Interview with Featured Arts & Entertainment Contributor, Heather Tooley

Heather Tooley is one of my favorite writers on Associated Content and also a wonderful friend. She is a Featured Arts & Entertainment Contributor as well as a writer of other topics that she brings to our attention with her journalistic qualities.

My in-depth interview with Heather Tooley will reveal her dreams and goals as well as the techniques she uses to generate so many page views for The Bachelor!

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself, have you always written? When did you get interested in writing online and how did you find yourself at Associated Content?

I guess you could call me a country girl with wisps of glamorous elements to me. I enjoy a simple life away from hustle and bustle, but have a serious fondness for nice things. You name it - I'm into shoes, clothes, exquisite cars, and all that. My dreams have always been big. I'm the type of person who wants it all, but being a single parent has made the journey take the "scenic" route, shall we say! My son is first and foremost and always will be. Being a mom is the most important thing ever. Since he was diagnosed with autism, it's been a challenging venture, to say the very least.

I've always written, but not as focused as I am now. Because I didn't know what I wanted at a younger age, I wasted a lot of years missing out on honing my writing skills. I had so much encouragement to major in journalism, but the passion just wasn't there then. I did attend college and majored in business. I later went into the Air Force where I lived in San Antonio, Texas. That lasted 4 years then I decided to move back here to Oregon. I missed Oregon and my family a lot.

A few years later I got married, but it didn't work out. Luckily, I have a beautiful son that came of it. He's my whole world.

I found myself at AC when I did some research on the income freelance writers can make. AC was the most user-friendly and accepting site for those breaking into professional writing.

2. What is the most valuable piece of advice you have received in regards to your writing?

In writing for Associated Content, I've gotten lots of good advice from various contributors. Since online content requires detailed attention to SEO, I've consulted with a few successful contributors on how to get the high page views and it definitely works! I thank Roz Zurko for her helpful coaching of SEO expertise. Her work amazes me and she's such a nice person. She's been a great mentor since I started writing for AC.

3. What is your greatest writing accomplishment and what are your writing goals for the near future?

I've had a few nice accomplishments I'm proud of. My calligraphy piece won first place at the Lane County Fair for the poem, "A Mother's Soul." It reflected on no matter how old your child is, you still see that infant face and they are just as vulnerable to you as an adult to as they were a child. Recently, I was accepted as an AC Featured Arts & Entertainment Contributor. About a month ago I woke up to see I got 26,000 views in one day on one of my articles on The Bachelor." Because of that I went from clout 5 to clout 8 in a week.

My short-term writing goals for now are purely on seeing what page views I can get for celebrity and television recaps. It helps pay for things! It actually gets addicting. Kinda sad, huh! It's great. I like glamorous things and recapping shows like The Bachelor brings that part of me out. It's fun to write on a bunch of beautiful people willingly vie for one person's heart. It's intriguing to see why single people put themselves through such a process. It's fun to write about and see who likes to read my articles.

Long-term I'm still figuring out. I'd like to maybe write a book on my experience as single mother raising a son with autism. People would be amazed at what they read and it would be quite entertaining - believe me. I'd also like to write professionally on the side, whether it is for a few clients or websites.

4. What advice would you give new Associated Content writers as they embark on this fun (and scary) adventure?

Write what comes naturally and be patient! You'll fall into your element, but it takes writing several articles before getting a feel for what that element is. I began writing about my experience in autism, and then moved to what to makes a good man, to finally writing a lot of gossip-type celebrity stuff. The page views are amazing and it gets quite addicting. I love soap operas and it's rewarding covering shows like "The Bachelor." I like to mix it, though. I'll recap shows from "The Bachelor" then write pet articles. I have vast experience with animals, so I share my knowledge in what I've learned. I've also written a few on relationship issues with men - the live-and-learn type. Just go with the flow and see what works best for you in writing. Go with your heart and what inspires you.

5. You write a lot of television show sneak peaks and recaps. With a job, a child, and AC, how do you manage your time effectively?

I multi-task the heck out of my life. I rarely have down time. It's crazy, to be honest. My life is literally work, taking care of my son, walking the dog, waking up 4 times a week at 4:00am to workout, and fitting in articles. It's non-stop. The most important part of all this chaos is sleep. It's so important, no matter what, to get 7 hours of sleep. Sounds like a boring existence, but my goal is to have a much better life when my son is older. That's the main reason I'm writing. I want to be an accomplished woman after putting my son first all these years.

6. Where do you see yourself as far as writing is concerned in 5 or 10 years? What do you hope to have accomplished by then?

Wow. It's so hard to see 5-10 years when I still take so many things one-day-at-a-time! You could say I'd like to earn a decent passive income from my long-term success articles. By 5-10 years let's hope that's possible! I'd like to focus on celebrity information that is popular and people rarely get tired of reading. I'll just play the rest by ear.

7. Who are your favorite AC writers and why?

There are a lot of uber-talented writers here on AC. It goes without saying you, Taylor Rios, are one my favorites. I also enjoy the work and interactions I have with Roz Zurko, Rox B., and Radell Hunter. Kim Linton is another great contributor. I share a lot of her views on things from what I read. All of these contributors have engaging styles in their writing, topics and beliefs.

8. What is your writing process? Do you plan what you are going to write and take notes the night before or are you more spontaneous?

When it comes to my popular recaps on big shows like "The Bachelor," I have everything ready to publish on Display Only the day before. When the show actually airs, I either sit at the computer and detail it out, or have to sit on the couch and pen it down if Michael is playing a game on the computer. It's always one big juggling act around the house. For other articles I do whatever research needs to be done on a topic I want to cover or I write reviews of what I know.

I do have my spontaneous moments, too. If I'm at a good point with Michael and he's playing nearby, a good segment of "The Insider" or "Entertainment Tonight" has a big scoop I just know will get good page views. Straight to the computer I go and jot down my article.

9. What is your favorite thing about AC? What improvements or changes would you like to see at AC?

AC is great. The support here is amazing. I meet talented writers and people like you are my good friends. It's really been a bright spot for me. The other thing I love, love, LOVE about AC is the Display Only option to publish. It's awesome seeing your article get right up there on Google just hours after publishing it. Boy, be real thorough before hitting the "publish" button though. Thank goodness we can go back and edit it if something needs modified. The only change I'd like to see is something when it comes to checking our page views each day. Currently we see the total views each article has accumulated. It would so great if a be a column all the way down the screen to see what the previous daily views were at a glance for all articles, instead of clicking on an article to see the previous day's views.

10. Do you write for any other sites, and if so, how do you manage it all? If AC is your only writing site, why did you choose AC?

Yes, I write for Factoidz and Bukisa. AC is my ultimate favorite, but I also enjoy Factoidz. They've featured 3 of my articles on there and I've just started over there.

How do I manage it all? I have no idea. Some things you don't question!

11. What is your favorite article that you have written and why?

I have a few I like a lot. My most meaningful ones are the Supporting Parents of Autistic Children since I'm a mother of a special needs child and that list is what we parents really need from our friends and family. Another meaningful one is the interview I wrote on you. Your story is an inspiration to those who suffered such terrible abuse as a child.

12. Are you surprised at which articles of yours get the best page views? What have you learned about page views since joining AC?

I have to admit, I'm shocked at the page views "The Bachelor" receives. The article that received 26,000 views in one day was an outdated article. It didn't make sense why people would want to click on an article guessing which 'Bachelor' contestant was involved in the Rozlyn sex scandal when the whole world already knew for weeks.

What I've learned about page views is how important it is to jump on a hot, popular topic and SEO it just right. Remember, there are hundreds - sometimes thousands - of writers focusing on the same topic you are. Competition for visibility is fierce. In order to be seen, it's crucial to get the content a certain way to avoid getting lost in the search engines. It's all about the placement of exact terms or phrases without sounding repetitive or awkward. Know what keywords or key phrases searchers are typing in. Equally important is quality content. You can't go wrong with those two proven formulas. I still have so much to learn. I've just touched the surface.

13. Why should people pay attention to your content? What is unique about your writing? Anything you would like to add as a closing?

I try to make my writing fun, exciting, and have a particular pace in the wording. You don't want boredom to set in when a reader is spending valuable time reading your articles. If people like an objective viewpoint - or an observation that is practical, yet entertaining - my content would fill that criteria.

Heather Tooley is an exceptional writer and you will never be bored with her published content! My favorite articles from this gifted contributor in addition to her Bachelor series are:

Facing Your Problems: Making It Easier

Caffeine Addiction: Dr. Oz 28-Day Solution

Legal Loophole In State of Virginia Allows Mother To Kill Newborn Baby

Heather, thank you for allowing me to interview you and I look forward to reading more of your writing and wish you the best success!