I am please to present another interview with a successful freelance writer active on Constant Content. Hayley Writer (her pen name) is on the Expertise Groups list for selling lots of articles on topics ranging from Dating to Computers. Maybe she even writes about dating computers … I don’t know. Hayley has a special mission to help new authors succeed so without further ado, here is Hayley:
Q: Hi Hayley, can you tell us a little about yourself?
A: I’m an Australian writer, based in beautiful Sydney. I have a degree in journalism, but after a few years working as a journalist, I decided that the long hours and low pay were not for me. I’ve since worked as a marketing manager, a technical writer, and a trainer. Just recently, I left my job as a full-time training and compliance coordinator at the airport to work full-time as a freelance writer. For the past three or so years, I have been writing part-time – almost as a hobby, but the career is definitely taking off. I was looking for a way to use my writing skills again, without having to be a journalist full-time, when I stumbled across Constant Content. This is a great site for me because I can write about what I want to write about, when I want to write, and I get paid well. I usually sell articles there for between $40 and $120 US, so it is a good income for the time I spend on it.
Q: What got you interested in writing as a career?
A: Hmmm – it’s hard to know exactly. I’ve always been a reader and I love words. I was good at English at school and in Year 9, my English teacher made us write a novella with chapters, illustrations, everything. I put my heart and soul into the project and loved it. When I was first looking for a career, I knew I didn’t want just a single type of job – I get easily bored. When I was little, people would ask: Do you want to be a doctor, a lawyer, a policewoman, a fire fighter, etc? My answer was: all of them! Becoming a journalist seemed like the logical answer – I couldn’t specialise in all those careers, but at least I could interview people from every spectrum in society! Now, I look at writing as a way to express myself and I love it! I enjoy the freedom of being able to write when I want to and love the creativity that comes with finding just the right word to express the depth of my feelings on the topic.
Q: Tell me about your Expanding Creations site. What are your goals for the site?
A: I started the Expanding Creations website mainly to help other writers. There is such a large market for writers who can write for the internet, as almost every business that has a website needs fresh articles on a regular basis to draw traffic to the website. I have several sections on the website including Articles (on writing), Interviews with Writers and a page about my ebook: Sales Success on Constant Content. These are all resources for writers to encourage, inspire, and unite writers from around the world.
I also have a free weekly newsletter that anyone can sign up for too. As I was moving into the full-time freelance writing, I realised I would need to advertise my services for some supplementary income (besides Constant Content), so I set up the Hire a Writer page. Because I want to encourage and mentor other writers, I have allowed writers to advertise with a profile on that page too. I also want to combine my training experience with my writing skills, so I have set up two types of training for writers: one online training course and I am currently designing a face-to-face workshop for small business owners who need to write articles or at least know what to order from a writer! Eventually, I am hoping the website generates a passive income for me, while reaching out and helping people who want to break into the lucrative career as a writer.
Q: Looking around your site, I noticed you have some interesting new projects coming online. Tell me about the writing course you developed.
A: I am excited about the direction the website is heading in. Originally, it was an outlet to sell my ebook, but it has become so much more now. People who bought my ebook have started selling articles on Constant Content and have been asking me many questions via email about writing the articles that sell. It seemed to be the next logical step to use my own knowledge and experience of training, plus my knowledge and experience as a writer, to help others. The online course How to Write a Winning Article is a six week course delivered via email – one module a week. It combines useful information with practical exercises to give anyone the skills to start a career as an article writer. Included in the price is the opportunity to submit 6 articles for proofreading and constructive criticism to help new writers improve. I’ve always found feedback an important part of the learning experience.
Q: We met through Constant Content where you are a well established successful content writer. Why have you focused so much time on Constant Content?
A: I looked around at other sites accepting articles, such as ezine, Helium, etc. I did the maths and realised I would not make money by writing there. Then, I found Constant Content. I love the site for many reasons: there is a great community of writers who help each other out in the community forums, you can set your own price on the articles, you can write when you like, and you can respond to public requests or write articles on topics that interest you. There is so much freedom to write decent articles that top websites and magazines want and are willing to pay good rates for that CC really works. I found it convenient when I was writing part-time, and now I have several regular clients on that site. It is also one of the few sites that has a strong editor who rejects low quality work. I love that I have to work hard on the articles and appreciate the rejections that help me to improve as an author. Constant Content aims at the high end of the market for customers, so the quality standards are appropriate to encourage the customers to pay more for the articles. In the end, everyone wins.
Q: I’ve seen Constant Content called the “holy grail” of online writing because it pays so well but it can be hard to break in. I know you have helped quite a few writers navigate Constant Content standards and start earning a living as an online writer. What resources have you created to help others become successful at Constant-Content.com?
A: Many writers start at Constant Content thinking it will be easy. Some have had articles accepted by other sites and think that there should be no problem in getting accepted at Constant Content. However, the standards are much stricter than other article writing sites. That is not to say it is impossible, but you do have to spend more time proofreading your articles than when you write for ezines or Helium. My ebook “Sales Success on Constant Content” helps new writers understand the submission guidelines, explains how the site works, and explains my system to make money on the site. I’ve had positive feedback from many of the people who have bought the ebook and many people are sending me emails that say “I sold an article today!”. That is so encouraging.
Q: Any other words of advice for success as a freelance online writer?
A: Look at your writing as a craft (one that takes a lifetime to perfect) rather than as a means to an end. Yes, you will make money writing online, but you may need to take some time learning tricks of the trade to be really successful. Writing for online publication is different than writing for other publications, so you have to learn the differences. Look for resources that will help you to learn, join with other writers in community forums for help (such as Constant Content or Newbie Writers) and enjoy the freedom of writing what and when you want to write.
Thank you Hayley for answer my questions so quickly and all the best in your freelance career. The new writers course sounds fantastic. You can read more about Hayley on her Expanding Creations site.
If you want to know more about Constant Content check out these previous posts on Innovative Passive Income:
A Constant Content Success Story (interview with writer Celeste Stewart)
Constant Success (about the site Constant Content)
Constant-Content.com Helps Writers Again (new features released)
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Jade, great interview. I didn’t know anything about Constant Content. I’ll be sure to check it out.
I’m a bit confused about the paying model however: “..you can set your own price on the articles, you can write when you like, and you can respond to public requests or write articles on topics that interest you.”
How do you set your own price? How do you get paid? I’ll head on over CC.
Great Moon. Basically Constant Content is a consignment store for your work. You can write about pretty much anything you like*. You upload your article for review and you put your own prices on it for Usage, Unique and Full Rights and state if you will allow best offers. Customer comes along to review and buy your articles. If they buy CC accepts the payment and pays you 65% of your sales next month.
You can also change your prices anytime you like. Pricing is an art. Some categories are worth more and some less. A well researched piece that is easy to monetize for the buyer is worth more than something everyone knows about and is hard to make money off of.
Some customers come in and do “Public Requests” you can have emailed to you (or just look at the active list). There were a bunch of requests for dating site articles recently for example. If you want to write for the request you just write it, submit it, price it and hope it sells. If that customer decides not to buy your work it is no problem. Your article goes into the general pool for anyone to buy.
* excluding a few things. They don’t accept poetry, first person narrative, and a couple other things – because that stuff doesn’t sell.
Great interview! I like that cc has strict editing, I will be checking this site out for sure.
Strict but very very fair and logical. There is only one editor (Ed) so you soon know what he expects. Proper spelling and grammar for one. Don’t miss words. I 100% understand every rejection and Ed tells you what you did wrong. Great support in the forums too. No one will fight with you there.
great post as usual!