Sold my first article!

[FivetoNine]

Who said I wasn't taking it seriously?

Best to you!

[canywriter]

Congrats! This is worth celebrating - may there be many more such!

Cany

[Celeste Stewart]

Yashuagirl,
It's rare for articles to sell immediately so don't fret just yet. So far, only 7 people (some may not even be customers) have seen it.

[Sharion]

Don't worry if it doesn't sell after a few hits. If you search the forums, this is a topic that gets discussed often. Even the writers who've been here for years may not get a sale until 170 hits. In one post, two writers sold articles on the same day and both articles had just passed 170.

It may take two or three years to sell an article, or it may sell the day you post it. For us newbies, it helps to reach what's called "critical mass". I think I read that critical mass happens when your portfolio reaches about 60 articles, sometimes more. Sales are more likely to start popping.

I don't know if critical mass helps because you've got more for buyers to find, or whether it gives you credibility with buyers who look at your portfolio. Maybe it's a bit of both.

The gist of all the posts is the same: Be patient. If you write it and CC accepts it, the odds are good that it will sell. Just keep adding to your portfolio. Maybe scope out what's selling to get a feel for what buyers want right now. Offer a variety of word counts, prices and topics. Go forth, write more, and trust in it!

[MPIvy]

I'm doing the happy dance for all those with 'first sales' to report! What a rush and that's exactly how I got so addicted to this concept, but it's not a bad addiction and I have no plans to break it anytime soon! Reading about the sales is fun; reading about those who are unemployed is disturbing. I think you are wise to stay busy with something other than monster.com and resume submissions though it has to be hard to do some days. A thought: when I retired this year, I started volunteering at my local library's used bookstore, since I loved the place and had shopped there for years and knew they needed help (ignore that stringy sentence!). I really enjoy it as it "feels" like work though without the pressure and gives me a chance to stay connected and learn some new things. After a few months of my 4/hrs a week, they offered me a parttime position. I declined for several reasons, mostly because I'm not ready to give up my freedom yet. However, it might be a possibility for job seekers plus it's a free place/activity. Most nonprofits are really struggling and can use the help and the poor folks who do still have jobs are worked to death so they are esp. grateful for anyone who will carry the load with them for even a few hours a week.

Okay, this went too long! Savor the successes and be glad you can't see me doing my happy dance! Not a pretty site.

[Sharion]

Happy is ALWAYS pretty. Beauty comes from the inside, sweetie

I don't care what you look like, if you're not a nice person, if you spit crud onto the world around you, that makes you ugly. Joy, happiness, sending out good karma, these things make you beautiful.

[jadedragon]

Congratulations! I too am new to CC and was jumping up and down for joy when Ed accepted my unsolicited article, now it has had 7 hits in two days and I'm beginning to worry I set the price too high as it hasn't sold yet. I am happy for you though and urge you to take your writing more seriously,who knows this just might be your next new career!

Don' t jump to the conclusion it is over priced just yet. Some of those hits are from other writers - and every time you check out your article to be sure it is still there it counts as a hit.

[Debbi]

The first article I ever submitted to CC (six months ago) just sold! It was for a public request but didn't quite suit. I almost removed it thinking it would never sell but voila, it did. Maybe not for the price I would have liked but it is now off the sales list after 123 hits Patience (or neglect, heh) pays off, it seems.

The same buyer took another of my old articles (written 5 months ago and 75 hits later), also one I thought would never sell. What a nice way to start the weekend. Those two sales wiped that nasty $0.00 figure off my Account status page and gave me new hope for the other articles in my portfolio that have tons of hits but no takers (so far).

[Celeste Stewart]

Yay Debbi! It's nice when those articles that you mentally wrote off as duds wind up selling It's like a bonus!

[ecdoran]

Congratulations! I too am new to CC and was jumping up and down for joy when Ed accepted my unsolicited article, now it has had 7 hits in two days and I'm beginning to worry I set the price too high as it hasn't sold yet. I am happy for you though and urge you to take your writing more seriously,who knows this just might be your next new career!

I've only sold two articles, so I'm not exactly a pro at this, but I can safely say that the number of hits vs. price seems to have very little influence over whether or not an article sells. I have some articles with 40+ hits that I've reduced the price of and they've failed to sell. Others, that I consider to be sort of expensive, sold after just a few hits. I'm not sure why some sell and some don't, probably just luck of the draw. I add the "offer a price" button or whatever it's called and hope that customers won't disregard an article due to a price they think is unfair. I've only had one article sell that was below the price I initially set, and that was only by $5. I'll happily sell ALL of articles for $5 less so long as they sell