THURSDAY SPECIAL: Dirt Cheap Full Site Content Packages (2)--- OFFER CLOSED

This special offer is now closed. Thanks!

I didn't run a special last Thursday because I was away on vacation. However, I am back and so is my once-a-week deal.

I am offering two, and only two, full site content packages for the first two takers.

The buyer gets everything he or she needs to get that lingering idea for a new website up and running in a hurry. Here's what it includes:

10 articles (500 approx. words each) on the topic of the buyer's choice. These can be used to fill out the site or for article marketing/backlink generation purposes. They will be informative articles written to comport with the site and to support it.

1 press release. This can be used to help jump-start the site by increasing awareness of the site. Direct traffic and backlink benefits may also accrue. A great PR move (see this post for a more detailed discussion of what a good press release can do).

5 pages of page content. This could include your "about me" page, the home page, and/or any other specific pages the buyer needs. Average length of about 300-500 words per page.

1,000 words of additional content. The buyer can use this for anything else the site might need. Extra pages, extra articles, sidebars or shorts, etc.

TOTAL PRICE: $250.

All work backed by the usual Content Done Better guarantees. 50% deposit, balance due upon satisfactory completion of project. Payment via PayPal preferred. Both orders will be completed and delivered on/before July 10.

Ready, set...
GO!

Buyers can contact me via email (cdbrack@gmail.com) or via the contact form on this page. Alternatively, you can use the contact form at Content Done Better.

The power of a press release... Bargain exposure...

There are those in the PR biz who claim the press release is dead. They have some fascinating and compelling arguments in support of that position and point toward great alternative methods of "getting the word out."

There are those who argue that improper use of press releases, particularly among webmasters, is one of the chief reasons why the form is losing its power. They have a good point. So many lousy, barely disguised sales pitches are sent out as news releases that media gatekeepers have a harder time finding "the good stuff" and may even be ignoring many releases altogether.

Sounds like bad news for the press release. It must be either dead or dying, right?

Maybe not.

Although this may border on being a bit of rodomontade, I want to tell you about a press release I wrote recently...

The client has a relatively small site right in the middle of a very competitive niche. He was referred to me by someone who thought he might want to investigate using a press release to help jump-start the site.

A new site announcement is about as interesting as last month's weather forecast. With a little work, though, I was able to determine what set this site apart from others and what made it interesting. Working with that "hook," I constructed a press release for him.

It was released either early this morning or late last night (I get confused when people live on the "other side of the pond").

As of now, the release has over 10,000 individual views from only one of the distribution channels. It's estimated that nearly 200 media outlets have picked up the release (again, from that one distributor). Although there's no way to know how often that will translate into a story, it is a positive indicator.

If you searched either Google or Yahoo news right now using the primary keyword associated with the site, you would find the press release in the number two position. Again, this is an extremely competitive term (I just Googled it and found over 94 million sites by searching for the term).

So, for the price of one press release, my client had over 10K people see his link embedded in a good story at which nearly 200 media outlets have looked--in less than twelve hours. He's also getting nice exposure on the two big news sites. The end result will undoubtedly be some great exposure, great backlink creation, and a good "direct" traffic flow. If only a handful of media outlets run with his story, the effect could multiply...

Is the press release dead? Dying? On its way out? One can argue that it is, but for a minimal investment, it is still paying huge dividends.

This concludes the shameless plug for my freelance press release writing services! If you'd like to jump-start your new site or give your existing project a little kick, please get in touch.

Now, back to work!

UPDATE: About an hour later and one distribution channel has now accounted for over 12,000 looks and well over 200 media outlet pick-ups. The client has been contacted by a reporter at one of the largest newspapers in his part of the world. Press releases do work.

UPDATE: Two days after the last update, I was told we were up to over 40,000 looks and over 300 pick-ups. My client has an interview scheduled with the previously mentioned newspaper, who plans to write a Sunday feature about his endeavors.

I am back... Ugh...

Well, I made it back from our summer vacation after having a great time.

I'm now confronting the ugly reality everyone experiences after taking a breather--things really pile up!

I don't have time for a long post today, but I did want to take a moment to thank Eliza for her contribution to the Content Done Better Blog during my absence. She did a great job and her efforts are certainly appreciated. Fantastic!

I must now put my sunburned nose to the grindstone...

Guest Blogger, Eliza Ferree: One last thing

Okay lovely group, I'm here one last time.

I wanted to approach the subject of miscommunication in bidding sites or even just through emails with potential clients. How does one that writes content writing deal with it?

1. Make sure you get the exact details needed.
2. Go over them one last time before agreeing, and have them say yes that is correct.

Okay, now that would normally be great, especially if they are coming to your through email. You have the email to prove it. However, on bidding sites this is not always the case. They do state not to take anything off the website. Which I think is totally understandable. However, what happens when there is a miscommunication?

For instance my situation I blogged about. The client and myself both agreed to a certain amount and a deadline. However, in the bid he never did accept me as the bidder. If I did all the work would I be protected in the end? That's a tough call. Would you do it? This is one of those going by faith, but at the same time don't we have to be professional as well. No excuses and don't worry about how you will make the client feel. As a freelance writer you must protect yourself, the client should understand that it is part of the business.

1. Talk out the details, only through the site.
2. both of you need to agree on details
3. make sure they accept the bid
4. do the work and get paid.

Okay, well I'm off and will hand you back to Carson now.

Special guest blogger Eliza Ferree is a freelance writer and blogger. You can visit her at http://entertainusnews.blogspot.com/

Guest Blogger Eliza Ferree: Time to Move on..

Well, today is my last day as a Guest Blogger and I just wanted to say thank you to all those that commented or read the blog. I've enjoyed chatting on the sidelines with ya'll.

Now for my last post before I move on. How do you know when it is time to move on from what you are doing? It doesn't matter if it is a certain field you've been in for some time or the next step up in the freelance writing world. It may even be just a higher pay that you are moving up.

Many writers, especially content writers are faced with this every year, if not more. So, I ask you the question. Writers may decide to move up after they've written every type of content writing they can on a certain topic. Maybe they feel a bit like they are repeating themselves or are just plain bored of the topic. A writer should move on before they begin to hate the subject, and if they start seeing signs that's when they should run. Of course, finish the projects you already have at hand first.

Second, a writer moves on when they feel they've stayed at a certain pay for longer than they should. This is especially true for those that are just starting off in the trade. Maybe they began at writing $1 for 500 words or $5 for 500 words, after a while they'll realize they can ask for more. The more experience you have under your belt the better. Maybe you should even create your own website or find someone that does....hmmm Carson perhaps. If you don't feel confident with your own site join a team. But every writer must move up at one point.

Third, a writer may move up just to see what else is out there. Maybe they've never been in the business of writing before and have discovered they've got a knack for it. Try some new things as well as content writing and see which shoe fits better. Chances are both will fit and you'll make plenty of income and connections.

Well I hope I've helped you this past week, or at least given you something to look at. Keep writing and have fun doing it.

Special guest blogger Eliza Ferree is a freelance writer and blogger. You can visit her at http://entertainusnews.blogspot.com/

Guest Blogger Eliza Ferree: Procrastination- Your enemy or Your Best Friend?

For many people they believe procrastination is their worst enemy, and for the most part it can be in many ways. You've been staring at this huge wall blocking your path to success. Or blocking the route to further jobs, either way this seems like an enemy.

But for some people procrastination can lead to creativity. I know you're probably thinking how in the world can she think it's a good thing. Well, for me it is. I'm sure I could work from day one but I think I do my BEST work under pressure. Have you ever experienced that? If I do it early on then chances are I'll pick at everything I've created until there is nothing left and I have to do it all over again in the end anyways. So, why waste time right?

No, this doesn't mean all my work is done at the last minute, but some of it is. But that's why I take short deadlines. I have to know the project is due in a matter of hours, or only a few short days. If I'm given a month or two months to complete items chances are you'll see me working on them the last week or two weeks. I'll take other jobs in between to make sure I get money while I'm waiting for the deadline.

Are you a procrastinator? Do you do you best work at the last moment? If not, how do you organize your schedule? Please feel free to tell us what type of writer you are. Chances are we all have a bit of procrastination in us.

Special guest blogger Eliza Ferree is a freelance writer and blogger. You can visit her at http://entertainusnews.blogspot.com/

Guest Blogger Eliza Ferree: Polishing Content

Okay, we've been talking all week about the business of content writing. Now lets talk about polishing it up. I mean you wouldn't try selling a car as is would you? Chances are if you did you wouldn't get any high bids. Sure, you'd get a few bids but most would be low. Someone looking to take it apart and sell it piece by piece, or to fix it up themselves and sell it for much more.

This is the same for content writing. Just like in the picture, you have to make the article shine. A polished article will shine all by itself, you won't have to add it to a group of other articles or a buy one get one free gimmick.

What do I mean by shining it up?
- Read all material over again (make sure it reads smoothly and there are no errors)
- Make sure it doesn't sound like anything you've ever read
- Double check any facts you may have put in.
- Be absolutely sure that it is the way the buyer wanted it. If it doesn't already have a buyer, try uploading it in a variety of different formats.

I hope these little tips will help you in polishing up your content. May you have a successful auction.

Special guest blogger Eliza Ferree is a freelance writer and blogger. You can visit her at http://entertainusnews.blogspot.com/

Guest Blogger Eliza Ferree: Keep ahead of the Game

The trend in content writing. Have ya'll noticed there are trends in the content writing field? That's right, you must pay close attention though to catch on. In a lot of ways content writing is just like writing for a magazine. There are certain seasons that subjects are most popular and there are ways that you can be ahead of the game.

No, I'm not saying content writing it a fad, but the subjects are.
While some are only popular for a certain amount of times, others will come back every year. Think about summer time. What types of content would you find? Summer, summer vacations, oils, trips, rentals, beaches, bathing suits, etc. Winter you might find trips, skiing, rental, snow gear, colds and flus, etc. There are a ton of possiblities during the seasons.

Trends could be a popular shoe, a new gadget that recently came out, law suits, etc. You get the picture. Movie stars can also be popular.

Try to write up a bunch of these articles right before the season hits. Once people start advertising you'll be one up. Not to mention you can build your own site and sell them invidually or in bunches. Coming up with ideas can be a lot of fun, but when that little brain clicks off you'll need something to fall back on. Write a quick list now before it shuts down, this way you'll have them when you need them. Score message boards and bidding sites to see what's popular. It's all about research after all. The ball's in your court, think wisely before you make your move.

Special guest blogger Eliza Ferree is a freelance writer and blogger. You can visit her at http://entertainusnews.blogspot.com/

Guest Blogger Eliza Ferree: Weighing in On the Dangers

No, I'm not saying that content writing is dangerous. But finding a job and relying on the money can sometimes be. It has become one of those trust issues when dealing with content writing. Unless you are using a site that guarantees you'll get the money you must have faith.

Have you ever been burned by someone? I know I have, a few times. I've been one of those that hop on a board looking for work and jump at it. I do try to search the person first before accepting any work, but sometimes there is nothing out there. That's where the faith comes in. You must trust your boss. This is the person that NEEDS something you've got (writing) and you need something that they have (money). However, you are the one that shows the trust first by handing off the work and wait for the payment.

Sometimes I'm told, I'll pay you on this day. Okay, I'll wait until this day. Or I might get paid through paypal immediately, this one is my favorite option. But there are some that try to say we are currently behind and won't be able to pay you until next month. EEEKKKK. Is this a red flag or is this where trust REALLY comes into play. Still there are others that are very talkative until you send them the article and then they simply disappear.

Writing content is very tricky, you never know when you'll be able to find work and when you do if they will pay up. There are a few options though for those of you that have been scammed.

- Several sites (not sure if Carson wants me to name other sites) will help you get your money back, not to mention let everyone on the internet know.
- Two, continue to email and see what happens.
- When you first send the article make sure it states it is not allowed to be used until payment. Lack of payment means forfeiture of article and all rights will go back to you.

So, there it is. Try to be safe, if it feels a bit off when you first contact the person run. Don't walk, run! Never count your money until it is in your account, you don't want to rely on it for a bill and not be able to pay it.

Hope ya'll are doing great, I've been having a great time writing this blog.

Special guest blogger Eliza Ferree is a freelance writer and blogger. You can visit her at http://entertainusnews.blogspot.com/

Guest Blogger Eliza Ferree: Content Writing Questions

Happy Tuesday everyone! Aren't Tuesdays, better than Mondays? :) Yesterday was very slow in this household, so much that I was able to lay on a towel outside by the pool watching my little girl swim back and forth. She's currently learning to blow bubbles. It's amazing to watch someone learning how to do something, we all know that they can do it but it's simply they need to learn how to do it. They have to take a shot.

Content writing is like that for me. There are three questions I'm asked by people when they hear what I do. What is content writing? How did you get started? How much is the pay?

I try to explain but the truth is for someone that has absolutely no clue it is hard. I have discovered telling them the spam they get in their mail could've been something I wrote. Or I tell them that I write very short articles, of course this one tends to bring on more questions. Finally, I explain the whole SEO bit which is... no it should be simple. You choose a word and focus on that word, tossing it out a few times in the article. Of course, it must make sense.

How did I get started? For me, I kind of found it through a friend. I've only been writing content articles for about a year now. My hubby had just went overseas and I was constantly up all hours of the day and night. I'd try doing some writing on a novel but wasn't getting far. I was too involved with checking all the news sites online to see if anything new had happened in Iraq. That's when a friend sent me an email. Read this article and put it in your own words. Write it to reach 500 words. I thought, yeah right I can't even get past this part in my novel. But I tried, it was fun. She loved it and asked me if I wanted a job. She pushed me right in the water, I'd barely gotten my feet wet when she started throwing me into the deeper end with bigger sharks. Today, I still wonder sometimes if I'm writing everything correctly or if it's just a dream.

As for the pay question, that's a little harder to explain. I just simply state, yes I do get paid for what I do. Sometimes the pay is good and sometimes it isn't. But I always have money in my account.

So, how did you get started? What questions are you asked?

Special guest blogger Eliza Ferree is a freelance writer and blogger. You can visit her at http://entertainusnews.blogspot.com/

Guest Blogger Eliza Ferree: The ball, a writer's life.

Hello Blogging World! How is your Monday going? Do you have deadlines? Is it a slow day? No work at all? Either way, I hope your Monday is getting off on the right foot.

Before leaving Carson gave me a file of pictures for the day. I must say I loved today's picture. The ball to me, can represent so much of a content writer's life. A writer's life can be full of fun and adventure, but it can also be a very lonely place at times.

Ever feel like you are the only writer online? The reality is you aren't. But when you are bored or scrolling for news and can't find anything you begin to wonder where all the writers have gone. Did they all meet up at some fancy party and left you at home?

A writer's life can also be a bit bouncy, like one of those small balls you get out of a machine. You toss it up in the air and let it bounce, waiting for it to stop. A writer may go all over the net to find a job and they never know where they'll end up. They may bounce from one site to the next and back again before finally finding something. Sometimes they aren't even sure if they'll be able to find a job. You may get a subject you know a ton about and can write a book on it, or you might get something that you had no clue even existed. Both subjects can be boring, or they can be a ton of fun. To me, the research is the most fun I have with content writing, and I am learning along the way. The money is just the icing on the cake.

How do you see the life of a content writer? If you are one, have you ever bounced around from one job to the next? As I mentioned in yesterday's post, there was a time that I had no jobs, so when I can, I grab as many as I can get a hold of. I try to keep that little ball bouncing and when it slows down I tend to worry. But for now, I'm content with being a little bouncing ball. Are you?

Special guest blogger Eliza Ferree is a freelance writer and blogger. You can visit her at http://entertainusnews.blogspot.com

Guest Blogger Eliza Ferree: Wishing a Happy Father's Day to all You Freelancing Dads..

Howdy ya'll, this is Guest Blogger, Eliza Ferree. Seems pretty strange introducing myself, I normally keep quiet about who I am. Most ghost writers do, right? Well, I've never blogged for someone else before so gear me in the right direction if I steer off please.

Carson, I hope you are having fun on your little vacation. Make sure to take a little time off from writing today. Isn't that what Father's Day is for? Yes, I know a freelancer never stops writing, not even during a holiday and I think that's where we are going to head with todays topic.

Working through the Holidays...

How many freelancers can admit to never working on a holiday? Are there any hands raised? Wow, I see maybe one or two but everyone else has their notebooks in hand and are ready to begin their daily writing schedule. I applaud every one one of you, being a freelance writer is no piece of cake. You have deadlines, cancelations, dry weeks and even worries. You never want to stop working in fear that you won't be able to find work.

I remember a few months back, I had stopped writing because my husband had come home from Iraq. I planned on spending a few weeks with him, but when I got back online and tried to find a job. Many of the job boards that I frequent seemed to be looking for work as well. I wasn't sure where all my contacts had disappeared either. When I finally found a few gigs I jumped at the chance and knew that from that point on I would work whenever given the chance, unless of course I was already booked up.

Writers write for many reasons, the big one is money. We all know the only way to get that money is to get the job done. Nothing can get in that way either, not even being sick. Have you experienced something like this? Ever try to take a break and have a hard time getting back into a rythm?

Special guest blogger Eliza Ferree is a freelance writer and blogger. You can visit her at http://entertainusnews.blogspot.com/

I'm out of here... Meet your new blogger...

I will be on vacation beginning Saturday, June 18 through Sunday, June 26.

I am excited to announce that the Content Done Better Blog will continue rolling along during my absence. I have been lucky enough to convince Eliza Ferree to fill in as a guest blogger! She'll be handling posts through next Saturday.

Eliza is a freelance writer and is the editor/publisher of Know Your Authors, a web-based magazine that covers book reviews, authors, contests and interviews. She has written frequent interview pieces and columns for a variety of online news sources. She has also recently completed the manuscript for her first children's book, Keeping Close.

I've worked with Eliza before and am very happy she's agreed to help me out! Thanks, Eliza!

Content theft...Ignorance isn't bliss when it comes to plagiarism and copyright infringement...

I recently posted about the issue of content theft and argued that net culture, as evidenced by the circumstances surrounding the old Napster and other indicators, has a large element that simply doesn't care about intellectual property rights. In fact, some among that subgroup are actually proud of their thieving.

I still think those observations are valid, but I thought I would return to the topic today to discuss another cause of content theft: ignorance. Grab a drink and strap in, this could get long...

Please note that I am not using "ignorance" as a pejorative. It's not a synonym for "stupid." I am referring to people who simply don't have an extensive knowledge base about these matters.

Take, for instance, this post from a very popular forum on the topic of content use:

"hello.since content is the major buzzword in adsense around which everything revolves so is it possible to write content from differnt sources of books and magaizines .or one bought from amazon.com.will it be infringemnt of copywright if i purchase a book or magazines and write content from them mixing some of my own.plz suggest."

Yikes. Paraphrased: "Is it okay if I buy a book and then copy it with a few changes?"

After that question was asked, plenty of people responded. Most seemed to be on the right track, but there did seem to be come confusion between copyrights and plagiarism, etc. The discussion veered off into a discussion of public domain materials, too. Finally, the original poster, after reading all of this, stated:

"thanks a lot all those who have provided valuable guidance in this matter.it will help a lot.i have definitely written my own content but i want to make my site big with load of information therfore i wanted to use other stuffs buit didnt knew much abt copywright issue. ok one thing more is usinmg the content of general magazines also infrigement violations."

Paraphrased: "Thanks for input. I don't know alot about copyright issues. We've covered books, but can I steal content from magazines?"

Wow.

After reading this, it occurred to me that the content theft problem is not just the combination of rebel/hacker/cool kids sticking it to the man and greedy moneymakers scraping to build Adsense sites. As much as anything, it may just be a matter of ignorance.

The poster in the referenced forum thread didn't know a thing about copyright. In fact, the issue was so new to him/her that even after being attacked for the "steal it from Amazon" plan, he/she was asking "what about stealing from magazines?"

I have a client who got in touch with me a few weeks ago about doing a site re-write. He's a smart guy. He runs his own business in a field that requires a great deal of specialized knowledge and an ability to work effectively with the public.

He advised me that I could take a look at his current site for some additional guidance, but that he had just lifted most of the material from other sources. He was getting in touch with me (I had done some work for a friend of his in the same business) because he had been told that little bit of content snagging was a "no-no."

Remember--this is a very smart guy. He is just ignorant about intellectual property, plagiarism and copyrights. I am sure he is not alone.

We also have the fact that younger people are capable of building sites ranging from MySpace pages to complicated full websites. Unfortunately, the development of their design and programming skills has outpaced their understanding of plagiarism and copyright. They may be stealing, but they are probably more ignorant than evil.

Additionally, there is probably a cultural element to this. I am willing to wager that those of us in the U.S., a nation where private property rights are at the very heart of legal, social and political lives, are probably better acquainted with these issues than many people from other parts of the world that don't have a similar outlook or focus.

I don't know how private property is culturally perceived in former Soviet republics that languished under communist control or in the rapidly-growing economies southeast Asian nations, but I have a feeling that views regarding these matters are probably a bit different than my own. I have no idea about their understanding of the Berne Convention and intellectual property, etc., but I know that most Americans--who live in a "property rights" country--don't even know that much.

Here's what I think all of this means in terms of content writing and purchasing content:

Unless and until ignorance about the ethical and legal implications of content theft are erased, the problem is going to grow. That education may have to come through repeated attempts to squash plagiarism and a consistent effort on the part of those who "get it" to intercede against content theft when it is spotted. It should also involve some outreach--there's nothing wrong with using an iron fist on the left hand and a velvet glove on the right.

I believe that those of us in the content writing community should work to increase awareness and responsibility due to our unique understanding of the problem and its ramifications. I also think it's in our own best interests from a business perspective. Less content theft should, in theory, lead to some increased demand for freelance content writing services.

Ignorance is bliss--but only for the ignorant.

It's a pain in the ass for the rest of us.

In this case, ignorance decreases the value of written work, it creates an aura of distrust, and as content theft continues it begins to create an "everyone's doin' it" mentality that works to snowball the problem while decreasing demand for original writing.

Freelance content writers offer self-serving advice...

I was reading a few articles about hiring freelance content writers. Most of them were written by freelance content writers and distributed to online article directories as a marketing device / backlink building strategy. I've done that myself.

Here's what I found irritating... It seems as though every writer offers suggestions and recommendations custom-tailored to match his or her own personal history and tendencies.

You can bet that the writer who focuses on how essential fast communication is prides himself on answering emails within minutes.

You can be pretty sure the person who tells you never to hire a freelance SEO content writer unless they have studied directly under one of the SEO gurus used to work for a guru.

It's safe to guess that the writer who says you should demand proof that a writer has written materials that rank #1 for a competitive search term once penned an article that went right to the top of the Google charts.

If a writer spends a great deal of time preaching the virtues of unique content and telling you how important a uniqueness guarantee is, you can be pretty sure he's trying to help himself with his 300% money back originality guarantee that doesn't get directly mentioned in the article.

Etc. By the way, that last one is me. I do it, too. I'd like to think my arguments are based in logic and truth, but they are undoubtedly skewed in the service of self-interest to some extent. My acts of self-promotion in the guise of a helpful article may not be quite as obvious as some others and may have a stronger foundation than some, but that promotional instinct is always shaping each helpful hint.

So, if you are a potential content buyer looking for a great freelance SEO writer or someone to pen some top-rate copy, go ahead and look at all of those helpful articles we writers have distributed. However, take the time to read more than one or two. Don't be persuaded to believe that there is a certain set of undeniable prerequisites and that any one of us has determined what they are.

Our hints about hiring writers are part of our marketing plan, not just an act of goodwill.

As a writer, I feel some of the "must haves" outlined in these articles to be laughable. I hope that prospective buyers see through the strategy and don't decide that any one writer's list prerequisite list is definitive. I also hope to offer ideas and suggestions that are firmly grounded in reality instead of merely being a nice fit with my business habits and personal history.

Giving it away... A calculated risk...

One of the most frequently-repeated tidbits of wisdom doled out to new writers by established pros is "never give your work away."

Don't write for free.

Usually, that's good advice.

Nonetheless, I am going to break the "no freebies" rule 50 times over the course of the next month?

I am writing 50 short articles absolutely free of charge. That's one free article for each of 50 potential regular clients.

In an effort to expand my client base, I decided to offer an abosultely free article--no strings attached--to 50 people. Breaking the rule? Nope. I am shattering it as part of a promotion.

Why would I violate the "no free writing rule?" I consider it great advertising. I am willing to bet that the quality of the free articles will convert many of those participating into consistent clients. I put this offer in front of people who buy content regularly and I plan on making a significant percentage of them Content Done Better regulars.

Could this be a bad decision? Absolutely. If I can't convert prospects into buyers, I will have given away valuable content without receiving a thing in return. It's a gamble, but I feel like the odds are on my side.

I can tell people that I produce great content at reasonable rate and bombard them with testimonials from past clients. However, in the end, "the proof is in the puddin'." I am handing out free puddin' samples.

A few small adjustments... You can be like me (I know you wanna)...

I made a few adjustments to the blog a few minutes ago. First, I decided to use Blogrolling for link maintenance instead of making template adjustments each and every time I add a link. The interface is fast and easy, so if you have a blog that should be listed here, let me know. There have been many I considered linking but just didn't feel like going through the template, etc. I will be far more generous with links now that it's so much easier.

Second, I added a nifty little sidebar item from Pandora. After I tell Sherri about it, you will probably see one on her blog, too. She loves Pandora. If you aren't familiar with Pandora, check it out--especially if you like working to music. I've listed six of my personal stations there, so now you have the chance to be like me! Yeah, yeah, I know... You'd probably prefer to set up your own stations. But, if you want to feel that connection, I am currently listening to Blues 2.

Third, I got rid of that little link-sharing thing I toyed with this week. I think it was called Links2Blogs. It was a cute idea, but it wasn't generating any traffic and it slowed the blog's load time. Plus, I didn't feel the outbound links were very relevant to my readers.

Fourth, I added the Gonzo graphic for fun and inspiration.

Fifth, in addition to handling links with Blogrolling, I added one. It's the link to This American Life. If you aren't familiar with this radio show, check it out. Great stuff. Ira Glass' cadence can be a little frustrating at first, but even he grows on you. If all radio was as good as TAL, there'd be no reason for television.

Back to work...

The problem with vacations... 95K...

I'm leaving town on Sunday and will be gone until the 26th. Vacation time. Philadelphia, Atlantic City and New York. I'm looking forward to it.

There is a problem with vacations. When you are goofing around on the boardwalk, watching the Phillies host the Yankees or visiting Ellis Island, you are not working. That's not bad in and of itself, but a full week without work can be a little unnerving for a freelance content writer for two reasons. First, when you are playing you are not earning. Even more significantly, you put yourself in the position of either working at 1.5 X your normal speed for a week before you go and the following week or of working 2 X as quickly before or immediately after.

I will continue to book new jobs and will handle essential correspondence during the trip. I have decided I can spend a few minutes handling email every day without disrupting the flow of our fun. However, I won't be earning and I won't be putting a dent into my workload.

I hate the idea of coming back from the trip with a big pile of work. Thus, I am going to get everything I have currently booked (with the exception of July ebooks) done before I leave town.

By my estimation, that's about 75,000 words worth of content. Just to be safe, I am going to create a buffer and say its 95,000 words. I was thinking about rounding up to an even 100K, but that extra digit looks too formidable.

It's Tuesday. I also have Wednesday through Friday and part of Saturday. I will be tracking my progress here using this handy graphic:


So, everyone can follow along as I attempt to reach the 95,000 word mark in less than a week.

Doing the splits... Another grammar post...

Not so long ago, I wrote a post about my perspective on the use of the passive voice. In it, I warned that I might eventually tackle another pet peeve issue, the split infinitive. I know this kind of topic doesn't excite everyone, but as a writer I take words and their use seriously, so please indulge me...

For those who don't spend their hours fretting over grammatical constructs and who might need a refresher, a split infinitive occurs when one inserts a word or phrase (most frequently an adverb) between "to" and its uninflected verb.

A popular example of the split infinitive in action is the famous introduction of the Star Trek television series. The crew was "to boldly go where no man has gone before." See "boldly" and its placement? That's a split infinitive.

There is a traditional school of thought that argues split infinitives are inappropriate. Although not everyone agrees with that approach, the perspective has lasted long enough that even Microsoft Word will tag split infinitives as potential errors.

I am not a grammarian, so I won't pretend to understand all of the reasons why split infinitives have been deemed errant. I believe it stems from some of the grammatical rules involving infinitives and Latin. I write in English, not Latin, so that kind of reasoning doesn't really appeal to me.

I split infinitives every once in awhile, and when I do I look over my work to make sure I am communicating effectively. I don't see the split infinitive as an error. Instead, I see it as a warning sign. Sometimes, things read better after "fixing" the split infinitive. In other cases, the "transgression" does a superb job of communicating my idea.

Nonetheless, I do scrutinize them. Why? Because they generally include an adverb. I try to use adverbs sparingly. (That last sentence was sort of a joke... Get it? It used an adverb.) That's because others ways to communicate the idea may be available.

Take this sentence for example: "Nonetheless, I do scrutinize them." As I was typing that in the preceding paragraph I started to say "Nonetheless, I do review them carefully." My mind immediately considered "Nonetheless, I do carefully review them." Either of those options would have been tolerable. Both communicate the essential message. However, by choosing a better verb in the first place I was able to escape having to use the adverb at all. I guess I just feel that overuse of adverbs is a byproduct of imprecise language use.

So, if you light up your workspace in a green haze from all of those underline split infinitives the Word grammar-check finds, you might want to take a look at why you are splitting. Don't check because you are worried about adhering to a grammatical rule that started to go out of style centuries ago. Check because it may be telling you something else about your writing. Don't be surprised if you spot opportunities to make better word choices, but there's no need to elimate the use of split infinitives completely.

I am sure this will probably upset some very conservative English grammarians, but sometimes split infinitives are effective tools. In the end, writing is about communication and if your choices comport with standard usage, maintain an overall consistency with grammatical rules and are edited with an eye toward readability and understandability, you will be communicating.

Do webmasters need help from Lars Ulrich? Can content theft be deterred? An alternative to inspiring t-shirts...

Every day, I encounter more and more complaints on the part of webmasters about unscrupulous scrapers and "cut & pasters" stealing written content. Those acts of outright theft and plagiarism dillute the value of unique content and represent an unethical (and generally illegal) practice. Content theft appears to be reaching epidemic proportions.

That really shouldn't come as a surprise. If you'll have Sherman set the wayback machine for +/- 2001, you will will undoubtedly remember folks like Dr. Dre and Metallica trying to leverage the power of the RIAA to shut down Napster. Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, I believe, even personally delivered a list of over a quarter of a million Napster subscribers to their headquarters, claiming all of them had pirated Metallica's work and should be removed from the subscriber base. There were lawsuits, press conferences and (eventually) a fat settlement for many of the RIAA artists involved. Napster is a shell of the powerhouse it was back in the days when anyone could rip-off and rip without fear of being the next target of litigation.

Yet music theft survives...

A t-shirt says "I steal music off the internet." An iPod buyer states, "When I first opened my iPod nano, there was a clear sticker on it that said 'Don't steal music.' I thought that was extremely amusing."

Is it any surprise that the online atmosphere that has created and perpetuated a pro-theft mindset with respect to recorded content would also play host to a large contingency of people who are AOK with stealing your written work? Not really. There is a content theft culture on the net. From golden oldies to new CDs, from classic films to this summer's blockbusters, from front-page company descriptions to directory-submitted articles, the internet sometimes feels like a den of thieves.

And when it comes to text, solving theft is extremely tough. At least the RIAA could target Napster and other bigger P2P sites. At least the recording artists had a trade industry to fight for them. Webmasters don't have those luxuries in fighting the battle against stolen content. There is no large clearinghouse to attack and those who are building sites don't have any unifying organization to take up the issue.

I don't want to sound like an RIAA super-fan. Suing twelve-year-old Australian kids probably isn't a great strategy to convert people to your viewpoint. The heavy handedness of the organization and some of its tactics have probably done more to inspire those "I steal music..." t-shirts than just about anything. However, at least the RIAA was able to try to do something to fight intellectual property theft.

Webmasters are left to self-defense. DMCA complaints, C&D letters, constant checking with Copyscape and other tools. Even when they find offenders, it can be tough to get a satisfactory result. Plus, the whole situation is reminiscent of a game of Whack-a-Mole. As soon as you konk one thief on the head, another is popping up somewhere. Even if one had Lars Ulrich standing beside him or her with a mallet in each hand, the pair would still be facing a losing battle, it seems.

So, what can a webmaster do? First, I believe this war is worth fighting and I commend those who follow guys like Jonathan Bailey over at Plagiarism Today in standing up to the content thieves. Second, I think it might be time for those in the business to start organizing in some way to lobby for changes that will make it easier to prevent/crush content theft. I am not referring simply to online solutions, but to legislative changes, too.

In the short run, though, there's very little hope of slamming the brakes on content theft. Meanwhile, as search engines get wiser to link manipulation strategies and continue to devalue on-page SEO in favor of quality content, the need to keep producing more and more material grows unabated. That's a tough situation: You must have new content to compete, but you also have to realize that a good percentage of your work might be stolen.

So, in the short run it seems like one of the only workable strategies is to seek out consistent sources of fresh, unique content and to try to produce it faster than anyone can dillute its value. Pumping more and more content is just about the only way to stay ahead of the curve.

That might just involve dealing with someone like me who produces new content. Yes, I know my argument is incredibly self-serving, but it does have an underlying truth. Content remains king no matter how many pretenders to the throne pop up every day. Until some workable means of either stopping content theft or finding a way to eliminate its deleterious impact on content value are implemented, webmasters are going to have to keep on churning out good stuff as quickly as they can.

Find someone you can trust to produce good content quickly and at a fair rate. Continue to whack individual moles and to press for changes, too. And, if you have ever found yourself listening to an illegally-obtained MP3 while bemoaning scraper sites, try to start setting an example.

Somewhere between $3 and $500...

Happy Monday. I stumbled across and article written by UpmarketContent.com in which the author "take[s] on people who claim they can get reprint-quality writing for $3 (or whatever small change) an article."

I am going to leave that $3 figure alone, because the author doesn't really dwell on that particular number. He/she claims to charge $500 per article and goes so far as to argue any content buyer will get nothing but junk for under $50 per piece:

"So what do you get for under $50/article:

1. Stolen content that was scraped off another site, or out of a book or magazine.
2. Content the author wrote but is “licensing” over and over, exactly as you’re complaining about here.
3. Content written by someone whose English simply will not build credibility in anything, if it even can get someone to read it, which is not likely, either. There is a huge gap between speaking English fluently and writing it well. Just because you can speak it, doesn’t mean you can write it. All the little things that get overlooked in speech will glare out at you on the page.
4. 500 words written in 5 minutes, words merely filling a page with hardly any rhyme or reason, which will get rejected from (and get you red-flagged by) numerous article directories."

It's hard to know where to start with this... Let me begin by saying that I occasionally read some of the UpMarket pieces and like them a lot, so this really isn't some sort of massive attack on UM. This article, however, is not accurate.

I don't scrape, borrow, copy, plagiarize or otherwise steal. Everything I sell comes with all rights and is backed by a 300% money back originality guarantee. My English writing skills are well-honed. I have never had a a problem with clients recieivng article directory rejections.

I know I am not alone of any of those fronts.

I can understand the temptation as a freelance SEO content writer/copywriter to come up with an article claiming that anyone who isn't close to one's inflated prices must be a rip-off artist. It's a good marketing ploy.

However, in this case the numbers and blanket statements are so out of touch with reality that it cannot possibly be persuasive.

The author claims:

"I know what I’m talking about: I have gotten a number of articles by a number of authors on the “low-paid” writing bulletin boards, just to test the waters and also at one point hoping to get something I could start from and work with when I had writer’s block. It was so unbelievably horrible I nearly cried, and felt cheated despite the price."

I'd say he or she needed to exercise better consumer skills when selecting the outsourced writer. I may not make people jump for joy every time I write for them, but I am sure they don't end up on the verge of tears. If they do, they have a big masochistic streak because they keep on coming back for more!

You don't need to spend $500 per article (or even $50) to avoid feeling miserable or weeping. I can help you for somewhere between $3 and $500. You'll enjoy the results.

You never know where you might find something interesting...At the intersection of copywriting and water quality...

I was working on a project this morning that involved a discussion of water quality. While doing some research, I came across the online version of Water Technology, an industry magazine.

One can certainly understand how a water tech trade magazine could be interesting in terms of researching a water quality topic. I stumbled upon something interesting about copywriting, too.

From a 2004 article by Dale Filhaber, who appears to work in the direct mail and telemarketing industry, titled "Effective Direct Mail for Water Treatment Dealers." An excerpt:

"Copy tips

The latest trends for copywriting are:

• Increased informality;
• Highly emphatic persuasion;
• Inclusion of validation; and
• Promise of fast action."

Filhaber's tips, although brief, are nice. The actual content of the article isn't what interested me, though.

I spend a great deal of my time doing freelance copywriting work, and was sort of surprised to find it was a topic of great interest to water treatment dealers. That's because I wouldn't think most water treatment dealers would be handling their own direct mail copy.

One would think that the manufacturers were providing copy to their dealers. Maybe they aren't. Or maybe they don't do it effectively. Do water treatment dealers need copywriters? Are water treatment dealers preparing their direct mail ad copy in-house?

I don't know the answers to those questions. Maybe I should. Perhaps I could carve out a lucrative career as the Water Treatment Copywriter!

Yeah, that's unlikely. However, I do think the fact that one can come across copywriting hints lists in water technology trade publications does evidence a valuable point. There are people in all types of industries most of us don't think about who might be able to use a freelance copywriter.

Freelance copywriters who wait for opportunities to come to them most certainly lose business to those who find these underserved markets and inject themselves into the those areas.

Would you be surprised if the author of that article--a direct mail pro, not a water tech pro--managed to land a few deals from that story? I wouldn't be.

Dale Filhaber is teaching copywriters a lesson here. Find a potential client pool. Offer something to the client pool to get you and your talents in front of them. Reap the rewards. Even if Filhaber was off the mark in his assessment of the water industry as a potential client source, he managed to get the publication credit, and some possible attention from others (like this blog post). On top of that, he may have been paid for the article in the first place.

This is not a revelation, of course, but it is a very good illustration of some great marketing practices for freelancers and service providers of all types. Not the kind of thing you'd expect to be thinking about while you research water quality, huh?

Rates and compromise...When and why it's okay to break your rate...

As business grows, I find myself increasingly able to choose the projects in which I am interested. There's less of a pressure to "fill my time." The "feast or famine" routine isn't a big concern for me at this point.

However, like all freelancers, there is part of me that is inevitably haunted by the idea of suddenly running out of work. It's not a big part of me, but it remains no matter how busy I am at any given point.

That's one reason why I work with Client X. Client X pays me a little bit less than I would consider taking from anyone else, but always has something for me to do. Client X offers a good chunk of completely predictable work and pays immediately without any hassles. Client X is an easy person with whom to work and we've developed a great relationship in terms of project development and meeting one another's expectations.

You will hear many writers advise others new to the field not to compromise in terms of pay rates. You should have your bottom rate and be steadfast in its defense, they will argue. Although I do agree that one shouldn't work at a rate they cannot afford, I temper that perspective with an appreciation of intangibles. That's why I am willing to cut rate for Client X. The intangibles.

Things like consistency, reliability and a great attitude do make a difference to me. Basically, as a freelance content writer I am looking for the very same things buyers want when they shop for a writer! They want someone with whom they can work and upon whom they can rely. It really is a two-way street.

So, I suppose other factors can justify rate drops. There is a time when some compromise is a good thing.

Some of the hardcore "don't break your rate" people might lambast me for that compromise. However, while they are struggling to fill their schedule with people who may not be a joy with whom to work and projects they may not enjoy, I have a nice little insurance policy with Client X.

Don't get me wrong--the work is still profitable. Not as profitable as other jobs, but it's tolerable. I am not advocating starvation or sleeplessness as a response to having a nice client. However, I do think rate compromise has its place.

When you do right by your freelance writer, they will do right by you!

New feature...THURSDAY SPECIAL...Deep discount press release deal...CLOSED

NOTE: THIS OFFER IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS FOR THE ORDERS, FOLKS!

WATCH OUT FOR NEXT THURSDAY'S SPECIAL....

It seems like many bloggers are offering regular weekly features of some sort. They have a Wednesday "Top Ten" list or a guest blogger every Monday, etc. Today, I am implementing my own weekly feature here: The Thursday Special.

Here's how it works. Every Thursday, I am going to make a special offer of some sort. The exact nature of the offer will vary, but I want to make it something truly valuable. I see it as a way of attracting an occasional new client and as a means of rewarding those with whom I already work who check in regularly on the Content Done Better Blog.

THURSDAY SPECIAL FOR JUNE 8:
THE DEEP DISCOUNT PRESS RELEASE DEAL

The first five people to take advantage of this offer will receive a press release to help them in their promotional and public relations endeavors at a deeply discounted price. The custom-written full release will come with all the usual Content Done Better guarantees.

The price tag: Only $25.

So, if you have been considering commissioning a press release but have been looking for a great deal, this is the perfect opportunity. If you haven't really been thinking about a press release, this might be a good time to do so.

The offer is valid only for the first five people to respond to this THURSDAY SPECIAL. Limit one press release per individual. Turnaround time will be within one week from receiving the necessary information to proceed (don't worry, I will tell you what I need from you to write a winner).

You can reserve your $25 press release by emailing me at cdbrack@gmail.com, by using the form on the right sidebar of this blog, or by using the form on the main page of Content Done Better--whichever is easiest for you. Please don't try to reserve your slot using the comments section of this post.

I will edit this post when the fifth slot is taken...THIS OFFER IS CLOSED. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE ORDERS!

I guarantee it...Standing behind one's work...

This morning, I received an email from a friend of mine. It was a copy of a newsletter he receives that seems to primarily deal with B2B marketing. This particular issue had a few articles about effectively writing guarantees. As a freelance copywriter, and as someone who has to market his own business, the material was right up my alley.

This post isn't about how to writer a better guarantee. We can discuss that some day when I am inthe mood for a "nuts and bolts" copywriting post. Instead, I want to talk specifically about writers and their guarantee policies, or lack thereof.

I personally offer a three-pronged guarantee for all Content Done Better writing work.

First, I offer a 300% money back originality guarantee. Stolen and plagiarized content is a major problem right now, and there are enough unscrupulous providers out there that I think it is important to let my clients know they will receive custom-written and completely new work with they deal with Content Done Better. I have heard a few people say that even mentioning the topic of originality is almost "beneath" them and that originality should be assumed. I can understand their point, to some extent, but believe the nature of marketplace justifies being up-front about the matter of originality. Hopefully, the 300% figure shows people just how serious I am about the issue.

Second, I offer an on-time guarantee. If I miss a deadline, the client doesn't pay another penny for the project. I instated that policy because of the frequent problems buyers experience with delays. I want my clients to know that I have both an incentive for getting the work done on time and that they are protected in the event of the unforeseen. It also underlines the fact that they will get their projects back in time. Reliability is an issue in this industry, and I felt a reliabilty guarantee was important.

Third, I offer a satisfaction guarantee. If the client doesn't like the work, I go back to the drawing board and get it right. Assessing the quality of writing is very subjective, and many have told me that I am kicking open the door to constant free re-writes with that element of the guarantee package. However, the market is inundated with low-quality providers and I wanted to communicate my confidence in the quality of my work and let clients know they will never be stuck with subpar material.

After reading that email this morning, I was in a "guarantee" frame of mind. I decided to take a look at several other freelance content writer and copywriter sites and to check on the guarantees they are publicly offering. I quickly checked twenty writer sites and found only three with any visible guarantee. Of those three, two were so vague as to be nothing more than a mild assurance that everything would turn out okay. The other was a seemingly straightforward "if you don't like it, you don't pay" sort of thing.

One solid guarantee, two limp guarantees and seventeen writers who don't say anything about the topic (at least up front). I was amazed. Seventeen of the twenty are missing out on a good opportunity in terms of promotion and marketing. Guarantees make sense, in my estimation, even in the service sector.

I know there are a lot of reasons to be wary of offering guarantees. A nice article on the subject of consultancy fees from Guerilla Consulting outlines a series of reasons service providers are reluctant to take the guarantee plunge.

Like me, however, Mike McLaughlin eventually comes down on the side of offering a guarantee.

There are risks, and it does take some guts. Guarantees, after all, are about reducing buyer risk and that generally puts more risk on the provider. It's an exercise in creating potential gain by increasing exposure to potential pain. It's a big risk in certain situations, especially if one is working on a very thin margin, just beginning, or is unsure of client reaction to his or her work. I can understand why some freelance content writers and copywriters wouldn't feel comfortable doing that.

A strong guarantee policy, however, will differentiate a writer and will increase his or her credibility. Offering a safety net to clients also makes them much more comfortable when dealing with you--especially on first-time partnerships.

Now, it is true that many writers will undoubtedly come up with gurantees as part of the terms of a job. The matter can be handled away from the main page and with the client. As such, I cannot really assume that seventeen of the twenty don't back their work. But who knows? The potential customers who stumble upon their sites certainly don't...

On price tags, ROI, quality, service and more...Cheap buyers aren't necessarily a problem for content writers...

I was doing some market research this morning and accidentally stumbled across a forum post from about a year ago:

"I think the main problem for us, content writers and content firm owners, is that most people are far more interested in buying cheap content rather than quality content. They would rather go to rentacoder.com and get 50 articles for $100 than hire professionals to do the job right. Professional writers do eat and do have to pay the bills, especially if you are a fulltime writer."

There's a nice big nugget of truth in that statement. There are many buyers who are basing content purchase decisions on price tags and very little else.

However, I don't see it as "the main problem." It certainly adds a dimension to one's efforts as a freelance writer, but it isn't an insurmountable challenge.

Prices, are dictated by the market. The market sets prices based on two primary variables: supply and demand. Thus, writers must be able to adapt to market forces in order to operate successfully. We can all remember that from high school economics.

So, if everyone is looking for cheap material, what does that tell us? That there are producers out there willing to generate content inexpensively. As a writer, I have a few remedies for this situation at my disposal.

First, I can break price to remain competitive with those who are offering cut-rate service. Of course, as the commenter noted, one must still bring home the bacon. Thus, there are some limitations to how low a content writer in the U.S. can go and still remain competitive in a crowded international marketplace. I might not be able to match the prices offered by those in India, Eastern Europe and elsewhere, but if I can close the price gap while maintaining a viable business, that makes a lot more sense than sitting on my hands griping about prices and the absence of available work.

Second, I can create demand for my particular product. There are countless ways to do this in terms of marketing and advertising. One can also create some specific demand by offering better customer service or a greater degree of professionalism, etc. Being ready and able to educate potential buyers about an improved ROI for quality content purchases also helps a great deal.

In my eyes, "main problem" mentioned in that year-old post isn't the willingness of buyers to spend what freelance content writers want. The problem is an unwillingness or inability on the part of some writers to combine reasonable pricing, superior service, quality outreach and an understanding of how to add value to a client's project relative to other outsourcing options.

In other words, the "main problem" for many writers is that they are writers only. They understand words and how to use them but don't necessarily understand why anyone else will be using them, how to explain their relative value, etc.

That's why too many content writers work at rates that crush them and burn them out. In an effort to survive, they break price to compete with the cheapest option on a $/word basis, forcing them to overload and crash.

One's ability to work within market constraints successfully will be dictated, to some extent, by their ability to produce work quickly.

Plus, virtually everyone in the freelance content writing world must have the ability to work at a rate that at least approximates prevailing market rates for similar work. Convincing someone to go from a half cent per word to four cents per word is not impossible. Getting them to go from a half cent to a dollar probably is. That's because no amount of great writer promotion can imbue content with the kind of economic value it would need in terms of eventual profit production compared to cheaper options. Writers must remember that clients buy because they want their content investment to produce a profit.

So, there are limitations. One cannot "set one's own price" for freelance content writing based on his or her whim.

However, a freelance writer with an understanding of content's value to buyers and an ability to work at a price that makes sense can be combined with quality work, customer service and marketing to produce success.

The power of good directions and the importance of communication...

I have a great repeat client who has a mentoring program for people beginning their online careers. This person is highly regarded and does great work.

I was asked if I would be able to help some of the students by extending content writing services to them at a good price. I happily agreed and have already worked with three different "mentorees." All of them have been easy to work with and it's been going great.

Yesterday, I had another one of the students ask me about preparing some work for them. We exchanged a few emails and today he booked the job. In his confirming email, he went over the specifications in some detail--far more detail than the previous students had.

As I reviewed the email I suddenly realized that although I had provided the previous students with great work (if I do say so myself), I would have done things differently if they had told me a little more about the intended function for the materials and some of the details this new client mentioned. I think they would have been happier with the finished product (or, at least, the results it produced).

So, I am going to write an email to all of those previous purchasers and their mentor tonight explaining that no one had mentioned a few critical details about these packages until today and plan on trying to do something for them to get the material they purchased more "in line" with its apparent purchase.

I think this episode reveals a few important lessons about buying content and about being a freelance content writer.

These relatively new buyers either weren't sure of exactly what they wanted, failed to mention some of the details that would have triggered a "perfect" result, or wrongly assumed I had already been told more than I had. They all liked what they received, but things could have been better with slightly improved directions.

That underlines a point I raised a few weeks ago about how buyers can improve their experiences by making sure they clearly communicate their desires to writers and provide some context re: the content's eventual use.

It also reminds content writers that taking the time to send another email to pin down some context and intentions can really improve a final product. That's why I am getting ready to contact those other "mentorees" to see what we can do to make things a better fit with their apparent plans.

Admittedly, this was a somewhat anomolous situation, as I was working with new buyers who are embarking on some of their first online projects, etc. Nonetheless, I do think it is a great object lesson in the power of good directions and the importance of client/writer communication.

Must-see blog...Check it out...

Sherri is an elementary special education teacher and a wonderful mother. She's also my wife, and to make matters even better, she is a talented writer!

So, what does one do when his spouse is at home for summer and he has lined up a few great ebook projects that match said spouse's talents and interests? He convinces her to join the "family business."

Actually, Sherri has done Content Done Better work before, primarily writing articles. This summer, however, she will be personally tending to several ebook titles. She started work on one a few weeks back and has decided to bite off a few additional ebooks after the first one is done. She's also been persuaded to start her own blog.

I'd like to invite any of the Content Done Better Blog readers to stop by Ebook Writer and wish Sherri a warm welcome to the blogosphere! You can also wish her (and/or me) a happy anniversary--tomorrow marks year number three!

Although I certainly have good reasons to be biased, I think Ebook Writer is a must-see blog!

According to this test, I'm an idiot...I beg to differ...On freelance writers' sites...

Some of you may believe that the freelance content writers cooperative has fallen off the radar, but we are still making progress... Design expenses and other little bugaboos are probably going to force some compromises in terms of features. However, we still want to offer something valuable to freelance writers. To that end, I was thinking about what kind of "must-have" characteristics were necessary.

While thinking, I was researching. I found an article by Susan Daffron of Logical Expressions--"How to Create a Freelance Writer Web Site that Gets Read."

Daffron has a series of recommendations. I think the main Content Done Better site is in violation across the board.

DAFFRON: Concise information about your writing specialty. What do you do? It's not a good idea to try and be everything to everybody. It's a recipe for confusion, so pick a specialty and focus on it.

CONTENT DONE BETTER (ME): "I consider myself a generalist, able to write on a wide variety of topics. One of the best parts about being a content writer is the opportunity to research and learn about new things, and I take pride in CDB's ability to fill orders of all types." [that's not even on the main page, it's in the FAQ!]

DAFFRON: A list of writing credits. Now that a lot of magazines are online, you can often link directly to your articles. At a minimum, you can usually link to the main publisher or client homepage.

CONTENT DONE BETTER: No list of credits. A few client testimonials on the main page and an additional "hype" page with other examples of effusive praise.

DAFFRON: Samples of your writing. Some editors want to see articles that haven't been edited by a pro. Why? A really good editor can make bad writing almost unrecognizably good. Editors know that someone else could be cleaning up your writing so it never hurts to show a few clips in an unaltered state. This may sound like extra work, but it's really an opportunity for you to write some original material that you can reuse later.

CONTENT DONE BETTER: No samples. On the FAQ page I mention, "Content Done Better generally relinquishes all publication rights to the materials we produce. As such, we do not post sample materials on this site. You can feel free to use the form on the Main page (or you may email directly) to receive sample materials that reflect the type of work done for projects like yours."

DAFFRON: Your complete contact information, pricing or payment policies, and if you are collecting e-mail addresses, your privacy policy.

CONTENT DONE BETTER: Rates vary. Email only (form and address provided). Oh, and I guess I should finally get around to adding a note about the utter sacredness of all emails sent to me.

So, based on the Daffron Criteria, my site is a Giant Loser.

Reality tells me something else. I get an average of 5-10 very solid inquiries per week via my site (and a slew of others I just won't touch). Of those, about half turn into paying jobs. I stay busy, have no complaints, and keep on booking work through my seemingly faulty site that no one should be reading according to the experts.

What does that tell you? Susan Daffron is wrong? Nope. Instead, it tells me that freelance writers aren't alike. Those who are looking to get their articles in print publications are serving a different client base than those who focus more upon online efforts. Those who specialize in precise niches aren't the same as generalists to whom one can go to get "good stuff" on any topic.

Why does this matter? Because many freelance writers believe they can take ideas and approaches from one aspect of this massive field and apply it with an equal level of success to all areas. I am NOT saying Daffron was doing that--I think her article was intentionally aimed at someone other than yours truly. However, I know there will be some web content writer who sees that article and starts rebuilding his or her site to comport with those recommendations, even though it might not be necessary. Likewise, someone is probably going to see a site like mine and assume it will help them get into Harper's or something, which is unlikely.

The moral to the story: When someone tells a writer what a freelance writer should be or do, he or she should think about exactly what he or she is trying to do within the field first and filter those recommendations through personal experience and aspirations.

Oh, and it also shows just how tricky launching the cooperative and constructing something valuable to a diversity of participants is going to be.

2nd Half of May Content Writer Challenge...Results...

Well, about halfway into May I decided to challenge myself to make the second half of the month as productive as any full month recorded so far this year. In other words, I sought to double up my output while maintaining or improving quality.

The results?

I did it, basically. "Basically?" you may ask... Well, officially, I fell slightly short in terms of my financial objectives--sort of. If you count only received income, I missed the mark. However, if you count the $205 worth of invoiced work that has not yet been paid and the $30 e-check that didn't clear by 5/31, I made the mark with a few portraits of the GW to spare. Either way, it's so close that I am going to claim it as a success.

Now, that just covers the financial side of things. The real benefit to the challenge was actually discovering overlooked time-sinks and finding more efficient ways to handle business. That is why I felt the challenge was a massive success.

During those two weeks, I found several means by which I could operate more productively. Some of that involved things that are probably unique to my operation--file sorting and storing systems, etc. Other parts may have some value to other freelance content writers, so I will share them here.

Setting up a more precise daily schedule was great. Not only did it give me a better chance for legitimate time management, it also forced me to do some of the small things that are often overlooked while not allowing me to spend hours of semi-wasted time on aspects of the business that are secondary. It took a little while to get into the swing of things, but setting up certain time blocks for certain tasks helped me a great deal.

It wasn't so much that it forced me to work faster. Instead, it's primary advantage seemed to be that it naturally led me from one task to the next without a great deal of downtime in between. It helped march me through work days without those infamous ten minute lulls of lollygagging on the net.

I also learned that it wasn't just bearable to do more work--it was actually enjoyable. The "challenge" aspect of things imbued my efforts with a "game show" feel and inspired me to stay on track. As I mentioned in another post, knowing others were playing their own "home version" of the game helped in that regard. So, a hearty "thank you" to those who joined in on the challenge. Additionally, it became incredibly rewarding to see mountains of work vanish throughout the course of a well-organized day.

Some practical specifics: I limited my chat time (even with clients). I set aside limited and specific time blocks to read other blogs, do professional research, etc. I set aside one block of time per day for prospecting and marketing. I handled all non-essential email on a daily basis late in the afternoon instead of handling it as it came. The main thing, though, was simply making the commitment and being dedicated to seeing the process through.

Designers and writers...Rant replaced by kudos at last second...Not everyone is a writer...

A few days ago, I bookmarked a piece at A List Apart and planned on using it as a springboard for a "rantish" blog post here.

The article, by Derek Powazek, noted the critical role of written content to the success of any website's design. That sounds like it should get a big thumbs up, right? Well, it would have if Powazek would have followed a different path after offering that observation. He could have advised designers to integrate quality written content into their designs and to obtain that content from a talented freelance content writer. Instead, he argued that designers should add "writer" to their list of talents and do it themselves. Here's a representative excerpt:

"And if your designer says, “I’m not a writer,” it may be time to find one who is. If you’re a designer who doesn’t think of yourself as a writer, it’s time to reconsider. Buy yourself a copy of Strunk and White, do some research online, or take a class. Design is about communication, and it takes more than pixels to communicate."

This is the part where I was going to start ranting about how a juco course and a copy of Strunk and White won't make one into a writer. I am sure you can imagine my indignation.

Minutes before I was about to begin my screed of a post, I did a bit more digging and found someone else who took expception to Powazek's article.

To make matters even better, it was written by a designer. Whereas my comments might seem a little self-serving (oh, he just doesn't want designers to decrease his work flow), the response to the "designers as writers" argument carries a little more objectivity.

Jason Spector at Spectorbrain had this to say:

"Every professional has their own set of inherent knowledge, tricks of the trade, and detailed skill sets that only come from years of experience. I consider myself a designer first. Although my writing and coding skills may support my work and make me more marketable, I am the first one to enlist a professional web content writer and coder/developer when the need arises.

Here’s my advice. Go ahead and read that book and take that class. Not to do the work yourself, but to more intelligently educate your clients and more effectively work with writers and/or developers to create the best possible product. Only then will you have the most success."

Couldn't have said it better myself! Thanks for taking the heavy weight of that rant off my shoulders, Spector!

By the way, if you have any interest in site design, both A List Apart and Spectorbrain are good reads!