Numbers

[J C Armstrong]

I'm new, and perhaps I have missed this information, but I would really like to be able to see the numbers sold for each category and subcategory. If the numbers are confidential, perhaps a rating system could be implemented. This information would be especially helpful to newbies such as myself, and would therefore help CC get a greater number of articles in the most popular categories. For a new person such as myself, I feel like I'm shooting in the dark thinking about why types of articles might sell.

[Ed]

This has been suggested before, but in reality, this would lead a lot of writers astray. There are very few trends to follow, besides holiday trends, at CC. It all depends upon what the customer is looking for, what customers come our way, and what's popular generally.

For example, a year or two ago, vitamin and supplement articles were big, as were do-it-yourself home remodeling articles. Those aren't as hot today, but real estate and finance articles are.

My suggestion is always to look what the print media is focusing on. Sustainability and the recession are two buzzwords we're hearing a lot, lately. Will there be customers looking for these articles? One never knows, but many website owners try to follow print media trends.

Ed

[Celeste Stewart]

Ed's right; it varies like crazy. That's half the fun - every month is different. There's no need to shoot yourself in the dark trying to think about what to write because the customers come here and tell us what they want. Right now, there are a bunch of brand new requests. Try writing a few of those and see how that works out.

When you have some down time, jot down notes about articles you think might interest different types of websites such as real estate websites, parenting websites, travel websites, finance websites, etc.... watch the recently sold board and see what type of articles seem to be moving. If gambling articles are selling, write something that might appeal to a gambling website. Soon, you'll have too many ideas and not enough time!

[Elizabeth Ann West]

I second the too many ideas and not enough time. The flurry of public requests is so great right now, that some of them I am interested in writing, but I just don't have time with other writing commitments made.

But some ideas and requests you can tell are long lasting. For example there is a request right now about pay per click advertising. That is a subject I want to know more about (especially as I am slowly thinking of publishing my own online webzine) but I don't have the time to cover it right now. I will probably research it and write on it at a later time as just a public article.

Also, this website is rarely instant sell. It was hard for me at first to not have the "instant gratification" of my articles selling like other sites who pay up front. I would say the best thing to do as a new comer is to write articles you are passionate about, in as broad of categories as possible. Well-written articles with broad appeal do sell, sometimes months after they are written. I started writing in November here, and last week I sold a usage license on one of my first articles that was originally for a public request.

Be patient, and channel any nervous energy into writing. It will pay off eventually. Good luck!!!

[J. A. Young]

Also, imagine ranked categories! There'd be heavy saturation of content for the top five categories and other areas would be neglected.

Everyone just has to find their own formula for success--that's half the battle when you freelance. The fact that sales around here vary so greatly from category to category--well, it's not easy to find the right formula all the time, for newbies and veterans alike. JA