Constant Content

* It's often easier and faster than going back and forth with a potential client dealing with bids, proposals, outlines, etc.
* Sometimes you get the job, sometimes you don't.
* When you don't get the job, at least you have content that you could potentially use elsewhere.

What have you learned?

* It satisfies my intellectual curiosity.
* Huge stroke to my ego when an article idea I had sells, especially for top dollar.
* I learn a ton of interesting things.
* I don't have to worry about re-writes
* I don't have to fear rejection
* They still sell.

It's a lot less pressure to write on spec.

And I tend to write the articles I'm really interested in for spec - which makes the writing process a lot more enjoyable. Writing something tailored to someone's requirements and tastes can be rewarding, but it's a very different beast. And I don't do stress well these days so I'm just giving myself room to write what I want.

* A whimsical idea can catch a customer's eye and turn into a private request.
* The more specific the idea, the easier it is to write a cohesive article.
* I know more than I thought I did.

* I can write on topics I am interested in and make sales.
* Some "on spec" articles sell straight away - which is a real boost to your ego.
* Most "on spec" articles I have written have sold within six months. Some of the articles I wrote for public requests have later sold to other customers, but others are still sitting there if they haven't been picked up by the original requestor.
* Having a range of "on spec" articles available in my portfolio shows prospective customers what I can do and this has led to private requests.
* I can direct potential customers or new clients I meet elsewhere to my profile on CC to show what I am capable of. This has led to introducing new customers to CC, which is good for everyone.
* Writing "on spec" gives you a chance to write on topics you know well and this can cut down on research time.
* Writing "on spec" still means thinking about the potential audience, so you focus on crafting your article to suit a specific potential audience.
* Writing "on spec" articles makes you really think about what you write in the short summary because you need to use this paragraph to "market" your article to the potential customers. This is a good practice to get into, even for public requests.
* Writing "on spec" articles is fun, productive, and enjoyable.

Go for it!

On spec articles appeal to the little lost poet in me. I can play with the language of what I write and give it voice and feeling.

I'm newer here and don't have too much experience to draw upon, but I do think it's funny that I've written a couple of articles that were based on a whimsical idea that bordered on being a joke, and they sold fairly quickly. At the same time, I've written articles to fulfill public requests and felt like I poured my heart and soul into representing the product or website of someone else only to have them not purchase it. This site is an addicting elixir full of irony.

Just goes to show that clients value originality. Fun!

The one thing I just learned is to WRITE FAST! I just spent a good hour or two researching and burning all of my brain cells over trying to understand what a hydraulic seal is and how in the world I am supposed to write a professional and informational article on something I've never heard about. Then, just when i was going to submit it, I saw a similar article on the recently sold list. Rats!

I submited it anyway -- maybe someone will buy it. But, it's a bummer! A half-hearted congrats to whoever it was that wrote the article. Btw, whoever you are, why did you price it at $85 vs. somewhere in the $150-$250 range that was stated on the request? That is what originally drew me to the article. Is that just too good to believe kind of pricing?

Good experience and one I hope not to repeat!

Amy

Howdy, Amy. I'll tell you a little about the article. My explanation may help you sort out whether submitting to public requests is a good idea for the future, too.

You did a good thing submitting to the request. First, you got to explore an unknown subject. As freelancers, we sometimes get stuck in the same-old-same-old. You never know what will fascinate you if a new subject pops up.

Second, you don't know what I wrote about (or what any other author submits to a public request). Your ideas are valuable. Since we all take different angles on subjects, we give requesters new ways to think about things--and they could well like your ideas. So, always submit to a public request if the topic strikes your fancy.

Third, you shouldn't always take requests at face value. If they say one article, maybe they mean it and maybe they don't. When you go to the grocery store with a list, do you never buy anything extra? If a public request says $20 for 800 words, that doesn't mean you should undervalue your work. Price your articles fairly.

Which leads me to why I priced it at $85. I have a pricing system that I follow no matter what a public request says. I've sold articles for more than the request stated, and now I've sold one for less. However (there's always a however), I sent a message to the buyer letting her know that I'd like to write on specific subjects for the site--so my fair pricing is a strategy. If I'm lucky, she might put in a private request for those additional articles. She might, and she might not.

If we're both lucky, she'll see there's money left in her budget and two great submissions, so she'll buy yours too. Then if we're REALLY lucky we'll both get private requests. I've been accused of being a dreamer before.

She took the full three days to look the article over and it was released into the public pool before she bought it. So, be patient. I think Vicky might be a broker, so the actual website owners have to check it. Make a little mental checklist of everything you've gained by writing an article about hydraulic seals and let it go. You did a good thing and expanded your horizons, if nothing else.

I really like writing about any subject that captures my interest, as well as topics that I think will appeal to a wide audience.
I also like being able to set my own prices.

I've become much more careful about revising my articles before I submit them. I try to study them with a fine-tooth comb now! Printing them out and marking them with a red pen has helped me.

Sometimes having so much competition is annoying, however! Not long ago, I wrote an article about a particular subject. Unfortunately, another writer also submitted an article about this topic. This writer gave his or her article a 'jazzier' title and it was probably better than mine. It sold quickly while mine is still here.

Hey, AmyT! Did your risk pay off? I saw another hydraulic seals article in the Recently Sold list... I sure hope it was yours.

And to the someone who sold 16 little articles about bras: Is that a case of "write what you know"? Gotta love private requests.

I was wondering the same about the Bras!! Congrats whoever you are

Hi, Evelyn!

I never got around to thanking you for the reply. Thanks for the advice and the encouragement!

Unfortunately, no, that wasn't my article. I wish it was! She did look at the article, I believe, because it has one view and it hasn't been released to the public yet. But now I see that she's removed the public request so I think she's done looking. Oh, well. Maybe someone else will eventually claim it.

I think I will work harder at trying to find a niche -- any ideas on how competitive the education and music categories are here? How about health?

~Amy

I know it's an old thread, but it's a great one to re-vive! I've gotten sooo much from going back through the forums.

I learned from writing on spec that I shouldn't be surprised when someone buys something I think will never sell. I submitted a re-purposed article and thought, "Well, it will be a good inventory piece for people to see I'm versatile!" And then it sold the same day it approved! I was laughing and thrilled at the same time.

I've also learned that when given the opportunity to write what I want, there is almost TOO much to write about. I'm a big "studier" and I love learning new things. So the fact that I have the chance to absorb as much as possible then get paid to write about it... I love it.

The possibilities are endless when I look at it that way. What a great way to make learning PAY! Now if only I could get compensated for the multitudes of academic essays I wrote for grades... and not somewhere that college kids will rip off my work or be unethical. LOL!

I don't think writing anything on spec is wasted here. If it doesn't sell, it's still a testament to your abilities and helps build your portfolio. When it does sell, it's awesome!

CC is a very unique place, and it makes me wonder about the people who don't do anything with it or stick it out until it starts paying. Of the options out there online, this place is like heaven! I guess it's that old 2% rule, wherein 98% of the people who want to do something just don't put in the effort to really succeed.