MintArticle, Helium, Associated Content
By scheng1
@scheng1 (24649)
Singapore
February 20, 2009 8:36am CST
Since started writing less than a month ago, I have posted articles in all the 3 sites. Helium is really a most stressful website, having to constantly worry about Writing Stars, Rating stars. Even though Helium hasn't reject any of my article yet, it's still very sad to see my "baby" stuck somewhere in the middle.
AC has reviewed and rejected a few articles, though majority passed through. AC did provide very good editorial comments. The payment system is very easy to understand. For beginner like me, every 1000 page view will yield a return of $1.50. Simple and achieveable.
MintArticle doesn't pay writer anything. Writers are paid when readers click on the Google Ads that appear in their articles. So it doesn't really matter how many people view, it does matter how many people click on the ad. The disadvantage is that MintArticle is still a new kid on the block, not many readers are aware of it. This translate to low page views per article.
2 responses
@Zairo7 (78)
• Canada
23 Feb 09
I'm rather vary when it comes up to signing up for these sites, my intellectual rights mean a lot to me, and I find it absolute torture to finish reading all of their ToS/ToU.
Regardless though I've just signed up for Helium. I'm not sure if I'll sign up for AC quite yet. I've submitted 2 short stories thus far and an article regarding fitness. I'm REALLY surprised at my ratings thus far, 5/21, 34/136 (though I suspect these ratings will drop in the future).
What I'm curious about is regarding getting the work you submit printed. I didn't find too much regarding that on Helium, but AC seems to make you jump through all sorts of hoops for getting permission to publish (non-digitally) what you've submitted to their site. Wondering if anyone here knows about that.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
23 Feb 09
Wow, "intellectual rights" is a very big word. To most of us mortals, what is important is the money to pay bill. As long as more and more people keep on reading, and the income increases, I dont really care how they publish the article.
I remember I ever asked about the copyright issue in the tort law class. The lecturer said something like, copyright protects your creation as in protecting the actual words. But it does not protect the idea. So I can just take an article, copy the idea, rewrite the article. As long as I can prove that effort is needed to rewrite, then I do not infringe the copyright of the original author.
Guess you must be a very good writer. To get a rating at 34/136 is very good.
@Zairo7 (78)
• Canada
23 Feb 09
Well, my biggest issue is somewhat related to the fact that I'm working with my university right now to try and get some of my short stories published in a textbook used in one of the courses. Naturally I can always write more, but I was just wondering would it be at all possible, assuming I go on to publish my own anthologies later on, if I wanted to publish one of the short stories I have on a site such as AC.
And thanks :) I'm still an undergraduate, so I have a lot more to learn and read about, but I do enjoy writing.
@babostwick (2036)
• United States
21 Feb 09
I've never heard of MintArticle to tell you the truth. I might have to look into it. I've written on both Helium and Associated Content. I've had not too bad experience with both of them though sometimes you can get rejected for upfront on Associated Content. With Helium, the writing and rating stars can be frustrating but you can earn up front as long as you have at least 1 writing and rating star. Personally, I try to get as many as I can.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
22 Feb 09
Right now I have 2 writing stars, actually one of them is a bonus star. So for this month, I dare not submit any more article. If the new article brings down the rating, and lose the bonus writing stars. I will suffer earn much less in upfront payment.
Another few more days to month end, I keep my fingers cross!
