About.com?

Way to go, Brandi! That's a good thing.

Keepin' fingers & toes crossed for all the folks in prep...

PattiTheWicked said:

Here's a hint, if you're not doing this already. Type your content in a word processing program like MS word, and then run a spell check on it. After you've done that, copy'n'paste it into your templates and add formatting.

The other plus about this method is that if your browser shuts down, you haven't lost all your work...

says she who experienced just that.

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Definitely excellent advice. That, and don't rush! My typos "health" vs. "healthy" might not have been caught by Word. Going back to review my 2nd review, there were only 2 typos so maybe they don't think I am a totally lost cause.

This thread is the best. Thanks, guys!

CatMuse33 said:

When I hit send on the "dropping out" e-mail I knew I didn't *really* want this gig, or I would have pushed onward at all costs, 20 hour days, whatever it took.

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Yesterday, I woke up with my kids at 7:30am, did all my regular work throughout the day, made dinner, put the kids to bed at 8:30pm, and then was preparing for my first review until 3am. And I didn't mind at all.

That's the way I was, GardenWall -- I stayed up until all hours of the night to get my prep stuff done, and it really did pay off. I had a ton of content, and it was GOOD content, and although I now put in about 10 - 15 hours a week, putting in those extra late nights during prep was worth it.

It's a lot of work - I was waking at 4 and working until 10 or 11 - I had other work in addition to prep. It was so worth it though. And once you graduate, you won't be putting as much time in.

Gardenwall,
That's exactly how I was with Paintball prep. I think I put in more time on that than i have any job before--or since! I think not getting it really soured me to the experience, because I still really feel like my content was good and deserved to get the job.
Dawn

No word today... and all of this conversation about working all night is making me nervous! I am normally up til midnight, but I can't work much later than that and be able to deal with my kids the next day. Even on a full night sleep they try my patience right now! =} Oh, well. I guess I did all that I can do. Just wish I had heard today.

MoreThanMommy said:

No word today... and all of this conversation about working all night is making me nervous! I am normally up til midnight, but I can't work much later than that and be able to deal with my kids the next day. Even on a full night sleep they try my patience right now! =} Oh, well. I guess I did all that I can do. Just wish I had heard today.

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I definitely wouldn't worry too much about how other people are working. Do what you can do, create high quality content, and try to avoid killing yourself with the stress! We all work on different schedules. I didn't stay up all night writing during prep (though I might have stayed up all night worrying!)

I also still do a lot of work on my site - much more than 10-15 hours per week, I think. But my site requires a lot of updating (sweepstakes are always being added, and they're always expiring) as well as writing new content. So everyone's work and pace really is different, don't spend too much time looking over your shoulder!

Well, I looked to see how long it had been since I applied for Digital Music. One month, to the day. It's only been a month?!??! Feels like forever.

Has anyone actually heard anything after a month? I know they say it can take 8 weeks, but has anyone actually started prep after waiting a month to hear if they got in?

For what it's worth, I got my confirmation from About.com immediately, so at least that made it through. And everyone else's tales of Prep is scaring me off somewhat......

Michelle

ModoReese said:

Has anyone actually heard anything after a month? I know they say it can take 8 weeks, but has anyone actually started prep after waiting a month to hear if they got in?

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I did. I waited a bit over a month before finding out I'd been accepted into Prep that started 5-7 days later - if I remember correctly.

wolflady26 said:

I definitely wouldn't worry too much about how other people are working. Do what you can do, create high quality content, and try to avoid killing yourself with the stress! We all work on different schedules. I didn't stay up all night writing during prep (though I might have stayed up all night worrying!)

I also still do a lot of work on my site - much more than 10-15 hours per week, I think. But my site requires a lot of updating (sweepstakes are always being added, and they're always expiring) as well as writing new content. So everyone's work and pace really is different, don't spend too much time looking over your shoulder!

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Well, it's too late now, anyway. I'm just waiting for the verdict! By the way, I love your site. While I was working on mine, I checked yours to see if there were any good computer contests for me to mention in the blog, but I it had just ended.

I can see how your site would be a lot more ongoing work! I hope you're still enjoying it...

Just a quick update. I finished Prep! And I finished stronger than I thought I would. So, once again I am pleased with my efforts and I know I did everything I could.

Six articles were required for Prep and I wrote 29 pieces of content and 5 blog posts. I followed the feedback to the T. It really helped being familiar with the content systems. I also put in quite a few links to the ADAM encyclopedia and to other About sites that fit with the topic.

Now I wait. I really hope I got it......

Good luck to everyone!

midwife, only 6 articles were required during prep? I thought you had to write a minimum of one original article in each of your 10 categories and five blog posts. Maybe they have changed the minimum.

To whoever was asking earlier in this thread, I wrote 64 articles (original documents and blog post combined) during prep. But it's not quantity over quality. They like to see both. I have seen people graduate prep with less than 20 documents.

Good luck to everyone in whatever stage you are in!

There were 6 that were required and specified for Prep. So one for each essential that was specified plus one more that was not an Essential link but that they wanted.

Each category had to have a link to onsite or offsite content. But each of my categories had at least one piece of original content, most with 2-3 pieces of original content.

I think the minimum depends on the topic. There were a lot more required for the breastfeeding topic.

If you had a few pieces of original content in each category, then I think you are in great shape!

Good luck! I hope you join us soon!


--Kori

Midwife- what is this ADAM thing?

Tangent: Are there some guides that two subjects?

Thanks, Kori. ME TOO!!!!

Hey Garden, ADAM is a health encyclopedia that you can link to or use images from for About.com. The link is http://adam.about.com/

GardenWallPubs said:

Midwife- what is this ADAM thing?

Tangent: Are there some guides that two subjects?

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In the past (long long ago) guides were allowed to have two topics. Some of those guides still do. But it's not allowed anymore (a current guide can't apply for an additional topic).

However, sometimes guides fill in as the temporary blogger on a guidesite that does not have a writer. For example, I'm the guide for San Antonio, but I also do the blogging for the Brooklyn site.

--Kori

MoreThanMommy said:

Well, it's too late now, anyway. I'm just waiting for the verdict! By the way, I love your site. While I was working on mine, I checked yours to see if there were any good computer contests for me to mention in the blog, but I it had just ended.

I can see how your site would be a lot more ongoing work! I hope you're still enjoying it...

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Hey, thanks! And I absolutely love the job and the site. It's really rewarding to get fair payment and such wide freedom to write what I believe needs to be written, I'm learning a ton, I get a lot of support from About.com, I get recognition within the sweepstakes community, and I can help introduce people to one of my favorite hobbies. It's a lot of work, but that's because I really want the site to succeed, and I do far more than the requirements to help make that happen - and so far, that's working really nicely.

I often email other guides when I think a sweepstake would be interesting for their readers. If you graduate prep, (and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!) I'll be happy to send you fun sweeps that your readers might enjoy Good luck!

midwife said:

Just a quick update. I finished Prep! And I finished stronger than I thought I would. So, once again I am pleased with my efforts and I know I did everything I could.

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Good luck, Midwife, I hope that this is your lucky topic!

Now I know how everyone here felt when "their" topic was available.

While mildly angsting over my application (and lack of response) for a topic I was mostly savvy in, but a little nervous about, another topic has opened up. I hoped against hope for months this topic would open up -- this is my dream topic. I want this so badly and I know I could do an amazing job.

Question is -- does it look bad to apply for one, not get any answers, then apply for a second, unrelated topic? I have lots of writing to back up this new topic, and everything they're asking is along the lines of topics I was preparing anyway (if any one can believe that).

Ok, I need to go calm down now.

Michelle

I say, go for it. About.com says you can only be in prep for one topic at a time, but nothing precludes you from applying for two topics. The "worst" case would be that you'd be accepted into Prep for both and have to choose, or that you'd be in Prep for one, find out abut the other, and have to choose.

Good luck...I hope you make it!

I so admire everyone who has applied to About.com. I'm still too chicken to even think about applying. I'm trying to figure out what I'm so afraid of that keeps me from applying. I'd love to do it and have even started brainstorming, but my fear is blocking me more than I thought especially after reading this thread. I can't help feeling scared about the stuff I could publish even though I know I'm a talented writer. Any advice for chickens like me?

Heiddi

Just do it. If there's a topic that speaks to you, where you think, "Heck, I could do that," then apply. I waited two years for my topic to come up available, and I pounced on it as soon as I found out they needed a Guide.

Worst case scenario, you get into Prep, you don't get the job, but you still have a boatload of useable content you can sell somewhere else. And remember, you have all of us here to cheer you on!

You don't apply, you don't get

Thanks for the pep talk Patti. How long have you been writing?