About.com?

CatMuse33 · Mar 16, 2007

Three posts a week would be for the blogs. Plus 2 to 4 detailed articles per month. I already keep up to date on paintball news, industry related info, games, tactics, etc. as a matter of my lifestyle (beyond it being my job.)
I also know a lot of people in that community (and it's a growing community!), so I am sure I will start to generate significant, increasing traffic after two years.

Talia · Mar 16, 2007

if you're specialising all your writing in one area then it would be a cinch

CatMuse33 · Mar 16, 2007

I hope so, Talia. I just got accepted in to the Prep program!!!! YAY!!!!

I specialize in a few areas of writing... it just so happens that Paintball is my love, my lifestyle AND my career. LOL Unfortunately, the pay scale for paintball writing is fairly low, so I also write in a few other areas.

Dawn

Melina · Mar 16, 2007

Congrats, Dawn!

DTNg · Mar 16, 2007

Dawn, that's wonderful! Congratulations!

Talia · Mar 16, 2007

great news! congrats dawn

Petroglyph · Mar 16, 2007

Congrats, Dawn!

I just got my rejection for the Contraception topic. It was nice to hear back one way or the other.

Keep my fingers crossed to hopefully get sexually transmitted infections. You know what I mean!!!

cool_st_elizabeth · Mar 16, 2007

Congrats Dawn! I knew you'd make it!

Midwife, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!

ShannonC_77 · Mar 16, 2007

I finally got my e-mail today too... I guess they decided to promote a guide from another area to cover the subject I had applied for so. Too bad but at least now I know I suppose.

cool_st_elizabeth · Mar 16, 2007

I'm sorry to hear that, Shannon. It sounds like you have great qualifications for the topic you applied for.

Petroglyph · Mar 16, 2007

ShannonC_77 said:
I finally got my e-mail today too... I guess they decided to promote a guide from another area to cover the subject I had applied for so. Too bad but at least now I know I suppose.

My email alluded to a promotion of a guide as well. I chalked it up to being promoted from prep, but what do I know? Keep on keepin' on, Shannon!

plaidearthworm · Mar 16, 2007

ah, at last....my rejection came this evening. Oh well.

Petroglyph · Mar 16, 2007

Well, in honor of Cool St. Elizabeth, I vote for cherry slushies all around. Cheers! And here's to better outcomes in the morning!

CatMuse33 · Mar 16, 2007

midwife said:
Keep my fingers crossed to hopefully get sexually transmitted infections. You know what I mean!!!

...."Things you only hear on a writers forum. LOL " Or maybe a medical forum???

I imagine that the competition for other topics (aside from paintball) was tough. I seem to think I was the only application they had for my chosen topic. LOL

That might be something for others to look in to.. if there is an obscure topic that you feel like you could learn fairly quickly, it might be a good foot in the door.

Hey, can anyone who's gone through the training PM me?? I'd love some pointers.

Dawn

BlueBadger · Mar 17, 2007

I started my prep yesterday. It's a little overwhelming at first, but I think I'm sorting things out in my brain.

I should be okay as long as I don't have to know everything in the next six hours. XD

Aesposito · Mar 17, 2007

CatMuse33 said:
I hope so, Talia. I just got accepted in to the Prep program!!!! YAY!!!!

I specialize in a few areas of writing... it just so happens that Paintball is my love, my lifestyle AND my career. LOL Unfortunately, the pay scale for paintball writing is fairly low, so I also write in a few other areas.

Dawn

Yay, good job! I'm still awaiting final review.....I'll drop an email to my prep person next week if I don't hear from them by mid-week or so.

Audrey

CatMuse33 · Mar 17, 2007

Audrey,
What's your topic? I can't wait to see your site.
How was the training? How well did you know HTML before you started?

cool_st_elizabeth · Mar 17, 2007

midwife said:
Well, in honor of Cool St. Elizabeth, I vote for cherry slushies all around. Cheers! And here's to better outcomes in the morning!

Tough break, plaid and midwife. Onward and upward, right?

I loves me some cherry slushies. Glug, glug, slurp ... !

Aesposito · Mar 17, 2007

CatMuse33 said:
Audrey,
What's your topic? I can't wait to see your site.
How was the training? How well did you know HTML before you started?

My topic was Heart Attacks. I sure hope I'm accepted.....the waiting is the hardest part. At least the ownership of the articles I wrote reverts back to me if I'm not accepted......

The training is fine. They are very specific about what they want, and what they expect to see. The feedback is also very specific.

I know HTML fairly well, however the version of HTML they use (they call it AML) is extremely easy to learn and use. I wouldn't worry about part.

Audrey

DTNg · Mar 18, 2007

For what it's worth, I was rejected for two topics before being accepted into Prep for Weblogs. I would advise everyone to try, try again.

wolflady26 · Mar 19, 2007

Thank you so much for this thread. I have just gotten accepted into prep for an About topic, and I start on Friday. I am a huge bundle of nerves! Hearing about the experiences of people who have already been through the process has really, really helpful.

I have a question that I hope one of you can answer. When they accepted me into prep, they gave me an outline for how the completed site should look. However, the outline doesn't make a lot of sense to me (nor is it anything like the outline that the previous Guide used). I'm wondering how much leeway I'll have to make changes to those suggestions, to organize information in a more logical way?

Thanks so much for your help!

DTNg · Mar 19, 2007

wolflady26 said:
Thank you so much for this thread. I have just gotten accepted into prep for an About topic, and I start on Friday. I am a huge bundle of nerves! Hearing about the experiences of people who have already been through the process has really, really helpful.

I have a question that I hope one of you can answer. When they accepted me into prep, they gave me an outline for how the completed site should look. However, the outline doesn't make a lot of sense to me (nor is it anything like the outline that the previous Guide used). I'm wondering how much leeway I'll have to make changes to those suggestions, to organize information in a more logical way?

Thanks so much for your help!

If you feel the guidelines are disorganized, discuss it with your mentor. It's been my experience they're all very helpful and open to suggestion.

kohuether · Mar 19, 2007

I didn't get accepted.

But actually I am not upset... I don't have time for it right now. And, there aren't topcis that interest me at the moment. I'll need to wait.

Talia · Mar 19, 2007

congrats wolflady. good luck with prep
what topic are you doing prep for?

wolflady26 · Mar 19, 2007

DTNg said:
If you feel the guidelines are disorganized, discuss it with your mentor. It's been my experience they're all very helpful and open to suggestion.

Great, thanks for the info! I'm glad to hear they're responsive. Maybe they have a reason for the guidelines, and I'd be happy to do it that way if they really want - but I think it would result in confusion and duplicated information.

TaliaMana, I'm doing prep for the Contests and Sweepstakes section. I (like many others here!) tried for freelance writing and was rejected, but I much prefer the Contests and Sweeps area, anyway!

I have a lot of confidence that I would be great for this job, but I'm trying to prepare myself as much as possible for the Prep class before it starts on Friday... *gulp*

They recommend preparing by brushing up on HTML skills. Does anyone have any specific recommendations for what areas of HTML to look into? My basic skills are pretty strong, and I'm very familiar with FTP programs, but HTML skills in general leaves a lot of ground to cover!

About.com?

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