The Perks of Associated Content

Associated Content was one of those residual writing sites where I signed up, wrote a couple of articles and then forgot about it. I had been focusing so much of my time on eHow and Suite101, that I neglected Associated Content for a good four months. Recently though, I had some time to explore the site and learn about the perks of writing for AC.

One of the first things I noticed when I started with AC, was the fact that the PPM was relatively low, starting at only $1.50 with a possible maximum of $2.00 over time. This fact initially put me off of AC, but then I started to think about it as a plus and this is why: As opposed to many sites that focus on page views and cost per click, AC writers need only to worry about page views. This means that writers can make more money writing about high page view but low CPC topics than they could on other sites. This allows more freedom of writing topics.

The other great thing about the static PPM amount is that it won't go down. It is a clear and predictable number that writers can count on. This allows writers to have a good idea of how much money they will make each month and it is a transparent payment system that helps prevent fraud.

Another perk offered by Associated Content is the fact that they offer a number of ways to present information. People can submit content in written form or as an audio or video clip. Even though I'm not too interested in making videos, others may find videos more appealing.

Associated Content also offers assignments that provide upfront pay as well as residuals. Though these assignments seem to be few and far between, they do exist. This allows writers to make even more money from the site.

Finally, I also enjoy the fact that Associated Content does not require members to publish a quota of articles per month. This provides me with the flexibility to leave the site for a while and come back to write when I have more time. I will still be earning residuals on my writing during that entire time.

Overall, I'm convinced that AC is a great writing site and will be a great asset in my attempt to pay my mortgage via residual income. Though their initial pay is lower than most, I think their perks make them well worth the writing effort.

What are your feelings about AC? I'd love to hear about others' experiences.

Why am I Not Writing More for Bukisa?

So I just realized that I have only two active articles on Bukisa. To be honest, I'm not really sure why I haven't written more articles for the site.

Though Bukisa doesn't seem to show a great PPM (pay per 1000 views), it does provide a great venue for writing many articles in a short amount of time and could turn out to be another decent money-maker.

Bukisa articles need only to be 250 words long and can be written on any topic. Like eHow, Bukisa's articles are simple to write and anyone can crank out quite a bit of content in a short amount of time. Though it would be tough to make decent money on Bukisa alone, it could help to add to my income from my other residual sites.

For this reason, I am going to try to increase my Bukisa articles over the next couple of months. I'm dedicating one day of the week solely to my writing and the rest will be primarily focused on jewelry. Hopefully by diversifying the sites I use, I will be able to make a more steady stream of monthly income.

My ultimate goal is to pay my mortgage solely from residual income. This will take pressure off of my jewelry business and will help when I have lean financial months. I'll try to keep everyone posted on my Bukisa experience. Hopefully I will have some good news to post.

I Lost My Buddy Yesterday

My boyfriend's dog, Buddy fell asleep for the last time yesterday after a battle with lymphoma. He was a true friend whose only goal in life was to keep my boyfriend and I close to him. We were with him to the end and held his little body as he fell into a deep sleep. There is a huge hole in my heart now that he is gone. I miss his barks and how his face, looking out of the glass door, would be the first that I would see as I pulled into my boyfriend's driveway. I miss how he hated sneezes and would bark to let us know. I miss how he would hug your leg and bark at you when you left the house, as if to say don't leave unless you plan to take me with you. I miss how he used to stop in the middle of a walk and take the time to roll around in the leaves or the snow. Buddy was truly a loyal and sweet friend and I will forever miss having him in my life.

No, I Haven't Been Devoured by Zombies

Even though it was Halloween yesterday, my recent disappearance from this blog cannot be attributed to a random zombie attack. Instead, I have been spending all of my time making jewelry and preparing for my first official art show.

I have two shows quickly approaching and I am trying to tie up all loose ends before the events. There are so many details to consider, such as how to accept credit cards and how to display the jewelry. I am trying not to forget anything but I am sure I will forget something. I just hope that the show goes relatively smoothly and I learn from any little bumps in the road.

As for my writing, these shows have provided some pretty major bumps in the road. I just don't have enough time to devote to my online writing. After the last show, on Dec. 6th, I will probably be able to devote some more time to my articles. I need to write 10 articles for Suite 101 at the very least.

I must say that I have been so pleased with Suite 101. My earnings this month far surpassed what I expected. I see so much potential for long-term earning through the site. That will definitely come in handy as a supplemental income with my jewelry business.

Anyway, if anyone is in the Bloomington, Indiana area or the Chicago area, come see me at the shows listed below. Now I'm off to make more jewelry. Wish me luck!!

Be Cautious When Writing for eHow

Lately eHow has been going through a number of changes. In an attempt to clean up their site, they have been deleting many contributor's articles.

This wouldn't be that big of a deal, except that it seems that some articles are being deleted for reasons that make little sense, if any.

For instance, an article was deleted for being spam. The only problem was that the article was one that was suggested and approved by eHow staffers. How could it be spam if eHow suggested it?

Some eHow members are also suggesting that eHow is replacing their articles with Demand Studio articles. Demand Studios is eHow's parent company. At Demand Studios, writers get paid a flat fee of $5-$15 to write articles. These articles then get used on sites like eHow to earn residuals for the company. By deleting member articles and replacing them with Demand Studio articles, eHow would be able to make more money in the long run. So it seems to make financial sense for eHow to stock the website with as many Demand Studio articles as possible.

The positive aspects of eHow are that articles are extremely easy and quick to write. However, you have little control over your article once it is published. They can delete it without notice. For this reason, make sure to back up all articles.

Here are the problems I personally have with eHow:

1. Lack of Transparency: It's hard to know eHow's reasoning for many of their decisions. It is also extremely difficult to get answers to questions.
2. No Stability: It seems that things are changing monthly at eHow and a recommended article one day could be deleted the next for being spam.
3. No Control: eHow has dropped memberships with little explanation and I personally don't fully trust that they wouldn't reuse deleted articles for their own financial gain.

Here are the positives to eHow:

1. A place to reach a broad audience.
2. Extremely easy articles to write.

So basically, if you are considering writing for eHow, I would do so with extreme caution. For now, I will not be writing any additional articles for them, but I am happy with keeping the articles I have up and running.

I May be My Own Boss but Man am I a Slave Driver!

I am starting to realize that, as a boss, I'm pretty demanding. Ofcourse, I need to be. Right now I am starting two new careers and neither one is at the point of earning me an acceptable income.

I am showing some great strides in my jewelry career though. I booked the first two shows I applied to, and one of them is extremely prestigious: The One of a Kind Show at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.

Due to this great news about the shows, I have been working overtime in the studio producing more jewelry. On top of this, I am trying to write three new Suite 101 articles a week. That goal may quickly diminish if I need more time in the studio.

To help pass the time in the studio, I decided to go to Goodwill to purchase a small television. I like to listen to the news and thought this might be a good way to pass the time while I'm working.

When I went to Goodwill, the only televisions available were extremely large. Then I saw a small odd-looking television sitting on a desk on the other side of the room. It was odd-looking because it was made of a plastic that was completely see-through. The price was right though, so I grabbed the television and took it up to the check out.

The lady behind the check out counter was helping a nice older woman in front of me who was buying china dishes. As the cashier was wrapping the dishes in newspaper, she took a quick glance at my television and said, "You know that's a prison t.v.?"

I thought this was an odd assumption, but I asked her why it was a prison television. She said that prison televisions had to be transparent so that no knives or weapons could be smuggled into the jail inside of the t.v. That seemed to make sense to me.

So now I have a prison television in my studio. I hope it's the last prison television I ever watch. It does work well and it's the perfect size, so I really don't care that it led a former life as a prison inmate.

And maybe having a prison t.v. will remind me just how lucky I am to be free and to be able to work my brains out at something I love. I guess I could be my own warden and keep myself working on the chain gang for a long time to come.

Finished with Fourteen and Back to the Land of the Living

I finally finished my last article for the 14 in 14 challenge at Suite101.

I will say that the 14 articles in 14 days challenge really helped to get me into a writing state of mind. Now writing four to five articles a week will be fairly simple.

I would recommend setting up a disciplined writing goal to any writer. Though you might feel like a bit of a word zombie at the completion of the challenge, you'll end up being a much better writer. Plus, it adds a large bump to daily page views and revenue.

Now I must place a heavier focus on my jewelry making as I've got a holiday show just around the corner. Wish me luck!