AC Producers: Do We Face the Question of Quality Versus Quantity in Our Submissions?

It never occured to me that anyone who was a content producer (CP) for Associated Content viewed it as a full-time job until I read a recent AC interview. The interview consisted of two sisters, one interviewing the other on how she had achieved AC's new 'bonus' payment of $200 for content views. It was a well-done interview overall, but what struck me as most interesting was the fact that the one sister (who had received that particular bonus) had disciplined herself to produce for the site each and every day. She had carefully calculated AC special offers, content ideas, world and national events as well as 'suggested topics' in order to produce X amount of content each and every day.

To be honest with you, I had never thought of 'working' full-time for AC before reading that article. What I found most startling was the contrast in the ways in which she produced her work and I mine. My takeaway from the interview was such that I saw the following scenario: Each morning, she diligently went to her computer, coffee (or tea) in hand, and sat down to work for the day. She had topics in mind, she set a daily goal of how many articles she was - not wanted to, but was - going to submit each and every day. She viewed AC as her career, her actual real job, and had the strength of character - whatever the reason - to 'show up for work' every day.

I, on the other hand, have been writing professionally since I was 15. However, journalism was not, sad to say, my one and only career due to the necessity of actually making enough money on which to survive. Nevertheless, I always, always wrote - short stories, editing and contributing to a number of community and group newsletters, and freelancing for as many as three newspapers at a time. Like those of you who may have come across this article, I truly love writing. I wish that I could do it full-time and be suitably compensated for the time, research and effort that I use for each and every article and story. I've worked as a full time staff reporter several times for a variety of daily and community/weekly papers over the years.

That was pure bliss and so much fun! Seven years ago, though, I had a pretty bad accident in Fort Lauderdale on a boat, which left me substantially disabled. While I can still get around pretty well, my level of energy has gone down substantially. My medications, for which I am apparently doomed to take forever, by their very natures also slow me down. Age, too, has caught up with me - a double whammy!

When I first discovered AC in 2005, I was thrilled! The chance to write 'at my leisure' on an unlimited range of topics - and get paid for it! I would go through phases where I'd submit three to five articles a month, while still working as a freelancer for other papers. There were also times when I might be able to fit in only one or two articles a month, and sometimes went for quite a while without submitting anything at all to AC. Maybe I just needed to find my own personal self-motivation.

I'm luckier than many in that my husband, who is retired, draws a pension. The money I make from writing covers my own personal expenses, which I try to keep at a bare minimum. I'm down to freelancing for only two weekly papers. So why can't I fit in more work for AC?

That's a really good question, and perhaps someone out in cyerberspace can help me to figure it out.

To be totally blunt, I love the immediacy of AC's payment system. I love the fact that I can pick and choose my topics. What I don't love is that we often receive really enticing "Content Special Offers", offering a pretty decent minimum payment and more, which come with legitimate deadlines. I've tried to start up the framework of the article immediately after receiving the CSO email. Don't you hate it when you check My Account and see that glaringly red word IMCOMPLETE staring back at you?

I've found that because I start an article about which I'm really excited - and then let it lag for a day or two. Uh oh, countdown to the deadline is looming! A good portion of the work I do for the weeklies is quite lengthy and detailed. I try to get those down as soon as possible so that I don't miss the timeliness of the piece. I want to make sure that I get as many of the quotes in and properly documented. What I don't do is take a break and go back to my AC budding project in the works - at least, not in as timely a fashion that I should. Ironically, even though I often push myself to finish a piece, I find myself in an even more interesting state: Now that a piece has been finished, fine tuned, and on its way, I want to have another piece of Content started. And now.

Oddly enough, the work that I submit to AC is actually much higher in emotional value that what I often 'crank out' on a weekly basis. I don't have that godawful dealine looming over me; it's much more leisurely an opportunity to send my work in to AC. What I do find happens is that I get too easily sidetracked; sometimes, I even delete work that I've started for AC because the timeliness of the piece, or more usually, its interest to me has waned. I find myself hurriedly completing an article or story just so that it's done, completed, finis, and on its way to the editors. Thank God for the "Edit" feature on AC; I go back, take a second, third look at my work, and fine-tune it in enough time that it's hopefully more than presentable and interesting.

Why do I feel that I'm sometimes forced into a position of having to choose quality over quantity with my work at AC? Do any other CP's find themselves facing this problem? Maybe the answer lies in the self-discipline of the young woman who approaches her work for AC as a 9 to 5 realy, live 'job', who sets herself a daily goal and sticks to it. Hmmmm...I don't know. Part of the fun of writing for AC is that my (hopefully) 'creative juices' get really pumping there when I stare at the big, red word IMCOMPLETE...