. The system is rather simple to use and can be found at www.google.com/cse.
I'll attempt a screencast of Google CSE in the coming weeks to show exactly how simple it really is to setup various custom search options. Once you start using Google CSE you'll never look at article researching in the same way again.
I'm going to keep this second post short, partially because I still have a lot of emails to return to my fellow writers and I want to open up the floor to questions from everyone reading this post. What do you want to know about my challenge and freelance writing in general? I'd be happy to offer tips, tricks I've learned as an online content writer, managing editor and content website developer over the years and other information you may want to know the answers to.
Send me your questions via Twitter or directly at James@indyposted.com and I'll incorporate them into my weekly blog posts.
Finally, if you want some extra motivation, join my "jogging team," which is basically a group of fellow writers who have come together to keep each other motivated. Simply tweet your daily article totals to my @techobsessed Twitter account, and send along any daily motivation tips and tricks you've been implementing. Just like exercise, working with a group of people helps all of us keep pace and is a great motivational tool, which I personally use every single day.
So come join the jogging team and let’s have a great 2010 with a team effort.
Demand Studios Grant Program - February's Winner
Posted by cowan10 | February 26, 2010 | Comments (6)
This is only the second month of the Demand Studios Grant Program, and it has already become one of the highlights of our responsibilities. Many of us here have been involved in numerous personal creative projects, so it gives us great pleasure to pore through your grant applications to learn about some of the interesting creative projects about which you are passionate.
This month’s winner is Clarissa Adkins of Midlothian, Virginia.
Clarissa is part of a group of independent yoga instructors who are collaborating on a book about practicing yoga in a chair, which opens up the discipline to those with chronic injuries, beginners, or any yoga enthusiast looking to try something different.
We liked this project for a couple of reasons. For one, the book really epitomizes what Demand Studios is all about: creating interesting and highly relevant content for a niche category. For two, we feel that the $1,000 will make a difference in enhancing the quality of the end product. Among other things, Clarissa plans on spending the money to hire a professional photographer to capture high-quality yoga pose images.Much like any award given for creative work, this is a highly subjective decision. (Please see “Taylor Swift wins Best Album at The 2010 Grammys”, “Olympic Ice Dancing”, and “Elizabeth Taylor Wins Best Actress in 1960”).
When we come up with a winner, it is always at the expense of 30 to 40 other very worthy projects. Thanks for all your February submissions. We are looking forward to reviewing more projects in March!
This month’s winner is Clarissa Adkins of Midlothian, Virginia.
Clarissa is part of a group of independent yoga instructors who are collaborating on a book about practicing yoga in a chair, which opens up the discipline to those with chronic injuries, beginners, or any yoga enthusiast looking to try something different.
We liked this project for a couple of reasons. For one, the book really epitomizes what Demand Studios is all about: creating interesting and highly relevant content for a niche category. For two, we feel that the $1,000 will make a difference in enhancing the quality of the end product. Among other things, Clarissa plans on spending the money to hire a professional photographer to capture high-quality yoga pose images.Much like any award given for creative work, this is a highly subjective decision. (Please see “Taylor Swift wins Best Album at The 2010 Grammys”, “Olympic Ice Dancing”, and “Elizabeth Taylor Wins Best Actress in 1960”).
When we come up with a winner, it is always at the expense of 30 to 40 other very worthy projects. Thanks for all your February submissions. We are looking forward to reviewing more projects in March!
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 Tracy Morris, and I’ve dreamed of being a writer since I was in my teens. I have a degree in journalism, and I’ve published two novels. Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked for newspapers and magazines while at the same time writing fiction. Demand Studios gives me complete control over my time and money. The flexibility with Demand Studios has allowed me to travel the country with my husband as well as write and promote my novels. I can even take off for a dentist appointment without worrying about my paycheck.
My name is Tracy Morris, and I’ve dreamed of being a writer since I was in my teens. I have a degree in journalism, and I’ve published two novels. Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked for newspapers and magazines while at the same time writing fiction. Demand Studios gives me complete control over my time and money. The flexibility with Demand Studios has allowed me to travel the country with my husband as well as write and promote my novels. I can even take off for a dentist appointment without worrying about my paycheck.
Demand Media Announces Editorial Advisory Board
Posted by Robyn | February 25, 2010 | Leave a comment
I am happy to announce the formation of Demand Media's Editorial Advisory Board. The board has been in the works for a while and includes the dean of USC's Annenberg School for Communication; the dean of UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television; SPJ's president; and the former president of Lifetime. I am looking forward to learning from their experience and passing their knowledge on to our community while we continue to evolve the Studio and the content we produce. I like how board member Teri Schwartz, producer of the movie "Beaches," an office favorite, explains her role: "I plan to call on my experience to explore exciting possibilities for processes that can benefit the entire Demand Media creator community." See the full press release for details.
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 Mike Mann, and I spent 20 years of my life as a project manager, operations manager and radiochemistry technician in the nuclear power industry. I finally decided to take advantage of something I really love and just happened to stumble upon Demand Studios. The cool thing is that I'm getting paid for something that I actually enjoy doing. (See ya, corporate stress.) I've been very impressed with the professionalism at Demand Studios and love how I can count on my paycheck being deposited in my PayPal account when they say it will be. The freedom to work as much or as little as I want and get compensated for it is great.
I'm Mike Mann, and I spent 20 years of my life as a project manager, operations manager and radiochemistry technician in the nuclear power industry. I finally decided to take advantage of something I really love and just happened to stumble upon Demand Studios. The cool thing is that I'm getting paid for something that I actually enjoy doing. (See ya, corporate stress.) I've been very impressed with the professionalism at Demand Studios and love how I can count on my paycheck being deposited in my PayPal account when they say it will be. The freedom to work as much or as little as I want and get compensated for it is great.
Credit: Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Laineys Repertoire
The editorial team recently completed a valuable and interesting DIY project with your Studio articles. Each of us chose a published Studio article and used it in our everyday lives. I was able to make my own holiday wreath to give as a gift, Jay Holzer of video production team built a Lego table for his daughter, and Johan Mengesha of the Studio editorial team taught himself to resurrect a house plant from the dead. After completing our tasks, we learned more about what matters to our audience at large. One of our most important discoveries is the tremendous importance of your overview/introduction.
Depending on what kind of article you write—be it a How to article on knitting, About article on dementia or maybe even a List article on Boston hotels—the overview should vary in tone and length. For example, we found long overviews on How to’s unnecessary, while short About overviews left us wanting more.
Perhaps the only common thread between various format overviews is that you should always use a distinct voice and sense of authority. After some research, the editorial team has created a list of tips, suggestions and habits to help you achieve those goals.
Contextualize your topic. For the title “How to Get Rid of the W32/Renocide.gen.d Virus,” let readers know this was one of the first widely known viruses in 2010.
Be clear and concise. In “New Jersey Restaurants,” don't spend two or three sentences describing New Jersey's history or tourist attractions. Dive into the restaurant scene right away and explain what unique culinary experiences travelers will find in New Jersey that they won't find anywhere else.
Bring something NEW. It is invaluable to bring new information to your overview. Especially in List articles, make sure to surface fresh information that is not repeated in the list.
For technical articles, define the primary usage of the product. This doesn’t mean you should launch into the details of all attributes and requirements of the Apple iPhone. Rather, describe the Apple iPhone for innovating the popular trend of apps for your smart phone or another general purpose of the product relevant to the title.
Provide an attributed quote, fact or statistic when appropriate. Don’t use quotes as filler; only use them if they’re uniquely worded and relevant to your article. For About formats and health related articles quotes or statistics are beneficial to include in the overview.
Introduce your reader to a destination in an inviting, interesting way. When writing “Costa Rica Vacation Tips,” don’t include dull, empty statements like, “Costa Rica is a beautiful, tropical destination.” Get to the meat instead with, “Surfers, honeymooners and spring break students flock to Costa Rica for its tranquil rainforests and secluded beaches.”
Unearth the unusual. Share information about the topic that most people would not know unless they are familiar with it. For example, most people know that Gatlinburg is in the Smoky Mountains, but how many people know they have a Midnight Independence Day Parade?
Avoid:
• Generalizations such as, “Having a computer virus is frustrating.”
• Empty adjectives like “beautiful,” “unique” or “fun.”
• Inflated statistics like “99.9 percent of all women love chocolate.”
We are working on a workflow that will cover tips for each type of overview, so in the meantime, take notes and ask questions about the above tips. Also, we highly recommend saving and printing Travels Editor Anna Roth’s invaluable Overview Checklist, pasted below.
Overview Checklist:
1. Is my lede as strong as it can be? Does it set up the topic in an authoritative way and draw me in?
2. Does it contain information that everyone knows? If so, rewrite.
3. Did I start with a question, and if so, how can I rephrase it?
4. Can I swap in another location or topic for the subject, and have the article stay relevant? If so, rewrite.
5. Do the adjectives add value to the piece, or detract from the message?
6. Have I successfully avoided empty adjectives like fun, great, interesting, unique?
7. Do I pack too much information in here? If so, are there facts I can move to the body of my article?
Use the overview to let your personality and voice shine through. Here is more information from Anna’s post, located on the blog: http://www.demandstudios.com/blog/overview-matters-good
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 Jessica Denmark, and I graduated with a degree in journalism nearly 10 years ago. Having been writing for more than a decade, with work published in both online and print mediums, I have established a career in public relations and marketing. A recent career shift to weddings and event coordination left my schedule in shambles. Since I began in August, Demand Studios has allowed me to earn additional income on an amazingly flexible schedule. I’m able to write articles that interest me and gain knowledge while researching and writing. I am excited for my future with Demand Studios.
I’m Jessica Denmark, and I graduated with a degree in journalism nearly 10 years ago. Having been writing for more than a decade, with work published in both online and print mediums, I have established a career in public relations and marketing. A recent career shift to weddings and event coordination left my schedule in shambles. Since I began in August, Demand Studios has allowed me to earn additional income on an amazingly flexible schedule. I’m able to write articles that interest me and gain knowledge while researching and writing. I am excited for my future with Demand Studios.
From the desk of Emily Faget, DS editor, and Marie Horrigan, eHow editor:
As most of you know, Demand Studios’ mission is to produce quality content across our network of online destinations, the largest of which is eHow.
At the beginning of 2010, Demand Studios and eHow editors teamed up to figure out how we could work together to achieve our goals of creating editorial harmony, building a tight-knit community and most importantly, producing exceptional content.
And while that may be our mission, our responsibility is to never forget our amazing team of writers. You help us achieve those goals every single day.
So when eHow set out to produce topical, entertaining and editorially driven content for their homepage, it only made sense for us to turn to our best writers. The result is eHow Premium Homepage Writers.
We are kicking this off by selecting 50 writers and a handful of CEs to join the eHow Premium Homepage Writers group. The first group of writers already has been chosen and will receive notification within 24 hours. If you don’t receive an email this time, don’t lose hope. Our invitations will be ongoing and are based on your ratings, rejection percentage and number of approved articles.
These writers will be invited to a forum group where they can gather to discover the latest eHow homepage assignments known as Premium How Tos. But what’s so special about Premium How Tos?
Once again, we can’t possibly forget that our writers are the lifeblood of Demand Studios and eHow. We appreciate each and every one of you, and look forward to continuing our important Demand Studios-eHow mission with you this year!
As most of you know, Demand Studios’ mission is to produce quality content across our network of online destinations, the largest of which is eHow.
At the beginning of 2010, Demand Studios and eHow editors teamed up to figure out how we could work together to achieve our goals of creating editorial harmony, building a tight-knit community and most importantly, producing exceptional content.
And while that may be our mission, our responsibility is to never forget our amazing team of writers. You help us achieve those goals every single day.
So when eHow set out to produce topical, entertaining and editorially driven content for their homepage, it only made sense for us to turn to our best writers. The result is eHow Premium Homepage Writers.
We are kicking this off by selecting 50 writers and a handful of CEs to join the eHow Premium Homepage Writers group. The first group of writers already has been chosen and will receive notification within 24 hours. If you don’t receive an email this time, don’t lose hope. Our invitations will be ongoing and are based on your ratings, rejection percentage and number of approved articles.
These writers will be invited to a forum group where they can gather to discover the latest eHow homepage assignments known as Premium How Tos. But what’s so special about Premium How Tos?
- Greater pay point. Since these articles are on a tighter deadline, require greater word counts, receive higher page views and require expertise or experience in a subject area, the price point is set at $80.
- Increased exposure. Each Premium How To will be featured prominently on the eHow homepage for at least one day with your byline. As an example of how many people read these articles, DS writer J.E. Myers recently wrote a Premium How To titled How to Kill a Facebook Bot. In only one week, it garnered 4 ½ stars with 53 ratings and 37 comments. The day after the article was posted, Myers wrote us and said, “WOW! I wasn't expecting all the comments and ‘friends’ and stuff. What fun! Can't wait till I get to do this again!!!!!”
- More creativity. Premium How Tos allow more individual voice than any other format. eHow looks for soulful, relevant articles with longer word counts and free form. See the following for examples of how current Premium How To writers can get creative:
- How to Protect an Aging Body
- How to Forgive, Forget and Let Go
- How to Cope with Aging Parents
- How to Wake Up Your Winter Wardrobe
Once again, we can’t possibly forget that our writers are the lifeblood of Demand Studios and eHow. We appreciate each and every one of you, and look forward to continuing our important Demand Studios-eHow mission with you this year!
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 Melissa McKean. For six years, I worked in the marketing industry with the dream of someday becoming a full-time freelance writer. Demand Studios gave me that opportunity. Not only do I love the flexibility of working with Demand Studios, but I also enjoy the freedom I have of writing what I want, when I want, from where I want. Demand Studios makes me feel valued as a writer. They are constantly adding features and benefits to better the experience for their team members, and that dedication is what motivates me to keep writing.
My name is Melissa McKean. For six years, I worked in the marketing industry with the dream of someday becoming a full-time freelance writer. Demand Studios gave me that opportunity. Not only do I love the flexibility of working with Demand Studios, but I also enjoy the freedom I have of writing what I want, when I want, from where I want. Demand Studios makes me feel valued as a writer. They are constantly adding features and benefits to better the experience for their team members, and that dedication is what motivates me to keep writing.
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 Sandi Fults. I have been published in “High Country News,” “Gnosis Journal” and various websites. I have written a newspaper column, radio content, ad copy and dozens of research papers. I have a master's degree in systematic theology. I love writing for Demand Studios. I have the freedom that I never had at a brick-and-mortar gig. Because of this work, I can pursue my passions on my terms while earning money. I can count on Demand Studios to pay and pay on time. Demand Studios has patiently taught me a new form of writing that will serve me going forward. This is the cutting edge, and with Demand Studios, I am poised upon it. Thank you Demand Studios. You look good in my portfolio.
My name is Sandi Fults. I have been published in “High Country News,” “Gnosis Journal” and various websites. I have written a newspaper column, radio content, ad copy and dozens of research papers. I have a master's degree in systematic theology. I love writing for Demand Studios. I have the freedom that I never had at a brick-and-mortar gig. Because of this work, I can pursue my passions on my terms while earning money. I can count on Demand Studios to pay and pay on time. Demand Studios has patiently taught me a new form of writing that will serve me going forward. This is the cutting edge, and with Demand Studios, I am poised upon it. Thank you Demand Studios. You look good in my portfolio.
