StoreHows.com

I lost five of my published articles from eHow. I am not exactly sure why they were deleted from my list but at least my Master List helped me figure out which articles were deleted. Plus, that other routine precaution I’ve grown so fond of…. saving an article in my word processing program as I work on the draft and again, pictures and all, as soon as the article is done. Smiling – such a comfort those saves and the list are!

One got a goodbye wave from me – something I had written to enter in one of the spring contests and I was never that thrilled with it. Another was specifically about using Skype for free long distance telephone calls online – I am not sure why that was deleted except for a specific brand name? It is extremely helpful to have a free phone service over the net when you have relatives and friends on the other side of the world. Primefalcon and I spent a lot of money getting to know each other over the phone while he was still in Australia and I was here in Wisconsin. We seriously wish we had known about Skype then! Prime spent a whole lot more than I did but he also had some unbelievable low priced international calling card system, too, so it wasn’t like using a regular phone card at whatever unearthly amount per minute for him.

I am studying the other deleted articles to figure out why they were taken off – and deciding what to do about them. Bukisa or Gather might be the spot for them. I am not too terribly concerned about them though. eHow has their reasons and I am glad they are tightening up on their content requirements. Just wish they would add a tiny critique to point me in a specific direction to help me improve! At least I am not working for a newspaper and had many many more articles rejected! (The way newspapers are going, at least I am not working for a newspaper!)

Most people used to think eHow was just a bunch of thrown together word junk. Heck, even I did, considering what I was reading from them a year or so before I became a member. I’ve seen some really lousy articles with little or no detail to them except citing a commercial or a web page, probably with the goal of dressing up an affiliate link of their own or a review of a product that they would have gotten paid for. Let’s not even discuss that spam stuff I often clicked on when I was doing a search, that was in the guise of a How To – whatever, and then finding my time was totally wasted. It got to a point that as soon as I saw a hit from a search starting with How To – whatever, I skipped over it to the next listing. I was even reluctant to sign up on eHow. In fact, I signed up under my own first name – Marlaine – and looked around for a while, was really disillusioned by the articles I was reading, closed the page one day, and then forgot I even signed up. When I tried to sign in again, months later, I couldn’t remember my pass so I started MarlaineMarie. Since I never signed up as a member on Marlaine, it really didn’t matter to me. Shrugs – too bad I can’t use both accounts for different focuses. As the rules state, only one account per person will count towards earning income on eHow. So there it is.

eHow is giving people a great opportunity to help others and letting those people earn the recognition and income from writing about solutions to life’s problems. I just never thought I knew enough to help anyone else since I – as most of us – have tons of problems I face and even more I try to ignore.

Every so often, eHow has referral programs that count toward a bonus payment for an author who encourages others to write articles about what they know. Believe me, if you sign up because I sent you to eHow, I would not earn anything. For the record and in writing ….. join eHow’s writer’s program if you have any serious desire to write for a living. The pay is not great at first but it builds. What is really encouraging is seeing your words published and earning some money because of it! It can also be used as a writing credit when you submit hard copy work to magazine and/or book publishers. (If you are submitting manuscripts to publishers, be SURE to triple check spelling and grammar in your all your articles and profile if you intend on using them as a writing credit! Don’t forget to take your time with comments as well – those little tidbits show up every where.)

It isn’t just writing and publishing – boom – you’re done – though. You have to get the word out. You have to keep promoting your work just as many authors with publishing houses behind them have to do. Keep talking about your work and adding links to emails, blogs and web sites. Drop little ads here and there. Have some business cards made with your links on it to any of your blogs or sites. Put up a notice in any free ad spot in your neighborhood. Talk to your check out person at the store. (I sometimes hand write links on bookmarks and push them into the library books I return. Of course I tell the librarians all about my articles – yes indeedy!)

Be enthusiastic about your writing! You should be proud – especially after you get your first payment. Some writer’s never see a pay check. It is your proof that you are a legitimate writer. You earned it! I send you a salute and a Congrats!!!!! If you haven’t earned anything yet – just be patient and keep writing! Even my brother, Cyclecyco, has earned some money on eHow with every few articles!

Smiling big!

I have some work to do on Marlaine’s Musings next. Love that Runescape!