Perhaps my biggest complaint about writing for the content company I chose is the low standards. Truly, the bar is only as high as you set it. I’ve heard that the websites’ “editors” can reject an article, but based on what I see that has been published, I lack the imagination to comprehend how poorly written an article would have to be to face rejection for reason of writing style. I hate how it may cheapen the seriousness with which I approach my writing when the company places a link from my article to an article that is barely articulate, consisting of rampant misspellings, incorrect syntax and the foibles commonly indicating that the writer is leanring English. If it's a forum for international writers to develop their Englsh writing skills, well, then, fine. But it isn't.
Triond may feature some fine journalists, which I hope I am one of, but it is not a company focused on publishing good writing. It’s focus is on producing writing period, that is merely capable of getting people to the page to see the ads. Period.
The me of my college years would scoff at this entire concept and consider the writers engaged in this to be poor schmucks or sub-par by association. However, changing circumstances lead to things you would not have done otherwise. When I began looking into starting a freelance writing career, I was juggling the need of two children under the age of three. Publishing was a decade in my past, and I needed a way into the publishing world and a way to practice my skills before I aimed at the big national publications I wanted to reach. And I had to do this all from my living room, during nap time. And I need a way to do it that was flexible, without deadlines.
The first content-type website I looked into had an application process—that appealed to me. Not everyone was chosen, so therefore, the quality would be better. But there were restrictions—on what I could write about and about how often I must publish. After two weeks not being able to even complete the sample article, I gave up on the entire idea. For months.
A friend of mine with a newborn to care for told me about starting to write for Demand Studios and how they paid for articles up front. The pay was low, but it was predictable, unlike most content websites that pay based on pageviews or ad sales generated. However, she could write only about topics on a list given to her, and they were, admittedly, very specific. Now writing a short eHow article didn’t seem too demanding for $7.00 or $15, but if I had to research something obscure, demanding more time, I wasn’t sure that was worth it at all. I applied though, thinking if I didn’t find it worthwhile, I could just stop. But that didn’t even need to happen; despite the website’s call for needing many writers and the exhaust-less list of needed articles, I was not hired because they said there was no need for writers to cover my areas of interest.
I looked into as many content websites as I knew about, and I settled on arguably one of the least choosy ones, simply because it gave me all the power and decision making. When my reality is dictated by my kids getting sick, keeping my up all night with teething or vomiting, going through pacifier withdrawal or potty training issues by day, I had no need for something to make my life more difficult or something outside the home to answer to. But I could handle a publisher that permitted me to write as often or as infrequently as I wanted. Also, unlike some other content websites, there were not restrictions on the topics I could use or requirements on how many or type of sources I quote.
This has worked surprisingly well for me. I’ve written more than I expected to, but it’s not burdensome. I am my only taskmaster. The only thing I do miss is a real editor. I would appreciate that kind of constructive criticism to help me in my craft, such as writers on other sites have, but at the price that service comes at, in terms of flexibility and autonomy, I cannot afford that at this time in my life.
I use this online platform to publish on topics I wouldn't otherwise get to cover. In fact, that's how I choose my topics: if i have an idea for an article, I determine 1) if i know of a print publication that would be interested in it, 2) if the topic is not too time-oriented (and therefor not likely to get on any editor's desk before it's out dated), 3) would the publication consider me, a novice freelancer, to have the clout, experience or connections to cover the topic, or 4) would the publication require i meet and interview people around the country for expert quotes, rather than relying on books, etc? If I bump up against any of those issues, then I decide the article is best placed thru the online content company.
Sometimes I, in retrospect, think I made the wrong choice, and could have shopped the article around to magazines. My articles on my battle with Lyme disease and naturopathic treatment, and my recovery from Lyme disease are good examples of that. I later learned of a local alternative health newspaper that would have been a good venue for those. My articles on the issue of cell phones and the health concerns are more typical examples of topics I'd not likely be able to publish in traditional print. Between me and all the other writers out there, I would never have gotten my foot in the door on so big of an issue requiring interviews and access to primary sources, or without having some sort of credential in the medical field. So I write those articles through the online company because i feel so strongly the information needs to get out there! I'm not OK with the fact that the radiation we once had no evidence of as harmful is so penetrating for children, or that the issue of cell phone's associations with health concerns is being covered up and ignored in the same way cigarettes' link to cancer was.
Writing online this way lets me write on things I feel very strongly about but otherwise may not have been hired to write about through traditional print venues.
Triond may feature some fine journalists, which I hope I am one of, but it is not a company focused on publishing good writing. It’s focus is on producing writing period, that is merely capable of getting people to the page to see the ads. Period.
The me of my college years would scoff at this entire concept and consider the writers engaged in this to be poor schmucks or sub-par by association. However, changing circumstances lead to things you would not have done otherwise. When I began looking into starting a freelance writing career, I was juggling the need of two children under the age of three. Publishing was a decade in my past, and I needed a way into the publishing world and a way to practice my skills before I aimed at the big national publications I wanted to reach. And I had to do this all from my living room, during nap time. And I need a way to do it that was flexible, without deadlines.
The first content-type website I looked into had an application process—that appealed to me. Not everyone was chosen, so therefore, the quality would be better. But there were restrictions—on what I could write about and about how often I must publish. After two weeks not being able to even complete the sample article, I gave up on the entire idea. For months.
A friend of mine with a newborn to care for told me about starting to write for Demand Studios and how they paid for articles up front. The pay was low, but it was predictable, unlike most content websites that pay based on pageviews or ad sales generated. However, she could write only about topics on a list given to her, and they were, admittedly, very specific. Now writing a short eHow article didn’t seem too demanding for $7.00 or $15, but if I had to research something obscure, demanding more time, I wasn’t sure that was worth it at all. I applied though, thinking if I didn’t find it worthwhile, I could just stop. But that didn’t even need to happen; despite the website’s call for needing many writers and the exhaust-less list of needed articles, I was not hired because they said there was no need for writers to cover my areas of interest.
I looked into as many content websites as I knew about, and I settled on arguably one of the least choosy ones, simply because it gave me all the power and decision making. When my reality is dictated by my kids getting sick, keeping my up all night with teething or vomiting, going through pacifier withdrawal or potty training issues by day, I had no need for something to make my life more difficult or something outside the home to answer to. But I could handle a publisher that permitted me to write as often or as infrequently as I wanted. Also, unlike some other content websites, there were not restrictions on the topics I could use or requirements on how many or type of sources I quote.
This has worked surprisingly well for me. I’ve written more than I expected to, but it’s not burdensome. I am my only taskmaster. The only thing I do miss is a real editor. I would appreciate that kind of constructive criticism to help me in my craft, such as writers on other sites have, but at the price that service comes at, in terms of flexibility and autonomy, I cannot afford that at this time in my life.
I use this online platform to publish on topics I wouldn't otherwise get to cover. In fact, that's how I choose my topics: if i have an idea for an article, I determine 1) if i know of a print publication that would be interested in it, 2) if the topic is not too time-oriented (and therefor not likely to get on any editor's desk before it's out dated), 3) would the publication consider me, a novice freelancer, to have the clout, experience or connections to cover the topic, or 4) would the publication require i meet and interview people around the country for expert quotes, rather than relying on books, etc? If I bump up against any of those issues, then I decide the article is best placed thru the online content company.
Sometimes I, in retrospect, think I made the wrong choice, and could have shopped the article around to magazines. My articles on my battle with Lyme disease and naturopathic treatment, and my recovery from Lyme disease are good examples of that. I later learned of a local alternative health newspaper that would have been a good venue for those. My articles on the issue of cell phones and the health concerns are more typical examples of topics I'd not likely be able to publish in traditional print. Between me and all the other writers out there, I would never have gotten my foot in the door on so big of an issue requiring interviews and access to primary sources, or without having some sort of credential in the medical field. So I write those articles through the online company because i feel so strongly the information needs to get out there! I'm not OK with the fact that the radiation we once had no evidence of as harmful is so penetrating for children, or that the issue of cell phone's associations with health concerns is being covered up and ignored in the same way cigarettes' link to cancer was.
Writing online this way lets me write on things I feel very strongly about but otherwise may not have been hired to write about through traditional print venues.
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