Is Demand Studios the new Associated Press?

I recently wrote an opinion piece defending Demand Studios after another blogger chose to label them as a scam based on the fact that their pay is somewhat low and they make frequent requests for rewrites of articles. I still side with Demand Studios on that issue, but I do want to point out a better (though not perfect) article about Demand Studios at ReadWriteWeb. This article doesn’t try to portray the writers as victims but rather tries to analyze the effect of such a large content mill on the Internet as a whole. The basic premise is that Demand Studios has a content creation system in place (using both automation and live reviewers) that results in an assembly-line style article that RWW compares to Henry Ford’s original automobile production line. The article takes issue with the quality of the content being produced, and that is a more legitimate criticism than the exploitation of writers.

4000 Articles a Day

According to the RWW piece, Demand Studios produces approximately 4000 articles a day through its combination of freelancers and editors. The one issue that I have with the article is that they use this as an indictment of the quality. They ask:

The bigger question is: there are surely many examples of good Demand Media content on the Web, but how many of the 4,000 articles it produces every day aren’t?

To me this is a poor argument. Yes, I’m sure that some of the 4000 articles aren’t great, but no one can judge what the percentage of this is so it is a specious question. I mainly read blogs by single authors. Mass produced blogs leave me a little cold. As a follower of individuals I can tell you that even the best bloggers put out lousy articles on occasion. Lord knows I do. No one is brilliant every day.

The better point the article makes is that the Demand Studios assembly line style and fast turnaround time creates a certain sameness to the articles being written, that there is a Demand Studios style, and it isn’t very interesting or incisive. I don’t read enough of their types of articles (like I said, I follow individual bloggers) to know if this is true, but it seems like a legitimate possibility.

In the Eighties the Definition of a Content Mill was “Associated Press”

Way back in the eighties, I served as the Associated Press Wire Editor for my college newspaper. Having an AP feed back then was as close as you could get to having Google News now. Article after article printed out on the dot matrix printer they provided, and I looked at them all (while dressed in my linen Miami Vice jacket) to see if they were relevant. I can tell you that AP’s style (they do have their own stylebook after all) was pretty bland even then. For most articles, you got the facts, and nothing but the facts. There was little room for color or individuality. A single article might get published in 500 different newspapers all over the world. Any sort of colorful writing had to be killed in case someone out there didn’t get it, or worse, was offended by it. Another interesting similarity between the Associated Press and Demand Studios is that AP has always used a number of low-paid writers (they call them stringers) to freelance for them. In the eighties, the saying was, “You can’t spell stupid without UPI and you can’t spell cheap without AP.”

Obviously Demand Studios is not identical to AP. The journalistic standards and the general level of talent at AP are considerably higher than at Demand Studios. AP is more selective about who they hire and more stringent about the sources for their articles. It is the similarities though, not the differences, that catch my eye. Both organizations tap a worldwide pool of writers. Both organizations exist to provide content to other organizations. Both organizations rely heavily on freelance work. Most importantly, both organizations have writing philosophies based on a universal cookie-cutter style.

I believe that sort of generic writing was the beginning of the end for newspapers, and I think that it can only have limited success on the Internet. A certain number of people will be satisfied with these articles, and search engines may never be able to tell good articles from bad articles, but there will always be plenty of room for individuals with distinctive voices to keep writing. A loyal audience that comes back again and again is in most cases preferable to a large number of casual readers who never return.

Demand Studios is a company that is filling a content niche quite successfully. The fact that they have enough writers and customers to be publishing 4000 articles a day shows that they are filling a need that exists on both sides. That said, if someone else comes up with a better way to do it, then the market will change again. I think Demand Studios does a lot of things well, but I also think there is plenty of room for improvement. If they can make a profit doing things their way, then surely someone who improves on the concept can do even better.

For Further Information:

• Is Demand Studios Worth Your Time?
• The Answer Factory: Demand Media and the Fast, Disposable, and Profitable as Hell Media Model
• About Hub Pages: An Interview with Ryan “Hup” Hupfer
• FakeAPStylebook on Twitter

10 Steps to a Freelance Writing Career

One of the keys to freelance writing success is finding the right market for you. Developing a writing specialty that is both enjoyable and profitable will bring you long-term success as a writer. You don’t have to limit yourself to a single market. You should find and exploit your strengths in as few or as many areas as you feel comfortable working in. Below is a ten-step plan that outlines how to find success as a freelance writer though specialization.

Step One: Analyze your Strengths as a Freelance Writer

Make a list of subjects that you both know about and feel you would enjoy writing about. Ask yourself:

• What do I know that others either don’t know or don’t understand?
• What am I educated in?
• What work experiences do I have?
• What would I like to learn more about?
• What am I passionate about?

Don’t just ask these questions in your mind. Write down your answers. You will need them for later steps. Don’t be afraid to get specific. “I like to write about psychiatry” is a valid answer, but “I like to write about healing children who have been through psychological traumas” is a much more specific answer that could lead to articles or even books.

Write down all of the jobs you have held and classes or other educational experiences you have had. Even if you don’t plan to write about them right away, you may find that they can add unique twists on article ideas. Sticking with the psychology theme, if you once held a job as a florist, you might decide to write an article about the psychological effects of flowers on trauma victims.

For more information try 6 Freelancing Lessons from Tony Stark, aka “Iron Man” and Do Interesting Things.

Step Two: Analyze the Freelance Writer Markets

There are many markets for your writing. From print magazines to blogs to web content providers to small and large businesses. Don’t limit yourself to the publishing giants. The competition is steepest there, and unless you have a solid reputation and some good connections, you will find it very hard to crack those publications. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to crack them, but don’t make that your primary focus or you are likely to spend a lot of time waiting for assignments rather than completing assignments and getting paid.

Some markets to consider: consumer magazines, trade magazines, professional journals, newsletters, local and regional publications, electronic publications, textbooks, and corporate publications. This is by no means an exhaustive list of publishing opportunities but it should give you an idea of where to start.

Use your Internet resources. Search for sites that deal with your areas of interest. They can be both publication possibilities and research resources.

For more information try 40 Freelance Writing Markets Paying $100 or More (Much More) and The Monster List of Freelancing Job Sites.

Step Three: Pick Your Initial Freelance Writing Specialties

Not every specialty you have is going to be highly marketable. There are many factors to consider when picking your initial specialties:

• The number of potential clients (Publications, businesses, people) who may be interested in your specialty.
• Whether or not you have something new to add to the area of knowledge in that specialty.
• The potential profitability of writing in that specialty.
• How long you feel you can write in that specialty without becoming bored or running out of things to say.
• Do you have equal credentials to the people publishing in the field? If not, can you find a co-author who does?

Analyze your list of specialties and decide for yourself which ones have the greatest chance for success. Pick specialties for which you can both find markets and maintain your motivation. Generally, you want to start with from one to three specialties. The list of specialties can grow over time, but don’t spread yourself too thin at the beginning.

For more information try Should You Specialize in Website Content? and The Freelance Copywriter’s Unfair Marketing Advantage.

Step Four: Find Freelancer Allies

Even before you start sending out queries, you should start making contacts. This requires research and bravery. You need to find professional organizations, clubs, support groups, special libraries, experts and any other resource that will help you succeed in this specialty. Don’t settle for just knowing where, what, and who these resources are. Contact them and establish a relationship. You will need them for more than article research.

Knowing all of the people within a certain field will result in assignments and other opportunities. In addition, you may find that one or more of the “experts” in the field are looking for co-authors or ghostwriters to help them become better known. Just because a person knows a subject, doesn’t mean they know how to write about it. Also, look for other writers who are writing in your field. Contact them. Try to convert them from competition into allies. Sometimes, other writers are so swamped they might forward opportunities to you. Someday, you might be in a position to do so yourself.

For more information try Let me Show You Inside a Secret Blogging Alliance and Are You Forgetting to Network With Your Friends?

Step Five: Start the Query Process

Make a list of ten or so publications or clients that you want to query initially. Analyze their needs. Read back-issues and Internet pages of publications. Look at the past publishing history of business clients. Contact publications and ask for their submission guidelines. Many major publications will not accept blind submissions. If your heart is set on them, you will have to find a way to develop a rapport with the editor.

Try for a variety of prospects so that there is as little overlap as possible. Try different types of publications, different regions, different companies and so forth.

Querying is, of course, an ongoing process. When your first round of queries is out, you will want to be researching your second round. Don’t just wait for opportunities. Be proactive.

For more information try 7 Steps to a Successful Freelance Query and How to Write a Query Letter.

Step Six: Gain Something from each Freelance Assignment

You may find that your initial assignments don’t pay as much as you would like. Sometimes, they may not offer any money. Chances are, you will not start off at the top of the pay bracket unless you happen to be well-known in your field. The key is to work your way up that pay scale at a speed that is acceptable to you. To do this, try to gain something from every assignment. Much like an athlete or a musician, your initial aptitude and ability will only get you so far. Experience, research and coaching are needed to get you the rest of the way. Here is a partial list of ways you can improve your writing:

• Find at least one new source (Person, book, web site, article) for each article you write, even if you have covered the territory before.
• Write each article with the intent to improve one aspect of your writing skills:(To write more quickly, to make less initial errors, to improve your editing)
• Do everything you can to meet every requirement your client has set (Subject, sources, length, supplemental materials, and of course, deadline.)
• Improve your relationship with the editor or client. Sometimes you can get to know them as a person. The busiest ones will not be as open to talks, however, even if they like you. Don’t take it personally and don’t be an annoyance. At minimum, ask a client what else they are looking for and follow up with another query. Remember the first part especially. Often, editors already have ideas. All you may need to do to get an assignment is ask.
• Develop a circle of mentors or peers. Join a writing group. Email a blogger. Form individual relationships. Find people who can help make you a better writer and a better freelancer.

For more information try 5 Things You Never Say to an Editor and Proofreader’s Marks.

Step Seven: Develop a Clipping Library of your Freelance Work

Keep all of your published materials. Keep your initial computer files and keep any print versions of your work. A clipping library will come in handy in many ways. You can use the information as sources for new articles, to refresh your knowledge of something you’ve covered, and to send out as samples to new prospects. Organization is not always easy for writers, but an efficient filing system can do wonders for your projects. In effect, you become your own research library. This will come in handy when it is time to recycle and reuse.

For more information try Quick Guide to Creating an Efficient File System and Getting Things Done: How to Take Control of Life.

Step Eight: Recycle and Reuse your Writing Work

One of the great advantages of having a specialty is that you can constantly reuse your work. Here are just a few examples:

• If you have retained the rights, you can resell articles as reprints without changing a word. That means you can get paid two or more times for the same exact article.
• You can repurpose an article. For example, an article about preventing heart attacks can be rewritten slightly for sale to a fitness magazine, a business management magazine and a senior citizen’s magazine. A new introduction and the personalization of a few items might take an hour, and the new sale might pay the same as the initial article or even more.
• You can combine pieces of more than one work into a new, different article.
• Once you have written a number of different articles about a subject, you can consider combining them together into a book. Publishing a book on a subject is a great way to generate new prospects and to be recognized as an expert in the field.
• You can give lectures based on your articles. Depending on the subject, lectures can pay quite well, and they further establish you as an expert in the field.

For more information try Repurpose or Reprint? What Do I Do With My Articles Now? and How To Repurpose Your Articles.

Step Nine: Work on Your Writing Credentials

Anything you can do that builds your reputation as an expert in a field will improve your opportunities. Here are a few ways you can work on your credentials:

• Take classes in your specialty, and if possible get a degree or a certificate.
• Teach seminars or classes or give lectures in your specialty. This is much easier to do than it sounds. Provided that you don’t have a fear of public speaking, you can almost read straight from your articles. The best part is that these opportunities don’t just improve your standing; they are generally paying opportunities.
• Be available for interviews. If someone else wants to quote you as an expert in the field, jump at the opportunity.
• Attend conventions and other gatherings of people in the field. Even if you aren’t giving a presentation, you can still introduce yourself to people and tell them you write in the field.
• Write a book or an eBook. There is no better way to establish your credentials than to write a book about your hey subject.

For more information try Thirteen Steps to Write and Publish a Free Ebook In Thirteen Hours and How to Become an Expert on Nearly Any Subject.

Step Ten: Learn When to Say When

As stated earlier, you can continually expand your specialties. You might start out writing about two subjects that may or may not be related. For example, you might start out writing about the Russian economy and about model trains. After a year, you might find that your interest in the Russian economy has lead to an interest in Middle Eastern business practices, and that your interest in model trains has either vanished or is failing to generate the business to make writing about it profitable for you. You can always drop or cut back on one specialty to pursue another or to concentrate on your remaining specialties. You can also go back when and if you feel it is time for another try.

For more information try How to Defeat Burnout and Stay Motivated and Are Your Stuck?.

Site Review: menwithpens.ca

It’s hard to believe that Men With Pens is only about a year and a half old. They have put out such an enormous volume of useful articles that it seems like you can spend a whole year just reading them. It helps that they have two “men”, no wait, three men, no wait, four men and one of them is a woman. I can’t keep track. If someone told me there was a fifth I would have to believe them.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that MWP used to be an advertiser here and I would gladly have them back. They are easy to recommend and they pay good money. I like that in an advertiser. At the moment though, no money is coming my way so I am relatively bias-free.

Also, in the interest of being well-rounded in my review, I can say that I don’t really like their most recent site design. I’m really not a fan of sites with dark backgrounds. Furthermore, their blue highlight color doesn’t look good against the gray and black background. It kind of hurts my eyes. I should also mention that MWP is a business first and a blog second. They don’t force their services down your throat, but they do want your business, so keep that in mind.

I have come to praise MWP though, not to bury them. On the Internet, content is king and they have content coming out of their ears. MWP focuses on site design, content development and freelancing. There are also a substantial number of articles about writing fiction and inspirational articles about writing in general. They have an active comment community that adds value to almost every post. Overall, this is one of the best sites for writers on the web.

Their archives are great, but they keep coming out with great new stuff too. Just this week they published Do You Have a Magic Ring?, which had a great productivity idea. The idea is to wear a reminder on your body (a ring, a necklace, etc.) and every time you think of that object you have to do the task associated with it. For example, every time you touch or adjust your ring, you have to write for ten minutes. It is a great idea. Here are some other past articles I would recommend:

Are You Losing Faith in Your Writing Dream?

An inspiring prompt to get you going again.

The Single Freelancer Policy that Saves Your Soul

Great advice about setting up a revision policy if you are a freelancer

Build it from Scratch or Customize a Template?

Tips about when to consider (almost never) builing your Wordpress template from scratch.

Four Choices To Brand Your Online Business

Site branding is often misunderstood and poorly executed, this article offers good basic advice.

Why Your Website Content Loses 7 Percent of Customers

Every time someone is expected to make a click, you can expect to lose 7% of your readers.

Should You Tell People Their Blog Design is Ugly?

Yes you should, and they do…

Drive-by-Shooting Sundays: Simplistic Thoughts

One of the many site reviews (emphasizing design) that MWP has posted over the past year. These articles are priceless if you are starting a new site and you want to figure out what to avoid.

How to Write Quality Query Letters: Give yourself credit

A great article idea is the most important aspect of a good query letter, but it isn’t the only thing that matters. You don’t just need to sell the publication on your idea; you need to convince the publisher that you are the best person to write the article. Part of this process has to do with your overall writing style and the professionalism of your presentation. The other part is your discussion of your experience, writing credits and other qualifications. You need to show your potential publisher that you are a great writer. This is not the time to be humble. This is the time to brag a little about your abilities and experience.

Before I discuss what you should tell a potential publisher, I should make sure you know what you should NEVER tell them.

• Never tell them that you are a first time writer who is looking for a break
• Never tell them about your personal or money problems
• Never tell them you don’t know the subject well but are looking to learn more

Publications don’t care about your problems. They are looking for good writers. The last thing a publisher wants is to take a chance on someone who may not be able to deliver what they promise. Your goal should be to fill the publisher with confidence, not pity.

The best spot to discuss your qualifications is just before the concluding paragraph of your query letter. You don’t want to waste time or space, so limit the discussion of your qualifications to those that are most relevant to the article you are proposing. For example, if you are proposing an article about the financial impact of divorce, it is relevant to mention that you are a financial advisor and a divorcee, but those same facts would be irrelevant in a query for an article about living with chronic back pain.

You will want to mention a few of your past article credits. Again, they should be the most relevant credits you have. If you have nothing relevant, go with the most prestigious credits that you have, but relevancy trumps prestige. If you are employed as a writer for a particular publication, be sure to include that. If you have very few credits, just include the best that you have and don’t apologize for them. Just put them in and move on. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Here is a sample paragraph from a query letter:

I have been a professional investment counselor for the past fifteen years and was one of the earliest adopters of Internet trading. As a former state representative, I authored several investment fraud bills that are still on the Arizona law books. For the past two years I have written a weekly investment article for Phoenix Business Insider. I have also published investment-related articles in Worthwhile Investor, Smart Stock Analyst and Fund Advocate.

Finally, you should include, along with your query letter, from one to three writing samples. If you are emailing your query, it is acceptable to include links to articles, but if you are sending a query by regular mail, you need to include the actual articles. Remember that you want to include whatever samples are most relevant to your query.

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