# Will content writing for sites like textbroker help?



## starseed (May 24, 2012)

Sorry if this has ever been asked before. 

I've always heard that it helps to have some sort of "writing resume" when it comes time to try and find agents and publishers for your novel. I've always been confused about what exactly this means..."writing resume". I write novels, not short stories, not anything else really. But recently I've been trying to find ways to make extra money from home due to health problems and I've started looking into content writing for sites like textbroker, writers access or doing independent freelance projects. I've also signed up for a few sites where you can write your own creative articles, places like yahoo voices or triond, where you can "publish" things and they give you a percentage of the ad money--stuff like that.

I want to do this for other reasons, such as the fact that it's fun and helps me work on my writing skills, but I was just wondering if this is the sort of work that counts as writing experience on a resume? If not, how would one get writing experience that _would _count? The entire last 5 years of my life have been spent on this one novel, I'm not the type to have many projects going on at once and I've never submitted anything anywhere else. My novel is in the late stages of editing and getting close to where I will be ready to start submitting it to agents. I realize it will be a long road after that but I want to do everything I can to help my career along the way.

Also (just curious) has anyone done this sort of content or freelance writing and what have your experiences with it been? 

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction in whatever way you can.


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## Tiamat (May 24, 2012)

Personally, I've been one of Textbroker's contributors for about five years now.  As far as earning extra income is concerned, yes, there are very good possibilities for you to earn it on there.  In one month, I've made as little as $50 (which is fifty bucks I didn't have before joining) and as much as $1200 or so.  It varies, obviously, because you never can predict who's going to need what written and how much they're willing to pay for it.  But just for income, I'd recommend Textbroker.

As for it building your writing resume--sorry, no.  You don't have any rights to the content you're writing.  They use it as they see fit.  I've written testimonials with fake names, for example.  (You know, the crap that says, "Pam S. from Minnesota says this is a really wonderful product.  I had really dry skin my entire life, but when I purchased this product, I noticed instant improvement.  Thank you [COMPANY] for making such a wonderful, affordable product.")  I've also been paid to write research papers for college students, as well as news articles for other writers.  It's whatever they pay you to write, and your name is in no way associated with it, except for who's name is on the check they send you.


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## starseed (May 24, 2012)

Thanks so much, you answered my question perfectly.


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## starseed (May 25, 2012)

What about sites like yahoo voices (formerly associated content) where your name _is _attached to the article you write?


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## Tiamat (May 25, 2012)

With sites like Yahoo Voices and Suite 101 and others, you can use them to build your resume to an extent.  Granted, it's not necessarily relevant to an agent or potential publisher if your resume is filled with nonfiction experience and little to no fiction experience (provided you're seeking to write fiction).  It's all about relevance.  Plus, the double-edged sword to that is that there's no requirements to fulfill.  You write the articles, you publish them.  They don't need approval, so it's akin to using a blog as a reference to your writing talent.

Now, if you write brilliant articles, it couldn't hurt.  But if your articles are average--or worse, riddled with editorial mistakes (since there's no one to edit your work but you), it's probably only going to count against you.

And as far as payday goes, while I've never worked with Associated Content, I have worked for Suite 101, and I've only made about $14 in the last four years.  The pay you get from that only comes from people who click on the ads posted on the page your article appears.  Perhaps if you're really good with ad words and the like, you may get more money out of it.  But extra traffic because of key word-centered content in your articles doesn't equal a higher payday, because just reading your article isn't enough.  Your readers need to view the sponsored ads.

If you want to build your fiction writing resume, your best bet is to get some stories published in reputable markets.  Enter contests, submit work to magazines, and keep entering and submitting no matter what daunting rejections you receive.  Learn from them, certainly.  But apply what you've learned to your stories (and your novel) and submit some more.

http://www.duotrope.com

There's a really good resource if you need helping finding short story markets.  And it's free to join and to use.


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## starseed (May 25, 2012)

Thanks so much for all the info. The problem is, I don't write short stories. :\ Maybe I could try, it's just hard because all my ideas are for novels or a series of novels. It's hard to think what I could write in short story form, but I will consider coming up with some new work. Thanks again.


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