Web Content Writing

I first "found" that web content writing was an option for me back in December of 2008 after I lost my job. Deciding that I needed to do something while the next job opportunity came along, I found eHow. I remember how naive I was getting excited over the idea that eHow "accepted" me to write for them. Little did I understand at the time that anyone could write for eHow. Through eHow I began to "meet" many different writers and I developed a few very good friendships. It was Dena Bolton who most influenced me. Dena was a giving, kind soul whose generousity was known by many online writers. She encouraged me to branch out, believe in myself and write on other sites. Because of her, I applied to Associated Content (now Yahoo Voices) and earned the title of Parenting Expert. We both wrote on multiple sites and had a routine that allowed us to focus on several sites, making the most of our time. Dena suddenly passed away a little over a year ago and her death hit me hard. I began to question everything and I had a hard time moving forward. It also became a time where I questioned having my "eggs" in too many baskets. Online web content writing changed around the time Dena passed and that was also another reason why it was time for me to re-evaluate what I was doing. I learned that on many sites, the more often you contribute, the more money you would make. Ultimately it isn't always about how good your content is; it is how much you participate. Web content writing in itself is not a get-rich-quick-scheme. It is discouraging for those who write with the thought that they want to produce great content that the site they are submitting to allows pure garbage on it. I have been disgusted by bad English, really bad writing and obvious keyword filled "articles" on several sites. What has also disgusted me is how some sites are set up. I decided to check Helium today as I have not participated there in a few months. With over 300 articles I have not reached minimum payout ($25) since I wrote there last. I clicked on a few of my #1 articles only to have annoying videos on each one. I was disgusted. Personally I don't want my brain to compete with an annoyingly loud advertisement while I read an article. My advice for newbies is to really check out sites that they think they want to write for. Sites like Helium (in my opinion) are deceiving. Any site that you need to log into daily and sumbit content to in order to make payout feel like a scam. Again, my opinion. Personally I am giving Squidoo a more concentrated effort and holding my breath waiting to see if what everyone says is true. I should know by summer if my efforts pay off. In the meantime, I have my blogs, my online stores and my part-time retail job. I have plenty to do.

Write About What You Know

I've read many books about how to be a writer and the one common piece of advice always seems to be to write about what you know. That being said I have decided to write a tell-all. Now why on earth would I think that writing a tell-all would be remotely interesting to anyone? I mean, it's not like I am a celebrity (or a wanna-be celebrity). The need to write a tell-all comes from the life I have led so far. My life is far from over and even if noone ever reads my tell-all I will have accomplished a goal. I need to get out all the emotions and put the past to rest once and for all. I am pretty confident that although my story is unique (because it is MY story) people will still be able to identify with it. The names will be changed in order to protect myself from lawsuits(LOL) because unfortunately people in my life are unable to own up to the truth about who they are and what they have done. I make no excuses for myself except to remind people that I am human. Yea, you have to remind people of that because so many people tend to judge. I did the best I could at the time (and continue to) but I know I made mistakes. I am not going to blame anyone for my actions or misactions. My parents were hardly perfect and neither am I. Anyone who thinks that they are above reproach well, all I can say is that we all have to answer for our actions and deeds some day. Their day will come. So as I undergo many changes in my life, in my spare time I will begin to put into words my life so far. I look forward to getting it out there. It will feel good to relive those moments and who knows what I will discover along the way. I sure hope it will help encourage other people to learn how to love themselves in spite of the fact that we are all human and not perfect beings. Aside from the healing it will bring me, I hope it helps others to forgive themselves and live a more meaningful, positive life.

Non-Fiction

Soap operas have an audience and sometimes I wonder if I was to write down the daily events in my life, would I have a non-fiction bestseller? Maybe...real life (at least mine) is so chaotic, crazy and unreal sometimes that people would think I am either over-dramatizing or making it up. The fact is that this is it. MY LIFE. All true. All "as-is" and sometimes all I can do is sit back and just watch it unfold. I probably should be writing it all down. The last 2+ years of web content writing have not replaced a steady paycheck but who knows, maybe, just maybe turning my life into a book (or series of books) is my ticket. Stay tuned...

Starving Writers

Writing web content is not what it used to be. There was a time where you could earn a decent amount of money but due to many changes, those days are over. I always pictured a real writer as someone locked away in a room, chain-smoking and surviving on coffee. Tucked away from the world, the writer would live on his own schedule writing late into the night while others slept. I threw myself into web content writing for a while and when I was deeply into it, I wrote faithfully every day (weekends included). I became very secluded from the outside world. My "world" was online. Aside from seeing family members, I had no real contact with anyone. I didn't mind it so much. For a while it was nice to escape the real world and believe that if I wrote faithfully I would eventually earn close to what I made working out in the "real" world. That dream is over. It just isn't going to happen and now is the time to focus on another way. I feel that I have a book or two inside me so as I continue to work to pay the bills, that dream will become a part of my new focus. If there are writers out there who still are making a decent amount of money writing web content, well, good for them. Sometimes I think you have to sell a part of yourself in order to make money this way. I have written things that I am not proud of but never compromised and sold out for a buck. Writing will always be something that I need to do and will enjoy but I am not going to starve to feed that passion.

Dread

7 a.m. A load of laundry going through the wash cycle vibrates throughout the house. While I wait patiently (impatiently really) for my teenager to get out of bed I decide to see if I can write a new post to my blog. Distracting myself from the feeling of dread that is creeping up fighting to overcome me, I keep telling myself "just one more day". Funny thing is that before I started working this temporary CSR assignment I didn't have feelings of dread in the morning. I looked excitedly towards writing every day. Sometimes writing could be so addicting that it was hard to stop and take a break. Not so with my new position. I started off my morning with the normal routine of checking my email while I have my coffee. Of course there was an email from one of the "supervisors" from my job. It seems that a package was returned because the address contained symbols which made it undeliverable. A part of me wanted to respond angrily but I stopped myself. Best to just ignore it. It is not my job to ship packages, I take orders. Did no one in the shipping department notice the address had these symbols on it? Somehow it falls back to me. Honestly, on my end, I did not notice anything unusual. There probably was a glitch in the system but it is easier to place blame on the "new" person. If one package was returned, I am sure there will be more. So here I am venting through my blog about the bullsh#@ that a work-from-home call center rep deals with. This is NOT what I want to be doing. Does it make me feel better? Not really. Just one more 6 hour shift to get through before I have 2 days off from this nonsense. I will have 2 mornings where I will wake up, excited to throw myself into writing passionately about whatever strikes me at the moment. My head is swimming with ideas that I hope I can do justice. As I listen to customers complain today and field the calls of stupid questions, in my mind I will be thinking about what really fuels my passion. What it is that I really enjoy. Not many writers are able to survive financially off of their writing. Many of us have to do things for money that we rather would not do. I guess it is paying my dues but I have to learn how to not let it destroy me. One day at a time.

My Escape

Since starting a work-from-home position 11 days ago, I have had a lot of trouble trying to balance it with writing. I was forced to take a temp position as a call center rep because I just wasn't earning enough money with my writing and other self-employment projects. That depressed me greatly almost as much as how hard it has been to find employment. When I got offered this CSR position, I had to jump on it without considering what I was getting myself into. But again, I didn't have many options. For months now I have seen how other "writers" bragged about how well they are doing on this site and that. I wonder how true their claims are. It made me examine just how hard I have tried to "make it" as a web content writer. My friend Dena and I used to challenge each other to keep each other focused on treating our writing as a job and always pushing to be better and therefore, hopefully earn more views which would mean more money. Well, Dena is gone now as most of my online writing friends (and others) know. Dena dying shook me up more than I thought possible. My motivation disappeared for a while with my grief and depression. I felt lost. As many web content writers know, although you earn money from residual pay, keeping an online presence is essential to earning money. After Dena died, I slowly disappeared from the web. I wasn't writing as much or promoting or participating. Getting back into the swing of it all has been tough. It hurt my monthly income and soon I had no choice but to focus on getting a "real" job. The party was over. What I had worked so hard at for 2 years disappeared because I didn't publish daily. Maybe I am just reaching a turning point in my life...I don' t know. I know that mentally, emotionally and spiritually, I need to write. Writing is still my escape. At one time I thought maybe it would replace the paycheck that I lost nearly 3 years ago. Life got in the way and now, I have to re-examine my efforts and make a choice. I will never stop writing but maybe I will have to give up the dream of earning a living from it. Or at least being able to pay some of the bills from it. Life is always changing and in order to survive you have to learn how to roll with the changes. Maybe it is just a crossroads that I am at now. Time will tell.

Blogger Issues Again?????

After spending my weekend getting a taste of what many live Monday through Friday, I returned home this evening wanting to write.

I had a revelation today as I got a taste of what life is like for many working people. At the end of the day, you would love to come home to a good, healthy, home-cooked meal but you do not necessarily want to have to be the one to cook it.

I decided to make a new post to my food blog, was happy with what I wrote so I hit publish.

Nothing.

Grrrrr.

It is in my drafts but I am unable to publish it. Maybe it is a sign that my huge revelation is not all that special.

I always heard that writers should write about what they know. This has been what motivates me to continue writing. Whenever I would accept assignments on topics that involved research (because I lacked the knowledge) I found writing to be a chore.

Like many people, I am seeking to live my dream. My dream is to be employed doing something that I enjoy.

Maybe tonight I just need to rest up because tomorrow is another day. I have plenty to do and I will need all my energy.

The blog post can wait.