Freelance Writing: Always check your sources
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I hope you are having a sparkling day!
Recently, I started working for a technology website. At times, I shake my head at the sloppy journalism I’ve seen in my local and national news sources. It’s obvious that the journalist really didn’t do too much work to check out their sources. It’s obvious that they were just parroting what they had read from another source. Does anyone see a problem with that? When you are relying on second hand information at times that information can be dead wrong.
One thing I’ve always done was to track the original source I find that it gives me a better understanding of the topic and many times I find that the information is completely different fro the second hand information I’ve received. Naturally, I apply those same principles when I write for the news website. I have my RSS feed set up to receive news related to technology, mainly Apple. I easily receive 500 feeds daily. Scanning the titles quickly I try to pick the ones that I believe are “newsworthy” I then spend some time tracking down the original source. Guess what, there are people like me who do the same thing and if you put inaccurate information up they will pull you up on it.
Guess what you have sloppy writers period? Let’s not fool ourselves and think that term applies only to a journalist. Even when it comes to topics, I know well I always back up what I’ve said with another source. With my new website, I’m already gaining an audience of repeat visitors. Currently the number is small about 50 readers daily, but it feels great. I’ve been writing for three weeks and have already had over 15,000 page views for my articles. It definitely looks as though I’ll beat the 20,000. What that means is a flat rate per article I’ll be paid by the amount of page views I receive. That’s where the money is. I knew I would get to that point if I simply wrote a good article.
My goal at the technology website is to be viewed as someone who is very knowledgeable about Mac technology. Although I am people who are regular readers of the website don’t know that. One way of showing them is simply writing about a topic I love. Weekends I believe will be my “down time” I’ll devote those two days to tutorials about the Mac. In fact, I’ll be writing a series geared to the recent switcher.
I’m Learning Something New: Cocoa, C based programming for Apple
I’ve always wanted to learn Cocoa (C Based programming for environment for Apple) yesterday I stumbled upon a website that is targeted for beginners. I guess it would be very geeky for me to say that I reading programming books like novels, but it’s the truth. I’m really excited and plan to add Cocoa to my “I must learn it or else” pile. I learned C+ when I was in high school.
I’ve always enjoyed computer programming. I’ve always wanted to learn how things work so naturally that carried over top computers. It made sense I spent a lot of time working on them. When I made, the switch to the Mac in 2006 I was determined to maintain my technical skills didn’t diminish it just meant I had to learn another operating system. It has its benefits one of my freelance writing assignments is writing for a technology based website. I mainly write about the Mac. In the future I’ll also be submitting some of my articles to print magazines like Mac|Life and MacTech.
My writing assignments are going well. They are keeping me very busy. I’ve met some more Mac developers. Contacting developers is something I’ve always done even before I worked for a technology ezine however after landing a freelance writing job it has inspired me to be more active with my interaction with developers.
The world could use some more female geeks you know. 
I tell people I’m a well rounded geek not only do I devour mounds of technology information. I’m also a health nut, fitness addict, extreme sports lover (mainly skydiving), who enjoys spending massive amounts of time outdoors, enjoying nature, and taking pictures. Thank goodness for wifi.
