Charity shops...content gold mine...EH????

12 years ago

Hey Phil! We have those kind of shops over here, but they come in two varieties: pawn shops and thrift stores. (Charity has a slightly negative connotation for us, depending on the circles it's used in.)

They're also pretty good places for a budding eBay/Craiglist entrepreneur to pick up inventory as it is dirt cheap and can be resold quickly.

-- j

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phil.wheatley

12 years ago

Originally Posted by JaRyCu

Hey Phil! We have those kind of shops over here, but they come in two varieties: pawn shops and thrift stores. (Charity has a slightly negative connotation for us, depending on the circles it's used in.)

-- j

Ah, I see, I guess any shop or place that sells 2nd hand stuff is good. Car boot sales also probably.

Cheers
Phil

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fin 12 years ago

You can't rewrite books.

It's called STEALING.

We aren't Scam artists, though I understand why people feel that way.
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- phil.wheatley 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by fin
  
  You can't rewrite books.
  
  It's called STEALING.
  
  We aren't Scam artists, though I understand why people feel that way.
  
  I think you've misunderstood what I'm saying. If you think about it, the information written in the book wasn't original either, he/she would have researched it from somewhere else, quite often at least. You would use the topic in the book to get the idea, to learn about that topic and then re-write it in your own words.
  
  Well, either way, take it or leave it
  
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wblake37

12 years ago

great ideas!

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carrot

12 years ago

I live in a small boutique suffolk costal town. Someone left a pair of jimmy choos at an oxfam! Oxfam are hot on this though, and sold them in their retro London store, but it made the news!

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JohnBrenner

12 years ago

Thanks for sharing.

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Steve Faber

12 years ago

It's is stealing if you copy it. If you completely rewrite it, it's called inspiration.

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phil.wheatley 12 years ago

Originally Posted by Steve Faber

It's is stealing if you copy it. If you completely rewrite it, it's called inspiration.

Thanks Steve, at least some people "Get it".
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- PaulMcGregor 12 years ago
  
  Phil this is a GREAT idea. I'm a huge fan of Charity shops, my family laugh. I've been buying clothing from charity shops for a while now and selling online. Never thought about this idea, will defiantly implement it!
  
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mosthost

12 years ago

The content you write will be about as valuable as an out of print book.

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phil.wheatley

12 years ago

Originally Posted by mosthost

The content you write will be about as valuable as an out of print book.

So, if the topic is on dating, you really think that will be massively different in 5 years time?

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TheArticlePros

12 years ago

Originally Posted by phil.wheatley

So, if the topic is on dating, you really think that will be massively different in 5 years time?

If the topic is dating, I will take ALL the advice I can get as I have massively flopped in that department.

I know what Phil's saying here -- find books on topics that are not bound to change that much. For example, once you know how to plant a tomato or make a chicken coop, that's not going to change. Chicken coops today are still made with bailing wire, nails, and wood, just like they were decades ago.

And Fin, I'm going to disagree with you here. Getting a book from a pawn shop is no different than getting one from a library or reading articles from Google news. You're doing the research before you start writing. Unless it's something you have implicitly done all the work on yourself (like building a car from scratch with no guides or help from anyone else), you are using borrowed knowledge and rewording it into something you think your audience can use.

-- j

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phil.wheatley

12 years ago

Originally Posted by JaRyCu

If the topic is dating, I will take ALL the advice I can get as I have massively flopped in that department.

I know what Phil's saying here -- find books on topics that are not bound to change that much. For example, once you know how to plant a tomato or make a chicken coop, that's not going to change. Chicken coops today are still made with bailing wire, nails, and wood, just like they were decades ago.

And Fin, I'm going to disagree with you here. Getting a book from a pawn shop is no different than getting one from a library or reading articles from Google news. You're doing the research before you start writing. Unless it's something you have implicitly done all the work on yourself (like building a car from scratch with no guides or help from anyone else), you are using borrowed knowledge and rewording it into something you think your audience can use.

-- j

J, thank goodness there are people like you on this forum, restoring faith in the fact there ARE people who understand the concept you are trying to get across. People like you are the ones who take an 'idea' and then just run with it. Others just try and find a reason why it won't work, and normally prove themselves right.

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mosthost

12 years ago

Originally Posted by phil.wheatley

J, thank goodness there are people like you on this forum, restoring faith in the fact there ARE people who understand the concept you are trying to get across. People like you are the ones who take an 'idea' and then just run with it. Others just try and find a reason why it won't work, and normally prove themselves right.

I get what you're saying, Phil. And I don't see anything wrong with it. Let's face facts: most information is hardly what anyone can call 'unique.' If you're thinking of it, chances are someone has already written it down before.

As the old saying goes, if you copy from one source you're a plagiarist but if you copy from many you're a researcher

Still, you have to try and add a little something to the mix. Maybe rewrite the articles based on a tangential point or something.

Then you can spin those derivative articles and link back to your new pages, etc etc. Break out the Dragon Naturally Speaking and write some off the top posts. etc.

After all, 99.9% of all web content really is pretty weak.

I think your method can result in unlimited articles if done consistently.

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phil.wheatley 12 years ago

Originally Posted by mosthost

After all, 99.9% of all web content really is pretty weak.

I think your method can result in unlimited articles if done consistently.

Yeah, you're right, so much of the information out there is plain fluff, it doesn't really solve the problem they are trying to address. This is normally what happens when people want to pay $5 for an article, you normally get something that is dribble, like "lots of people are trying to lose weight these days"...stuff like that.

Sometimes, I just like to use books to get an idea about what to write, but as you said, it still requires some research and need to put your own spin on it...not to be confused with spinning the article of course lol

Cheers
Phil
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Tangycontent

12 years ago

Originally Posted by mosthost

After all, 99.9% of all web content really is pretty weak.

I think your method can result in unlimited articles if done consistently.

His method... did you mean "research"? I also got a kick out of your claim that 99.9% of web content is "pretty weak". Now of course you haven't personally seen 1/100,000th of 1% of all web content, so I'll assume you mean "all web content that I read is really pretty weak."

In which case: I would suggest you start reading more informative stuff online!

Anyway, OP: sounds like you had fun at the thrift shop. Congrats

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phil.wheatley

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Tangycontent

His method... did you mean "research"? I also got a kick out of your claim that 99.9% of web content is "pretty weak". Now of course you haven't personally seen 1/100,000th of 1% of all web content, so I'll assume you mean "all web content that I read is really pretty weak."

In which case: I would suggest you start reading more informative stuff online!

Anyway, OP: sounds like you had fun at the thrift shop. Congrats

haha, yeah, I'm a sucker for buying stuff just because it is so cheap, I have to stop myself walking in there otherwise I walk out with a load of (musty smelling) stuff lol. p.s Your avatar is funny as hell!

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theimdude 12 years ago

Originally Posted by phil.wheatley

So, if the topic is on dating, you really think that will be massively different in 5 years time?

Very good reply thanks for the info as I am no good at writing and will be doing some shopping soon. We call them community shops or charity shops here and a few of them have some real old books that might even be public domain. Time to dust off my dragon and get it working for me
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Dinospider

Banned 12 years ago

Those charity shops as you've said are great for content, but i reckon you could easily find some hidden golden niches as well.

Imagine how many untapped niches you could find in these old books. There must be thousands that could be found.

Think i'm off to charity shop tomorrow morning.

In fact the library might also be worth a check!

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kingleo101

12 years ago

Great post,thanks for sharing

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cashp0wer

12 years ago

We have a few thrift stores in my area but I've never even visited one of them. My wife probably has though. Interesting idea, however. I do understand you are not actually copying the book but using it for inspiration. No problem there!

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fin

12 years ago

@JaRyCu

You can disagree with me all you want, but if this doesn't sound like stealing:

you could basically read a passage and re-write it in your own words, and there's your content, which was originally written and researched by an expert.

I don't know what does. Maybe the OP just worded it wrong, because obviously there's nothing wrong with taking ideas from a book.

Can you imagine if everyone just went through a book, paragraph by paragraph and wrote it in their own words, lol.

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TheArticlePros

12 years ago

Originally Posted by fin

@JaRyCu

You can disagree with me all you want, but if this doesn't sound like stealing:

you could basically read a passage and re-write it in your own words, and there's your content, which was originally written and researched by an expert.

I don't know what does. Maybe the OP just worded it wrong, because obviously there's nothing wrong with taking ideas from a book.

Can you imagine if everyone just went through a book, paragraph by paragraph and wrote it in their own words, lol.

You're right Fin. 100% right actually with this explanation. When I read it, my brain went the other way with it (as you can tell from my post) and I assumed he meant what I wanted it to mean, not the way that you took it. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, especially when the overall tone of the OP was to help others.

I see where you took it differently, though. That'll teach me to assume something, huh? LOL

-- j

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fin

12 years ago

Originally Posted by JaRyCu

You're right Fin. 100% right actually with this explanation. When I read it, my brain went the other way with it (as you can tell from my post) and I assumed he meant what I wanted it to mean, not the way that you took it. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, especially when the overall tone of the OP was to help others.

I see where you took it differently, though. That'll teach me to assume something, huh? LOL

-- j

Yeah, I reckon the OP wasn't meaning to copy a book exactly as written, but I just wanted to bring it up because it sounded like that.

Lots of people probably don't know this isn't allowed if you change the words.

Can you imagine someone wanting to make a name for themselves in their niche and people realize the information is just the same as what they've read in a book last week.

They probably wouldn't get far in the niche.

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michaeljcheney

12 years ago

Phil - props for this one, love to hear of new wacky methods for niche-selection and content-creation. Yes I can definitely see how this works and gets out of the Google searching trap that a lot of people fall into. Good stuff.

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fluffythewondercat 12 years ago

I love UK charity shops. I bought a ton of stuff at a shop in Hammersmith some years ago, including a full set of Indian Tree china. Probably pretty plebeian goods if you live there, but exotic to me.

The thing about the UK and books is that there are very different non-fiction books from what you'll find in the U.S. I go crazy buying books when I go over there because there's no import duty on books.

Where I think the OP got into a bit of trouble was that he started out suggesting a charity shop is a "content gold mine." That definitely does not sound like research to me; that sounds like repurposing a book as content for your own site. If you were just talking about research, an ordinary library would be just as much of a "gold mine", no?

There's always been a fine line between research and plagiarism, which is why it pays to be very clear about what you're suggesting.

fLufF
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dudeontheweb

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Chris Kent

Charity shops are great but if all you want to do is rewrite content why not go to a library instead? More books and free to borrow too.

Because I have found books at the thrift store and yard sales that you would never see at the library. I bought Don Lapre's making money system at a yard sale for a buck years ago.

So I say use both.

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textbroker

12 years ago

I think thrift/charity stores are a content goldmine, but not just by picking up books for pennies. There are usually some strange things that can inspire the next take on a common theme. Maybe that 1970s Mickey Mouse shirt leads to a post on updating your brand to reflect your company. Or the old rotary telephone inspires a post on the basics of communication. Don't limit yourself to books!
We have a Goodwill store opening across the street from our office soon, so I'll have inspiration right next door.

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Charity shops...content gold mine...EH????

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