A Demand Studios – Oops?
Recently I’ve received various comments to my recent post Demand Studios is a Keeper expressing some frustration and dissatisfaction with them lately.
I started with Demand Studios about 2 months ago and was relatively pleased with them. After all, $15 a shot for a quick article isn’t too bad considering some of the low prices people are offering for content.
Things were going along swimmingly for a little while. I would write a couple of articles, get them approved and receive payment by the end of the week. All was going well and then suddenly, it seems like someone poured sludge into operating system. Written articles sat awaiting approval for an extended period of time, weekly payment didn’t quite match the article count and bookkeeping became a little sloppy.
After this slow down, I too decided to slow down. I stopped writing as many articles as it was frustrating waiting to see if the articles were going to be approved and even more frustrating when payment was slow. Just one e-mail from Demand Studios explaining the problem would probably put a lot of the writers at ease. Since that didn’t come, I chalked it up to internal database problems and decided to work on some of my other projects.
Interestingly enough, last night I received this e-mail from Demand Studios:
Dear Demand Studios Contributor,
In June, Demand Studios experienced some technical difficulties that may have resulted in moderate to significant data loss in your articles. While we know this problem resulted in the complete loss of some articles and many others having to be rewritten, we are unable to identify exactly who and what was affected. The problem has since been resolved.
In order to compensate you for this inconvenience, we will be issuing you a one-time bonus payment of $15, courtesy of Demand Studios. We understand that this may not completely cover the loss you encountered, but we hope you accept this payment with our sincere apologies. The payment will be posted to your PayPal account today.
We thank you for your patience as we continue to improve Demand Studios. Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Sincerely,
The Demand Studios Team
Well, I guess a little notice after the fact is better than no notice at all. In view of this mishap, I’ve decided to better track my Demand Studio writings on a spreadsheet. Although I was not one of the writers who suffered a loss, I’d rather be able to recompile my article information rather than guess.
Lesson learned. Always know the status of your bacon (or tofu for vegans).
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Thanks Sarah for your comment and insight into the Demand Studios editing process.
It seems that the writers and editors are ...
I've also just recently started as a copy editor for Demand Studios. I'm going to agree with Ken on pretty ...
Hi Felicia,
Your words continue to encourage and inspire.. This being my second month at writing for residual income sites, ...
Comment by Misha Safranski (2 comments.) on 7 August 2008:
The Demand Studio website was undergoing some changes during this period of time, and there were some technical glitches. Things have been straightened out for the most part, and they are adding new features/article types. There is no set day for review, so it’s wise to write as many as you can and submit them ASAP. It’s also wise to write everything in a word processor, just in case. Articles that are approved by Wednesday at 5pm Pacific Time are paid out that Friday. HTH!
Comment by Misha Safranski (2 comments.) on 7 August 2008:
One other note, there is a yahoogroup for Demand Studio writers – DSWriters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Misha Safranskis last blog post..Things heard out of the 13 year old’s mouth…
Comment by Felicia on 8 August 2008:
Thanks for the info Misha,
I didn’t know about the Yahoogroup for Demand Studio writers. That’s good to know. I’ll check it out.
Comment by Nancy (1 comments.) on 19 August 2008:
Not wild for Demand Studios any longer. I applied a few weeks ago, got accepted and wrote two initial articles for them under the “How To…” portion. They were immediately accepted and I chose two more articles. My internet promptly went down for a week and I missed the deadlines. Following that, I chose another article under the “How To…” and submitted it. I did this one the EXACT SAME WAY I did the other two and it was sent back for revision in less than ten minutes, saying the format was incorrect. Befuddled, I wasn’t sure what to change. I tried messaging the “editor” as to what to change, given the other two I had done were done in the same way, same format. The response was to deny the article entirely and now all that’s offered is really crappy assignments that no one wants, like, “How To Make a Vaccuum Bra”.
I’m done with Demand Studios.
Nancys last blog post..A perfect example of the "Precious Darling Syndrome"
Comment by Felicia on 19 August 2008:
Oh no, not the dreaded “Vaccuum Bra” article!
Lately there have been quite a few changes at Demand Studios. I notice that they are taking quite a bit longer to review articles and they don’t pay as timely as they had originally.
I currently have about 9 articles awaiting approval. I understand your frustration. It seems that they’ve hired a bunch of new editors that might be the reason for the change in format issue.
I’ve found lately that I do better by suggesting my own titles. I’d rather write about anything than to have to write about the “vacuum bra.”
Comment by JS on 26 August 2008:
I applied to Demand Studios as a writer many months ago. Then on 8/4/08 I got my first email from them “re-inviting” me to join even though I’d never been invited in the first place. Still I went to log in and get started but they hadn’t bothered giving me a password.
I requested one, waited 24 hours and still didn’t have one so I emailed tech support. I got a password on 8/7/08, logged in and suggested 5 new How To article titles. I eagerly awaited an email from them and didn’t receive anything. After 2 weeks I noticed that 4 of the articles had been approved on 8/7/08, almost immediately; however, they never had bothered telling me this. The articles weren’t clickable even though they were still marked “approved,” and tech support went through 3 days of telling me first one thing and then another, (first it was “a bug” in their system).
Finally, without really checking, Demand Studios insisted that their emails to me “must be” in my spam folder (they’re not, they never were, I checked regularly), and that I would have received 2 emails per article in total, one confirming their approval and one warning me they’re about to expire. Their tech support person is now resorting to absurd, smart-alecky remarks like “Because you didn’t see them in your spam folder…” despite my stating and restating that that’s not the case.
Clearly they’re trying to cover their butts and admit no error. I’ve requested that they resend the emails to me with full headers showing when and where they sent them, and have also requested the email address of this tech support person’s supervisor. No response yet.
They also suggested that it was “likely” that my articles had been picked up by another writer now and so why don’t I just make up some other things to write about. Likely, or *definitely*? Hey, this is $90 we’re talking about. Demand Studios still have not given me a straight answer.
The way I see it Demand Studios owes me $90 for lost wages, or they need to re-approve the articles so I can write them, or they need to prove that the lost emails are somehow my fault (even though I’ve received all other correspondence from them and have never had anything from them go into my spam folder). If none of that happens I’m filing a complaint against them with the BBB and also filing a case in small claims court in their home city of Bellevue, WA.
It’s been one thing after another with this company. They’ve already left a sour taste in my mouth and I haven’t even started work for them yet. If anything changes I’ll come back here and let you know how it concludes.
Good luck, folks, and watch your backs.
Comment by JS on 26 August 2008:
(Oops, make that $60; still, you get the point. I want my dough.)
Comment by Felicia on 27 August 2008:
Woah!
Sorry to hear about your troubles with Demand Studios. Although I’ve had a few hiccups with them, it’s been nothing to that extent.
It sounds like there was an e-mail mix up.
As far as suing them, you’re probably going to waste more time and energy and aggravation than its worth. I know you’re frustrated with the situation, and understandably so, but I would suggest that you spend your time making money elsewhere.
Don’t let Demand Studios upset your ‘creative writing Chi.’
Which ever way you decided to handle it, please come back and let us know what happened.
Good Luck.
Felicia
Comment by Joe Wappel on 10 September 2008:
Hello All
I’ve been just been invited to join Demand Studio. ANy problems with sending them my SS#?
Joe
Comment by Felicia on 10 September 2008:
They’re legit. It’s just that they’re going through a few growing pains right now.
I believe that when I first signed up I didn’t submit my social security number, but after I earned a certain amount (I believe it’s $600), they made me supply them with my ss#.
Comment by Anonymous on 10 September 2008:
Hello Joe and Felicia,
You need to supply the SS# because when you earn over $600, you will be issued a 1099 for earnings reporting. As well, you will need to complete a IRS W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Form). You can download it from http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf. I’m not sure how the different clients (Demand Studio, Textbroker, etc.) handle this.
As I mentioned in an earlier comment, you might want to file for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for “individual”. That way, you supply the EIN instead of your SS#.
I hope this clarifies the main reason you’re being asked for your SS#.
Comment by Alyssa on 10 September 2008:
Ooops! I was trigger happy – The last comment about the 1099 and IRS w-9 was from me, in case anyone has any comments or questions.
Comment by Frank on 10 September 2008:
Interesting read, Felicia. I was accepted not long ago by DS and haven’t begun any writing until today, which happened to be when I found your posts.
Curious if you think their growing pains too painful right now, or is this place definitely rebounding from the summer fiasco?
Comment by Felicia on 10 September 2008:
Hey Frank,
To be honest, I think I’m going to take 5 from Demand Studios for a while.
I’ve been writing for them for a while without incident, until they started making a lot of changes. I’m sure in the long run the changes are all going to work out for the better, but I’ve got to manage my time as efficiently as possible.
I’ll wait until their editors begin to agree on how the articles are supposed to be written and then maybe I’ll be able to go back and write for them. Recently I’ve had articles approved and not approved for the exact same reasons by different editors. Since you never know which editor is going to get your articles, it’s a crapshoot as to whether or not they’re going to approve them.
While Demand Studios is legit and will pay upon approval, my time is precious and I’d prefer not to write articles and hold my breath to see if they’re going to approve it.
It might work out well for you because being new, you don’t have the ‘old Demand Studios writing habits’ to break.
Comment by Jen Brister (27 comments.) on 10 September 2008:
I don’t know if you saw it on their blog, but they just posted a call for people to write for some of their other websites…I wonder how that’s going to go…
Jen Bristers last blog post..Dancing with Myself….
Comment by cin (2 comments.) on 18 September 2008:
Hi!
I will chime in here because I have been loving DS lately. My experience has been like this…
First article accepted piece of cake.
Then the next few were rejected. I learned it was for simple stuff… I never read the guidelines and was not spacing properly and such.
Then I got into a good spell of getting things accepted but it seemed to take forever to get paid. I am too busy and frazzled to actually track anything so I can’t tell you how long it took but I have lately noticed that my stuff is getting accepted and paid VERY QUICKLY over the last month or so.
As for the crappy titles… they are the pits. I suggest all my own now. It’s tough at first to come up with something but once your mind gets in that groove it’s great.
They have recently started a blog and new, less strict writing formats. To me, DS just seems to be getting better and better.
cins last blog post..Another Day Another Flood
Comment by Felicia on 18 September 2008:
Hi Cin,
It looks like they’re making a few changes with the articles and formats. This could be an improvement, but the jury is still out.
I haven’t done any work for them in the past week. I guess the recent e-mail from them with the new formats will entice me to look things over and give it another shot.
Comment by cin (2 comments.) on 18 September 2008:
OH! And I absolutely cracked up at the vacuum bra comment! That, and the PLASTIC SKIN WIG, have been on my nerves for several weeks! ROFL!
cins last blog post..Another Day Another Flood
Comment by Jen Brister (27 comments.) on 18 September 2008:
Someone PLEASE write about the plastic skin wig so that we can all move on!
Jen Bristers last blog post..Get Paid to Blog (new opportunity)
Comment by Susan S. (2 comments.) on 23 September 2008:
I just started writing for Demand Studios and noticed that the article template requests images. Under US copyright laws, any original, creative content, even on the Internet, is deemed protected by copyright unless you have explicit (written) permission to use it. I have emailed DS about this (haven’t heard back yet), since I don’t want to “lift” an image from a site I’m writing about, and I don’t feel comfortable requesting permission to use an image if I’m not the end user who could vouch for where it would be placed (and the TOS states that writers are not employees/representatives of DS). Anybody else encounter this? How do you handle the image question?
Comment by Felicia on 23 September 2008:
When I post images to my articles, I use the free Stock photo site http://www.sxc.hu.
You can use those photos without fear of copyright infringement. Some of the photo owners request that you notify them when you use their photos and others request written permission, but in general, they are free to use.
Comment by Susan S. (2 comments.) on 23 September 2008:
Thanks for the tip. I downloaded one image and emailed the photographer to confirm how to list credit – and if I don’t get a reply I’ll presume to just use the name listed. I’m curious as to whether DS expects writers to also be art directors, though, or whether the image uploads are optional. When I do photos with magazine articles, I get paid a lot more. It would help if there were more of a “getting started with DS” tutorial, in addition to the style guide.
Comment by Felicia on 23 September 2008:
Although photos are not required at Demand Studios, they are encouraged. I only use one photo at the beginning of the article. I don’t use photos for each step.
As far as a tutorial for them, unfortunately, you sort of learn as you go. They recently made quite a few changes so I’m getting the hang of it all over again. I haven’t written any of the articles on the newer formats (other than How to). I claimed a few this week and am going to give it a try.
Have you visited the DS blog? They seem to address some commonly asked questions there.
Comment by Lisa Russell (2 comments.) on 18 October 2008:
I had a few rejected a couple months ago, and put them up on ehow’s wcp program immediately and one of them has already earned more than $15 in just 2 months. I was told to make specific changes (that were lame and off-topic) and when I made them, I got a rejection note saying that I didn’t make any changes at all. I lost about 8 articles completely because of that glitch in June. After that, a flock of new editors were hired who all seemed to have different rulebooks to follow. So I printed out the DS rules, and made sure that my articles were perfect and lo and behold an editor asked me to change something AGAINST the policy. When I pointed that out they became nasty, rejected it and I sent an “I quit” letter, but so far my account is still active. Last week I wrote one for the first time in months.
Lisa Russells last blog post..More Investigative Reporting
Comment by Felicia on 18 October 2008:
I’ve severely cut back my writing on Demand Studios for similar reasons (I write about 1 or 2 a week). Not so much for rejections, but since I just a few weeks ago realized that I can write for eHow directly, I could kick myself for not doing it sooner.
Between Demand Studios and Writers Research Group (the organization I wrote for before Demand Studios), I wrote about 250 articles that are now on eHow under someone else’s name. If I had an eHow account, I would be earning residual income from those articles. Oh well, better late than never.
Comment by Asa Yarborough on 31 October 2008:
I encountered some of the same problems with Demand, but not lately. Their payments are timely and accurate, a freelancer’s dream in that regard, and the slow payment period was due to a technical glitch (I asked). They certainly are growing quickly. I also asked about the editors. There have been some new hires who are still learning the system, but the managing editor, Richard Lally, has set up at the Help Desk to help all writers with complaints or issues. He’s a gem, courteous and clear, he’s helped me get several articles passed and he’s explained what was wrong with articles that were rejected in a way that was mentoring and helped me to avoid rejections with other pieces. I don’t know where they found him, but I googled him and he’s the author of 19 book, all with major companies, three of them best sellers, so he really knows his stuff. You can reach him through the Contact Us link by writing to his attention with all editorial issues. It’s a great new service.
Comment by Felicia on 31 October 2008:
Thanks Asa,
I recently started writing for them again (started last week). I’ve got to say that so far so good. I’m pleased to see that the notification of payment and the actual payment were timely and accurate. As far as editing goes, I haven’t had a problem since I started writing for them again.
What ever the glitches were, they seem to be all ironed out. Only time will tell.
Comment by JS on 7 November 2008:
Up until this week my experiences with Demand Studio have been positive. I wasn’t happy when they decreased the amount of pay for suggested titles but that was a change I could live with. Three or four weeks ago I was thrilled when the amount of titles I could claim at a time increased, I took this as a positive sign, after all, if they didn’t like my work they wouldn’t have increased my work load.
This week I was shocked when I got an email saying that there were no longer any titles for me to claim. I immediately emailed the editorial team (several times) and was told that do to my high number of rejected articles it was decided that I wasn’t interested in learning how to write a proper article for DS. I was stunned. The week before I’d had two rejections but hadn’t thought to much about them, I thought the articles were sufficient and the editor didn’t. It happens.
What I couldn’t understand was the comment about the high level of rejections. I sat down and figured it out and realized that approximately 3% of my articles were rejected. I’m a farm kid and in my experience a 97% efficiency rating is really good. I emailed DS asking what they considered a high number of rejections but haven’t heard back form them yet. I also pointed out that sometimes the editors comments aren’t very helpful and that it would be nice if they had a way to appeal rejected articles.
I’ll just have to wait to see if they answer me.
Comment by Felicia on 7 November 2008:
Wow,
JS,that’s a first. You’re right, 97% is pretty efficient if you ask me. I just don’t understand their reasoning.
While you’re waiting for them to get back to you why don’t you sign up with eHow and write articles there directly? I recently started writing for eHow and have found it to be a positive experience so far.
You won’t get the upfront payment like you get through Demand Studios, however, you will earn residual income over time. In my eHow Experiment post, I share how much I’ve made.
You should look into it.
Good Luck
Comment by Veronique (11 comments.) on 9 November 2008:
Please inform on how to become a contributor with Demand Studios. I have made two separate accounts from two different computers and chose different topics to write about. They sent an email to me stating at this time they have no topics for my current experience. I’m good enough for Suite 101 but not Demand Studios? LOL
Since the new site is up, I have tried applying for other jobs, but the system won’t allow me. I think there is definitely wrong with their system. I’m seeing all the topics they claim to have available for writers on the front page, many of which I would love to write about.
Thank you.
Comment by Felicia on 9 November 2008:
That’s very odd! In my opinion, Suite 101 has stricter editing guidelines than Demand Studios does. If you can write for Suite you should be able to write for Demand Studios.
What topics are you choosing as your area of expertise? I don’t know if that has anything to do with it.
Just had a thought. Have you tried writing for Writers Research Group? They provide content for eHow also. Their pay is different and you have to wait 60 days in order to receive payment, but it is a legitimate operation.
Comment by Veronique (11 comments.) on 9 November 2008:
I know, something isn’t right. They only allow you to choose five topics. The first time I filled out pets, relationships, sports & fitness, travel and wedding and added a few to other topics not listed. Personal finance, legal, parenting, food and drink. I gave them links to my writing samples for two different online magazines I have written for and a few other published works on the net.
I have heard of Writers Research Group, I think I will give them a shot as well. I have only two articles on eHow and plan to add more articles regarding massage therapy. It may be a glitch on their site. I had even written an email to them explaining the areas I have expertise in, but never heard anything from them in return.
Thanks Felicia, maybe one day I will be able to write for them. LOL
Have a good day.
Comment by Cassie Tuttle (12 comments.) on 30 December 2008:
Just stumbled in here as I was doing some research on DEMAND STUDIOS. I’m in the process of applying for a freelance/contract position with them as a “title proofer.”
Not sure exactly what that is. I’m a freelance copyeditor, and the job description calls for people who are “detailed oriented, have exceptional grammar skills, and can spot a spelling mistake” – that would be me. I’ve passed the initial review and am getting ready to take their test.
A buck here, a buck there. Right?
Cassie Tuttles last blog post..Ain’t No Other Man – following up on the previous blog ….
Comment by Felicia on 31 December 2008:
Hey Cassie,
Hmmm, Title Proofer. I’d be interested to hear how it goes.
Good luck on taking the test. Come back and share your progress with us.
Comment by S. on 15 January 2009:
So, I’m guessing it’s a-OK to give DS my social security #? I was just approved and I’m giving it a shot.
Thanks in advance!
Comment by Felicia on 16 January 2009:
You’ll have to give them a tax ID number if you want to get paid. I did and I haven’t had a problem with them in that regard.
Comment by August on 22 January 2009:
Hi Felicia,
First off, great job on your website. I came across it a few months ago and it was the first I heard of Demand Studios. A few weeks ago, friends of mine with a production company told me that they do some work with Demand Studios. So, I thought I’d check them out. I submitted my resume and some writing samples, and they immediately replied, stating that I don’t qualify. Hmmm. (There were 6,000 writing jobs available when I applied.) So, I sent them another email, asking them to reconsider. They responded, and again rejected me, stating that I don’t meet their goals. Hmmm??? Their goals??? At the time of my second rejection, they had (and still have) approx. 6,500 freelance writing jobs available.
I’ve located some other sources (through your website, no less!) and hope to work with them. But, you have to understand that when one sees 6,500 jobs available and then told that you don’t qualify for a single one of them – well, it sucks. I feel for the guy who got rejected by them because of a 3 percent rejection rate! Any suggestions for DS … or happiness, in general?
And yes, thanks to your site, I’m contacting other online publishers.
BTW, you look like one of my old neighbors in H’wood, and I adored her. It’s just natural that I adore you! I wish your site continued success. Thanks, mom.
PS – Shucks, I’ll write about the vacuum bra!!! If they’d give me the chance!
Comment by Felicia on 22 January 2009:
Hi August,
Welcome to the blog.
I’ve got to say that I’m shocked and speechless about your Demand Studios rejection. It’s quite obvious that you have more than enough writing talent to bang out the How to articles they have. .
Have you tried writing for eHow? While the payment isn’t immediate, the residual income does build over time.
I’m glad that I resemble someone nice. I’d hate to walk down the street and get assaulted because your neighbor was a horrible person and they thought I was her.
If I come up with a solution to the DS problem, I’ll post it, but in the meanwhile I’m stumped. Does anyone else have any advice for August?
Comment by Maria -- WAHM (8 comments.) on 22 January 2009:
August — the 6,500 is the number of articles titles they have available for their writers, but depending on topics, there may not be many that fit your experience/ writing niches. Or they might not be hiring right now. Try again in a few months!
Maria — WAHMs last blog post..Revenue Sharing Sites: eHow, Bukisa, and InfoBarrel
Comment by Gina on 24 January 2009:
Hi,
I’ve been writing for Demand Studios for about a year now, taking month-long breaks when my schedule didn’t allow time for it. Until this week I’ve not had any problem with them at all. This week they have lost several of my written articles. By my caluculations I should have been paid about $120 last week but only got 77.50. This week they just failed to pay me for all but one $5 article. I’ve still got 13 articles checked out but when I log on to write them, I click the write button and am sent to a pagy saying the site has denied me access. I’ve e-mailed them three times but to no avial. Has anyone else had this problem.
Comment by Felicia on 25 January 2009:
Hi Gina,
Sorry to hear of your troubles with Demand Studios.
I’ve had a few issues here and there, but nothing as severe as losing articles or not being able to log in.
I find that I write for DS in spurts. There are times when things go swimmingly and then there are times when it becomes very frustrating. I think I’m on the downside of the honeymoon with them as I’ve had a few annoying situations with them recently. I think it might be time for me to take another break from them for a while.
Maybe its time for you to write an old fashioned letter and mail it to them. Send it via certified mail with a return receipt. This way at least you’ll know that they received your letter. You might get some action that way.
Has anyone else had a similar experience to Gina? If so, any suggestions on how to resolve it?
Comment by Michelle on 31 January 2009:
Has anyone had any experience editing for Demand Studios? How does it compare workload and pay-wise to the writing?
Comment by Ryane (1 comments.) on 4 February 2009:
Thank you, Felicia, for all of the good advice on writing for Demand Studios. I just got approved to write for them, but was feeling a bit apprehensive (giving up my SS#; the fact that the directions on how to get started are somewhat ambiguous, etc…) I think I will take it slowly at first, follow that style guide to a fault and see how it goes. And, I will definitely check out your other suggestions for legit, paying freelance jobs. Thanks again!
Comment by eddietor on 4 February 2009:
Does anyone know how long it takes to get approved as a DS writer?
E
Comment by Mel on 13 February 2009:
I was rejected for Suite 101. No specific reason defined. I was given a list and told that it was either one or several of the listed. Mmmm interesting.
Comment by Felicia on 15 February 2009:
Sorry to hear about your bad experience with Suite, Mel. Hmmm. That’s pretty interesting. Not sure what’s on their list of reasons, but maybe you can try again in the future.
In the meanwhile, there are tons of other opportunities out there.
Comment by Frankie Anon (1 comments.) on 15 March 2009:
Hi. Does anyone here publish under a pseudonym on DS? Is that allowed? I’m hesitant to use my real name b/c I don’t want this to interfere with my “serious” writing or my job. Do they permit pen names? How much information about you do they share? Their site says they can share personal information from the materials you supply. Will details from my resume be public knowledge? Also, my publishing credits are old, mostly print, and not on the web. Do you guys think this will disqualify me? (I write a blog, but its under this “pen name.” I write some personal stuff, although I think it’s very well-written (I try.) I could submit that as my writing sample, but I worry about my worlds colliding. Any advice would be most welcome. I’d love to make a little extra income!
Frankie Anons last blog post..Books, Brochures, Bartlesville
Comment by Felicia on 15 March 2009:
Hi Frankie,
I publish my DS work under a pen name. They don’t have a problem with that. As far as sample work, you could use your printed or electronic work. I think they want to make sure you can string a few sentences together.
They will know your real name because you must use it in order to get paid, but you can publish your articles under a pen name.
I signed up about a year ago or so with them. I’m not sure if they changed their sign up requirements (comments from anyone who recently signed up with DS are welcome).
Comment by carol stanley (3 comments.) on 31 March 2009:
This is a great article…I am finding some of the “help” on demand not so helpful…Can you tell me the format in which photos are sent..mainly the size.. Many of my photos have not been accepted…Really apprec. some help..And thanks again…Carol Stanley
carol stanleys last blog post..Reinventing the Wheel
Comment by Felicia on 31 March 2009:
Hi Carol,
My photos are usually .jpg and the size varies. I get my photos from stock.schng so the size, depending on the picture, is about 300 x 200 pixels.
Hope that helps.
Comment by carol stanley (3 comments.) on 1 April 2009:
That does..and thanks for taking time to write back…Do you write any articles besides HOW TO for Demand.????? WHile I am asking are there any other sites that offer article writing from freelancers? Thanks again, carol
carol stanleys last blog post..Reinventing the Wheel
Comment by Felicia on 1 April 2009:
I’ve written a couple of “How Does” and I think I did an “About” or two. Lately I haven’t been writing much for Demand Studios. It’s been about a month or so since my last DS article.
There are tons of other sites that accept freelance writers. I’ve mentioned a few here on this blog. There’s eHow, Associated Content, Suite 101, HubPages and Textbroker to name a few.
Currently I make the most residual income with Suite 101, but it didn’t happen overnight. Try eHow. If you’re writing articles for Demand Studios, you surly can write for eHow. It’s the same stuff.
Check out a few of my blog posts and comments from my readers. You’re sure to find something that suits you.
Comment by Lynne on 9 April 2009:
Has anyone else had any problems signing up to Demand Studios. I filled out their form but nothing happened when I pressed the apply button at the bottom. I’ve tried twice on different days now but the same thing happens each time.
Comment by Lynne (1 comments.) on 14 April 2009:
Hi – just to let you know re my comment above that I solved the problem by downloading Firefox and using that instead of Internet Explorer.
However I had another issue logging in to eHow which could only be solved by getting my ISP involved. I use satellite internet and there is a program which runs in some satellite services which prevents the eHow site from working properly – I was driving myself crazy trying different computers and different browsers and clearing the cache several times a day but it took just a simple email to my internet provider to sort it out. They did something technical their end and now it’s fine.
Comment by Felicia on 15 April 2009:
It’s amazing the many snafus we face. Whether it’s the website, the computer, the ISP, the browser or just plain human error, there’s never a dull moment.
I find I’ve been having a few problems with Firefox lately and had to switch to IE for a bit. Your comment might help other readers that are going through the same problem. Thanks for coming back to give us the update.
Comment by Jennifer on 22 April 2009:
So what is the overall impression now (4/22/09) of Demand Studios? I was thinking of having my husband submit something.
Comment by Felicia on 22 April 2009:
I think Demand Studios is a legitimate site with quirks. If your husband is looking to make a few dollars, it can be done at Demand Studios.
My relationship with them is on again/off again. My advice to you and your husband is to give them a try. If it works out well, keep writing for them. If it doesn’t, give it a break and come back later.
Comment by Denise on 6 May 2009:
Is there anyway to work with DS without submitting the SS# via web?
Comment by Felicia on 6 May 2009:
Denise,
Try emailing them to see if there is another way to provide your SS#.
Comment by lisa (8 comments.) on 6 May 2009:
Hey Felicia and All:)
I have a question regarding Demand Studios application process.
I am been trying unsuccessfully, and getting frustrated I must admit, with being able to actually submit my job app and sample writing to their site.
The tech error keeps reading “all *fields must be filled in”, which they are.
I have done as they have suggested by downloading firefox and resending; all the no avail.
Did anyone else experience this problem and if so, what should I do to correct it?
Thanks!!!
Lisa L
Comment by Felicia on 6 May 2009:
Hmmm, sounds like a glitch. Can’t say I’ve come across that one. Can anyone else help Lisa?
Did you try sending an email to DS telling them about the problem? They might have a workaround.
Comment by lisa (8 comments.) on 6 May 2009:
Hi Felicia,
(I love the technology of fast communication!) Thanks for replying so fast.
Yes, I actually have DS on my Twitter contact list. They said to go ahead and hit the contact button while I am on their site and a techy can help me
But so far, all it does is send them an email.
Lisa L.
Comment by John on 14 May 2009:
Hi, Felicia.
I am an advertising copywriter with 13 years of experience who was recently laid off and am contemplating applying to Demand Studios, Suite 101 and a few others. I was wondering if you knew if your samples need to be pieces that were actually published, or if you can just write something up on a whim to show them what you can do.
Thanks
Comment by Felicia on 14 May 2009:
Hi John,
Sorry to hear about your layoff. As far as Suite and Demand Studios goes, you don’t have to use published work (most of these sites don’t require published work). They just want to make sure that you have a good command of the English language and that you can string a few sentences together in an interesting and grammatically correct fashion.
Good Luck!
Comment by shirley (3 comments.) on 26 May 2009:
Not true this company will not just except anyone , I have been writing for months now gave samples of my work what a joke of a company they are. They did not even send me an email to let me know or a reason why I had to log in to check the application to see it showed not eligible they are very unprofessional and are not what they claim to be.
Comment by Felicia on 26 May 2009:
Sorry to hear about your experience Shirley.
It’s a good thing that there are so many other freelance writing opportunities on the internet. Thank goodness Demand Studios isn’t the only game in town.
Comment by Nancy (2 comments.) on 27 May 2009:
I am delighted to find this thread for two reasons. First, I do some freelance writing and editing and didn’t know about DS–could be an option. Second, it appears that content from my Storybook Quilts website maybe stored illegally on a protected area of the DS site. (All my SQs have US copyrights.) Since I don’t have an account, I can’t get in to check. There appears to be either text or images from my Maurice the Cat SQ on http://write.demandstudios.com. Any ideas on how I can check on this would be MOST appreciated!
Comment by Felicia on 27 May 2009:
Hi Nancy. Welcome to NJFM.
Did you try sending an email Demand Studios about the copyrighted material? See how they respond and then take the next step if necessary.
Comment by Nancy D (1 comments.) on 27 May 2009:
Just kind of checking in here and I still haven’t gone back to DS but might look at it again given things seem to be improving. I never had an issue with getting paid, I had an issue with editors who don’t play by the rules and then blacklist you when you call them on it.
My freelance stuff has picked up and I’ve been kind of busy these past few months, much to my surprise, so other than my Examiner.com site, I haven’t had time to do anything else.
Originally, I came here today to look things over since my blog is showing someone from Advance Publications visited here and moved on to my resume and blog. (Felicia, Advance Publications are the folks who publish Conde Nast, et al. Good visitor to have).
Comment by Coleen (4 comments.) on 30 May 2009:
Hi there
Your comments are all very interesting. I take it you are all US residents because I found out after I applied for work with DS and was accepted that they only engage the services of US citizens. I am an Australian Based writer and I am wondering if anyone knows how I would go about obtaininga an EID so that I can do some writing for DS. I have worked for US based businesses and never been asked for one before, so it is interesting that DS have requested an EID or SS#. I also came across Ehow about a year ago but noticed that it was only avialable to US Citzens as well. I am finding this to be more often than not the case when it comes to the residual payment schemes on Articles written, so I am now thinking that it is worth my while pursuing the question of whether or not I am entitled to apply for an EIN to work in the USA as a non resident living in another country.
Comment by Teresa on 30 May 2009:
I discovered Demand Studios a couple weeks ago and, since I’m an SEO writer by trade, thought it would be a great way to make some extra cash. I got accepted right away and started writing. I have to say that I was a little annoyed with the pages and pages of style guidelines but thought once I get the hang of it, it will be easy. Well, I’ve written 5 articles now. The first one got accepted within hours, but I’ve had 2 sent back to me for rewrites. And those rewrite requests have contradicted their official style guidelines (one asked me to add to an article because it didn’t meet the word count, when the guidelines say never to pad an article to meet the word count). I did the rewrites because I wanted to get paid, but honestly, their editorial system makes no sense to me. Are they just editors that sign up like the writers looking for extra cash? At $15 a pop, I think it’s a bit scandalous that they can even ask for a rewrite to an article that follows their guidelines, but I’m discovering many of these sites pay that little. I probably won’t continue writing for them, but it would be nice to hear from someone who works as an editor for them to find out what the deal is…
Comment by Coleen (4 comments.) on 31 May 2009:
It seems that what I am consistently reading on this blog is that writers are experiencing all sorts of issuess with having worked accepted by the editors over at Demand Studios.
This leads me to wondering whether it is really worth pursuing an EID so that I can work in the USA….that’s if it is possible. As yet I still do not have a clear answer.
If the editors can’t get their own guidelines correct, how can the writers? It seems that Demand Studios may be more hassle than they are worth. What do you think?
Comment by Felicia on 31 May 2009:
Well said Coleen. I’ve all but stopped writing for Demand Studios for the very same reason (I wrote 4 articles in April). It’s not that I get many re-writes, but for $15 an article having to educate an editor on the subject matter in order for your article to be approved is just more work than its worth.
As far as the EID, I’m not sure. Since I’m a US citizen I’ve not come across that problem. If I find info regarding international writers acquiring an EID, I’ll share it with you.
Comment by Nancy M (1 comments.) on 31 May 2009:
Coleen, an EIN (employer identification number) is available only to businesses (including freelances who aren’t formally “businesses”) that pay taxes in the US. It’s allocated by the Internal Revenue Service–see http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=97860,00.html So, unless you plan on establishing a busines presence in the US and filing US income tax, you wouldn’t be eligible for an EIN.
I suspect DS doesn’t want to use ex-US writers because it’s easier not to handle any tax/business filing consequences this might entail and more than enough US-based writers are available.
I hope you find a good outlet for your talent!
Comment by Felicia on 31 May 2009:
Nancy, thanks for the informative post.
Comment by Teresa on 31 May 2009:
For Coleen: I certainly wouldn’t go through the trouble of dealing with the tax issues just for Demand Studios – while it seems to be a legitimate business, it hasn’t proven to be reliable. If you’re doing it for multiple businesses or your career, that’s a different story.
I do know quite a few foreigners who work in the U.S – they are designers, so a different field, but similar in the sense that many freelance. However, all the people I know had to find full-time jobs in the U.S. and find a company that was willing to legally sponsor them. I’m not a legal expert, so don’t know exactly what that entails, but I do know there is some financial obligation on the company’s part as well. Those foreigners pretty much had to stay full-time at that specific company until they qualified for and received a green card. Only then were they able to leave and freelance. I don’t mean to be a downer! – obviously I know foreigners who have done it. But I do believe, unless you’re being paid under-the-table or making less in a year than is taxable by the U.S., you might face similar issues.
Comment by Coleen (4 comments.) on 31 May 2009:
Hi Felicia
thanks for your comment. After reading what you have said I can see that I am actually eligible to apply for an EID. Still, after pondering what I have been reading here the past few days, I have decided that working for Demand Studios does not appear to be as lucrative as it first seemed, given the ongoing issues with Editors.
A friend of mine in the USA has begun working for them and had actually pointed me in their direction, not realising at the time that DS only engaged the services of US citzens. I will now sit back, watch, wait and see what type of responses she is getting after submitting her work to DS.
This lady is an extremely experienced Ghostwriter, having written over 1000 ebooks as well as articles, blog posts, etc, so if they knock her work back, based on their ‘inconsistent’ guidelines, then it is for sure that those editors over there will knock anyone’s work back by the sounds of it. Whether the editors approve articles seems to be based on the day of the week, their mood and what’s happening on the day!!!!
Thanks for all of your comments. It’s been interesting reading this thread and I will continue to read posts on this subject as they come through to my inbox.
Comment by Coleen (4 comments.) on 31 May 2009:
Felicia thanks so much for your informative comment. Based on what you have said it certainly does ential alot just to get an EID. As stated in my previous post, at this time I will not be pursuing one just so that I can work for Demand Studios! It’s a shame. I was offered work as a ‘writer’ and also as a ‘title proofer’, provided I passed the test.
Comment by Felicia on 31 May 2009:
I agree, it isn’t worth it. However, I want to give credit where credit is due. Nancy was the one that provided the info on getting an EID (thanks Nancy).
Part of the reason why I love blogging here at NJFM is that I like sharing what I learn, but I love the fact that I have the best followers on the internet. When I don’t have the answer for something I can rest assured that one of my readers do.
Coleen, have you tried Suite 101? They don’t offer an up front payment, but the residuals over time are proving to be worth while and they accept international writers.
Comment by Kimbra on 1 June 2009:
Hi there,
I noticed throughout this thread that everyone is talking about a $15 flat fee per article.
Has anyone ever written a “profit share” article for Demand Studios? If so, how did it work out? What kind of rates are they paying for profit share?
Comment by Felicia on 1 June 2009:
Hi Kimbra,
Since I write for eHow I never bothered to write a residual article for Demand Studios. They only pay residuals for up to 5 years. eHow continues to pay for the life of the article.
Anyone else have DS profit sharing experience they could share?
Comment by Kimbra on 1 June 2009:
Thanks Felicia,
So it pays more to write a $15 flat fee to write for DS than get residuals for 5 years? That would make me think residuals don’t pay off very well.
What is the relationship between ehow and DS, and what kind of $ can you make from residuals on ehow? Are we talking a couple of dollars per article a month, or does it really add up?
I’ve been a professional writer and editor for 15 years – staff positions at magazines, newspapers, and a science organization. This web content writing is new to me, and though I’m very intrigued, I’m a little wary.
Thanks for running this forum! Great help.
Comment by Felicia on 1 June 2009:
Residual income is a tricky thing. With proper keywords and search engine optimization and great traffic, some articles do much better on a residual basis than an up front pay basis.
eHow is owned by Demand Studios. Check out the eHow site to get a feel for it. I’ve pretty much given up writing $15 articles for Demand Studios. I find that residual income works better for me. Some of my residual articles do very well (I’ve got one on eHow that has earned over $265 in 4 months) and some don’t do so well. The good thing about residual income is that the money keeps coming in. My article that earned $265 in 4 months stands to earn quite a bit over time. I’d hate to see the income stop because a 5 year limitation is reached.
It’s hard to tell which ones will be winners and which ones won’t. Over time you’ll get a better feel for potential money makers, but it’s part trial and error and part learning the ropes.
I post my eHow earnings on My eHow Experiment post. I’ve only been with eHow for a short period of time, but my online experience tells me that next year and the year after is when I’ll really see my eHow income grow. When articles have had a chance to stew online for awhile, they earn more.
Correction: I just looked at my stats. I wrote the above article 6 months ago so that’s an average of $44 per month or so. Let’s say the article continues at the same rate of earnings over for a period of 5 years, that would mean $2,640 for an article I spent 1/2 hour writing. The earnings don’t happen overnight, but I’d rather spend 1/2 hour and earn $2,640 over 5 years than $15 over the same amount of time.
Some other articles only earn $10 a month and others $20 and $30 a month. Some don’t earn anything. It’s a crapshoot, but overtime the earnings accumulate.
Comment by diana on 2 June 2009:
hey there, just wondering about how long it takes you guys to write each article for DS? i just got accepted, and need to email them for more info. i want to see a writing sample to see exactly what they want (since they have fairly specific guidelines) and need more info on how much/what kind of research is expected for each article. any advice/feedback for me would be much appreciated!
Comment by Felicia on 3 June 2009:
I can’t speak for everyone but when I write for them I spend about 1/2 hour on Demand Studio articles. If you select titles you’re familiar with it shouldn’t take too long.
I haven’t written for them in a while and their writers guidelines might have changed a bit. I think someone who is currently writing articles for them can better answer your question.
Comment by Lynette on 15 June 2009:
Hi, Felicia:
What an incredibly good site. I’m a writer, (mostly in print, not including my blog) and had been thinking of other online writing opportunities. This discussion has been extremely helpful. Now I’ve got to go check out your other sites. Happy to have met you!
Comment by Lynette on 15 June 2009:
Not sure if it’s okay to start a new topic, but I know you’ve written on Oboulo, and wondered if you’ve ever written for them?
Comment by Felicia on 16 June 2009:
Hello Lynette and welcome!
Comment by Felicia on 16 June 2009:
I’ve never written for Oboulo personally. From what I can see they are very particular about what they accept. There seems to be more rejected than accepted work.
(I’m going to attempt to move these comments to my post on Oboulo).
Comment by Ken on 17 June 2009:
Just got accepted by DS (does anyone NOT get accepted?) as a copy editor. Forgive me if this forum is just for writers, but your comments are very helpful. I retired as a full-time magazine writer a couple of years ago, and have been exploring the freelance universe since then. DS pays copy editors $3.50 per article, so I don’t expect to get rich. But if it works out, the work will keep me from getting rusty. (Here, Rusty. Good dog.)
Comment by Felicia on 17 June 2009:
Congrats Ken.
Maybe you can come back later and shed some light. You can be the brave editor to respond to my open post to Demand Studio editors.
I have the feeling that you won’t get too rusty working for DS.
Comment by Autum on 19 June 2009:
Hello,
Anyone here without a writing degree or years of work experience works for DS? I’ve had college education and took a couple of writing classes…Applied and got rejected. Tried again but they told me once was enough.
Comment by shirley (3 comments.) on 19 June 2009:
I write for several companies. And I applied to DS and was rejected also. They way I look at things it’s their loss. There are many places to write for some are very strict. And some editors will work with you. The main thing is proof read everything. And cross your fingers. I have found many editors to be very moody and if they do not like your work on the first impression they will not except you.
Do not give up its is their loss
Shirley
Comment by Autum on 19 June 2009:
Thanks Shirley,
I agree with you. At least I have Associated Content to write for. I suppose you can’t always win. Autum
Comment by shirley (3 comments.) on 19 June 2009:
Hi Autum, you’re welcome. I know I write for AC there fine with me.
Shirley
Comment by Melissa on 20 June 2009:
Hi, Autumn, Shirley.
I write for Demand Studios and have been doing so for about a month and a half now. I’ve had very few problems with rewrites and rejections. But I also think that what behooved me is that I have extensive research and writing experience in a very particular field. So it might not be enough for DS that a writer can write well, if you know what I mean. Honestly? I could probably make more money putting up articles at Constant Content. Everything that I upload sells within the day, and the articles take far less time to write than DS articles — and I get more for them.
Ken, Demand Studios needs to pay you CEs more. For what you have to do (edit AND fact check), $3.50 is just not enough. Everyone complains about the back-ups. Give editors incentive to edit full-time, not just when they need a few extra bucks. Just MHO on the matter.
Comment by Emily on 21 June 2009:
I am considering trying some freelance writing work. I just left my position of many years as a pre-school director to be home with my new baby. I was an English major at a very good school and edited academic papers when I was in grad school. Seems like I ought to be able to do this. About how long do you find it takes to write one of these articles?(ie to earn the $15? Alternatively, at about what rate do you earn on eHow?
Comment by Felicia on 21 June 2009:
Hello Emily. Welcome to NJFM blog.
Regarding how much one can earn on eHow, check out My eHow Experiment post. As far as how long it takes to write an article for DS, it varies. It takes me about ½ hour, but each writer is different. Read a few of the NJFM posts and comments on Demand Studios. You’ll get a better perspective of how it works for different writers.
Comment by Kenneth on 29 June 2009:
Hey, I recently applied to Demand Studios and was not accepted. I have a journalism degree form Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., and I have a year of experience reporting for a daily newspaper with hundreds of published clips. I am freaking pissed and dumfounded that I was not accepted for this. I literally had to beat out about 80 other applicants for my current newspaper position. Why in the world was I not accepted for Demand Studios?
Comment by Felicia on 29 June 2009:
Kenneth, don’t let Demand Studios get you too upset. With your qualifications there are lots of other legitimate sites that will be happy to have you.
I don’t know why some qualified people are rejected by DS. It doesn’t make sense.
Comment by Nancy M (2 comments.) on 29 June 2009:
Kenneth, Could it be that the editors were threatened with someone as good as you probably are? Perhaps it’s a complement!
Comment by Kenneth on 29 June 2009:
I sent them an email asking them to please reconsider my application only to be told they are not looking for my style. Ummmmmmmm….okay?????? What are they smoking? I know all kinds of hack writers with no real writing experience working for them. As far as writing goes, Demand Studios is a joke. Anyone know of any other good freelance sites?
Comment by Lynne (1 comments.) on 29 June 2009:
What did you send them as examples of your work? I was a staff journalist for an international news organisation for 12 years so had lots of hard news examples. But I sent DS some very light feature type pieces because that is more their thing.
If I were you I’d just forget DS I barely write for them now as the pay didn’t seem to be worth the effort. If you have the time building up a selection of articles to make residual income might be a better offer. NJFM has great examples of the different sites which do this.
Or have you tried bidding for work on elance.com?
Lynne´s last blog ..Additional income sources for writers
Comment by Abbey Smith (1 comments.) on 29 June 2009:
Hi!
My name is Abbey Smith. I’m researching custom content vendors for Swift Communications, Inc. I came across this discussion in my research. Fascinating!
We are looking at Helium, Associated Content, Demand Studios and Textbroker. Swift owns local/community newspapers/news sites across the Western US. We need a vendor who can help us manage a network of local freelancers as well as provide quality custom and features content.
From a writer’s point of view, which of these vendors are the best deal for you? I’m interested to learn any other feedback you might have.
Thank you so much for your time!
Abbey
Comment by Felicia on 29 June 2009:
Hi Abbey and welcome to NJFM.
I’m going to defer to my readers to provide their opinion on Helium and Associated Content. If you do a quick search on this site you’ll find quite a bit of information on how writers feel about Textbroker and Demand Studios. I hope the information provided will help you in making your decision.