In theory, it should be fairly simple to keep working while on vacation. I'm currently in Orlando for spring break and purposely stayed in a place that has high-speed internet just for that purpose. Unfortunately, when you aren't at home, there are far fewer factors that you can control. The main issues are:
Internet access has been intermittent, as the hotel is new and they still have some kinks to work out.
There is some kind of insane firewall here that is making it difficult to do much.
The schedule during vacation is not as easy as sitting around at home, and some days the time to complain about the internet access and to try to conquer the firewall is just not there.
My Spanish is not that great. Most of the people that are here to complain to can't speak fluent English, and some not at all. My Spanish is fair but not good enough to communicate seamlessly.
So, I am available, sort of, if a client has a problem and needs to get ahold of me. But, getting real work done is difficult enough to make it worthwhile to wait until I get home. That's the only lesson I have about freelance writing from a hotel- you can try, you can plan, but ultimately you are at the mercy of hotel employees and wiring.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Weird and Not About Writing
I saw this footage the other day and keep thinking about it. It's the kind of thing you see and then desperately want to know answers about, but there may never be any. Is it real? I think no one but the one coming out of the bushes knows for sure. It could be a prank, it could be someone who was simply misunderstood or it could be something else entirely.
I showed this to my spouse, who decided, sight unseen, that it was a fake. Yes, before even viewing it. I think that says a lot about the general lack of open mindedness that's the norm these days. If it's not explainable, it must be fake.
I've seen people all over the Web say that the people in this area are poor and uneducated and that's why they believe this. Are they poor? It's pretty likely that most of them are. Are they uneducated? Probably. But, what kind of effect does that really have? People who have a great deal of education sometimes start believing that they know everything they need to. With that mindset, it's easy to dismiss anything that doesn't fit into what they already know. But I think that really being educated means knowing that you don't know everything and never will.
I showed this to my spouse, who decided, sight unseen, that it was a fake. Yes, before even viewing it. I think that says a lot about the general lack of open mindedness that's the norm these days. If it's not explainable, it must be fake.
I've seen people all over the Web say that the people in this area are poor and uneducated and that's why they believe this. Are they poor? It's pretty likely that most of them are. Are they uneducated? Probably. But, what kind of effect does that really have? People who have a great deal of education sometimes start believing that they know everything they need to. With that mindset, it's easy to dismiss anything that doesn't fit into what they already know. But I think that really being educated means knowing that you don't know everything and never will.
Monday, March 10, 2008
How People Get Here
I check every once in a while, ok, every day, to see how people are getting here. Some people have subscribed, some people click on links, but the vast majority get here through a Google search. Sometimes I see a search and I wonder if that person got the information they were looking for. In case they haven't, I'll try to help. Here are some of the searches that have brought people here:
Elance sucks
Yes, I actually get people coming here regularly after searching for this term. For awhile I was #1 on Google for this phrase which is kind of a sad claim to fame. I'm happier with the site than I once was, especially since the price hike got rid of so many people that there is very little competition for projects. They made a mistake raising rates, and they have a few other flaws, but for right now I don't think they suck too badly.
The Writer's Journey
I thought that sounded like a fun title for this here blog, but apparently there is a book by this name. If you have come here looking for it, I didn't write it and I've never read it. You can, however, get it right here
.
Writers Residual Income
I get this one almost daily. I do have a post about that here. But for a short answer, web writers can get residuals from Triond, Squidoo, HubPages, eHow, Associated Content, Suite101, Helium and HowtoDoThings. Some are better than others, but most have a lot of potential if you spend a lot of time writing quality items that have a lot of reader appeal. Triond and Helium aren't really worth bothering with, but the others have real potential. I think the best idea is to pick two or three of them and go at it full force rather than getting involved with too many sites and getting very little from any of them. For most residual sites, the more you write, the more people will look to your other items to read. This increases your page views per article and results in more residuals for the same amount of work.
Elance Fees
I get this one a lot. I'm not sure if they are looking for the exact fees or the amount of the fee increase. The actual fees you pay depend a lot on what kind of membership you have. A free membership is useless and a waste of time. I had one for awhile and the site wouldn't let me bid on a single project ever. Get a paid Elance membership if you plan on bidding. The new memberships are more expensive than the old ones, but that's mostly because you have to buy a lot more "connects" to bid now than you used to. That brings me to...
Elance Connects
This is just Elance's new word for bids. Elance connects work in much the same way they did when they were called bids, but there are more of them required for higher-dollar projects. Under the old system, one bid was enough for any project. Under this system, it can take up to four connects to bid on a project. And, the memberships come with far fewer connects than they did bids.
THE letters from everyone
I have no idea what this means. Whatever they came looking for, they didn't find it. I don't send letters to everyone. Actually, I don't send letters to anyone.
I have the flu and I'm thirsty
Yes, one guy came here by searching for that. I feel for you, dude. Get some rest and visit here when you feel better.
Elance sucks
Yes, I actually get people coming here regularly after searching for this term. For awhile I was #1 on Google for this phrase which is kind of a sad claim to fame. I'm happier with the site than I once was, especially since the price hike got rid of so many people that there is very little competition for projects. They made a mistake raising rates, and they have a few other flaws, but for right now I don't think they suck too badly.
The Writer's Journey
I thought that sounded like a fun title for this here blog, but apparently there is a book by this name. If you have come here looking for it, I didn't write it and I've never read it. You can, however, get it right here
.Writers Residual Income
I get this one almost daily. I do have a post about that here. But for a short answer, web writers can get residuals from Triond, Squidoo, HubPages, eHow, Associated Content, Suite101, Helium and HowtoDoThings. Some are better than others, but most have a lot of potential if you spend a lot of time writing quality items that have a lot of reader appeal. Triond and Helium aren't really worth bothering with, but the others have real potential. I think the best idea is to pick two or three of them and go at it full force rather than getting involved with too many sites and getting very little from any of them. For most residual sites, the more you write, the more people will look to your other items to read. This increases your page views per article and results in more residuals for the same amount of work.
Elance Fees
I get this one a lot. I'm not sure if they are looking for the exact fees or the amount of the fee increase. The actual fees you pay depend a lot on what kind of membership you have. A free membership is useless and a waste of time. I had one for awhile and the site wouldn't let me bid on a single project ever. Get a paid Elance membership if you plan on bidding. The new memberships are more expensive than the old ones, but that's mostly because you have to buy a lot more "connects" to bid now than you used to. That brings me to...
Elance Connects
This is just Elance's new word for bids. Elance connects work in much the same way they did when they were called bids, but there are more of them required for higher-dollar projects. Under the old system, one bid was enough for any project. Under this system, it can take up to four connects to bid on a project. And, the memberships come with far fewer connects than they did bids.
THE letters from everyone
I have no idea what this means. Whatever they came looking for, they didn't find it. I don't send letters to everyone. Actually, I don't send letters to anyone.
I have the flu and I'm thirsty
Yes, one guy came here by searching for that. I feel for you, dude. Get some rest and visit here when you feel better.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Freelance Writing Roundup
Today was the day that Elance dropped all of the people that they had invited to be in their Premier program but who didn't meet the guideline of having two verified credentials. I only have one, so I was dropped a few minutes ago. Yes, they did invite me to be a premier member, knowing that I didn't have two verified credentials. Why? I have absolutely no idea.
I've gotten a little more serious about my Suite101 articles lately. My readership was nil for awhile, but it seems to be picking up now. That has gotten me a lot more interested. I don't mind talking to myself. Heck, I write this blog, don't I? But like a lot of sites these days, their payment is based entirely on page views.
One interesting site that I have never mentioned here on the ol' blog is EditFast. This site allows clients to find editors that have the type of experience they're looking for. I have a profile set up here.
I've gotten a little more serious about my Suite101 articles lately. My readership was nil for awhile, but it seems to be picking up now. That has gotten me a lot more interested. I don't mind talking to myself. Heck, I write this blog, don't I? But like a lot of sites these days, their payment is based entirely on page views.
One interesting site that I have never mentioned here on the ol' blog is EditFast. This site allows clients to find editors that have the type of experience they're looking for. I have a profile set up here.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Sci-Fi and Jane Austen
Yes, it's a weird title, but hear me out...
I know I'm not alone in my sci-fi/fantasy obsession, nor in my obsession with Regency/Georgian fiction. The thing is, it has occurred to me over time that they're pretty much the same thing.
The thing that interests most readers in sci-fi and fantasy is that a book in either of these genres is a world unto itself. It has its own rules, etiquette and reality that you simply don't get in everyday life. The same is true of period fiction. In its day, Pride and Prejudice was a fairly simple tale told eloquently. The same could be said of the rest of Austen's works, Thackeray's and most of the Bronte novels.
But, 200 years later, they are something else entirely. Entering that world is much like entering a Star Trek episode or a Pern novel. You get accustomed to the world over time, but it's not anything you are ever likely to see in real life.
Every great work of fiction is like that- a world to itself that is unlike any other. Some worlds are full of humorous mishaps, some of constant mystery and intrigue. That's what I think fiction writers should be striving for. Rather than just telling a story, try to set up an entire world. It's a tall order, but it's by far the best aspect of any type of fiction. If a work of fiction is too standard, too interchangeable, the world just doesn't need it.
I know I'm not alone in my sci-fi/fantasy obsession, nor in my obsession with Regency/Georgian fiction. The thing is, it has occurred to me over time that they're pretty much the same thing.
The thing that interests most readers in sci-fi and fantasy is that a book in either of these genres is a world unto itself. It has its own rules, etiquette and reality that you simply don't get in everyday life. The same is true of period fiction. In its day, Pride and Prejudice was a fairly simple tale told eloquently. The same could be said of the rest of Austen's works, Thackeray's and most of the Bronte novels.
But, 200 years later, they are something else entirely. Entering that world is much like entering a Star Trek episode or a Pern novel. You get accustomed to the world over time, but it's not anything you are ever likely to see in real life.
Every great work of fiction is like that- a world to itself that is unlike any other. Some worlds are full of humorous mishaps, some of constant mystery and intrigue. That's what I think fiction writers should be striving for. Rather than just telling a story, try to set up an entire world. It's a tall order, but it's by far the best aspect of any type of fiction. If a work of fiction is too standard, too interchangeable, the world just doesn't need it.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Are You Making Excuses? Unless You Have Plague, Think Again
After getting the flu and still having deadlines to meet, it got me thinking about the many excuses that I hear about. Elance buyers often mention the problems they have with getting people to turn in work on time and citing random excuses. I know there is one provider who has had a mother die at least three times over the course of a year or two. Maybe there are times when people simply can not turn in their work on time. So what are they?
Here are a few excuses that I see bidding site buyers talking about:
Death in the family- I suspect that less than half of the people who say they have a death in the family really do. Maybe that's harsh, but I think people do use that as an excuse for just being slow or disorganized. Sure, it may happen to some providers, but because so many people claim that, there's no way to be sure when it's really happened. Even if I did have a death in the family, I probably wouldn't mention it out of fear of not being believed. It's kind of like carrying a Louis Vuitton bag- it might be real, but to everyone else it looks like another fake.
Illness- Yes, there are some illnesses that would prevent work from being turned in. It does happen, particularly in the winter. However, I have worked through enough illnesses to know that simply being sick is not really an excuse. Since I've been freelancing I've worked through two bouts of strep throat, countless colds, three sinus infections and a nasty case of the flu. I got through my recent flu by taking Darvocet, which kept me propped up and facing the laptop. With some adjustments, I could type with minimal pain, though I couldn't hold a book. Odd how that works. But, since that whole ordeal I can't see using an illness as a big excuse unless it's cancer, some type of debilitating illness, hanta, ebola or plague. Yes, plague. If you have the plague, it's probably ok to be late.
Computer problems- Yes, I'm sure they happen. I just wonder how professional someone is if they are using computer problems as an excuse. I keep three computers on hand so that if one breaks down I have a spare, and so on. I use Web-based email so that I don't have to be at any one computer to communicate with a client. If you take these types of precautions, computer problems should never be an excuse for anything. And yes, I know that because I wrote this all three computers will simultaneously break down just because they can. You know what? If that happens, I'll buy a fourth.
War- I actually saw a RentaCoder buyer who complained that people he had hired told him that war raging in their country had made them late with their work. War? I guess that could possibly be an excuse, although technically if there's a war going on around you, you do know this when you sign up for a project. It should be made clear in advance that you could possibly have late work due to war. On the other hand, if you really do need your work on time, is it really the best idea to hire a writer in a country where a war is going on?
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Five Best Things About Getting the Flu
I've recovering from the flu right now. I can sit up and walk around but my mind is still a bit fuzzy. Getting the flu is one of the least enjoyable things that humans go through, so I thought I'd try to find a few bright points in the influenza darkness:
1. You lose weight. Yeah, it's perverse, but I think I've gone down by about a pant size. Woo hoo!
2. You catch up on sleep. I hate to sleep. Seriously. It's nothing more than a big swath of time cut from writing. But, getting caught up on some of the missing sleep will probably be beneficial in the long run.
3. People bring you stuff. That's right- I'm thirsty, darn it. I usually feel bad if I ask someone to bring me something, but that's certainly not the case during the flu. Bring me drinks, lunch, a better mouse- whatever I need. Thanks.
4. Dreams get freaky. I'm not sure if it's the Darvocet, the Tamiflu or the fever, but my dreams have been epic tales of wonder. I'm thinking about basing a children's book on one of them.
5. Less fear of the general public. Usually at this time of year I have a healthy fear of coughing strangers. I use Germ-X excessively and try to keep from touching stuff. But after having the worst that the season offers, I have no fear. Unless someone has plague, I'm not impressed.
Friday, February 15, 2008
New York Times Lay Offs Planned
Here's a scary look at the future of newspapers. This is just the latest in a long line of newspaper layoffs. Here's an insanely long list of media layoffs this decade. Getting that journalism degree right on the cusp of the Internet age probably wasn't the wisest choice, in hindsight.
But, I still don't see the newspaper dying out any more than I can see it with magazines. People still like to have something tactile to hold and carry with them. Sure, you can get the same information online, but imagine a doctor's office without magazines. Imagine sitting outside and reading news sheets that you printed out on your computer.
The habit of picking up a newspaper to read the latest is ingrained in us. Because of this, newspapers will be around for at least a few more decades. After that, there's a chance of them being replaced by news that's read over a Kindle
or a similar device. The Kindle already gets the New York Times and a few other large newspapers. It may be just a matter of time before everyone gets their news that way. It'll be a shame in a lot of ways, but on the bright side, at least we won't have any more ink-stained fingers.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Elance Changes to the Changes to the Changes
The latest changes to the revised changes are here, apparently. The newest word from Elance is that they are extending the free time for the Premier designation. They aren't saying yet how long the extension will be, but my guess is for eternity. No one was willing to pay $20 a month for something that was supposed to be merit based. An extra $240 a year was ludicrous, and I'm glad that Elance finally agrees.
They are also "enforcing" the requirement of two verified credentials to be a Premier member. I found "enforce" an odd way to phrase it, since they extended the invitations to the ones they chose, and not the other way around. I only have one verified credential, my degree, and they sent me an invitation to be a Premier member. The cut off day is March 4. Should everyone run out and get more credentials verified? Doubtful.
First, it's difficult to do. The third party that they use for the verification process are, in my opinion, extremely inept. They basically had me verify it myself through photos of my diploma and getting them logged into my university's system to check my graduation records. I had to call the university, send pictures, email the service over and over to answer questions...it was a serious pain.
Second, to add insult to injury you have to pay for the privilege of doing someone else's job. All of the work I did to get verified was not paid- I had to pay someone for it.
Third, there is the distinct possibility that Elance may not take my advice and could start charging for Premier membership. For the legions who have decided never to pay for this, getting verifications will be a waste of time and money if Elance changes their changes to the change of the changes and starts charging the $20 a month.
They are also "enforcing" the requirement of two verified credentials to be a Premier member. I found "enforce" an odd way to phrase it, since they extended the invitations to the ones they chose, and not the other way around. I only have one verified credential, my degree, and they sent me an invitation to be a Premier member. The cut off day is March 4. Should everyone run out and get more credentials verified? Doubtful.
First, it's difficult to do. The third party that they use for the verification process are, in my opinion, extremely inept. They basically had me verify it myself through photos of my diploma and getting them logged into my university's system to check my graduation records. I had to call the university, send pictures, email the service over and over to answer questions...it was a serious pain.
Second, to add insult to injury you have to pay for the privilege of doing someone else's job. All of the work I did to get verified was not paid- I had to pay someone for it.
Third, there is the distinct possibility that Elance may not take my advice and could start charging for Premier membership. For the legions who have decided never to pay for this, getting verifications will be a waste of time and money if Elance changes their changes to the change of the changes and starts charging the $20 a month.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The Writers' Strike is Over!
It's finally over! Now I can get back to work. Kidding, kidding. I don't have the luxury of striking, even if I wanted to. If people didn't pay me to write I'd probably scribble things down on scratch papers and go around handing them to strangers.
Actually, one of the deals that I have in the works was specifically because I don't belong to the union. Some of the union wages for writers are extremely high. I think I've mentioned it here before, but I know a few people in the (B) movie industry, one of which is an investor interested in one of my stories. In the B movie realm, they don't have a budget for union writers, and usually pay about half of the union screenwriter's fee. There have been a few talks this year about turning my thing into something for the Sci-Fi Channel. All they are waiting for right now is a treatment.
The problem is, it scares the life out of me. My fiction is always an evolving process, unlike the non-fiction that comes flying out daily. If I finish the treatment and they hate it, well, that's pretty much it. If I don't finish it, I get to keep my daydreams about seeing my sci-fi story on my non-flat screen, ancient TV one cozy evening. They want the treatment. I just don't know that I'm ready. What makes someone take that leap and just say, here is my thing- it's great! Take it and film it! I don't know. I wish I did.
Actually, one of the deals that I have in the works was specifically because I don't belong to the union. Some of the union wages for writers are extremely high. I think I've mentioned it here before, but I know a few people in the (B) movie industry, one of which is an investor interested in one of my stories. In the B movie realm, they don't have a budget for union writers, and usually pay about half of the union screenwriter's fee. There have been a few talks this year about turning my thing into something for the Sci-Fi Channel. All they are waiting for right now is a treatment.
The problem is, it scares the life out of me. My fiction is always an evolving process, unlike the non-fiction that comes flying out daily. If I finish the treatment and they hate it, well, that's pretty much it. If I don't finish it, I get to keep my daydreams about seeing my sci-fi story on my non-flat screen, ancient TV one cozy evening. They want the treatment. I just don't know that I'm ready. What makes someone take that leap and just say, here is my thing- it's great! Take it and film it! I don't know. I wish I did.
Monday, February 11, 2008
What Won't You Write About?
Normally I hate it when people ask questions in blog posts in an attempt to get comments, but hey- I'm curious. I think that most freelance writers have topics that they won't write about. Usually this happens after they're faced with topics that make them uncomfortable. That's certainly the case for one of my Topics I Won't Write About. I'll write about a lot of weird stuff- I actually welcome it. But there are a few things just aren't going to come flying out of my fingertips.
1. Questionable nutritional supplements: I got roped into writing a series of articles about some very questionable supplements once, and it won't happen again. I accepted a project to write about the health benefits of various types of teas. Tea is high in antioxidants and I'm a big believer in these types of natural foods for overall health. Great! After I accepted the project and the money was escrowed I was told that the topic had changed to a type of health supplement. At that point, there wasn't much that I could do about it- I accepted, the money was escrowed and I didn't want to risk bad feedback by backing out. So, I wrote the stupid things. I gave it my all and people are probably out there buying those things right now because of what I wrote. Never again.
2. Male enhancement: Over the past year, it seems like everyone has become interested in male enhancement content. It's everywhere- all over Elance, RAC, Craigslist and anywhere else that freelancers gather. I'm frankly tired of hearing about it. I don't think there are any magic pills or lotions or whatever that can do what they claim. And with all of the hype and the millions spent on these products, shouldn't they be big enough at this point? Exactly how big do they really need to be?
3. Work at home scams: I haven't personally been faced with this one, but I know of several freelance writers who have. I don't care what the pay is, I would never write anything that is likely to scam people who are looking for work at home. Anyone who wants that can look elsewhere or jump off a cliff. Either one.
4. Programming: Programming is obviously not unethical, it's just too complex to be written by someone who doesn't know how to do it. I can research most topics and have a reasonable level of knowledge in order to create items that convey the appropriate information. I can cross reference it, fact check it, and end up with something that is accurate and insightful. I can not, however, do that about programming. It takes a lot more than a few hours of reading to understand the nuances that those types of articles would require.
5. How to "score" with women: Um, no thanks. Women have enough to contend with without this kind of crap. Unfortunately, this has become a cottage industry online. I can't count how many times I've seen people looking for articles and ebooks on this topic. There is a possibility of this kind of content being done tastefully, but the door is open far enough that a few changes could make it harmful. I'm not having any part of it.
So, that's it. Anything else is fair game. As long as it isn't one of these topics, I literally will write about pretty much anything. I would like to hear what other people consider taboo in their own work, if anyone cares to mention it.
1. Questionable nutritional supplements: I got roped into writing a series of articles about some very questionable supplements once, and it won't happen again. I accepted a project to write about the health benefits of various types of teas. Tea is high in antioxidants and I'm a big believer in these types of natural foods for overall health. Great! After I accepted the project and the money was escrowed I was told that the topic had changed to a type of health supplement. At that point, there wasn't much that I could do about it- I accepted, the money was escrowed and I didn't want to risk bad feedback by backing out. So, I wrote the stupid things. I gave it my all and people are probably out there buying those things right now because of what I wrote. Never again.
2. Male enhancement: Over the past year, it seems like everyone has become interested in male enhancement content. It's everywhere- all over Elance, RAC, Craigslist and anywhere else that freelancers gather. I'm frankly tired of hearing about it. I don't think there are any magic pills or lotions or whatever that can do what they claim. And with all of the hype and the millions spent on these products, shouldn't they be big enough at this point? Exactly how big do they really need to be?
3. Work at home scams: I haven't personally been faced with this one, but I know of several freelance writers who have. I don't care what the pay is, I would never write anything that is likely to scam people who are looking for work at home. Anyone who wants that can look elsewhere or jump off a cliff. Either one.
4. Programming: Programming is obviously not unethical, it's just too complex to be written by someone who doesn't know how to do it. I can research most topics and have a reasonable level of knowledge in order to create items that convey the appropriate information. I can cross reference it, fact check it, and end up with something that is accurate and insightful. I can not, however, do that about programming. It takes a lot more than a few hours of reading to understand the nuances that those types of articles would require.
5. How to "score" with women: Um, no thanks. Women have enough to contend with without this kind of crap. Unfortunately, this has become a cottage industry online. I can't count how many times I've seen people looking for articles and ebooks on this topic. There is a possibility of this kind of content being done tastefully, but the door is open far enough that a few changes could make it harmful. I'm not having any part of it.
So, that's it. Anything else is fair game. As long as it isn't one of these topics, I literally will write about pretty much anything. I would like to hear what other people consider taboo in their own work, if anyone cares to mention it.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Made it Through the Tornadoes
Last night was one of the worst tornado nights we've had in years. Something about the darkness makes any tornado night much more frightening than the same weather during the day, though. I waited up for quite a while to see what was going to happen, but ended up going to bed figuring that if one got close the sirens would wake me up. They certainly did. There were two tornadoes in town and a few others in the surrounding counties by about 3:30 a.m. The worst point was when the local news zeroed in it's street map on the "danger zone." My subdivision was on it.
One of the tornadoes ended up passing about a mile from us at one point. At the time it was closest, that eerie calm descended. If you've ever had a tornado close by, you may know what I'm talking about. As long as the rain is coming down, the tornado is usually not that close. But, as soon as the rain stops and it looks like nature is trying to lure you outside with false promises, you're screwed. We had a few minutes of the calm when the tornado was passing by, but the rain soon started back and I was able to keep from vomiting. This morning I saw that 52 people are dead now from these storms. And that's all I have to say about that.
One of the tornadoes ended up passing about a mile from us at one point. At the time it was closest, that eerie calm descended. If you've ever had a tornado close by, you may know what I'm talking about. As long as the rain is coming down, the tornado is usually not that close. But, as soon as the rain stops and it looks like nature is trying to lure you outside with false promises, you're screwed. We had a few minutes of the calm when the tornado was passing by, but the rain soon started back and I was able to keep from vomiting. This morning I saw that 52 people are dead now from these storms. And that's all I have to say about that.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Is Wikipedia a Good Resource for Writers?
In short, yes. It is. But, but, everyone says it isn't accurate and should never be used as a source. Yes, everyone does say that. Here's why they're wrong:
Wikipedia was studied by the journal Nature and found to be about as accurate as the Encyclopedia Britannica. If you have experience in researching and disseminating information, you may know that Encyclopedia Britannica is well-respected for its information, but it has as many errors as most other respected sources. Actually, I've seen errors in Nature before as well. You have to expect a certain margin of error, no matter what resource you use.
The publisher of Encyclopedia Britannica admitted on NPR that his publication and Wikipedia have about the same accuracy. Of course, he is now debating the findings in the press. And, that's fine. The test appeared to be a fair study, consisting of a blind comparison of 50 articles from each publication.
I do use Wikipedia as a starting point, and I do think that people who are afraid to read it for fear of inaccuracies are inexperienced writers who don't really understand the dissemination process. I had four years of strenuous training as a journalist, so I don't just look at any fact and assume that it's true. If I can find a fact and then find it backed up somewhere that I trust, then that's a good fact. One of the best things about Wikipedia is that it requires extensive citations. For any piece of information that does not include a citation, there will be a notation mentioning it.
That means that anyone using Wikipedia as a reference can simply look at the referenced material and gauge it's accuracy. The references will be listed at the bottom of each page, and I know that many writers do use those references in their works.
Now, being a writer with a journalistic mind, I did set out to test the site to see how quickly something inaccurate would be cleaned up. About a year ago, I chose a Wikipedia page and edited it, adding in a long diatribe of mostly my opinion on the topic. I did use some fact, which was from a book that I read years ago, but did not cite specific passages or pages. Within hours I received a message thanking me for "experimenting" with the site, but that what I wrote had to be removed. Will most websites do this, or even check their information to make sure that it's accurate? If you're a web writer, you already know the answer to that.
So, why the hysteria about never using Wikipedia? I think a lot of it has to do with writers and editors who haven't read the study and haven't investigated the site to see how accurate it is. Many of them don't understand that disseminating information is just as important as finding it. I have a major client who does not allow Wikipedia to be used at all as a source. They will, however, allow me to use AC as a reference, despite there being no editing to AC stories, and most of the work there being based on opinion and with no citation whatsoever. For that same client, I have been able to use blogs, a forum post and other assorted pages as sources, but never Wikipedia. Why?
Is there a chance that a fact you read on Wikipedia isn't accurate? Certainly. That's what the citations are for. If you don't see a fact backed up, don't use it. But, if you read the first article that I referenced above, you may have seen this quote about the EB, "the longer established encyclopaedia does not claim to be error free." And it's correct- no work, not newspapers, magazines, websites or encyclopedias, claim to be completely free of errors. How many times have you seen something inaccurate in your local newspaper or in a magazine story? It happens.
The key for writers is to disseminate the information the best they can, and never to trust just one source for anything. Wikipedia is a good starting point, just like any other source you run across. The forum post that I mentioned using as a reference? It was about an extremely obscure subject about which little was available on the web. I checked out the writer of the post and looked at her website thoroughly to establish that she actually new what she was talking about. If you're a professional, you will always make sure that what you use as materials is as accurate as possible.
Any source, whether it's Wikipedia, the EB, blogs or anything else should always, always be corroborated by a second source. It doesn't matter how respected the work is or how professional it sounds- if you can't back it up with something, it's too risky. If you can back it up, what does it matter where it originally came from?
Wikipedia was studied by the journal Nature and found to be about as accurate as the Encyclopedia Britannica. If you have experience in researching and disseminating information, you may know that Encyclopedia Britannica is well-respected for its information, but it has as many errors as most other respected sources. Actually, I've seen errors in Nature before as well. You have to expect a certain margin of error, no matter what resource you use.
The publisher of Encyclopedia Britannica admitted on NPR that his publication and Wikipedia have about the same accuracy. Of course, he is now debating the findings in the press. And, that's fine. The test appeared to be a fair study, consisting of a blind comparison of 50 articles from each publication.
I do use Wikipedia as a starting point, and I do think that people who are afraid to read it for fear of inaccuracies are inexperienced writers who don't really understand the dissemination process. I had four years of strenuous training as a journalist, so I don't just look at any fact and assume that it's true. If I can find a fact and then find it backed up somewhere that I trust, then that's a good fact. One of the best things about Wikipedia is that it requires extensive citations. For any piece of information that does not include a citation, there will be a notation mentioning it.
That means that anyone using Wikipedia as a reference can simply look at the referenced material and gauge it's accuracy. The references will be listed at the bottom of each page, and I know that many writers do use those references in their works.
Now, being a writer with a journalistic mind, I did set out to test the site to see how quickly something inaccurate would be cleaned up. About a year ago, I chose a Wikipedia page and edited it, adding in a long diatribe of mostly my opinion on the topic. I did use some fact, which was from a book that I read years ago, but did not cite specific passages or pages. Within hours I received a message thanking me for "experimenting" with the site, but that what I wrote had to be removed. Will most websites do this, or even check their information to make sure that it's accurate? If you're a web writer, you already know the answer to that.
So, why the hysteria about never using Wikipedia? I think a lot of it has to do with writers and editors who haven't read the study and haven't investigated the site to see how accurate it is. Many of them don't understand that disseminating information is just as important as finding it. I have a major client who does not allow Wikipedia to be used at all as a source. They will, however, allow me to use AC as a reference, despite there being no editing to AC stories, and most of the work there being based on opinion and with no citation whatsoever. For that same client, I have been able to use blogs, a forum post and other assorted pages as sources, but never Wikipedia. Why?
Is there a chance that a fact you read on Wikipedia isn't accurate? Certainly. That's what the citations are for. If you don't see a fact backed up, don't use it. But, if you read the first article that I referenced above, you may have seen this quote about the EB, "the longer established encyclopaedia does not claim to be error free." And it's correct- no work, not newspapers, magazines, websites or encyclopedias, claim to be completely free of errors. How many times have you seen something inaccurate in your local newspaper or in a magazine story? It happens.
The key for writers is to disseminate the information the best they can, and never to trust just one source for anything. Wikipedia is a good starting point, just like any other source you run across. The forum post that I mentioned using as a reference? It was about an extremely obscure subject about which little was available on the web. I checked out the writer of the post and looked at her website thoroughly to establish that she actually new what she was talking about. If you're a professional, you will always make sure that what you use as materials is as accurate as possible.
Any source, whether it's Wikipedia, the EB, blogs or anything else should always, always be corroborated by a second source. It doesn't matter how respected the work is or how professional it sounds- if you can't back it up with something, it's too risky. If you can back it up, what does it matter where it originally came from?
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Elance Account Changeable
Ok, so earlier this month I decided to break down and buy a pack of Elance connects (used to be called bids, used to be readily available with a paid account). The thing that got to me was that you couldn't jut buy a pack, you had to change your account so that you now get than number every month. I have news about this on two fronts:
1. I got an email saying that my account was about to renew, and that I can change the account at this time if I want to. I don't remember them doing this before the changes, and I'm sure I'd remember because it's highly annoying. Don't get me wrong- it is a good thing to be able to change the account so that you don't have to buy the extra connects every month. But, setting up the accounts this way is still ridiculous. I don't think that draining still more of our time is the best way to go with everyone still mad from the changes.
2. The connects available in a pack are too expensive and don't get you very far. One pack of connects includes 10 for $5. If you're one of the Elance writers, you know how many it takes to get decent gigs. Most of the projects I do there are fairly small, but it does usually take me about 10 bids to get a project. I know that in some of the other Elance categories this isn't true, but from what I've read from other Elance writers, this is actually on the low end of normal. I don't think that bids should be unlimited. That would probably lead to a large number of providers bidding for every single project in the hopes of getting a few of them. Being one of 15 bidders is one thing. Being one of 200 is quite another. But, being given very few bids- sorry, connects- isn't the answer either. Having to buy our connects is outrageous when you consider that we already pay monthly for the privilege of membership.
What's the answer? Throw out the changes. They're stupid. Seriously.
1. I got an email saying that my account was about to renew, and that I can change the account at this time if I want to. I don't remember them doing this before the changes, and I'm sure I'd remember because it's highly annoying. Don't get me wrong- it is a good thing to be able to change the account so that you don't have to buy the extra connects every month. But, setting up the accounts this way is still ridiculous. I don't think that draining still more of our time is the best way to go with everyone still mad from the changes.
2. The connects available in a pack are too expensive and don't get you very far. One pack of connects includes 10 for $5. If you're one of the Elance writers, you know how many it takes to get decent gigs. Most of the projects I do there are fairly small, but it does usually take me about 10 bids to get a project. I know that in some of the other Elance categories this isn't true, but from what I've read from other Elance writers, this is actually on the low end of normal. I don't think that bids should be unlimited. That would probably lead to a large number of providers bidding for every single project in the hopes of getting a few of them. Being one of 15 bidders is one thing. Being one of 200 is quite another. But, being given very few bids- sorry, connects- isn't the answer either. Having to buy our connects is outrageous when you consider that we already pay monthly for the privilege of membership.
What's the answer? Throw out the changes. They're stupid. Seriously.
Cheap Glasses Available Online
Zenni Optical sells Rx glasses for $8, including the case!
If you’re a self-employed writer like I am, you know how annoying it is to buy anything vaguely medical. There is a place, though, that sells prescription glasses for just $8. Freaky, but true. Eight dollars buys a complete set of glasses, including the case. That’s less than most people with vision insurance pay for a co-pay. This is a sponsored post, but I think I see new glasses in my immediate future.
If you’re a self-employed writer like I am, you know how annoying it is to buy anything vaguely medical. There is a place, though, that sells prescription glasses for just $8. Freaky, but true. Eight dollars buys a complete set of glasses, including the case. That’s less than most people with vision insurance pay for a co-pay. This is a sponsored post, but I think I see new glasses in my immediate future.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Attack of the 1099s
One of the things about being a freelance writer, well, one of the many things, is that you end up writing for so many different people that tax time can get pretty crazy. If you haven't saved money throughout the year for the year-end money grab, there are a lot of ways to maximize deductions, so that usually isn't a problem for me. But, the volume of 1099s can get a little overwhelming.
The first issue is just keeping track of how many you have coming to you and waiting for them all to come in. If one doesn't show up, you then have to remember who it was coming from and contact them about it. If they all show up in time, you then have to keep track of all of the little people who aren't required to send one but that you nevertheless owe taxes for. The combination of the 1099 avalanche and the small project record-keeping is enough to make you want to move to the woods and live on dandelions and wild hamsters.
So, how to make sense of the mess? Well, I use a complex system of proprietary software that allows me to fill out up to 75 pages of income lists and attach pictures of all my clients. I then pay thousands to an accountant that specializes in freelance writers. Just kidding, I just print out everything I need to remember and put it in a big pile. The pile may be large, but my courage in the face of taxes is larger.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Researching Online Casinos
Online casino sites are a huge, huge niche topic right now. I've written countless articles about them, and I think most other web writers have as well. There's a good site for researching a vast number of casinos at once, called Pro360.com. The site looks at 75 different virtual casinos and gives you a quick look at the different features of each. If you need to find just the casinos that allow U.S. players, there's a quick link for those sites. There is also a FAQ section that provides detailed information about online gambling. And, if you are researching the topic for the first time, the beginner's guide is a good place to go for information about virtual casino basics. There's also a page for getting a few important gambling tips that you might need for specialized articles or ebooks, and who knows, you might just decide to use them for your own gambling endeavors. This is a sponsored review.
Friday, January 25, 2008
When Freelance Writing Piles Up
In freelance writing, it's often a case of feast or famine. Some weeks I have little going on besides regulars and a few residual income projects. Other weeks, last this week, I have slammed pretty much beyond capacity. How do you handle it when you're pretty sure that no human can do the amount of work you have?
1. Breathe. Panic is not an option. Keep breathing, and believe you can do it- Little-Engine-That-Could style.
2. Rewards. Break up the work into smaller chunks and give yourself a reward after each one. I'm trying to keep some New Year's resolutions and not opting for food rewards as often. This month it has been YouTube rewards. After each successful increment of the mountain o' work, I give myself license to watch something cool on YouTube before delving back into the pile.
3. Be more realistic. Three Elance projects, one RAC one, three regulars, a PLR package, a Bella article and four blogs probably wasn't the best idea for one week's work. Next week, anyone who can't wait longer for their work, aside from my lovely regulars, will have to stand in line. Three hours of sleep a night isn't making me terribly cheerful.
1. Breathe. Panic is not an option. Keep breathing, and believe you can do it- Little-Engine-That-Could style.
2. Rewards. Break up the work into smaller chunks and give yourself a reward after each one. I'm trying to keep some New Year's resolutions and not opting for food rewards as often. This month it has been YouTube rewards. After each successful increment of the mountain o' work, I give myself license to watch something cool on YouTube before delving back into the pile.
3. Be more realistic. Three Elance projects, one RAC one, three regulars, a PLR package, a Bella article and four blogs probably wasn't the best idea for one week's work. Next week, anyone who can't wait longer for their work, aside from my lovely regulars, will have to stand in line. Three hours of sleep a night isn't making me terribly cheerful.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Internet Advertising Possibilities
I'm old enough to remember the dot com crash in the late 90's, and whatever they said caused it, I believe it was because internet advertising was overvalued. People spent waaaay too much on advertising when the internet just wasn't all that popular yet. Pretty much everyone is online now, but then...not so much. Buying stuff online wasn't as accepted back then either. Use a credit card online? You crazy!
Now, I think things are different enough that internet advertising really is valuable. Advertising online stores, affiliate stuff, informational websites, movies and even TV shows is a worthwhile endeavor. And, The Guardian agrees with me. According to them, internet advertising will soon be bigger than magazine advertising. That will make the internet the third largest advertising market behind TV and newspapers.
Everyone seems to be feeling the internet advertising surge. This lil' blog makes a (very) modest amount through advertising. Many other sites run either Text Link ads, paid banner ads, or other assorted sponsored areas. Sites without paid ads can still make a little through AdSense. And, sites with huge readership can really, really rake it in. If you ever read Perez, um, not that I ever do, you'll probably see the huge TV and movie ads he runs. The larger, background ads reportedly sell for $45,000 a week, and he has other advertising besides those. So, the money is out there to be had. All you really need is the readership.
Now, I think things are different enough that internet advertising really is valuable. Advertising online stores, affiliate stuff, informational websites, movies and even TV shows is a worthwhile endeavor. And, The Guardian agrees with me. According to them, internet advertising will soon be bigger than magazine advertising. That will make the internet the third largest advertising market behind TV and newspapers.
Everyone seems to be feeling the internet advertising surge. This lil' blog makes a (very) modest amount through advertising. Many other sites run either Text Link ads, paid banner ads, or other assorted sponsored areas. Sites without paid ads can still make a little through AdSense. And, sites with huge readership can really, really rake it in. If you ever read Perez, um, not that I ever do, you'll probably see the huge TV and movie ads he runs. The larger, background ads reportedly sell for $45,000 a week, and he has other advertising besides those. So, the money is out there to be had. All you really need is the readership.
Valentine's Day Gifts
Now that Valentine’s Day is approaching again, holiday content is flying from Web freelancers everywhere. Just don’t get too distracted to remember to actually buy a few things for Valentine’s Day. You can get more than just flowers at 1-800-flowers, including candy, teddy bears and gift baskets. Not only can you get all of your Valentine's Day gifts in one place, but they deliver it and will include a customized note from you. It can be up to 210 characters, even though all you really need is those three little words- “here you go.” This is a sponsored post.
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