Associated Content Changing Submission Policy?

What’s Changing at Associated Content
It appears as though AC has changed its submission policy. Their new “VP for Community Development” dropped this forum bomb today around 3:45 MT. “…content submitted on a non-exclusive basis will not be considered for upfront payment.”

This is a major change in payment policy for AC. They have operated for three years by giving up-front payment consideration for both exclusive and non-exclusive work. With one forum post, this seems to be a thing of the past. If you expect anything more than the performace incentive, you’ll have to choose the exclusive option when submitting your article.

Why it’s Changing
Simply, this was just a matter of time. AC loses hits when the same articles start showing up on other sites. I’ve had it in the back of my mind for a year now that AC would do something to encourage more exclusive submissions. The pay differential between the two choices was barely noticeable. Instead of considering the carrot approach of increasing payments for exclusive articles, AC swung the other way and chose the stick approach of cutting off payments for non-exclusives.

How it Happened
In a word, poorly. A brief forum post with little explanation has left the community reeling. No other official communication was sent. This leaves the majority of the AC writers, those who never visit the forum section, totally in the dark.

Apparently, AC management failed to notify the site programmers of this unilateral decision, too. Nothing on the site has changed. The submission guideline language and FAQ remain unchanged. The submission template section where the writer selects the various payment consideration options and exclusivity of the piece still allow for any and all combinations.

AC really could have planned this better. The fallout potential is huge as unwitting writers continue to submit articles like they have for 3 years, only to have them rejected because of the allowable selections they made when submitting.

The ironic thing is, a site which solicits writers has a vested interest in keeping those writers informed of change. Pissed of writers with keyboards and blogs can do great damage to a site.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Watching AC scramble to catch up and/or back peddle should be entertaining for the next few days.

When Writing About Narcissist

When writing about narcissist, expect every neurotic, bed-wetter on the net to assume you’re writing about them. Xenu loves a good drama queen and I inadvertently found one.

On 2 Nov, I wrote an AC tip of the day which included a short rant about egotistical assholes who think they are the 21st century Shakespeare. It was loosely based on a real person and real event, but mostly a generic extrapolation of observed behavior at Associated Content. Apparently, it hit close to home with a passer-by. I won’t bore you with the details. You can check the comments in the aforementioned post to see for yourself.

The first bread crumb was a massive spike in blog hits. Not having just fallen off the internet turnip truck, I realized someone had linked to one of my ravings. I followed the trail back to a forum. I’ll remain purposefully vague to protect the guilty.

Part of this forum is dedicated to finding people who write poorly about particular topics. They have a very active discussion as to how hard this dude sucks. The beauty of it all is I didn’t even know this guy existed, but he thought I was writing about him. He even blogged some delusional post about it. I guess he saw too much of himself in the closeted world of his own fabrication. He even thought I worked for AC and was his Content Manager. Super-putz is the only word that comes to mind.

That’s the most exciting thing to happen in my pathetic world this week. I caught the eye of a narcissistic drama queen, but found some of the smartest, snarkiest people I’ve net-met in about 10 years. That reminds me, what ever happened to AOL?

Associate Content Tip of the Day 3 Nov 2007: What is a Review?

Today’s tip is what happens when your article is reviewed by an Associated Content, Content Manager. Understanding the acceptance process form the CM’s point of view is invaluable to tailoring your writing for Associated Content and therefore getting decent offers.

Guest contributer EMohrman writes:

If you’ve spent any time in the Associated Content forum, you’ve undoubtedly seen the complaint. It’s rarely so succinct, and often liberally peppered with indignation, but the gist is: “I can tell from the rejection I got my Content Manager didn’t even read my article!” Gasp! Guess what? Not only do the Content Managers NOT read most of the content before deciding whether to make an upfront payment offer, they can’t read it, nor do they have to.

With submissions from tens of thousands of Content Producers coming in ever day, 24/7, it simply isn’t feasible for the Content Managers to read everything in their queues. So, what do they do, and, more importantly, how are you supposed to sell them on your work’s worth?  >> read more >>

Read the full article Hey! I Don’t Think the Content Manager Read My Article!

Associated Content Tip of the Day 2 Nov 2007: When Submitting for Free Makes Sense.

Those who write for Associated Content generally fall into two categories: People who write for money & people who write for non-monetary reasons. No matter where along this continuum you fall, there are still valid reasons for submitting articles to Associated Content for free. Technically it’s never for free since AC pays 0.0015¢ per page view.

Those who are 100% about the money tend to be professional, freelance writers. They’ve been paid serious money for print articles and/or books. Often this type of writer has a very low opinion of AC. They had their ego stroked by seeing their byline in print and can’t fathom why AC would only offer $5.00 for their work.

Those at the other end of the spectrum tend to be hobbyist. They’re just happy as a school girl to get any kind of payment for their writing. They may be bloggers who found out that AC’s page view bonus is more than they were making from AdSense. It’s definitely more than they are making on a free blog.

No matter which camp you’re in, sometimes it is appropriate to publish an article on AC for no up-front payment. Putting something on AC for page view payment only has to match your writing goals. Here are a few reasons to publish for free at AC.

You know absolutely that AC isn’t going to make an offer.
If your article is an op/ed rant about why dogs are better than cats, AC isn’t going to pay. If it’s a short story (prose), AC isn’t going to pay. So if you want to get it on-line and still make a small return on it, free is the only way to go. If you think you can sell it elsewhere, more power to you, but don’t post it on AC until after you get accepted at the other site. The other publisher will want first rights.

It never hurts to try for the up-front offer, but if you do receive a rejection, paste the article into a new template and submit it for free. The resubmission option doesn’t not publish immediately and when the content manager sees the article again they often don’t notice the “PV-only” selection. The result is a warning to stop resubmitting the same article.  Either the managers are over worked or just plain blind.

Your article is time-sensitive.
Even submitting as news takes time. If you have something hot, it may pay more in page views to have it on the net quickly. Waiting around for a $4.00 offer may make a difference of $10.00 in page view bonus. Being first is sometimes better than being the 99th person to blog something.

You want the instant gratification that comes with instant publishing.
Sometimes you just don’t want to wait. You’ve written something, maybe more for fun than money, and you just want it out there. People who do this tend to be more on the hobbyist side of the house, but that’s okay. If it meshes with your on-line writing goals, go for it.

You are hurting.
It is a fact that AC will stop making up-front offers based on your past performance. If you are churning out articles and no one is reading them, AC considers that as part of their offer formula. If your average page view per article is sinking below 300, you might consider putting out a few zingers for free. Boosting your average will pay off down the road.

Often an article that will generate massive page views is not something AC will pay for. It might be that it doesn’t align with their advertising or any number of reasons. But writing that freebie could really give your average page views a huge boost and put you back in the good graces of the up-front-offer gods.

Goals.
It all boils down to your goals. Associated Content and on-line writing in general is a different experience for each writer. Which brings us to the rant portion of today’s broadcast.

Warning! The following is not completely fictional. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead is purely intentional.
Some of the AC community hold an awful high opinion of their writing. They tend to be in the “making money” camp. The annoying part is when they post little temper tantrums in the AC forums about how unfair AC is because AC wouldn’t pay what they think they are worth. The uber-annoying part is when the CP doesn’t read and comprehend the rejection notice. Poor wording or not, a rejection is a rejection. If AC rejects your article with the stock, “We can’t offer up front payment but feel your article has social merit. You are welcome to submit for page view bonus only,” it means just that. You don’t get to whine because you disregarded the rejection notice and submitted for upfront payment a 2nd time.

The scenario above is real. That particular writer ignored the part about submitting for free because he has a massive ego and truly believes his shit don’t stink. But his 3rd resubmission for payment was met with the blaring “stop resubmitting the same crap or we’ll flag your account” message.

Side bar on that point. Is the message rude? Some what. Is it over the top? Maybe not. It was created for just this situation. Some mangers used it at the wrong time and that is frustrating, but some people just don’t comprehend the message that the article they think is worthy of payment (due to the simple fact they wrote it) may not be something that AC wants or needs. The old saying is true. “Everything is worth what the buyer will pay.”

There is another old saying, “I wish I could buy you for what you’re worth and sell you for what you think you’re worth.” Rarely a day goes by when someone doesn’t post “I’m not giving anything away for free. I’m a professional writer and deserve special treatment befitting my ego.” Get over yourself. Everyone has an off day. Not every article you write is golden. So what? Move on. You got one rejection out of 20. You’re doing better than most.

Insisting that everything is someone else’s fault is just narcissistic. It also prohibits one from learning and growing as a writer. Take your lumps, learn your lessons, improve your writing, tailor your articles to AC’s needs, and quit whining.

Full disclosure.
Just so you know where I fall on the spectrum . . . I’m about 75% hobbyist and 25% money.  I haven’t reached professional writing status.  Can I write well?  I’d like to think so, but that’s for the reader to decide.  Can I write well enough for AC to pay me?  When I try, yes.  However, many of the articles I write don’t fit the up-front payment mold at AC.  The difference between me and the deluded professional writer-whiner is that I’m not delusional enough to think my crap is a casserole.

Rant off.  Y’all have a great weekend now. Ya hear?

Associated Content Tip of the Day 31 Oct 2007: More on Topic Focus

The Associated Content Tip of the Day for 18 Oct 2007 was Topic Focus.  There I suggested that contributor to AC need to slice their topics into finer and finer details.  Doing so will prevent the dreaded “topic to general” rejection from AC.  Since writing that, several have asked me privately for more examples of “topic slicing.”

The first thing that came to mind was to send them over to ST’s page at Associated Content.   ST has been around the block with AC since joining back in July 2006.  He’s an ex-lawyer (thank God for the ex part) and now a full-time freelance writer.  More over ST is the king of topic slicing.  He has mastered the skill of devolving a generalized topic into articles that focus on one, tight aspect.  This is what AC is looking for and ST has figured out how to sell it to them.

Take the topic of horses.  Seems pretty hum-drum and not dollar-worthy until you start thinking about all the different things you have to know when you own a horse.  Obviously, riding comes to mind first, but when you start slicing care, feeding, training, buying, selling, and other horse-related necessities, a plethora of articles fall out.

Here’s a sample of what ST did with his horse sense.

1. Equine Escape Artists: How to Keep Your Horse Contained
2. Deworming Your Horse
3. 7 Time-Saving Tips for Horse Shows
4. Tips for Buying a Horse on the Internet
5. Top Five Horse Breeds for Jumping
6. Tips for Selling Your Horse on the Internet
7. Trail Riding Safety: How to Enjoy Horses Safely on Vacation
8. Horse Owner Tips: How to Choose a Dressage Saddle
9. Tips for Traveling with Your Horse in the Summer
10. Horses & ATV Safety: Riding on a Shared Trail
11. Stable Management Tips: How to Reduce Dust at the Barn
12. Is Your Horse Trailer Road-Worthy?
13. How to Find a Quality Barn & Breakfast
14. Horse Care Tips - Returning a Broodmare to Work After Foaling
15. Should You Let Friends and Family Members Ride Your Horse?
16. Horseback Riding Students: How You Can Get Credit for High School P.E. Classes
17. What’s Your Horse Saying? - Interpreting Horse Language
18. Teaching Your Horse “Whoa”: How to Stop Your Horse on a Dime
19. Tips for Riding Your Horse on the Street
20. Stable Maintenance Tips: Win the Battle Against Summer Stable Flies
21. Why Horses Kick
22. How to Safely Pasture-Board Your Horse During the Summer
23. You Can Lead a Horse to Water - Perfect and Easy Equestrian Drink
24. How to Store Hay for the Winter
25. Tips on Developing Proper Head Carriage in the Green Horse
26. Why Does Your Horse Have a Sore Back?
27. Equestrian Sports Guide: Preparing for Your First Combined Training Event
28. Is Your Senior Horse at Risk for Heaves?
29. Night Rides: Trusting Your Horse’s Night Vision
30. Understanding Your Horse’s Hearing
31. How to Disinfect a Foaling Stall
32. How to Handle Horse Head Injuries
33. Alternative Healthcare for Horses
34. How to Wrap Your Horse’s Hoof
35. Does Your Horse Need Horseshoes?
36. Equine Insurance: How Valuable is Your Horse?
37. Keeping Your Horse’s Coat White
38. How to Get Your Horse Used to Clippers
39. How to Stop Your Horse from Rearing
40. How to Care for Your Horse’s Abscessed Hoof
41. How Race Horses Are Trained
42. Top Five Horse Breeds for Children
43. Does Your Child Need a Pony or a Horse?
44. When You Should Call the Vet for Your Horse
45. Guide to Colic Surgery for Horses
46. Turn Your Love of Horses into a Career
47. How to Improve Your Horse’s Style Over Fences
48. Improve Your Horse’s Balance with Counter Canter
49. Caring for Your Horse’s Boots & Wraps
50. Leg Protection Options for Young Horses
51. Does Your Horse Need a Chiropractor?
52. Recognizing Learning Ability in Horses
53. Tips for Medicating Your Horse
54. How to Choose Hay for Your Horse
55. Top Horse Stables in Houston, Texas
56. How to Desensitize Your Horse
57. Does Your Horse Need a Martingale or Tie-Down?
58. Teach Your Horse to Bow, Paw and Perform Other Cool Tricks
59. Does Your Horse Cross-Fire?
60. How to Properly Clean a Horse’s Stall
61. Does Your Horse Sweat Enough?
62. How to Handle a Stallion
63. How to Catch a Horse in the Pasture
64. Should You Board Your Horse or Build Your Own Barn?
65. Tips for Riding Your Horse Bareback
66. How to Increase Your Horse’s Agility
67. How to Choose a Bit for Your Energetic Horse
68. How to Lunge Your Horse
69. How Much Should You Pay for Horse Training?
70. How to Keep Your Child Safe for Horseback Riding Lessons
71. Introduction to Endurance Horseback Riding

That’s 71 articles all centered around horses, but each with it’s own very tightly focused theme.  Why is this important?

• You only have 400-800 words to really get your point across.  More than 1,000 and you’ll probably lose your reader.  Staying on target with a tight theme will wrap up your article quickly.
• With the keywords in your title, you’re going to be picked up in more searches. It is unlikely that someone goes to Google and types “horse.”  It is likely that they type “horse stable clean” or “cleaning horse stables”.
• AC can place ads more easily when you have tight topics.  It gives AC the ability to put not only ads for horse care, but horse equipment, training, veterinary services, etc.  If AC can’t place ads, therefore not make money with your article, they won’t pay you for it.

I hope this example shows the importance of mincing your ideas down to tiny bits.  Once you have pieces, it is easy to assemble a article that AC will pony up the bucks for.  (yes, you may groan at the pun).

Associated Content Tip of the Day 18 Oct 2007: Topic Focus

I see way too many broad topics at Associated Content. That’s fine if your reward for writing is seeing your words on the screen. If you’re looking for AC to pay for your writing, you have to keep your article on track…one track.

Don’t wander off topic. Don’t add new topics to the article halfway down page two. And here’s the real tip of the day: think out side the box.

Slice your topic into tiny, focused topics. Don’t even think once that “Things to see in Washington D.C.” will attract any money from AC. Maybe, just maybe, “Top Ten Smithsonian Exhibits” will.

So you took a trip to D.C. You now have 20 different articles to write, not one. Slice that trip up into all the minutia you can.

• Write a review on your hotel.
• Write a visitor’s guide to the D.C. metro. Include the ins and outs of the stations that a tourist would be interested in.
• If you’re going to write about the Smithsonian, put a slant on it. “Best Cheap Food in and around the National Mall” is something every tourist needs.
• If something unique happened on your trip like a special tour of the White House, you better know you have to write that.

Getting the idea yet? Don’t generalize! Get out your magnifying glass and dissect your topic. Boil it down until you’re covering one and only one topic.