Question about my "getting started"plan

[Kimberlysh]

Hi, I'm a newbie to Constant Content and just spreading my wings as a writer in general. Signing up was a big step and now I'm trying to find the time and the courage to submit a real article.

I was thinking that it would be fun to pick out requests that interest me and write an article for them. I doubt I could get one ready in time to actually fulfill a request, but I think it would be good practice and a way for me to possibly build a future portfolio of my own. Is there any reason why this approach would be considered unethical in any way?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice,

Kim

[aprilk10]

Sounds like a plan Kimberly. Nothing unethical about it at all. In fact, if you can manage to get some done in time to submit to some requests...go for it! Unless the requests are specifically geared to a particular thing...such as travel to a specific area or a specific product description, your approach is a good method of building a portfolio. If one client is looking for articles on a topic, most likely others will be as well. Also, clients return on a regular basis and place requests similar to ones they placed before. For example, I have a few articles that I wrote for a request back a few months ago. By the time I got them submitted, the client had already puchased all they needed. However, I happen to know that this particular client has returned on a few occassions requesting similar articles. So...I am just waiting for their return so I can resubmit them! Good luck and happy writing!

[Celeste Stewart]

Go for it - and go ahead and submit it to the request if the request still exists when you're ready because you never know. Most requests are general enough that there's no issue with ethics. After all, just because a customer requests articles about Disneyland, it doesn't mean that customer has a monopoly on Disneyland topics.

Good luck and welcome to CC.

[BJBarron]

I agree with April and Celeste. Go ahead and submit it. You never know, another customer may come along and buy it. I joined CC and submitted articles for two public requests. I didn't sell either, got busy with other things, and didn't write any more articles. Last week I sold one of them! Full-rights and for the price I was asking. I wasn't expecting to sell it because I didn't think there would be much demand for that topic, so you never really know.

Now things have changed and I have more time to write. That sale boosted my confidence and I have already sold two of the three articles I've written this week! The third hasn't yet been approved. I'm seriously loving Constant Content right now

Good luck and have fun writing.

[jadedragon]

I wrote a batch of articles on blogging for cash based on a request. The requester never bought them but every so often another one of those articles sells for full rights. Build a portfolio and the sales will come.

[Kimberlysh]

Thanks for answering my question and for all of the encouragement. I've been studying the guidelines and reading through the forum and this seems like a great place to be! Now I just need to get busy writing and get past my fear of the "three strikes and your out" rule so I can submit my first article. That rule is one of the things I admire most about this site, but it's also a little intimidating.

Thanks again. Hope to join all of you soon!

Kim

[Celeste Stewart]

Remember the rule has some flexibility built into it. The reviewers aren't counting every single minor revision request or format error.