Some Basic Questions Not Covered In the FAQ

[DavidLewis]

Hello!

I finally made it. Unfortunately, I need to start off by saying that I spent all of yesterday and about 1/2 hour this morning trying to figure out how to sign up to CC to become a writer. I still wasn't allowed to sign up as a writer. The site gave me an error message which indicated that I was already registered. Yet, when I typed in my email to get my password, it said I wasn't registered. Somehow, I was allowed to sign up to buy articles. I'm not sure how that happened, but at least I can post to the forum. I did contact support yesterday via email, but I don't know how long they take to reply to customer service requests. My questions are: Is there anyone on the forum that can help me get through to CC customer service for this simple request? and...are glitches like this common?

I did see on the forums that some people were waiting a long time to hear from CC, and I've no interest in waiting a week or so with basic account set-up help.

Questions for new and experienced writers:

1. I've seen prices for articles which vary significantly for the same author writing in the same niche. Is there a pricing scheme that is followed here? I didn't notice any consistency in terms of price being related to word count, and prices for usage, unique, and full rights all seemed to vary greatly too. For example, a writer writing in the finance niche may have two different articles on similar topics. The rights for the first article may be priced as such: $15, 45, 60 while the second article may be priced as such: $30, 75, 100. I'd like to price my articles so they have the best chance of selling in the marketplace. How do people generally price their articles and which pricing scheme seems to produce the best sales? If this is dependent on the skill level of the author, I would say I have the professional credentials to hold myself out as an expert in the finance niche and would likely write substantially all of my articles using reference materials used by professors who teach the subject matter I would write about. I would also consider myself a decent writer, but not an expert in grammar. Does this make a difference in how much I should charge for my work here?

2. Are there any guidelines or suggestions that senior writers could give in regards to coming up with ideas for articles (article titles) to write in a particular niche which have the highest probability for sales? I know I can write anything I want here, but I'm looking to maximize revenue.

3. Are there times of the year when writers notice a decrease in sales at CC?

4. I've noticed the top writers seem to be prolific. Unfortunately, I really only have one area I am exceptionally knowledgeable about, though I could possibly write on a couple of other topics if I did some decent research. Is there a reason for writing on a wide range of subjects or do you think being a niche writer could provide a consistent source of income?

5. I've noticed that some writers price the unique and full rights the same. Is there a reason for this?

I think that's all of the questions I have for now. I look forward to reading more on the forums and figuring out how this whole system works.

Best,
David

[Evelyn]

Welcome, David. Many of your questions will be answered once you log into your writer's control panel. C-C recently made a universal login, so I'm not sure why you can't get to your CP. Tech support will answer that dilemma for you soon.

You can also find answers to many questions by browsing the forum with the search function. We're a great community around here!

Prices are strictly set by writers, although there's a suggested range. In general I price my articles at around 10 cents a word. Some writers figure out how much time they put into research and writing and price accordingly. Others make a great living by writing lots of lower-priced articles. Buyers will pay more for well-researched, well-written articles and less for dime-a-dozen ones.

Your level of "newness" to C-C will make little difference. Work to build a portfolio of 50-100 articles in various price ranges. As to your grammar, it'll need to be excellent before the editors will accept your writing, so proofread carefully to avoid rejections.

Niches that seem to sell well are diet/nutrition/exercise, dogs, financial tips, marketing and social networking. Seasonal sales in gardening, holidays, etc. are also possible. Maximize revenue by writing what you know, researching what's already published on the internet, and using good SEO practices.

Winter is typically slower but only marginally. Seasonal articles tend to provide upticks in sales.

To maximize your portfolio, write what you know first. Look at public requests frequently and submit to those. Look at the popular search terms and recently-sold list. But mostly, write what you know and get 50-100 articles out there.

I personally price use, unique and full rights the same because I don't want to undervalue my work. It's possible that a use rights article will sell more than once... but doesn't happen often. However, there's another writer here who makes a huge living selling only use rights, so it depends on your niche and your motivations.

Spend lots of time on the forums! Read submission guidelines CAREFULLY and proofread PERFECTLY before submitting anything. C-C is an excellent outlet for freelancers, but you really need to stick with it. Good luck to you!

[DavidLewis]

Thanks!

I finally did get it sorted out with customer service/tech support.