Strategy for Joining New Writing Sites
You can't believe anything you read. Even if you've scoured the Terms of Service with a Lawyer at your side, even if you've read dozens of 'testimonials' and even know people who laud the site to the skies....the only protection is self-protection.
How to Protect Yourself....Part One
Imagine this is a Writing site. I'll call it Scribbling. It claims to pay you $1.00 for every 100 hits It claims that you keep your copyright.
The Terms of Service look good, the site looks good, you take a glance at some of the writing and know you can do much better.
You decide to join the site.
The Terms of Service look good, the site looks good, you take a glance at some of the writing and know you can do much better.
You decide to join the site.
How to Protect Yourself .... Part Two
Use a Spam Box. This is an email account which means nothing to you. Whether you join Hotmail or Yahoo or AOL or one of the lesser known mail gatherers, you want to have a special box for this particular site; just in case.....
Just in case the site sells your email account to every possible Viagra seller, Penis Stretcher and Nigerian scammer on Earth.
Just in case this site sends you more alerts per minute than a busy Facebook group.
Just in case you're getting Troll attacks and want to close the account without having to go through 189999 Emails to see which you need to keep as being from other sites/friends.
Just in case the site sells your email account to every possible Viagra seller, Penis Stretcher and Nigerian scammer on Earth.
Just in case this site sends you more alerts per minute than a busy Facebook group.
Just in case you're getting Troll attacks and want to close the account without having to go through 189999 Emails to see which you need to keep as being from other sites/friends.
How to Protect Yourself ..... Part Three
This is the most important bit of advice; write something that has absolutely no importance you whatsoever. Something you don't put your name on, as you join the site with a totally new Nickname.
Whatever name you use, use it no where else.
You don't care what happens to Frezi Gumbal. If everyone spits on Frezi's writing, if Frezi's stuff is declined, and most importantly; if Frezi Gumbal's work is stolen by the site.
This is because you are NOT Frezi Gumbal. And what Frezi writes is pure fallacy.
I use the image of a Clown to introduce Frezi's series on HOW TO BE A CLOWN IN THE CIRCUS.
I know nothing about Clowns, don't even like them, went to a circus once when I was very very young, and have no intention of going again.
Frezi Gumbal is a Clown in a Circus and is giving advice to all and sundry about becoming a Clown.
I know nothing about Frezi's topic, nor do I do any research. I make it up as I go along, cracking up and every other sentence.
It's well written, not a single spelling or grammatical error. It has clever images. It sounds good. It's pure tripe.
Frezi Gumbal publishes the Clown series. You, in one of your other guises can Network the articles, see if you can get a few hits. Then you sit back and watch. Maybe you write three or more articles on Clownship, maybe just the one.
Whatever name you use, use it no where else.
You don't care what happens to Frezi Gumbal. If everyone spits on Frezi's writing, if Frezi's stuff is declined, and most importantly; if Frezi Gumbal's work is stolen by the site.
This is because you are NOT Frezi Gumbal. And what Frezi writes is pure fallacy.
I use the image of a Clown to introduce Frezi's series on HOW TO BE A CLOWN IN THE CIRCUS.
I know nothing about Clowns, don't even like them, went to a circus once when I was very very young, and have no intention of going again.
Frezi Gumbal is a Clown in a Circus and is giving advice to all and sundry about becoming a Clown.
I know nothing about Frezi's topic, nor do I do any research. I make it up as I go along, cracking up and every other sentence.
It's well written, not a single spelling or grammatical error. It has clever images. It sounds good. It's pure tripe.
Frezi Gumbal publishes the Clown series. You, in one of your other guises can Network the articles, see if you can get a few hits. Then you sit back and watch. Maybe you write three or more articles on Clownship, maybe just the one.
How to Protect Yourself...Part Four
If Frezi's article gets googals of hits, or even just 100; how does the money go?
If you don't get it, well face it; you don't deserve it. Frezi Gumbal wrote crap, and got ripped off. That means you don't write anything for Scribbling. You lost nothing. Further, you can use Frezi's stuff on another testing site.
If you do get the pennies, okay. Now try to edit your work. If you can't edit it, try to delete it. If you can't delete it, you've lost it. Scribbling has paid those pennies for Frezi's article.
Now the question is, do they pay those pennies every month or has it been a one off? Time will tell.
Roping the Dope
This site will pay you...one month, two, maybe even three...then, suddenly, one is dropped to Member and their work is stolen. It is usually once one hits about 100 articles, but nothing with this site is 'standard'.
Some writers are kept on for years, but are very badly paid; told they have 'low Quality' hits. Others need 50 articles to move from Writer to Staff Writer, some need only 20. Hence, the fact you're paid the first month, even the second, don't get complacent.
Some writers are kept on for years, but are very badly paid; told they have 'low Quality' hits. Others need 50 articles to move from Writer to Staff Writer, some need only 20. Hence, the fact you're paid the first month, even the second, don't get complacent.
Your Best Work; Your Best Blog
Put your best work on a Blog. You may make your Blog Private, or even have your article there 'unpublished', but never put your best work on someone else's site.
Many people use various writing or publishing sites as 'Banks'. They will post rough drafts, maybe even publish them. Then, when they have time, when they can do the research, they produce that excellent bit of prose. Put it on your Blog, unpublished.
You can then use that article on a site you trust. If that Trust is betrayed, Publish your Blog, and delete, or try to delete your article from that site. If you can't delete it, it's been stolen, but...you Network your Blog. And you delete any reference to that site on your Networks. Hence, the best link is your Blog, not the site.
Many people use various writing or publishing sites as 'Banks'. They will post rough drafts, maybe even publish them. Then, when they have time, when they can do the research, they produce that excellent bit of prose. Put it on your Blog, unpublished.
You can then use that article on a site you trust. If that Trust is betrayed, Publish your Blog, and delete, or try to delete your article from that site. If you can't delete it, it's been stolen, but...you Network your Blog. And you delete any reference to that site on your Networks. Hence, the best link is your Blog, not the site.