Interestingly, any one can sign up and become an associated content writer. No skills or qualifications required. http://www.associatedcontent.com/company_info.shtml My guess is Julia Bodeeb is a stay at home Mom who has rarely left her State, never used her degree in any sort of formal employment and quite happy with the $15 or so she got paid for the article. The problem is people believe it.
You are so right about that, Steve. Here is a brief description from a great freelance writing site about AC: A lot of writers get their start through sites such as Associated Content. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with starting out with AC, but I do know of a couple of issues - maybe A.C. writers can help fill in the blanks here as I’ve never actually written for them. The first is that AC accepts everyone who applies. While this is good news for amateur writers, it also has a reputation for publishing typo-laden articles, many of which are factually incorrect. I remember a a few months back there was an issue on a Work at Home Mom forum because an AC writer came to the forum and asked "How much time do you spend working each day?" After a multitude of moms posted their responses the same writer wrote an article at AC about how work at home moms neglect their kids because they spend so many hours working. This writer never asked us when we work, what are kids are doing or anything else that may have indicated neglect, she only asked us how many hours we work. This type of bogus reporting wouldn’t fly with most reputable content sites. Because AC isn’t very selective, I know of several editors who won’t accept AC articles as clips, either, but that’s not the norm. My other issue with AC is the low pay. While I’ve heard of a couple of writers getting $15 or $20 per article, the majority of writers I spoke with earn an average of $3 for accepted posts. Kind of low. I understand they do offer traffic bonuses now, however. Source: freelancewritinggigs.com But guess where the $$$ comes in! Page views! She must be banking off of us right now!
I think she should stick to writing articles about things she knows: The Penny Jar: An Old Fashioned Method of Saving Tips to Add Flavor to Hot Cocoa Six Reasons to Shop at a Flea Market These topics seem to be more on her level of expertise
Your right Zackman! She should stick to writing about saving pennies in jar and how to add zest to a dorm room...What was she thinking??? I think her career as a writer is still a "childhood dream" and it's time to move on!
Well before I was just annoyed with this woman, now I'm getting a bit ticked off due to her latest comment that reeks of xenophobia and racism. Julia Bodeeb:"Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Enjoy your vacation. Try not to worry about the bad undertown (sic), the rapes, the friendly folks with 13 tattoos and so on." (my response) With that Julia, it has become apparent that you have an agenda and the supposed opinion is actually an intended xenophobic shot at Mexico and Mexicans masquerading as an attempt at a news worthy article. Shame on you... Changes in attitudes, changes in latitudes...
I just posted a blog entry that was inspired by this thread and the controversy about Cancun's safety for tourists. I decided not to bring up Julia Bodeeb's irresponsible article in my post directly because my post was already getting long, but I did counter her distorted view. Is Cancun Safe for Tourists? http://www.hiddencancun.com/rivergirl/2009/02/09/is-cancun-safe-for-tourists/ or http://tinyurl.com/cmafn2
Lets see how long my comment lasts on her story. Julia, Maybe I should change my plans and book a vacation to your lovely crime free State. Gonzo From Student-voices.org Gang problems A Star-Ledger story about the problems of violence affecting students in Newark said gangs are represented in 57 of the city’s elementary, middle and high schools, according to unnamed school officials. The story also mentioned streets that are off-limits because they are controlled by gangs and said students get into fights to impress others and join gangs. Nearly 700 gangs around New Jersey have almost 17,000 members, according to the 2004 State Police Gang Bureau survey. About 17 percent of all Garden State murders involved gang members.
Well written and well said RiverGirl. Thank you for your time in defending my favorite paradise. Right now, 11 days seems like an eternity until I get there.
