The Best Advice for New Associated Content Producers - Welcome, and Write On!

So you're now an Associated Content producer - welcome, and congratulations! As an "old-timer" in more ways than one, I'd like to take just a moment of your time to pass along the best advice I have for a successful career on this site.

You may have trolled through the site for articles on "How to Make A Living Writing For Associated Content". I believe that there may literally be dozens of these. One of the more intriguing - and, actually, somewhat frightening - was one that suggested that a producer set a goal of writing five items of content per day. The author suggested setting a strict schedule to follow, and how to avoid distractions in order to meet a daily goal of five articles submitted each and every day.

I agree with setting a schedule. I agree with avoiding distractions. I'm also guessing that a lot of you 'newbies' have recently been downsized, laid off, let go, fired, whatever terminology may apply to someone who has lost their main source of income. Perhaps you've chosen to become a content producer because A.C. makes it so easy to become one. Perhaps you're hoping to replace your salary by writing for A.C., at least temporarily. Or you may be hoping, in these terrible economic times, to supplement your current income.

I work as a freelance journalist/writer/reporter for several organizations, including A.C. I love writing for A.C. because I have the freedom to choose my topics and my deadline. I love the "challenge" of claiming one of their "calls for content". I've always appreciated the editorial feedback that I receive on my articles, and the "priming" that A.C.'s editors have done in making my published work shine.

I do have one piece of very important advice to impart, one that I hope that you'll seriously consider.

Write about what you know.

If you set yourself a goal of writing five pieces of content per day, seven days a week, for submittal to A.C., I sincerely hope that they're both well-written and given genuine thought and review. If you approach writing for A.C. as a "quck fix" for a cash shortage, it will be reflected in the quality of that work. Quantity rarely equates to quality. You'll find that out rather quickly, as your offers from A.C. may not be the amount for which you'd hoped.

Write about what you know.

If you're struggling to turn out X number of articles per day, or per week, this struggle will show up in your work. The end results will be strained, forced, written pretty much out of desperation in order to have something to turn in to an editor. You will have spent valuable time trying to make the proverbial silk purse out of a sow's ear, with a low cash offer reflecting the fact that you haven't put your best foot forward in your writing.

Write about what you know.

Sit down and make a list. (I'm a big fan of lists. There's nothing quite like the satisfaction of crossing something accomplished off of that list.) Choose ten topics with which you're familiar, engaged in, have personally experienced, or share a passion. Look at your list of ten topics and start from there. Once you've turned in two or three articles to A.C. on these topics, re-visit your list and expand it. You'll be surprised about how MANY things that you actually DO know. One idea will lead to another. One experience of yours will recall an experience that your sister in law, neighbor, fellow choir member, co-worker has had.

Check the daily calls for content. You'll be surprised to find that many of them are actually things of which you have knowledge or experience to share. Go through the list of "topic selections" to give you more ideas about what to write: "Parenting". "Lifestyles". "Mental Health". "Education". We all have something unique within our lives that relate to these topics; they're experiences, opinions, things that you know.

Think outside of the box of what you know, and the ideas will flow from there. Your written work is a reflection of who you are as a writer and an individual. Make the most of your individuality in your writing.