Hi! New here

[warrenb]

Hello! My name is Warren and I just started with constant content. I've been writing for a long time, longer then I like to admit. (34 years old and I started when I was 14 so....Yah.)

I get a little bit nervous when looking everything over for this site, but I am determined to forge ahead. What I am doing is going through the list of articles that are wanted, picking one out, and writing on that subject. Is that the way to go? I'm in the midst of writing my first article now and I thought I'd see what other people though.

I actually do have some web content writing experience, but I've not had to write what other people requested before. It was more "I'm interested in it, so I'm going to write about it."

I have looked around the forums a little looking for advice and such, so I'm not totally unprepared. Just getting over a case of the nerves. It is a little odd, feels like the first day at a new job...heh.

Anyway, nice to meet you all!

[Gouldm80]

Welcome to Constant-Content, Warren. Nice to e-meet you as well. I hope that your experience here with C-C will be as pleasant as mine has been so far. I've only been on this site for a month and I've gotta tell you, it's been an eye-opening experience. It is beyond cool to get paid to write articles. These forums are full of helpful people who are ready to offer useful advice despite the fact that they may be competing against you for the same work. It's really a very unique place, and I love it so far. I'm betting that you will as well.
I like the "I'm just going to forge ahead" attitude. That's going to help you out a lot in the long-run. I think it's fairly normal to have jittery nerves when first starting to write for this site. After all, the editing process can be fairly harrowing, and after a rejection or two you start to question your abilities as a writer. Then, once you have the editing process down, you begin to question if you're ever going to sell anything. That's where the forums come in handy. Make sure you read about other people's experiences when you're getting down in the dumps. Sometimes it takes some time for your profile to gain momentum, and the timing of sales doesn't always make sense, but if you stick with it, you'll begin to see rewards for the time you've spent here. I'm going to get off of my soap box now...people are probably tired of hearing me preach the benefits of using C-C.
Regarding whether you should write for public requests or not...I'd recommend both writing for them as well as putting together articles that draw upon your own personal experience. Oftentimes, writing for public requests requires you to spend time researching the topic before writing for the request, and this cuts into your money made/hour. It can be a great way to get a regular client though. Read through some of the forums to learn about the varying degrees of success that people have had with the public requests.
Well, welcome to C-C. I wish you good luck.

Mike

[Elizabeth Ann West]

Try to reuse your research.

I.e.: There was a public request ages ago on solar panels

So I wrote one piece for the request, The Basics of Installing Solar Panels

Then, I used my research to write an on-spec piece Optimizing Solar Panels In Less Than Ideal Weather.

The basics one, sold for $85. The second one, sold twice for usage $20 and I have it up on another site (after it sold for use, don't EVER put an article you have up for full rights on another site). See, same research, $91 net for about 5-6 hours work total, or $15-$18 an hour. Not too shabby for a part time job.

[warrenb]

Hey all,
sorry about the delay in responding. I just wanted to thank you for the responses though

My first article I wrote for CC was rejected, but the second one was accepted and just sold. So I'm happy, I think I can make this work. I am keeping tabs on the advice people have to give too.

[messenger77]

Hi, nice to meet you. I'm new here too, and like you I've been writing forever but at age 42 am getting serious about it. I'm with you on "forging ahead" and I am doing the same thing, writing articles on the requests sent to my inbox, I guess it's true about great minds thinking alike, huh? Well good luck with everything! Angela.

[rtaylor2770]

Hi I too am new to CC and just wanted to say hi. I also really liked your statement that you have that "forge ahead" attitude. I am trying to also cultivate that sort of attitude. We do have many things in common as I too have been writing a long time but am just now getting serious about it as well. I too am 40 and really looking to open a new chapter in my life and have hi hopes in my writing online. So, good luck to you and I hope to see you around here in the future.

Richard

[jodie079]

Hello,everybody...this is Jodie.
Looking forward to getting myself involved in this forum.

[jak]

Welcome Jodie, and everyone else here too if I'm not too late.