Would You Be Willing to Pay $20+ for an Article? (Writer's competition added!)

[James Seward]

Hi Warriors,

As some of you might now I am a professional writer.

One thing that amazes me is that you can get an article done for $5 or less online. Now don't get me wrong (and please do not be ofended) but some of these "writers" DO NOT know how to write.

I focus on delivering value, professional writing. If I want to outsource graphic design I look for good designers. Now I do understand that some people need those $5 workers and others can afford to pay a little more.

For those who can afford it, would you be willing to pay, say, $20, $30, $50 for an article? And just out of curiosity, for those who don't have the money to invest, let's imagine you had: would you be willing to invest that for an article?

I am just trying to understand if everyone thinks $5 is good or there are people out there willing to give a little more to get a little bit more quality!

Best
James

[brettmwindmann]

I think you make a decent point in that some people who charge only $5.00 may not know how to write, but that is why you train them. For me personally I can pay less than $5.00 an article and still have EXACTLY what I want after I train my writer. Of course, they need good English skills and some experience, but once trained they are great.

I do not know if I would pay $20.00 for an article ever. Granted that would depend on length and what I was using the article for. If it is just for driving traffic or testing a niche, then no not a chance. If it happen to be a much longer article to really start off my blog with a great post, then possibly.

I think it all depends on what the person is looking to do with the article. But if you ask me I think you may price yourself out the market by charging $20.00 for an article, but then again you may know something I don't.

Just my $.02

[MyLinkClub]

The first thing I consider before paying for content: how much does this person know about what they're actually writing.

Then, I look at their ability to write.


Never the other way around.

[Gene Pimentel]

It all depends on the intended purpose. Marketers, more often than not, need volumes of inexpensive filler articles. Other times they need killer information created. Sometimes, just a really well written article or two. They all have their purpose and place. There are many situations where $20 per article is realistic. $100 or more per article is often found in the offline world.

[zincOnline]

I would pay those prices for content placed on my own site, but for throwing up here there and everywhere then not a chance.

I think you need to market yourself as a content creation service that specializes in web companies for small businesses etc etc etc

Goog web designers often outsource page content, photography etc

just my 2p

[sylviad]

I've received $15 per article as a pro with many years' experience as a journalist. Actually, I think it's low for someone with my background. There are writers who do not have my expertise who are working for $5. Personally, I would never work for that small amount. Most likely there are writers who ask for and make well over $50. Once a writer is established and has built up an impressive reputation, he/she can ask more... and get it.

All that aside, however, I cannot let this go.

You suggest that people will pay $20+ for a pro writer who is "delivering value". I surmise that this means you are hoping to make upwards of that amount. Your thread reveals that you might not be the "professional" that you might think, considering all the spelling mistakes.

Sylvia

[pheonix44]

I wrote an article for someone a while ago who paid me 100.00$. I met the guy in the library, I made sure to research my a** off to give this guy killer content. I believe people who are willing to pay that much are looking for a complete marketing solution. If they spend 20.00$ they are expecting a good ROI on this article, and if you could deliver that you will have no problem charging this amount.

[James Seward]

Originally Posted by brettmwindmann

I think you make a decent point in that some people who charge only $5.00 may not know how to write, but that is why you train them. For me personally I can pay less than $5.00 an article and still have EXACTLY what I want after I train my writer. Of course, they need good English skills and some experience, but once trained they are great.

I do not know if I would pay $20.00 for an article ever. Granted that would depend on length and what I was using the article for. If it is just for driving traffic or testing a niche, then no not a chance. If it happen to be a much longer article to really start off my blog with a great post, then possibly.

I think it all depends on what the person is looking to do with the article. But if you ask me I think you may price yourself out the market by charging $20.00 for an article, but then again you may know something I don't.

Just my $.02

Hey,

Yeah but you still have to train those writers and you are losing time hence losing money. So wouldn't you be better paying somone $20 per article but not needing to train them?

Also you assume that you train a writer to integrate a team. What if you can't afford a team or you just need an ocasional article?

Thanks for your opinion.

Best
James

[eriman]

Is there a place where I take a look at some of your older work?

[Daniel Brock]

I am starting to migrate away from these cheap ass $5 articles because they really do suck.

Sure, the info they present tends to be correct. But all they do is rehash already created content.

If you want someone with REAL expertise to create unique and therefore valuable content, you have to pay for it.

Im working on a webmaster resource site and I want this thing to be awesome so I am going to be paying atleast $25 for a 500-600 word article.

I think the $25 might even be a little low...

[matrix1989]

$20 is a drop in the hat compared to what some websites are worth. So yes, if i were making big money then $20 an article for quality is no big deal

[Sparhawke]

If I had the money available and could see what value I would get for an article, possibility of bringing in more business with a well written piece of content rather than crap then I would definitely consider paying a premium.

How much of a premium depends on past work and reputation as well as negotiation.

I recognise the power of using a big name, or at least one who knows how to spell his own name, it pays dividends and anyone would benefit from it.

[Steven Fullman]

My 2 cents...

It's not the writing. The writing is worth jack. Pretty much anyone can write.

Heck! Even me.

It's the research wot counts, innit...

Steve

[lightcam]

I think if you're seriously into article marketing, then it makes sense to train someone up. Sure, you'll need to hold their hand for an interim period.... but soon, they'll be writing exactly how you taught them.

If you only occasionally need articles, then sure it's okay to spend a bit more.... the main focus is making more money than you spend, whilst still providing a valuable service.

[brettmwindmann]

Originally Posted by James Seward

Hey,

Yeah but you still have to train those writers and you are losing time hence losing money. So wouldn't you be better paying somone $20 per article but not needing to train them?

Also you assume that you train a writer to integrate a team. What if you can't afford a team or you just need an ocasional article?

Thanks for your opinion.

Best
James

Right, but for the purpose of what I would be using a normal article for I would not pay $20.00. As far as training goes, I would need to hire a team anyway so the training would come.

I am not arguing the fact that $20.00 is to much for an article, but it is not a price I would normally pay based on what I use them for. Clearly others feel differently so I think it all depends on ones business and the value they see in the article.

[James Seward]

Originally Posted by brettmwindmann

I think you make a decent point in that some people who charge only $5.00 may not know how to write, but that is why you train them. For me personally I can pay less than $5.00 an article and still have EXACTLY what I want after I train my writer. Of course, they need good English skills and some experience, but once trained they are great.

I do not know if I would pay $20.00 for an article ever. Granted that would depend on length and what I was using the article for. If it is just for driving traffic or testing a niche, then no not a chance. If it happen to be a much longer article to really start off my blog with a great post, then possibly.

I think it all depends on what the person is looking to do with the article. But if you ask me I think you may price yourself out the market by charging $20.00 for an article, but then again you may know something I don't.

Just my $.02

Hey,

Yeah but you still have to train those writers and you are losing time hence losing money. So wouldn't you be better paying somone $20 per article but not needing to train them?

Also you assume that you train a writer to integrate a team. What if you can't afford a team or you just need an ocasional article?

Thanks for your opinion.

Best
James

[James Seward]

Originally Posted by MyLinkClub

The first thing I consider before paying for content: how much does this person know about what they're actually writing.

Then, I look at their ability to write.


Never the other way around.

I agree with you. And also the research skills of the writer.

Thanks

[James Seward]

Originally Posted by Gene Pimentel

It all depends on the intended purpose. Marketers, more often than not, need volumes of inexpensive filler articles. Other times they need killer information created. Sometimes, just a really well written article or two. They all have their purpose and place. There are many situations where $20 per article is realistic. $100 or more per article is often found in the offline world.

I agree. I was just saying hypothetically if you had the money would you hire someone for that fee. Thanks for the opinion.

Best
James

[James Seward]

Originally Posted by Daniel Brock

I am starting to migrate away from these cheap ass $5 articles because they really do suck.

Sure, the info they present tends to be correct. But all they do is rehash already created content.

If you want someone with REAL expertise to create unique and therefore valuable content, you have to pay for it.

Im working on a webmaster resource site and I want this thing to be awesome so I am going to be paying atleast $25 for a 500-600 word article.

I think the $25 might even be a little low...

Yeah I mean you can still have a good article but it takes a great writer to do a good research on the topic and then write a high quality informative writer.

Thanks for sharing, I like your way of thinking...

Best
James

[Toni Maltano]

Same here. It really depends what I need them for. If I want to post to
article directories to get traffic or backlinks I don't care. I mostly write these
myself by rewriting other articles. This allows me to churn out a lot of stuff
quickly and it is good enough. I don't want people to think: Oh damn, that is
such a great article. I want them to click on that link.

But if I want to put them on one of my websites I often pay more than 20$ for
a 500-700 word article. I want it to be quality stuff. This is the place where
people can think that that's a great article.

Always put high quality and well researched stuff on YOUR website. Well, of
course this also depends what you use your website for. But do not spend 20
bucks for an article if you just want to submit it to an article directory. Please.

[James Seward]

Originally Posted by Steven Fullman

My 2 cents...

It's not the writing. The writing is worth jack. Pretty much anyone can write.

Heck! Even me.

It's the research wot counts, innit...

Steve

I also agree with that Steve although i do think not everyone can write, or can write well. But yes research is vital if you want to master content creation.

Thanks
James

[Bev Clement]

As Steve said, it is about the research. Most of the cheaper writers don't do research. They might do keyword research, they might know how to find articles on directories to use, but don't know how to research the subject.

Will people pay $20? If you have the ask the question, then you are looking in the wrong area.

People pay a lot more than that for writing which they know has great research, as one person said, "He didn't hire a ghostwriter, but the best researcher online."

[Paul Myers]

James,

Do you mean a real article, or the search engine dreck that most people in this industry call articles? There is a large difference.

If you only hang out here, you're going to become convinced that the best prices you can get are what the keyword-focused, and sometimes barely-literate, buyers here are willing to pay.

You need to look at the market. If all someone wants is keyword-fodder, there's little sense in paying the rates asked by a skilled writer. It's not a smart business move. Nothing wrong with that decision.

The thing you need to keep in mind is that, just as most of the alleged "writers" who sell articles here suck at writing, most of the buyers here can't really "read." They don't know enough about writing to tell the difference between word salad and skillfully crafted prose. I've seen people here swear that so-and-so produces top quality content, only to look at it and wonder if they've ever read anything more advanced than "Fun with Dick and Jane."

Yes, that comment will irritate some of the members. That doesn't make it any less true. This is not the proper market for a disciplined and talented wordsmith.

The real question is, do you have the skills to command higher rates?

I don't know the answer to that, but you need to. And you need to figure it out before you try to get real-world author's prices for your efforts. Otherwise, you're going to be competing with people who are way out of your league, and that rarely ends well.

For what it's worth, I can tell you this with absolute certainty: There are folks out there who are willing to pay serious money for what people in the real world consider quality content. I regularly turn down fees that most "writers" here would call me a liar for even mentioning. (I quit doing content for other people for money years ago.)

For good or ill, those buyers are not shopping for content developers in the Warrior Forum. Too much chaff and not enough wheat here.


Paul

[Paul Myers]

Steve,

It's not the writing. The writing is worth jack. Pretty much anyone can write.

Heck! Even me.

It's the research wot counts, innit...

Wanna bet?

Seriously... would you like to bet on that?


Paul

[James Seward]

Originally Posted by Bev Clement

"He didn't hire a ghostwriter, but the best researcher online."

Yeah research is really really important. Thanks for your opinion Bev I really appreciate it!

[James Seward]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Do you mean a real article, or the search engine dreck that most people in this industry call articles? There is a large difference.

Yes I mean a real article, a high quality article.

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

The thing you need to keep in mind is that, just as most of the alleged "writers" who sell articles here suck at writing, most of the buyers here can't really "read." They don't know enough about writing to tell the difference between word salad and skillfully crafted prose. I've seen people here swear that so-and-so produces top quality content, only to look at it and wonder if they've ever read anything more advanced than "Fun with Dick and Jane."

WOW! That's so true!

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

The real question is, do you have the skills to command higher rates?

I don't know the answer to that, but you need to. And you need to figure it out before you try to get real-world author's prices for your efforts. Otherwise, you're going to be competing with people who are way out of your league, and that rarely ends well.

Yes I do think I have the skills to command higher rates. Right now I just wanted to know if people are ready to pay those rates? I mean if I told you my rates for the offline world... LOL!

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

For what it's worth, I can tell you this with absolute certainty: There are folks out there who are willing to pay serious money for what people in the real world consider quality content. I regularly turn down fees that most "writers" here would call me a liar for even mentioning. (I quit doing content for other people for money years ago.)

Ok that answers my question. I just need to find those folks!

Thanks for all your opinions, I really appreciate it Paul!

Best
James

[uzomaeze]

It all depends on what you are offering for the writing, if its a content that has some careful research topics etc then 20 dolls might just be right, if its something that has to do with 500 words article stuff then you have to consider the other option which is the 5 dolls per article piece.

In all, the options are on the table and to be honest it might prove some difficulty in today's present world where money is valued as gold

[mattalways]

I have a small team of writers and we run into this issue all of the time. It makes it hard to quote, because we could put together junk for $5/article, or actually spend the time researching and writing professionally for $15 - $20 an article. It makes it tough because you're not sure what the client is after and it's tough to explain, you can have junk for $5 or quality for $15.

I posted a thread asking people what they thought of the same thing, but I think the mod thought I was trying to promote my writers. Did the mods also delete that thread about the "sad day for IM" by lil mikey. About how one of the so called "gurus" sent out an offer??

[Zeus66]

Originally Posted by Bev Clement

Will people pay $20? If you have the ask the question, then you are looking in the wrong area.

People pay a lot more than that for writing which they know has great research, as one person said, "He didn't hire a ghostwriter, but the best researcher online."

Exactly. Don't let anyone tell you there aren't a lot of buyers out there who'll pay $20 for one article. In fact, that's actually on the low end for professional grade writing. I know firsthand that you can get 5X that for as little as 500-600 words. Yes, that's rare, but it does happen, especially when an offline company dips into the online world for it. The rates online writers charge would be laughable in the "real" world of publishing.

The "problem" (from the professional writer's perspective) is that online marketers go for numbers so much more often than quality. Along with the demand for more articles comes the logical demand for a low price per article. Goodbye quality, hello mass production tactics by writers. You can see the results all over the Web. Can't throw a dead cybercat and not hit at least 5 websites with atrocious content out of the Top 10 of a typical Google search. Am I right? Rhetorical question.

Marketers created this monster. But I'm also a marketer and I realize that buying 100 lame articles with sentences strung together by an apparent 5 year old works in a lot of cases. You pay $300 for 100 articles, spam the hell out of the article directories or throw up a ton of Blogger blogs, and rake in some affiliate sales or CPA commissions. I get it. ROI rules.

But it's still a pretty sad state of affairs for all of us when we take off the marketing hat and put on the consumer searcher hat. Just sayin'.

John

[mmurtha]

Originally Posted by Steven Fullman

My 2 cents...

It's not the writing. The writing is worth jack. Pretty much anyone can write.

Heck! Even me.

It's the research wot counts, innit...

Steve

Ditto Steve!


James,

I believe in quality whatever, including content, so yes, I'd be willing to pay that amount for some articles that reflect great research. Why? Because these will be seriously read by the people who need the help or simple want that information. When they do get something out of it, 9 cases out of 10 they will return for more, and in many cases, they will not forget where they got that information.

I like repeat customers in case you haven't guessed. They are a lot easier to maintain then the trow aways.

[sylviad]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

...I've seen people here swear that so-and-so produces top quality content, only to look at it and wonder if they've ever read anything more advanced than "Fun with Dick and Jane."

Yes, that comment will irritate some of the members. That doesn't make it any less true. This is not the proper market for a disciplined and talented wordsmith....
Paul

That is so true, Paul. I've read material that was produced by a few "top quality content" writers here and been amazed. Do these people create better quality work when it's being done for others? Are they just sloppy with their posts and their own site contents? More surprising was to see the prices they charge. Yet they are constantly recommended here.

Just because someone charges top dollar doesn't necessarily mean the price is justified.

Sylvia

[Rachel Goodchild]

Paul
I've said it before but shucks I love ya
I think we need to differentiate from all the dross that spins around - and yes much if it is barely readable, and a properly researched well written article
I both write and pay others to write- and I'd rather pay more for a better quality. My name's going on it, as is my reputation. I don't expect print quality but I do expect to feel proud of what I'm submitting under my name.

[tomw]

Paul,

whenever I have written anything remotely similar to your above post, all hell has broken loose! Well said, though. It seems to have been a day of "home truths," today.

Rachel,

How the devil are you? I haven't seen you here for ages! I saw you on TV some time ago but thought you may have then been whisked off into the sunset by one of your dates from the book!



Tom

[Paul Myers]

Steve thinks research is the big thing. I disagree.

We have a ton of people here who are (and some who think they are) good writers. As in, professional grade.

Let's find out who the pros really are. I'll hand you the research and the piece you have to compete with. Other than basic grammar and spell-checking, I did this one in a single pass, to illustrate a story-telling formula for a product. It's sold many, many thousands of dollars worth of hardware, based on direct feedback I've gotten from people who've read it.

Here's a chance to show off, folks, and you get to do it without fear of getting slammed for self-promotion (no links, though). Take as many or as few words as you like to give your own version.

Beat this, and you can charge real author's rates.

--------

This Will Kill Your Business, 5 Times Out Of 6


The lightning flashed, the lights flickered, and the nightmare
began. Before it was all finished, he gave my business one
chance in six of surviving.

Let me step back a bit.

I had just finished 3 days of work on a new report I was
planning to offer to the folks who visit my blog. It was 60
pages of some of the best stuff I've done in a long while, and
I was going over it one more time, to add a little "zing" to
the thing.

I was in the zone, and didn't really notice when it started
raining. When the lightning flashed, I didn't pay much
attention. Then the lights dimmed and my monitor winked out.

Hard to miss that.

I didn't get too excited, as I'd been saving my work as I went
along. I figured I might have lost 5 minutes or so of edits.

When the power came back on, I started the machine up.

I quickly found out just how wrong I was.

....

It might be better to say, "I turned the power on." My
computer refused to start. I tried going to Safe Mode, but it
didn't get that far into the boot-up.

I felt my heart drop into my stomach. My whole business was on
that machine.

I couldn't even think about what that meant. After the panic
settled down a bit, I called the only guy I know who I thought
could fix it. My buddy, Jim.

....

When Jim showed up, he took a look around my office and said,
before he even tried to start my computer, "Bill, you're in
trouble." Before I could ask why, he said, "Let's see if we can
fix the immediate problem first. What happened?"

He somehow got the machine to display a screen I'd never seen
before. He made some changes, popped a CD into the drive, and
restarted it. What came up on the monitor looked nothing like
my desktop.

"The good news is, your computer still works."

"And the bad news?," I asked. "Your hard drive may be fried,"
was the answer. "Do you make regular backups?"

I admitted that I didn't. He just shook his head, said, "Start
praying," and pulled out a box he'd brought with his laptop.
While he worked, I prayed. And sweated. And did a quick mental
inventory of all the things that were on that drive.

I prayed some more.

He took the drive out of my computer and hooked it up in the
box. He connected that to his laptop and started it up. After a
few minutes of doing things that I couldn't begin to
understand, he looked up and said, "Pray harder."

My heart started rolling around in my stomach. I thought I was
going to puke.

A few minutes later, Jim said, "This should work, but it's
going to take a while. You're buying lunch."

I didn't have much of an appetite at this point, but out we
went. Over lunch, Jim asked me some questions. Mostly about
what kinds of insurance I had, and whether I had investments
for retirement. When we added up the costs of those things, he
asked me one more question:

"Bill, is feeding your family a hobby?"

When I indignantly replied that it obviously wasn't, he said,
"Could have fooled me."

He launched into a lengthy explanation of the things that could
have caused my problem. Basically, they all boiled down to
power fluctuations, like those caused during a lightning storm
or a summer brownout. They could have destroyed any or all of
the components, along with whatever data was on the machine.
Along with that, a simple hard drive failure could wipe out all
my records and all my work.

Then he told me something that shocked me. "Bill, computers are
easy to replace and they get cheaper all the time. If that
strike wiped out your data without you having backups, though,
you have about one chance in six of still being in business in
two years."

From the look on my face, he could tell I didn't believe him.
Or maybe that I didn't want to believe him.

"Yeah, really," he said. "Roughly 85% of businesses that
suffer catastrophic data loss go out of business shortly
thereafter. Most fail within 2 years. Almost all serious data
loss is a result of power problems or hard drive crashes,
combined with a lack of current backups."

When he was finished, he said, "Come on. We're going shopping.
We still have plenty of time before we find out whether you
dodged a bullet."

As we walked out to my car, he casually asked, "By the way. If
you lost your business, how would you pay for all that
insurance you have to protect your family?"

Ouch. That hurt.

....

When we pulled up to the local computer store, Jim grabbed a
cart. I could tell this wasn't going to be a $20 fix.

We chatted about more casual things as Jim started loading
stuff into the cart. It wasn't as much as I expected, at first.
A USB thumb drive, a spindle of blank DVDs, and an external
hard drive. Those all fit in the child seat.

When we grabbed the last item, I realized why he'd gotten a
cart: The thing seemed to weigh as much as my computer, a
bowling ball, and the spare tire for my RV, all packed into one
medium-sized box.

We rolled up to the register and he said, "Pay the nice man,
Bill."

A little over $500 later, most of it for that mysterious
monstrosity he'd nearly strained himself moving, we were
headed home.

When we got back, he looked at his laptop and told me we had
some time yet. He started unpacking things, and then unplugged
my computer and monitor. As he set each item up, he told me
what it was for. He started with the big one.

"This," he said, "is called an uninterruptible power supply - a
UPS. It protects your computer and other components from power
fluctuations. Plug the sensitive stuff - your computer,
monitor, backup drive and cable modem, into these outlets here.
If your phone goes out when the power does, you might want to
plug that in here, too.

"It also acts as a battery backup unit. If the power goes out
completely, it will start beeping. From then, you'll have
anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes before whatever you have plugged
in has to be turned off. Depends on how much juice you're
drawing. My advice: As soon as this critter starts beeping,
save your work and power down.

"Your desk phone uses a lot less power than your PC and
monitor, so that will last longer if it's all that's running
off the battery. You can also plug your cell phone charger into
it to get juice for that in an emergency, as long as you don't
run the battery down with the computer itself.

"When we get your computer back up and running, I'll hook this
up so it automatically shuts down if the power goes out and
you're not at your desk.

"You could probably have gotten by with a cheaper one, but
there's no sense risking it. For this, you get the best you can
afford. The smaller units are okay, but they don't last as long
or give you quite the same protection. The last thing you want
to depend on is one of those stupid power strips that claim to
be surge protectors. They're almost as useless as nothing at
all.

"This will help protect your computer AND your data, both.

"Don't count on it completely, though. A UPS won't protect you
from drive crashes caused by other things, or viruses or simple
human error. You wouldn't be the first intelligent person to
accidentally wipe your computer."

The whole time he was talking, I was thinking to myself, "All
this trouble could have been prevented by plugging my computer
into one of those?" So I asked him just that question.

"Yep. Hell, as small as the fluctuation was, you could have
gotten by that time with one of the $49 units."

Ouch.

"I recommend replacing this at least every two years. Every
year is better. They're tough, but they do wear out."

While I pondered my own stupidity in not asking about this when
I got the machine, he started setting up the external hard
drive. "This," he said, "is for regular backups. You can do
those one of two ways. There's software with it that will do
regular updates to your backups at scheduled intervals.

"The plus side to that is that you don't have to think about
it. The down side is that it means you have to leave the unit
plugged in and turned on. As long as you have it plugged into
one of the outlets on your UPS that has battery backup, that
should be fine.

"The second way is to do backups manually. That's a bit of a
hassle, but it lets you unplug the thing completely when you're
not doing backups, which adds a bit of security. Plug it into
one of the battery outlets when you're doing backups, and the
only thing that's likely to mess up your data is if your house
catches fire. If that happens, you have more immediate things
to worry about.

"I do mine manually, but I have a routine for this stuff.
You're just not going to remember, so I recommend using the
automatic system. I'll set that up for you before I leave."

Okay, okay. You're right. I wouldn't remember. Could you be a
bit more diplomatic?

Then he pointed at the spindle of DVDs. "Those," he said "are
for off site backups. As soon as we get your computer working
again, we're going to make backups of every bit of important
data on the machine, on those disks. You're going to store them
somewhere away from your house. With a trusted friend, in a
safe deposit box, anywhere but here.

"That way, if your house should burn down, or something else
happen that ruined everything in your office, like a roof leak,
virus or human error, you'll still be covered.

"I'm going to set up a firewall and anti-virus software on
here, too. They're not guaranteed to stop everything, but
they'll cut the risks even more."

"How often you do new DVD backups will depend on how much your
data changes, and how bad it would be to lose it. I recommend
at least twice a month, and preferably once a week. This is for
the really important stuff. Stuff that would be very difficult
or very expensive to replace.

"You're going to have to remember that on your own. The
alternative to remembering is to get a second external hard
drive, just like the one you got today, and swap them out
weekly. Keep the one that's not connected somewhere else."

Okay. I'll have to think about that one. Where do I go every
week that I could store the off site one?

"The thumb drive is for very short term stuff, and really
critical files that change often. Like that report you told me
you were working on when things hit the fan. At the end of
every day, take your work in progress and copy it to the thumb
drive. When you've got it copied, unplug the drive and leave it
on your desk. That covers the stuff you do in between backups.

"Any questions?"

....

As Jim went back to his laptop to check the progress of
whatever he was doing with my old drive, I thought about what
he'd just said. If I hadn't just been through this, I would
have thought he was being paranoid.

Not any more. I don't ever want to have to go through this
again.

"Good news," Jim said. "Your prayers were answered. The drive
wasn't toasted. Just had a few files wiped out that I was able
to recover. Let's get that puppy hooked up and get you back to
business."

....

While he did that, and all through the time we were making my
initial backups, I kept thinking of what a close call this had
been, and what would have happened if that drive really had
been destroyed. Or if I hadn't had a friend who could fix it
for me.

Not a lot of people know someone like Jim.

I have backup housing, in the form of homeowner's insurance. I
have backup income for my family, through my health and life
insurance. Hell, we even have a backup car in the garage.

I thought I was smart. I thought I was covered. And yet,
something as simple as bad weather could have wiped out the
business that pays for all of that.

"Roughly 85% of businesses that suffer catastrophic data loss
fail within two years," he'd said.

All for the lack of $500 worth of hardware. Or, hell, just a
$50 battery and some blank DVDs.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. But never again.

Now, where do I store those off site backups?

[Rachel Goodchild]

I almost said the same thing to you before Tom!
I'm now doing a regular spot on the main Breakfast Show on here- doing relationship commentating. Things are going well- a little rebranding here- some more rebranding there...

how about you?

[Rachel Goodchild]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Steve thinks research is the big thing. I disagree.

We have a ton of people here who are (and some who think they are) good writers. As in, professional grade.

Let's find out who the pros really are. I'll hand you the research and the piece you have to compete with. Other than basic grammar and spell-checking, I did this one in a single pass, to illustrate a story-telling formula for a product. It's sold many, many thousands of dollars worth of hardware, based on direct feedback I've gotten from people who've read it.

Here's a chance to show off, folks, and you get to do it without fear of getting slammed for self-promotion (no links, though). Take as many or as few words as you like to give your own version.

Beat this, and you can charge real author's rates.

I predict silence....

[Paul Myers]

Sylvia,

Yeah. Price in some markets means nothing other than good marketing. Sad, but that's what happens when you have uninformed buyers...

Rachel,

I've said it before but shucks I love ya

... and I never tire of hearing it, ma'am.

Alas, you're in a far away land...

Tom,

Whenever I have written anything remotely similar to your above post, all hell has broken loose!

Be patient, sir. It still may.


Paul

[activetrader]

Originally Posted by James Seward

For those who can afford it, would you be willing to pay, say, $20, $30, $50 for an article?

I would pay it depending on what the articles are for. However the problem here is that what prevents a writer from re-selling and re-packaging articles I have paid for from later selling them as PLR in bulk to multiple buyers? This is one big problem. You can't trust someone you don't know. If you order articles on a forum, then you will never know where those articles will end up. You have to leverage your losses, so with paying $3-5/article you will just eat it and move on. But if you pay $20/article for an order of let's say 100 articles, that's $2,000 and you never know if those articles will be re-sold as PLR on multiple forums and posted all over the Internet.

Secondly, how do you know the quality you are getting before you get the final product? You leverage by paying less. If the quality is no good you just don't order from the same writer any more. But if you end up paying hundreds and thousands of dollars for a not up to par quality, than it's a loss or you have to re-write them yourself or hire somebody else to re-write them.

If I could find a quality writer with integrity I would not mind paying $20 per article.

[Paul Myers]

Rachel,

I predict silence....

Why? There are no doubt people here who can match or beat that. And even if they can't, it's a free shot to show off their skills for potential clients, with no penalty, as long as they only post their entry.

The good ones could make a lot of money with this, either way.

And I want to see who really believes in their skills.


Paul

[Bev Clement]

Paul,

I loved the article the first time I read it. Beat you, very difficult to do.

I have wondered for a long time whether the buyers saying "Top article" would actually know what a good article is.

Bev

[James Seward]

Originally Posted by activetrader

I would pay it depending on what the articles are for. However the problem here is that what prevents a writer from re-selling and re-packaging articles I have paid for from later selling them as PLR in bulk to multiple buyers? This is one big problem. You can't trust someone you don't know. If you order articles on a forum, then you will never know where those articles will end up. You have to leverage your losses, so with paying $3-5/article you will just eat it and move on. But if you pay $20/article for an order of let's say 100 articles, that's $2,000 and you never know if those articles will be re-sold as PLR on multiple forums and posted all over the Internet.

Secondly, how do you know the quality you are getting before you get the final product? You leverage by paying less. If the quality is no good you just don't order from the same writer any more. But if you end up paying hundreds and thousands of dollars for a not up to par quality, than it's a loss or you have to re-write them yourself or hire somebody else to re-write them.

If I could find a quality writer with integrity I would not mind paying $20 per article.

Good points!

You would have to sign some sort of agreement or just believe in the writer.

And you can test the writer, just get one article and see if you like it.

Thanks
James

[Rachel Goodchild]

Because I don't think many people could top it to be honest.
I write for top magazines as my job- and find that what people think it good writing on here is nothing I'd consider as notes somewhere else.
I have a personal love of storytelling as a style that sells. I use it myself in articles, and enjoy it. My favourite was when I managed to tie in a childhood memory of dancing to Abba on couches with an interview I did with Colin Firth. That was fun

[Rachel Goodchild]

i've never done that. I will tell the people I work for if I've written on that topic in the past, and if I plan to use the same topic in the future I re research it.
That's what "real" writers do. They aren't thieves.

[Paul Myers]

Bev,

Beat you, very difficult to do.

They don't have to beat that piece, although I'm sure there are people here who could do it. This is a chance for the writers in the place to show what they've got. It could be a 350 word data piece, a press release for a backup firm...anything that shows real skill and that a serious business would pay to use to promote their products.

I have wondered for a long time whether the buyers saying "Top article" would actually know what a good article is.

Most of them wouldn't have a clue. Some do, but they're using the phrase in a context that's different than you and I would.


Paul

[Paul Myers]

Rachel,

Because I don't think many people could top it to be honest.

Sure they can. Just apply a different spin or style.

Want to have some fun? Put a romantic spin onto that same theme. And yes, it is possible...


Paul

[danalingga]

Depend on the quality of the article of course. If the article i think give some viral affect, surely i do not have any issue to pay it for $20 or more.

[Paul Myers]

Want to have some fun? Put a romantic spin onto that same theme. And yes, it is possible...

Hint: Think Cyrano, Roxanne, and whatsisname.


Paul

[Rachel Goodchild]

I've got a deadline to meet- but I'm going to give it a shot for FUN . Meanwhile I thought I might add one of my personal all time favourites- this is a press release I wrote that had a very good response from media peeps who normally just bin press releases. It shows you why it is important to break out of the "formula" mold:

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION

Yeah we know that that goes against the official Press Release creed, but it's true! We want to give you some breaking information, but it's not to be leaked out to just anyone. Want to share it over a coffee with the guy who sits opposite? Sure!. But that 'eye candy' propping up the bar on Friday night? Nah uh!

Suna Pilates has been involved in helping creatives and media types feel good about their bodies since we first opened the doors to our large studio in Takapuna eight years ago.

We've had television presenters, editors, journalists, cameramen and PR specialists on our books all experiencing just how good it feels to:
Improve core strength
Correct Posture
Resolve recurring injuries
Have a full body work out (and break a sweat)
Improve the way your body looks
Release stress


So What's the Deal?
First: a free intro session. But you know, we tend to give those away all the time so…
If you like us after that, you get a super cheap deal!

We'll sign you up for our APT (Abs, Posture, Tone) plan, which gives you unlimited pilates, for just $20 per week. (Normally $25 per week)
To ensure you feel confident going into these classes we'll five you two FREE starter classes (normal value: $65)

All you need to do is phone us for an initial introductory session. We'll take it from there.
Call us on XXX to schedule your place, and get your body on the right track.
From the team at Suna

*There is of course a very pragmatic reason we're offering you bunch this great deal. Let's face it, media people do tend to have big mouths.(Heck, the person writing this release is possibly the very worst!) If you love us, and we know you will, you'll tell others about how cool Suna is. We'd be pretty happy about that!

P.S We'll be offering the discounted APT rate as an ongoing special rate to anyone in the media or PR industry. But our free introductory sessions are a limited offer. Take advantage of this very special offer by November the 20th. Just ring Suna to book your introductory session on XXXX

[Bill Farnham]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Sure they can. Just apply a different spin or style.

Paul,

What spinner would you suggest to compete with your writing style?

I put your piece into my article spinner and I just got an email from the Maytag repair guy telling me to "knock it off".

I told him to get with the program, that's why I bought the machine in the first place...

KJ

[Paul Myers]

A press release targeted at a media-maker's market. THAT is clever!

Tip o' the Stetson to you, ma'am!


Paul