Associated Content: Category Editor

Last month, I applied to become an Associated Content Category Editor. Once a month or so I’m responsible for AC’s Lifestyle category and a subcategory, making me responsible for selecting highlighted content.

This is my first week of work, and I was responsible for Lifestyle and the Pets subcategory.

For Lifestyle, I chose to stick with a spring theme, with a focus on flowers.

Lifestyle Category at Associated Content

For the Pets subcategory, I focused on pets and the upcoming Easter holiday.

Pets Subcategory at Associated Content

Be sure to take a look!

Writing Wednesday

The girls are in nursery today, so I decided to catch up on things around the house and work on some writing that I am doing.

I also took a minute to google myself, to see how my articles are doing and to see if anything that I’ve written has been picked up elsewhere.

Boy, was I surprised!

I do a fair amount of writing for Associated Content’s partners, and saw that several of my pieces have been distributed by the Internet Broadcasting Company and are all over the Internet!

My piece on “Why Rudolph and Frosty Have Staying Power” can be found all over the Internet…take a peek at a few places to see:

http://www.kptv.com/holidays/18178046/detail.html?rss=ptl1&psp=news#-

http://www.channel3000.com/holidays/18178046/detail.html

http://www.wfsb.com/holidays/18178046/detail.html

Of course, with the good comes the bad. I also wrote a piece about Dr. Addison Montgomery Shepherd from Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice for a credit card company. It’s well done, but has one glaring oversight on my part–I failed to mention that Addison had a trust fund that would have meant she didn’t need to worry about money.

That’s what I get for writing an article about a show that I just watch sporadically, huh?

You can see make raked over the coals here:

http://www.consumercreditcardguide.com/credit-card-blogs/fictional-finances-addison-montgomery

I bet I won’t get too much more work from that company, do you think?

Ah well. You live and learn, right (write)?

I’m Famous!

OK, so not really.  But this is still pretty cool, and I want all of you to go and try it!

Go to Google.  Go on, you know you want to.

Search for:  Sarah Palin Vice President

Take a look at the top five choices.  See anything that looks familiar?

The piece I wrote in February speculating about her as the possible VP choice is there, Sarah Palin for Vice President?  John McCain to Select Female Running Mate?

I am really excited about what this could mean for me in terms of page views and my bonus on Associated Content! Fingers crossed!

I’ve been promoted!

I don’t write much about my writing, but I have exciting news about it today!  After eleven months of writing for Associated Content, I’ve gone up to Clout 9.  This means that I’ve had almost 200,000 page views on my 215 articles.  I’ve now gone from making $1.50 for every 1,000 page views to earning $1.75 for every 1,000 page views.  I write about whatever strikes my fancy, the news, and often get to fill calls for some of their partner websites.  My web writing career really seems to be taking off!

Though I know that a lot of my traffic comes from google now that I’ve learned more about web writing, keywording, and search engine optimization, I also know that many of you read every word that I write at Associated Content.  I can’t tell you how much that means to me.  I appreciate it not only for the money, but for the support.  Writing has become a huge part of my life since I’ve moved overseas, and I love that I have been able to share it with many of you. 

I can’t say enough about how much I love writing for Associated Content, and the opportunities that it has given me.  It’s re-ignited my love of writing, and was indirectly responsible for me deciding to write my novel. 

Thanks, AC.

Thanks friends, family, and readers.

On to Clout 10!

Blatant Self & Ravelry Promotion

The article that I wrote for Associated Content’s Ultimate Call for Content Contest posted today!  I am so pleased with the piece…I think it’s well written, an interesting, clear, and unique topic, and appeals to consumers and those wondering what’s next. 

The article touches on Ravelry, and what it is doing for the knitting community at large.  In addition, it talks about how some of the design features of Ravelry have the potential to become the next big thing for Internet communites at large. 

I’d love to hear what you think!  You can read my article at Associated Content, by clicking on the link below.  Please leave a comment on the article, or here!

Fingers crossed…is it worthy of $5,000?  I hope so!

Ravelry:  The Real What’s Next for Knitters and the Internet

Mood: Accomplished!

I am feeling accomplished today…hmmm…is that really a mood?  I suppose it would better be described as proud.

After a lazy Sunday and a fairly rough start to the week with church yesterday, the week has really shaped up nicely.  I have accomplished quite a bit, and am feeling good about it.

I finished my Eleanor socks.

I started my very first knitting design project, a design your own socks challenge from the Sock Knitters Anonymous group on Ravelry.  Here’s my progress so far:

I entered Associated Content’s Ultimate Call for Content, with a grand prize of $5,000.  Will I win?  Only time will tell.  But I am really pleased with my piece, and promise to link to it once it publishes (hopefully soon!).

I had a good day yesterday with the girls, and despite some struggles today, it’s shaping up to be another good one.  It’s amazing how the weather can help, too, and we’ve had two beautiful days in a row here in Yorkshire.

Marcus and I went on a date last night.  He took me to the movies, to see Indiana Jones.  It was so much fun, and we realized we should make time for just the two of us more often.

All in all, it’s shaped up to be a great week, afterall.  Thank goodness for that!  I hope it carries into the weekend–we’ll be spending it in the (hopefully sunny) Lake District!  Fingers crossed.

How much is your writing worth?

It’s official…Associated Content has announced a contest for their content producers.  On June 3rd, they’ll release a topic (the theme is going to be “What’s Next?”, though the topic itself is top secret) and content producers will have until midnight to submit their entries.

Your 400-500 word piece could earn you $5,000 if it’s selected as the winner by the AC judges.

Holy Moly.

Do you have any idea how much sock yarn and malabrigo I could buy with $5,000 for ONE ARTICLE at Associated Content?

My worlds are colliding here, and it feels incredible.

I write.

I write well.

I earn money for my writing.

I buy heavenly wool with money earned from my writing.

I knit said wool.

I blog about the knitting I’m doing.

Blogging inspires me to write for Associated Content.

Writing for Associated Content earns me money.

I use earned money to buy wool.

It all comes full circle, doesn’t it?

If you don’t write for AC, consider it!  The contest is open to any content producers who claim and submit on the selected topic on June 3rd (it’s a Tuesday, folks).

Good luck to everyone who decides to enter.  What could you buy with $5,000?

Interested in joining Associated Content?  Tell ‘em I referred you, and sign up by using the link below!

Writing in the Backseat

When it comes to works in progress, it seems like my life is filled with them lately. Knitting aside (I have four projects on the needles as I type this…gasp!), my writing has taken a backseat lately to life, and it’s time to get back on track.

Last night, I sent out the halfway completed third draft of my novel to 5 people. I’m hoping that by getting some fresh eyes on it, I might be motivated to continue working. I don’t know what’s happened, but suddenly, I sit down to work on it and am just so unmotivated. I think that I’ve become too self critical…reading every word dozens and dozens of time will do that to you, I suppose. I realize that as I get more and more sample readers, I’m sure to encounter more people that aren’t as in love with my book (the horrors…!) as my husband and I are. Still though…I suppose I’ll need to get ready for the big bad world of writers–criticism is unavoidable.

I continue to write for Associated Content, mostly claiming news related and evergreen material Calls for Content. My recent piece about Lauren Cleri and The Moment of Truth really got me thinking about what I’d do for money, and I hope it got other people to contemplate the same things. I know I’ve been blessed with a wonderful family–Marcus and the girls are everything to me. I don’t think I’d ever do anything that would risk that. I like that the piece was thought provoking for me, and hope it was for others, as well. At any rate, I love the writing for Associated Content, but just haven’t seemed as motivated by it lately. I think I need something big to come along and get me back on track…though I don’t know what it is…

The blog has been encouraging for me, though. I suppose this is something I should have been doing for years, since I love chatting and writing more than anything. Maybe this will be what I need as a writer.