Soap Opera Recap Writers Wanted

Are you a soap opera lover who would love an opportunity to write a daily or weekly recap about your favorite daytime soap? Well, you are in luck! You don't have to be a staff writer for Soap Opera Digest, TV Guide, or any of the other popular soap sites in order to do so. Fortunately, there are a few sites which are actively seeking soap fans just like you to write daily or weekly recaps for them. The qualifications include a passion and a thorough background knowledge for your favorite soap, reliability, dedication, and of course adequate writing skills. The upside to this is that it's a great way to gain exposure, experience, and an addition to your already powerful resume. However, many of these positions are voluntary and thus no income is involved. I have compiled my picks for the top three sites seeking volunteer recap writers in order of preference.

About: Soap Operas(http://soaps.about.com/)

This is the more popular and more highly ranked by Google than the other two listed below. The site is owned by The New York Times, so this would be an excellent source and reference to add to your resume. Just click on the heading "Authors Wanted" on the left and read the guideline submissions. This site offers various options, which include submitting a recap of your own, ranting or raving about your favorite soap, or devising a short story involving your favorite soap. No long-term commitment is needed on your part, but proving your dedication and timely manner could possibly lead to other opportunities elsewhere down the road.

The TV Megasite Inc.(http://www.tvmegasite.net/)

This fan-based site is desperately seeking volunteer writers to assist on their site. Although these positions don't pay, it is a great resume builder. The writers do get bonuses at the end of the year from the leftover advertising revenue, although I have no idea what that ballpark figure is. This site has a high turnover of volunteers so if you have the time and dedication to stick to the task, your efforts may very well be rewarded. In addition to recaps, you can also contribute as a content manager, editor, proofreader, essay writer, fan fiction writer, or numerous other "jobs." Be cautioned though, since this site has specific instructions as to the type of writing they are seeking. Therefore, read the submission instructions beforehand.

All Soap Scoops.(http://www.allsoapscoops.com/)

This is yet another fan-based site seeking volunteer recap writers. Again, this offers no compensation, but that might very well change someday. This site doesn't have rigorous standards for submission. It's acceptable if you can write only one, two, or three days a week, since writing recaps for all five days takes a lot of time and dedication. Proving your loyalty could add a great source to your resume, though. Column writers and scoops commentary writers are being sought after as well. The only downside to this site is that it requires you to turn in your recap submissions by 6 P.M. EST for same day episodes. This can be very difficult to undertake, especially if you are a supermom caring for kids at home.

Another way to become a full-time recap writer and possibly generate extra income is to start your own soap recap blog. This method requires a great deal of time and commitment, especially if you want to keep your soap fans coming back for more. It would be best if you could find a partner or partners who love your favorite soap as much as you do and who can perhaps help out with the postings and writings, since daytime soaps are on five days a week. One successful blog, (http://theearlyedition.blogspot.com/), was run by four ladies from Canada who recapped episodes of Days of Our Lives. These ladies did an excellent job giving a detailed synopsis eac episodes and were always prompt with their postings. Moreover, the show airs a day early in Canada, which explains the blog name. Unfortunately, this site no longer posts episodes of the popular soap.

There are a number of soap recap sites on the Internet today, but no two recaps are ever written the same. Some give a brief summary, while others entail more detail. If you feel that your recap stands out above the rest, I encourage you to follow your passion and see where it leads to! Good luck in your soap ventures!