Responding to New Article Requests

[Avie47]

I just contacted a requestor, because his/her request was vague for wanting 1,000 words. They asked for articles on growing tomatoes, yet said they were starting a gardening site and wanted it to be used as their first page. I wasn't sure if they are gearing toward professional farmers or back yard gardeners and I asked them that. Also, there are many types of tomatoes, so not really sure which direction they are taking. I hate wasting 1,000 words and going in the wrong direction. If I don't hear from them, however, I will probably write something anyway and see if it gets picked up by someone else down the line.
I love these requests, because they are so varied that it seems like there is something for everyone here. It's nice getting picked up immediately, but I had some articles that had been in there so long I had forgotten about them, and then I got a notice that paypal had money for me. I was going to get ouf of this site, thinking I didn't have the right stuff, but then those sales perked me up and I have sold more since then. So I'm staying.

[Debbi]

I was just thinking the same thing about public requests. I wrote one last August that didn't sell to the requester, but today it sold. That always reaffirms my faith in CC and the power of the public request to get you writing and investing in future sales.

Isn't it great to get those happy little messages from PayPal and CC?

[MissMellie]

When responding to a public or private request, may one include a link to a non-CC-url where the requestor can view samples of past work? These urls would _not_ be in the accompanying article, but solely in the message directed to the requestor.

If not, may one attach a sample (or a portion of a sample) of previous work within the message pane for the requestor to review? Or is such a practice regarded as inappropriate? May such url links be included in the "about this author" portion of one's profile?

It seems to me that the actual approved article submitted for consideration would itself serve as the "sample;" however, I ask as a brand new member with, as yet, zero submissions on CC, and therefore, nothing here for a requestor to review for a taste of my writing style.

[jak]

It doesn't work like that here, Miss Mellie. For obvious reasons, we may not offer any personal information or communicate with customers other than through the system. Customers choose purely on the basis of what they read. Don't worry. We all had to start where you are. Submit your first three articles without any extras (and definitely without any links as they'll be rejected immediately). Once they are approved, carry on and submit as much as you can. I recommend a mix of request responses and whatever you want to write about. If customers likes something of yours that they find, they might then check out the rest of your portfolio here. I once posted a travel article which was snapped up with six previously submitted ones at the same time.