Associated Content and My Two Cents

Here it is the end of the month already. I signed up for Associated Content on March 3^rd and had my first article, Three Things You Should Know Before You Enter Any Casino, published on March 9^th. It has just been over three weeks and I have made enough to purchase my new Skechers Shape Ups. I am just getting my feet wet, but I can say with confidence that Associated Content is great. I, myself, was skeptical at first. You kind of have to be cautious when you hear promises of making money over the internet. Associated Content has been such a great way for me to dive into the world of freelance writing.

Have I been making mistakes along the way? Definitely. I have a few articles published right now with small typos or grammar errors. One of the articles has such a glaring error, a total misuse of a word, that I am embarrassed and wish I could delete the entire thing. My writings these last three weeks have been a "work in progress" and I am learning as I go. Can I report back to everyone that I am on my way to making enough money to pay rent and go on a vacation? No, but I can see how things are starting off slowly and building momentum. We all have to remember, "Rome was not built in a day."

I know there a lot of people out there searching for all possible information on Associated Content and the process before they decide if it is for them. Here are a few of my suggestions despite me being new.

When writing articles write about things that you enjoy. I did publish a few articles on current entertainment news and those articles were a struggle for me to write. I am just not passionate about celebrities like I am about travel, parenting, and home improvement. When you write about what you know and love the articles come naturally. The articles are less forced and easier to produce.

Realize that things do start off slowly. There is no "instant gratification" here. For awhile I kept checking my progress box to see if my articles had been reviewed yet. Instead of signing off and just waiting I could have been writing more articles. This is an ongoing process. It takes time to write, have your article reviewed and published, and to get that article out there to the masses. You should write consistently. Do not wait until your current articles are reviewed to start new ones. Soon I hope to have reviews everyday because I will be writing everyday.

If you want to actually make an income from Associated Content then you need to set yourself goals. You need to treat this just like you would any other job. My suggestion is to use your first month and figure out what works for you. I am still working out kinks but I can already see what I need to do to make more than just some "play money."

Associated Content will offer assignments to its writers. Do not take an assignment just because you see an upfront payment. At first I got excited and I would grab up four assignments at a time. Then as I was writing these articles I realized it was a struggle because I either did not know enough about the topic or because I had no interest in it. One article I recently wrote was titled, "Mindball: Can you Relax?" That was the hardest article for me to write because before claiming the article I had no clue that Mindball even existed. If I was writing about something I had previous knowledge of I would of spent half the time it ended up taking me.

You should publish often, but publish work you would be proud of. It is not that I am ashamed that I have a few articles on Sandra Bullock on my Contents List; it is just that is not the kind of work that I want to produce. I think she is a great actress but like I mentioned before writing entertainment pieces is not my forte. I did it to get some quick page views and it worked. I think we all need to find the combination between what is profitable and what we are proud to show off. If someone asked me what my best article to write was I would answer, "Tips for Becoming A Successful Travel Agent." That article made me less of an upfront payment then the Mindball one!

Use the forums. Here you will find a great wealth of information. Also use other members as sources of information. There are so many helpful people on Associated Content. Go ahead and utilize their expertise.

Get out there and network. I do not use Face Book (I know I am one of the few out there that has never even seen it). So when it comes to networking and getting my articles out there I am extremely limited. However, by reading the comments and suggestions in the forums I learned about a social networking site called StumbleUpon. Yesterday was my first day posting some of my articles on the site and I think it worked fairly well. Remember you may write the best articles in the world, but if you do not get them out there no one will be able to read them.

We are all on Associated Content for a reason. Some of us use it as a way to make an income, others use it as a stepping-stone for freelance writing, and others just use Associated Content as an outlet to have their writings be seen. No matter what your reason for wanting to use Associated Content, you can let your guard down. This is one online freelance writing site that does not disappoint. I am looking forward to a great future right here and I am very pleased with my start. Good luck to all!