We are lucky to have Robyn Galbos from Demand Studios with us today to answer some questions we've received about becoming a writer for them. She has provided some tips for applying and writing articles and information about some of the new Demand Studios programs, so let's get started!
WOW: Hi, Robyn. Thank you for taking time out to talk with The Muffin about writing for Demand Studios. What kind of writers are Demand Studios looking for? Specific genres? Certain experience or college degrees?
Robyn: Demand Studios is looking for all kinds of writers with a variety of backgrounds and interests. We are primarily looking for people with solid researching and reporting skills, and ideal candidates have had their work published in print or online. During the application process, writers must upload a résumé and a writing sample; the stronger the writing sample, the more likely the writer will be accepted.
Second, put your best foot forward with your writing sample. Take time to research the sites for which you are applying to write, and take note of the voice and tone of the writing. Attach writing samples that would fit well on those sites. If you don't have published work, try writing an article in the style of eHow, LIVESTRONG, Garden Guides or any other site you're interested in. Be sure to submit original work as your writing sample, however, and remember to proofread your submission for typos as well.
WOW: So, writers can use their knowledge they gain from hobbies and other careers to write articles and make extra money on Demand Studios. What are two or three tips you can give writers who are applying for positions?
Robyn: First, take the application process as seriously as you would for a full-time position. Because this is an independent contractor position, sometimes writers think that they don't need to try as hard. Upload a recent résumé that highlights your writing experience and any expertise you may have. Proofread your résumé for typos. Typos in a résumé are a red flag when you're applying for a writing position.
Second, put your best foot forward with your writing sample. Take time to research the sites for which you are applying to write, and take note of the voice and tone of the writing. Attach writing samples that would fit well on those sites. If you don't have published work, try writing an article in the style of eHow, L
Guest blogger Yury Polnar is the Marketing Acquisitions Manager at Demand Media, an online community of freelance writers and copy editors that creates informative articles for popular websites like LIVESTRONG.com, eHow.com and many others.
Last December, more than 4,000 Demand Media freelance writers and copy editors put their fingers to keyboards around the country and kept busy writing for a cause. For every eight articles created that month, Demand Media agreed to donate one book to a child in need. And in the span of just one month, this talented and passionate group of writers and editors created enough articles to put 16,072 brand new books in the hands of thousands of children across the country!
Today, I’m happy to announce a two-week return of the “Write for a Cause” program. In partnership with First Book, we hope to help rewrite the future for thousands of underprivileged kids and empower the next generation of writers, editors, business owners and space explorers to reach the stars through adequate access to literature and other educational resources.
For more information about First Book’s partnership with Demand Media and how you can help, please click here. And to monitor the progress of this campaign, please visit the Write for a Cause Facebook page.
Guest Blogger Mike Cowan is the Director of Marketing at Demand Studios, an online community of freelancers and copy editors who produce articles for several online outlets. Demand Studios is partnering with First Book this December to provide thousands of books to children in need.
I believe you are a lucky child if you grow up in an environment surrounded by books. Considering that my mother is a librarian, I feel that I truly hit the jackpot in this regard. In our family room we had a huge wall unit filled with hundreds of books and before my brother and I could read we had already chosen our favorites based on their size and colors. I was a huge War and Peace fan due to its sheer enormity while my brother was a fan of a book called Trinity by Leon Uris because of its green color. When we were actually able to read these books my brother was drawn to the fantasy of books like The Hobbit while I seemed to gravitate towards non-fiction titles like The History of Hockey and The Guinness Book of World Records. Safe to say that his choices won him a little more credibility with my mother.
Now that I’m all grown up, I’m lucky enough to work with the thousands of creative, literary people every day at Demand Studios. As one of the world’s largest communities of freelance writers and copy editors, we bring together more than 5,000 talented creators to produce top-quality articles for sites like LIVESTRONG.com and eHow.com. And just like me, they all have a story about how they first fell in love with the wonder of the written word.
That’s why we decided to reach out to First Book to create a program that would inspire our freelance community to take action and support childhood literacy. Our “Write for a Cause” program is simple: For every eight articles written and approved by Demand Studios during the month of December, we’ll donate a book on behalf of our writers and copy editors. We’ve challenged our creators to contribute their talents to the cause, and we’re targeting a total donation of 20,000 brand new books this holiday season.
We’re excited to put our scale to excellent use, by mobilizing our freelance community to play an active role in increasing childhood literacy. In partnership with First Book, we hope to rewrite the future for thousands of kids. Please visit our “Write for a Cause” information page to learn how you can help!
Happy holidays!
Hi Margo, and WOW!,
I enjoyed reading the interview with Robyn Galbos, especially since I received an important announcement from eHow. I started writing for eHow last year and found it fun and exciting and it was interesting to receive the announcements, which I've attached below. I was going to write an article to apply as a writer for Demand Studios, but it appears if I keep writing for eHow after May 8, I'm automatically eligible. I was wondering if anyone else has had this same experience or received these announcements. This is a first for me, so I was just wondering.
Sincerely,
Julie Eger
jeeger(at)mwwb.net
Important Announcement
Demand Studios is now the exclusive writing platform for eHow.com.
Hi jukota,
Today, we are announcing that Demand Studios is now the exclusive platform for writing new articles for eHow.com. Congratulations, you have automatically been accepted into Demand Studios. This change will not impact any of your existing articles or payments currently affiliated with the Writer Compensation Program (WCP). Demand Studios gives eHow.com’s writers a more robust publishing platform including copy editors, quality assurance and a number of great, new resources for the writer community. We are committed to providing a quality experience and are excited for you to get started.
How does this impact you?
Demand Studios has a rigorous writer admission process to ensure quality. Writers, like you, were pre-approved, because of your excellent track record. Quality is paramount, and our criteria for accepting eHow.com writers into Demand Studios were based on writer activity level and moderation history. By the end of March 2010, you should have published five or more articles, of which at least 80 percent were accepted. Also, you must have been a member of the WCP. Having written 14 articles with a 93% acceptance rate, you should be proud of yourself for being pre-approved.
We are migrating thousands of writers on eHow.com over the next few weeks. We appreciate your patience and will notify you via email when you can begin writing for Demand Studios. In the meantime, it’s business as usual, and you can continue to publish on eHow.com.
What are the benefits?
Demand Studios now offers the benefits you are accustomed to on eHow.com, with added flexibility. You can suggest your own titles and write articles that pay monthly on a residual basis. In addition you can select assignments that pay upfront. The combination of these options gives you the opportunity to make more money. You choose what articles you write and how you get paid.
Next Steps:
Continue to write using eHow.com's publishing tools and watch for an email notification from us regarding your transition into Demand Studios.
For additional questions, please visit the FAQ or email us at [email protected].
Thank you,
The eHow Team
Hi jukota,
We wanted to let you know that Demand Studios is now the exclusive platform for writing new articles for eHow.com.
With the launch of these changes, we have updated our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Your continued use of eHow.com after May 8, 2010 will indicate your acceptance of the new terms of use and privacy policy.
We look forward to you learning and sharing your knowledge on eHow.com.
Thank you,
The eHow Team
Hi Julie:
I wrote for eHow before I got hired by Demand Studios, and so I also got that same email. I'm not sure how it all works since I am already a Demand Studios writer, but I would just follow their directions and ask questions in the forums when needed. Demand Studios owns eHow and so it makes sense that they are doing it all under the same guidelines now.
Glad the interview was helpful to you.
Margo
Thanks Margo! I really enjoy WOW! and Premium Green with all the helpful information. It's a great way to stay connected and learn new things as the writing world changes! Thanks to all at WOW! for sharing!
Julie