public requests.."requested date"

AThompson · Post by **AThompson** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 2:08 pm

Excuse my noobiness!....I assumed the "request date" in the public requests were deadlines.

Now I'm thinking...they are not? They are the date the customer POSTED the request? If so, are there deadlines?

Do I query each one individually or are the deadlines posted somewhere and I'm a complete dingbat and don't see them.

Sorry...I did try and find this info, but I'm feeling quite silly!
Thanks
AThompson

Elizabeth Ann West · Post by **Elizabeth Ann West** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:07 pm

There are no real deadlines for public requests. It will take a few days or even weeks to get teh hang of seeing a public request come, and then watching either the customer ratings go up or seeing an article that will fill the request be sold until recently sold content.

My suggestion is to only write for older requests (more than 2-3 weeks old) if the article topic is one that is popular. For example, I wouldn't write an article to a public request about three-toed sloths in a particular region, but a public request on anything financial, real estate related, or just a subject that appeals to a large amount of people would probably be safe.

I say safe, meaning it will likely still sell. I have sold at least 5 articles I wrote for public requests, the original requester didn't buy them, and they sold later on.

Good luck and welcome. It takes a little while to get used to the non bidding wars etc. of other web sites.

Always Smiling,
Elizabeth West

AThompson · Post by **AThompson** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:12 pm

Aha! I didn't realize that if the original purchaser didn't buy it, I could offer it elsewhere!
So I write the article and submit it in the same manner as I would for an article that I wrote "on spec", then I use the "question" function in the public requests to direct the purchaser to the article that I wrote, yes?

This is a much more writer-friendly system than "other" sites out there!

Thanks for your patience with me,
AThompson

Word Gypsy · Post by **Word Gypsy** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:35 pm

Yes, that 's it exactly. Good luck with your writing and sales! WG

Elizabeth Ann West · Post by **Elizabeth Ann West** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:20 pm

Just be sure if you wrote the article for someone and put in the short summary "I wrote this for so-and-so" you revise it when you are no longer marketing to the public request. In fact, I don't even put in my short summaries who it is for anymore, and simply put it in the Q&A that the article is up and click the look up article to attach it. The buyer then receives an email from C-C alerting them they have a new message.

Also, don't be afraid to raise the price higher than the original request, you'd be surprised how often requesters low bid for work on a subject, especially hot topics like finance articles etc.

AThompson · Post by **AThompson** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:18 pm

Thanks Elizabeth!!

That's a great idea about the short summary, and I NEVER would've thought of pricing high! Newbie's lack of confidence, right?

This is a great place!

AThompson