Looking for insight about the real world of online writing? You've found the spot. Join us as we shine a light on what it means to succeed as a writer online. Read on to find the notes in the margins - how writers get started, what they're reading, the best tips and tricks, and notes from writers at work...
Posted by Lima Al-Azzeh
This week we feature a stand-out blog post from Quips And Tips For Successful Writers. Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen shows how writing evergreen articles can help a writer gain more readers over time and win bids for articles based on the timeless nature of their subject. This is an essential skill for successful freelance writers and an essential blog post to read.
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Posted by Lima Al-Azzeh
Here's another nugget of knowledge to ponder from Anne Wayman's About Freelance Writing blog, "Do You Expect More Or Better Writing Work Next Year?"
As more companies favor outsourcing over hiring full-time workers, will your freelance pockets be jingling?
Let us know what you think!
Posted by Marci Hotsenpiller
It’s been months in the making but we’re finally done! Today we unveil a new look and layout for Suite101! Our decision to create a fresh, modern interface was in direct response to reader feedback and requests from our writing community. We're accepted as a legitimate source of high quality information and we wanted to reflect this by adopting a clear, modern, straightforward design interface.
Why the change?
The state of the online publishing industry has evolved rapidly over the last few years. Suite101 has grown enormously in the same time. Readers’ and writers’ expectations have risen accordingly, so we wanted our site layout and design to match our reputation as one of the most respected freelance writing sites in the business.
Our principal design goal was to improve Suite101’s public image to mirror the professional stature of our writing community and draw more attention to well written, valuable articles.
The development team reviewed input from more than 500 writers and editors around the world over the course of several months. Feedback tools and surveys were used in combination with exhaustive analysis based on hard metrics.
What’s changed?
Here’s a quick summary. In short we…
- Created a new homepage to showcase professional writers and high quality content.
- Redesigned the Suite101.com article page to increase readers’ attention on article text and graphics.
- Reduced visual clutter throughout the site to make reading articles easier, more enjoyable.
- Upgraded images to an easier-to-view rectangular format to make it more appealing for readers.
- Modified site navigation so it’s more helpful for people searching for specific writers and articles.
- Created a new page framework to help writers earn more revenue through increased monetization opportunities.
- Launched a new brand image to better communicate Suite101.com’s mission to create opportunities for writers.
What do you think? Let us know! As part of launching a fresh new look, Suite101.com will be searching for a fresh new tagline. Details about a crowd-sourced tagline contest will be released soon right here…
Posted by Lima Al-Azzeh
Suite101 is known for having an increasingly supportive and collaborative community. Our forums are active with veteran and rookie writers sharing tips, exchanging ideas, and cheering each other on. We decided it was high time we took this community gathering offline.
On Thursday November 27th, 2009 five Vancouver-based Suite writers attended a meet & greet with Suite101's head office editorial staff. These writers were also fortunate to meet Editor-in-Chief of Suite101.de Dirk Westphal who joined us in our Vancouver office for several days. It was a great evening filled with warm laughs, cheerful anecdotes, and insightful writerly musings. We were also lucky to find out what Suite101 means to some of our writers.
Lori Henry, FW W Canada Travel, values the fact that Suite101 offers her a professional byline and an opportunity to be recognized as a legitimate member of the league of Canadian travel writers.
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, FW Psychology, is already an accomplished web writer. As the author of the "Quips And Tips" blog series, Laurie uses Suite101 to enhance her online writing presence and to connect to a larger community of web writers.
Nathan Stafford is relatively new to Suite101 but a veteran music writer with his work appearing in BC Musician Magazine, Gonzo Magazine, and The Skinny. For Nathan, Suite101 isn't just another place to write about music, it also serves as a great platform to host his writing portfolio and further promote his talents and his work.
James Hamilton, also a CW, has spent the majority of his adult life studying music with a specialization in Sitar music. Having lived in Canada, India, the United Kingdom and traveled to many more places, Suite101 offers James an international venue to share his expertise on this unique subject matter.
Clayton Worbeck uses Suite101 to further research and explore his numerous passions. Though Clayton is an audio engineer/producer by trade, his articles aren't limited to this field. Clayton also explores his love of hiking by contributing articles regularly about the best trails to hike in British Columbia and elsewhere.
The evening was a great success and we're so pleased that we were able to pull our writers away from their computers long enough to share their stories with us face-to-face. We look forward to engaging with more Suite writers in the future.
To see photos from this event, click on the slideshow or visit Suite101's Flickr page.
Posted by Lima Al-Azzeh
Dr. Sanjiva Wijesinha is the Feature Writer for Men’s Health on Suite101.com. He caught the eye of editor Barbara Bell for his ability to offer sound medical advice, something that isn’t widely available on the World Wide Web. Suite101 spoke with the good doctor about how to stay balanced in this day and age.
Suite101: What do searchers need to be cognizant of when searching for medical information on the web?
Dr. Sanjiva Wijesinha: Today there is a plethora of medical information (misinformation) available on the web. Much of this is inaccurate and some actually dangerous. Searchers should look for credible sites that provide information that is backed up by authority e.g. Medlineplus.gov, a site maintained by the US National Library of Medicine (NLM) that provides authoritative information from NLM and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Make sure that any information you read is backed up by evidence and is not simply the claim of someone who has an axe to grind or a barrow to peddle!
How have technological advances (such as the internet) had an impact on the relationship between patient and doctor?
These days it is not unusual for patients to visit their doctors armed with information (occasionally, reams of printouts!) they have collected by trawling through the Internet. Patients now can be better informed than they were a hundred years ago, when the family doctor was considered the sole source of medical information. Consequently, health professionals today need to keep up to date with their own knowledge. Doctors can help their patients by guiding them to useful internet sites.
Many of our writers are also busy with full time jobs, children, and other priorities. What’s the best way for busy people to maintain their health?
2500 years ago, the Buddha taught his followers “Arogya Paramalaba” (Health is the Greatest Wealth). If you want to be busy and happy (and not burn yourself out), setting aside time to look after your health is vital – not just your physical health but also your emotional and spiritual health. One of the articles I wrote for Suite 101 explains this in detail.
What attracted you to a career in freelance web writing?
As a medical student I was encouraged by Mr. W. J. Fernando, the editor of the local paper (the Sunday Times in Sri Lanka) to write some articles on health topics for publication. It was he who gave me this first break, and I remember him with gratitude. This task gradually progressed to the stage where I was writing a weekly column entitled ‘Your Health’. I found that I enjoyed it! In addition to the ego-boosting satisfaction of seeing my by-line in the Sunday papers - and getting paid (albeit peanuts!) for my work - there was the satisfaction that I was providing a service, by demystifying without distorting medical and health information for the community. Suite 101 provides me the opportunity to do the same thing – but allows me to make my contribution to a much wider audience.
Throughout my medical career I have continued writing – expanding from writing solely on health matters to many other topics that interest me – and this has now become a rewarding hobby.
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