Magenta Ink

In Which A Freelancer Muses on Her Adventures in Working for a Pittance

[magentaink-blog]

Hot and Scold

They take what people are searching for and translate it into articles people are—or might be—curious enough to click on. The results speak to what we want to know, but aren't being told. As it turns out, our concerns are mostly petty, self-centered, or mundane. (via Content farms: What do they say about what we care about? - By Annie Lowrey and Angela Tchou - Slate Magazine)

Meanwhile, look at the lofty issues Slate addresses, the ones that are really important as compared to frequently tagged content farm topics like money, health, food and family. Bossypants.

[magentaink-blog]

Timing is Nothing

Demand Media Studios told writers and editors this week to stick "at the time of publication" into prices and other dated information in articles, rather than specifying the year.

At what other time could it be? Before the time of publication? No, dear reader, we didn't bother to look up current information before publishing. After the time of publication? Yes, we're so good at this that we report future prices!

Maybe this means Demand sites intend to begin including a publication date on articles. Even if it did, it's hard to type "at the time of publication" without busting other rules, like don't state the obvious and don't pad the article with unnecessary words.

[magentaink-blog]

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INANIMATE OBJECT?

Webster's New World College Dictionary

[magentaink-blog]

Dry Heave

"How to Waterproof An Artificial Leg"

Actual title awaiting some eHow writer who really, really needs to make $15.