Article Submission Trouble

[Uppercaps]

Hello
I am a newbie and find a few things difficult to comprehend:

The newsletter has links for articles, yet I can't use them.

The requested content has pre-defined rates, yet I have to fill in different values while submitting.

Can't something be done for direct submission? Using the article links?

(I mean clicking a link could take me to content-requestor's page and I could submit my article there?)

I sent a mail but got no reply for a week, hence this question here.

Thanks

[Celeste Stewart]

The newsletter has links for articles, yet I can't use them.

I'm not sure what your question is here.

The requested content has pre-defined rates, yet I have to fill in different values while submitting.

As writers, we get to set our own rates. The suggestions are just that, suggestions. So, if you feel your article is worth $XXX, you get to charge $XXX. If you're not sure, take a look at the suggested guidelines and consider your time, word count, expertise, complexity of the topic, and other factors and try your best to compare your factors with CC's suggested prices to come up with a total price that's fair to you and reasonable for the CC market.

Can't something be done for direct submission? Using the article links? (I mean clicking a link could take me to content-requestor's page and I could submit my article there?)

Again, I'm not completely clear on what your question is. Any time you submit an article, you have the option to specify if it's for a public/private request. If it is, you then choose the request from the dropdown list. If you happen to be looking at a given request and have an approved article already on the site, you can just click a link (it's labeled "Contact customer / submit existing article"). If you don't yet have one written and approved, you'll be logged out long beforehand, so it's no big deal to just follow the regular process which consists of these basic steps: submit article, specify the request, name your price, copy and paste the details...

[Uppercaps]

I have shown the rates mentioned already in the mailer. I took them to be fixed. Hence I wondered why do I need to specify again.

When the mailer says "New Public Requests" I did not understand why should I again classify them as Private/Public requests.

Because my submissions are under 5, I have to use the "Submit" button, but filling in the values is a bit difficult. Hence I wanted some direct link, so as to avoid filling in the details.

Hope I am clear this time.

[Celeste Stewart]

Customers usually specify a range, like in this case $50-$100. It's kind of vague, but it gives us some control over setting our own prices. For example, you might feel your article is worth $60 while another writer might charge $80 and another might charge over $100.

The dropdown box where you specify public or private request then opens a list of available requests. You have to select the one that you are submitting to so that the customer can be automatically notified when it's ready. I think that they're separate because private requests are not offered to everyone. It would be nice if there was a submit article button that you could click when viewing a request that would prepopulate some of the fields like the actual request and category. I doubt they'd change it to default to a specified price though because writers set their own prices.

[Uppercaps]

Thanks for the reply.

I will use it when I submit the next time.

One more question, if you could please answer.

Where do I see the exact process from my submission to reaching the real client. Like on eZine, the editors first approve and then it gets published. Is it the same here or the customer gets directly and decide whether to accept or not?

Thanks for your quick replies.

[Celeste Stewart]

If the article is a general submission (ie not for a public request), it is added to the CC catalog once it's approved. From there, interested customers can take a look at it and hopefully buy it. If the article is for a public or private request, then once it's approved the requesting customer is notified. For three days, only the author and the requesting customer can view the article. If the requesting customer likes it and agrees to the price, the deal goes through once he clicks the add to cart button and provides payment. If not, then after three days, the article goes into the CC catalog just like general submissions. Once released, anyone can buy it.