Are Forums Good for Writing Sites?

I found out about Writing Sites one day right after I officially said “I’m retiring now and will be doing exactly what I want to do.”  I had just bought the cutest little Net book, and had bought it only because it was so cute.  Now I could get rid of the “Trogladite” I referred to as the Old Dell.  This woman was on Television talking about this Writing Site where the residuals were ummmmm $290 a month.  Bam, Zoom, Wow, my mind screamed.  “I  can do this!  I mean just writing about How to Do things?” and I’m screaming in my head again “Bam, Zoom, Wow”.  All the things I’ve learned.  Hey, I’d better parlay all that knowledge into Writing.  How cool.   And it was so easy to start with Ehow.  Just sign up and start structuring your article.  Such a neat format to write on too.  I’d never uploaded a picture in my life, never worked for the Internet in my life, but I guess my experience with different programs and formats on the job, this was nothing.  And the How-Tos came to me so easily.  All of my work was mine, I didn’t have to be inspired by anyone.  But hey I don’t know everything and after writing an endless amount on that site, I now I have a about 440+ on  another current site.  I have to refresh myself on my knowledge or continue with my pen and little notebook ANYTIME  I even think I’ll learn something new.  My routine has been to look for anything that I don’t know how to do and then learn how to do it and then just share it.  Perfect formula for sharing knowledge through print, rather than just blurting it out.

It was a really cool and supportive crew there at Ehow and then sometimes I would visit the Forum.  I don’t think I ever had but one input.  It was fascinating that most of the format went on about how earnings were up or down, how many Writers made about a million dollars an article (just kidding), those willing to jump in and add their two cents and me shaking in my shoes saying “I’m not telling anybody about my $17 proud bucks.  You are not going to laugh at me today!”  So I wasn’t going there.  None of these figures are real but I am making a point. 

There are some jobs that discourage employees from talking about a salary to the point of dismissal if someone divulges.  I’ve always been a chicken in that aspect.  I didn’t want to think there was a difference in one girl’s pay versus another’s.  But sometimes a girl would let it drop out.  If it was a small difference, okay.  If it was wide divide, well what do you do?  Since these things can’t be discussed you do nothing yet.  You’ve got enough scruples not to even bring the Big Money Earner to light and compromise them by letting the Boss know that they have a big mouth to go along with that salary.  But at least that’s a job with a predictable salary, but with writing  Everything is indeed up to the person.

What I am saying is that at least in Writing, the sky is pretty much the limit.  A big challenge is to find out how to make it marketable for yourself; really not bothering about how marketable someone else is.  It seems more reasonable not to bother with things like that than to actually implore.  But that’s just me.  I think trends are nice to be discussed but certain things compared to someone else is a little inappropriate to me.  Never mind what’s behind it.  It just feels that way.  But I would like to see another Forum here  because some are very nice and helpful indeed.  Like us dealing with staggering changes and feelings of doubt!  There is one very good newer site that had a Forum and it was so refreshing the way we went to each other to ask questions and left it alone at that.  Everyone was happy that the forum wasn’t so competitive.  For some reason, that Forum was removed.  But I think one would still benefit a Community because Forums can bring some of us closer and give an ear sometimes when we genuinely want to know.  Peace!