Demand Studios

Hmmm........ do I have a hidden agenda? You be the judge. If you want to check me out, you can visit my home page. http://bobbiholmes.com/

I've been writing for Demand Studios since July of 2008. I stumbled across the site and I'm glad I did. I was tempted to NOT create this lens on Demand Studios. After all, writers at Demand Studios compete against each other for titles, so how smart is it to encourage other writers to come on board? Not especially smart of me, yet the unbiased *reviews* annoyed me more than the desire to limit competitors.

Demand Studios is a content provider. They pay writers to write short articles, with the average fee for a 400-500 word article being $15. The articles go on websites, some of which are owned by Demand Studio's parent company (such as eHow).

The process works like this: A writer applies for a position with Demand Studios by completing an application and submitting writing samples. After a writer is accepted (not everyone is, I know of many who were turned down) he or she logs onto the online work desk at the Demand Studios website.

A writer can then "claim" titles to write. This involves scrolling through the list of available titles. A writer may be limited in number of titles claimed, the type of article available to claim and the available format. There are a variety of formats, such as how to, tips, travel reviews, lists and many more. Each format has specific guidelines in how it is written. Before writing any article, it is the writer's responsibility to become familiar with that format.

After an article is written the writer submits it to the editors in an online template on the website. The article goes for review, and if it needs edits it will be returned to the writer. The writer then has one chance to do a rewrite. If the rewrite is not accepted, the article is rejected. If it is accepted it is published.

Review time varies from an hour to a week, depending on a variety of factors. My articles are normally reviewed within a day or so. Sometimes there are quirky hang ups and it may take longer, but I have found that to be the exception rather than the rule.

Writers are paid twice a week, with the payment going to Paypal. At this time there are no fees taken out of the payments. Typically articles accepted by Wednesday are paid by Friday night, and articles accepted by Sunday are paid by Tuesday night.

Those negative to Demand Studios often bring up the possibility of rejections, where a writer can spend time on an article and get paid nothing. Personally, I don't think the rejection factor is a significant issue. It seems to be the general consensus among the DS community that those with a 3% rejection rate should start worrying about being let go from DS.

Over the last 6 months my rejection percentage has been 1%. My rejections were not about writing per se - they were articles I simply didn't nail. They were titles I probably should not have claimed in the first place. Occasionally a rejection stems from a disagreement with an editor over the focus of the article - yet that is more the exception than the rule.

Demand Studios has a stellar reputation when it comes to paying their writers. The only time I have heard grumbling is when a writer's article was not reviewed in time for the next payday and had to wait until the following payday for payment. Yet, I believe that is a weak complaint. Many regular jobs hold back pay, in that the paycheck you receive does not include your last week's work. When writing for traditional print publishers, payment can take months.

The primary grievance of those on the anti-Demand Studios wagon seems to be the pay rate. They spend so much time telling writers how Demand Studios takes advantage of the writers with slave wages, that they fail to explain the pay rate and earning potential. Instead of the writers evaluating the facts, and making up their own minds, they are shooed away with the warning that writing for Demand Studios is a rip off.

Well folks, for some writers it can be a good deal.

For example, yesterday I completed four $15 articles in 3 ½ hours. Considering my articles are typically accepted, I made $17 an hour. Not bad working from home.

Is this true for all articles? No. Time spent on an article will depend on the writer's speed and knowledge of the subject. For example, many real estate articles are a snap for me to write, and I can easily write one within an hour. But, if I choose a topic on the insurance industry, I would be burning up time doing research and my hourly rate might drop to $5 an hour or less.

A writer's earning potential can depend on the titles they claim. If I was being paid $200 an article I might claim one out of my comfort zone, and do extensive research. But to make writing for Demand Studios profitable, I stick to articles that I can write well within a budgeted time frame.

Some writers complain that they don't have enough time researching a subject and they blame DS. Perhaps the writer should pass up that title and move onto one they can nail quickly. For some writers, Demand Studios isn't the right fit.

When I applied for Demand Studios I figured it was another flaky internet company and didn't take it very serious. That was foolish of me, and I imagine if I applied today with that attitude, I would not be accepted. Approach the application seriously if you want to get accepted. And once accepted, study the formats and don't submit anything until you fully understand the format you are writing. A high re-write or rejection rate can limit you in writing assignments and limit your time with DS. If you want to stick around, take time to do your homework.

Demand Studios is a legitimate writing gig. You won't get rich writing for them, but some writers can make a decent hourly wage. Writers are not employees of Demand Studios, they are independent contractors. Don't expect them to treat you like an employee. Don't expect Demand Studios to be something it is not. They are straightforward in what they want from their writers. Ask yourself what you want to make per hour before choosing titles.

What is my biggest complaint with Demand Studios? Honestly, I haven't any major complaints. They are growing, evolving, and trying to keep up with the pace. December 2008 I had lots of complaints. But I believe they have made significant improvements. Finding writable titles can be a pain and time consuming. But, it is so much better than it was a year ago that complaining about that seems petty. I have learned to surf for titles when I am doing something else, like watching TV or chatting on the phone. If I figured in the time searching for titles, then my hourly pay would drop.

In the beginning, when titles were scarce, I would choose articles that were time consuming. But, I did choose titles that interested me. It was fun learning new things. But even then, I was making a decent income for our area. In our community $10 an hour is considered a good wage. I'd rather do something I enjoy at home plus make $10 or more an hour.

I love the flexibility. If I want to travel it is possible to do this on the road. That is very appealing. For those who live in remote or depressed areas, this can be the ideal opportunity. And for the stay at home mom...I wish Demand Studios was in existence when my kids were little.

Those anti-DS folk often use the term content mill...the image of DS writers churning out article after article and flooding the net comes to mind. On the other side of the coin the virtues of the print media are placed on a pedestal and writers are reminded that real writers are those who write for the traditional press, while those providing content for websites are hacks at best - writing impostures. But times, they are changing. It is no secret that the print media is falling on rough economic times and more and more readers are turning to the internet for information. Demand Studios is one company that is providing that information, they are a company that is making an effort to provide quality content.