Going to Get Back Into Suite101

Well, after about half a year away from Suite101, I am deciding to slowly and gradually begin contributing to their website. Why? Well, even though I love writing for all the freelancing websites I am writing for, there are still a number of articles I would like to write and research on my own. I can't help it. When I am curious about something, I have to research it and write about it. That's just how I am.

I have also been visiting a lot of forums and many Suitees have convinced me to get back into it. Even though I know I may not earn a lot of money right away, I know the key to being successful at revenue based websites is to submit new content on a regular basis.

I can't help to also hope that one day I can write enough articles, to where I can establish a certain amount of income every month. Guess, it looks like I am going to have to study SEO again. =)

Stoked- Things are Looking up For me! Thank Goodness!

Well, I must say I have had a wonderful week. I think sometimes I get too excited about the smallest of things, but to me it's important, so I figured I would blog about it. First, I was accepted at Demand Studios. Second, I landed a really good paying assignment this week. So you can say I have been in a really positive mood lately.

It really makes a difference when you find more places to write. Now I am am to contribute to a variety of websites, so I should be able to find assignments somewhere even if my freelancing work seems to run out.

What I like about Demand Studios is their strict editorial guidelines. I know that what I write has to be up to par because if it isn't it will be sent back for a revision. I think having the guidance and assistance of a professional editor is nice, so I look forward to being a contributing writer for them for a long time.

Why You Should Always Bid What You're Worth

Let's face it, most of us have been in a situation where we find a job or job listing on a variety of freelancing websites that sound very interesting, but then we take a look at the pay, and think, "man, why is the budget so low?" So, then we keep looking and looking until we find a few jobs that pay better.

Then we take a look at the bids and noticed that there are people significantly underbidding on the project. My question is, "Have you ever allowed someone else to influence your bid?"  Now, this posting isn't about ranting or raving about the pay rate, it is about revisiting the concept of pay rate and earning how much you you are worth.

If we allow others to influence our bid, we are not being true to ourselves and how much time, work and effort goes into each project we allocate. Maybe one writer is happy with making a certain amount of money per article, while another freelancer commands a different pay rate.

This brings me to the conclusion that, you should always bid the rate you are comfortable with and never allow someone else to dictate how much you should bid. While there is a lot of competition in the freelance industry, there really is no reason to allow someone else to influence your bid.  Each person has a certain amount of money they are willing to work for. Some freelancers view time as money, while others charge a flat rate per article.

Why it is Important to Get Up and Get Moving

Today I had a doctor's appointment. The nurse had asked me if I needed to have a flu shot. At first I was a little reluctant to get it, but I decided to go ahead. She then asked me if I had updated my tetanus shot. I told her I couldn't remember the last time I had one of those, so I told her go ahead and give me one of those as well.

By the time I left the office I had two shots, one given on each arm and one sore arm. The arm where I had the tetanus shot administered is the only one that is a little sore. I remember the nurse saying that if there was any form of discomfort, that I should exercise my arm and move it around to get the blood flowing.

This incident kind of reminded me of working from home. Just about anything we do to our bodies can be toxic. When you work from home, you can sit on the computer for hours at a time, which is bad for blood circulation.

By getting up and moving around you can increase the blood flow throughout your body, which leads to better productivity. When you are more productive, you spend less time at the computer because you complete work more efficiently.

This is because your thoughts are clear, you have more energy and you feel better physically and mentally. I have noticed when I take time out everyday and get my blood pumping by going for a walk, it helps me stay organized and on top of my game.

I think every freelance writer should try to do some form of exercise because not only does it help to lift spirits, but it can make a big difference in a person's personal and professional life.

Strange, But Happy Realization

I was browsing around the Internet the other day. After a few months of low page views and not contributing to Suite101 I was pleasantly surprised to notice an increase in page views this last week. Usually, I would say a good day for me would be around 200 page views; however, I had close to 300 yesterday and hope to see that number increase as the weather becomes colder.

This got me thinking, about how people are beginning to utilize the Internet more than ever to find answers to the questions they have. They are interested in finding out information about the holidays. These topics include baking, cooking, gift ideas and a whole bunch of holiday decorating ideas.

Hopefully, I can make time to write a few articles about gift ideas on a budget and different types of baking and delicious drink ideas. I absolutely love the holidays because it reminds me of togetherness and family. I also love to bake and present all the goodies in a very formal manner. It's a lot of fun for me and I know everyone loves eating all of these treats.

Well, until next time. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

100 Pitches = A Memory from the Past

I was the second, and last child born in my family, which is the reason why I ended up being my father's surrogate son. He had always wanted to have a son, so therefore, my dad turned me into a tomboy. My dad was always an avid athlete and I remember how he would always tell me and my sister stories about how he was the fastest runner in school. He said his nickname at high school was "Jackrabbit John." lol. However, I think it was his love for softball and baseball that rubbed off on me.

When I was around 5 years old I remember going to my older sister's softball games. I would see how everyone would cheer and how exciting the whole environment was. Pretty soon I noticed I also wanted to participate in softball. I remember picking up a softball and trying to throw it, even though it was almost as big as my head and it would barely fit in my little hand.

I can't remember really how much I practiced, but I know I wasn't old enough to play Bobby Sox until I was around 8 or 9 years old.  I remember the position I always wanted to play was the pitcher. I think my dad was also really excited about me deciding to be a pitcher because he would always make me practice even when I didn't feel like it.

I remember he would always say, "One hundred pitches and they need to all be strikes." I was like, what, 100 strikes? I don't know what he's been smoking, but it sure ain't cigarettes. Even though I knew my dad was only joking, I remember getting frustrated with him and throwing the ball over his head and breaking boards in the fence. lol.

I think the reason why I ended up being such a good softball player was because I had the support of my dad. He was just as dedicated as I was to practicing. I think our love for softball was what bonded me and my dad throughout my childhood and most of my teenage years.

I often wonder how I would have turned out if I hadn't had the support of my parents or my love for softball. Anyways, my point is, just about anything we enjoy doing whether it be a favorite sport or hobby can be compared to writing.

The more you practice at writing, the more skilled you become. The more skills you learn, the more effective you are at obtaining freelancing jobs. Just like softball, the more pitches you can throw, the better your chances are of striking out opponents.

It is not necessarily the person who writes the fastest, but the person who writes good quality content. Just as in softball, the most effective runner may not necessarily be the fastest runner, but they use the most effective strategies to steal bases.

These are just some of the comparisons that can be seen between writing and softball. 

Justifications for Low Priced Online Content

Let's face it most of us who write for a living, do it to make money, but what happens when the extrinsic motivational factors outweigh the intrinsic motivational factors. Do you write because you love what you do? Or do you write because you it is your primary source of income? Maybe its a combination of the two; however, when you do something you enjoy, most of the time, money isn't the primary reason why do it.

However, for many of the online jobs many people use this as a justification for paying such low rates. Since you love what you do so much, work for this ridiculously low amount of money I am willing to pay you.

For most writers there is a long process involved in the creation of content. You not only have to write well, but you should also "want" to provide readers with material that they won't be able to find anywhere else. However, part of your job as a writer is to create unique content that appeals to readers who search for the terms you write about.

For some reason, people who post some of the jobs on these websites are under the impression that it is alright to offer "professional writers" $1-$2 per article. I have no idea how this philosophy came to be, but it quite disheartening to actual writers who have the skill and motivation to create content that professionally is written and well-researched are said to charge too much for their services. Huh?

One of my all time favorite reasons people justify for paying such low rates for online content is that "they would do it themselves, but they simply do not have the time." So my argument is, "do they use this same justification when they go out to eat at a restaurant? When they get stuck with the bill, do they say, "You know I didn't have time to cook myself a well-balanced meal, so I am only going to pay you $1-$2 for what I ate."

Another pet peeve that I have is when there are job postings that state, "this is an easy job for the right person." Really? According to whose specifications? Then why not save everyone time and money and do it yourself than if it is so darn easy, rather than pay someone $1 per article. You can't even buy a pack of gum for that price.

Somewhere along the line people believe that writing is easy and anyone can do it.  However, good writing, that builds a regular readership, creates a fan base, and entertains readers is copy that sells not just a bunch of keywords thrown on the paper.