I just found a group on Facebook called Content Mill Writers Unite, and it again reminded me again how the old fashioned print writers tend to look down on those of us who freelance online. Once again, I’m ticked off.
I went back to school 12 years ago and earned an AA in Multimedia and Interactive Technology, a fancy name for webmaster. That was before the wonderful template packages that set up beautiful websites with click and drag.
In addition to learning too many computer programming languages, the degree requirements included art, photography, digital photography, graphics, journalism, creative writing, web writing and presentation layout and marketing.
One of the best things I learned was the difference between writing for print and writing online content. It makes me wonder if labeling freelance online writers as content mill writers is just a lashing out of former print writers facing dwindling print opportunities and having a hard time making the transition to the Internet.
When writing for print, you have to write a thorough yet concise article with word limitations of 1,000 to 1,500 words. The limit on words is a challenge for the writing for print writer. Our words are crafted to bring enlightenment to readers we imagine relaxing with a beverage, feet raised, enjoying the rhythm of our sentences and the creative way we present our information. Cutting any of the magic from our work to meet the 1,500, or yikes, 1,000 word limit of our piece of genius is like cutting the baby curls from the head of our first born child.
Writers of online content have to write a thorough yet concise article with word limitations of 350 to 600 words. We know our audience usually isn’t reading for pleasure, but searching for information and demanding it in a hurry.
Print publication are usually on a monthly basis with assignments listed at least three months in advance. This gives the writer for print plenty of time to form ideas and study them from different angles. I often pictured my assignments as a sphere I could hold in my hands, rotating it and letting the light and shadows play across the surface until a picture of the way I would write the article suddenly appeared. The deadline for the print article was weeks away, giving me the time my muse demanded.
Writers of online content publish seven to 20 times a day in order to be successful. If we’re lucky, we have a list of titles on the to do list for the next day before we go to bed, giving us time to think about how we will write each article as we toss and turn, wondering why we can’t go to sleep.
A print magazine has an art department who will lay out the article according to the needs of the pages it will occupy. If there is an empty spot on the page, a box with an important article point, a related piece of artwork or a sidebar with an overview will magically appear to surprise and delight the writer when the tear sheets arrive.
An online writer has to write the article with layout in mind, remembering to use white space to make it easier for the reader to follow on the computer screen. We also have to search out and credit appropriate art work to accompany the article, format the piece presentation style and write an overview of approximately 300 to 500 characters to convince our potential readers that our article has the information they are looking for.
A print magazine has marketing, advertising and circulation departments. Freelancers don’t have to be told that these jobs now belong to them. Self Promotion is a major part of the freelancers day.
I’ve gone over my word limit. I guess it’s not a good article. But then, I’m just a content mill writer.
Please share your thoughts.
All written content 2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.
2 comments:
I agree with everything you said. I have a degree in horticulture which does me no good IRL because local garden centers are being run out of business by big box stores. My business management degree does me no good because no one respects the two years I spent getting it. I just have to do what I do and hope someone appreciates it.
We are not JUST anything. But when it comes to explaining to people who aren't in the world of freelance writing it seems as if we don't have any true goal or aim because we have so many different positions, levels of education and skills that we throw into the mix. People often ask me why I identify myself as a freelance writer instead of a property manager when I have gone to school for property management and small business management. My answer is because writing is what pays the bills. That title doesn't keep a roof over my head.
Post a Comment