Comments on: Drop Some Knowledge, Win a Prize.

By: Pam

Pam — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:43:32 +0000

Thanks for the great advice and stories, Bob. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read so far. What’s your next contest going to be? I’m ready!

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:51:09 +0000

And the winner is….

This is a tough one.

All three of you make great points, no doubt about it.

I think I like what Alyice is saying the most. Maybe I’m on an anti-plagiarism kick this week, but whatever the reason this comment really stuck with me.

Alyice, send me an e-mail with your address and let me know if you want the gift card or the grammar book.

Thanks again to all three of you. I’m hoping to do another contest next week, but we’ll see. I’m hoping to get double the number of entries next time!

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:31:28 +0000

Excellent advice so far, everyone! Keep ‘em coming!

By: Alyice

Alyice — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:34:44 +0000

My advice. Keep it simple and always research your information. Not all information on the web is true, accurate, and reliable. Check your sources when quoting. Use real facts, not made up ones. And instead of simply lifting a quote from someone’s blog, why not do as journalists do and actually contact the blog owner for a fresh and original quote. You’ll improve the quality of your piece while still getting the message you wanted across to your reader and your content will be unique instead of simply rehashing what’s already been said.

By: Debra

Debra — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:01:49 +0000

My best piece of advice is to choose your jobs carefully. The internet is full of “job offers” that pay $1.00 for 500 word articles. Worse, most of them claim all rights to your work and pass it off as their own, so you don’t even get the byline. If you figure up how long it takes you to write these articles, you’ll realize you’re getting paid $1.00 to $2.00 an hour, far less than minimum wage.

So remember, you don’t have to take whatever comes along, even if you’re relatively new to writing. Hone your skills, watch for the good jobs, and when you see a position that pays well, be ready to send a professional-looking resume and some dazzling clips. Good luck and keep writing.

By: Brad Shorr

Brad Shorr — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:55:01 +0000

Write about what you know. Not exactly original, but important for any kind of writing. People come to the Web looking for specific information, so either seek opportunities where you are a subject matter expert, or be willing to however many hours it takes on research.