After two weeks at Suite101 I have contributed ten articles, my tenth about NFL London, I have received 421 page views and a total revenue of $0.35 Total Revenue. So far this means that I have earned a little over 3.5c per article… This is not great. However, things are improving, my daily page views are gradually increasing and so hopefully soon revenue will follow!
I’m spreading myself around Suite101 at the moment and these articles had the varied titles of 2009 Stirling Prize Winner Announced, Button Focused on Title Defense and Cycling to Angkor Wat.
I decided that there were not enough people reading the architecture section so I would move to another area. I decided to write about soccer and two articles about David Beckham: Will David Beckam be at the Next World Cup and David Beckham allowed to Move to AC Milan. This change of direction, spreading myself out a bit over Suite101 led to a couple of hits but not many.
I continued the architecture theme writing: Architecture in Rio and Modern Architecture in London. These articles put me top of the “top contributors in the past 30 days” section for architecture, but didn’t seem to have any affect on my amount of Page Views.
For my second article i decided to write about something that is very well known here, in the UK, but not well know in the U.S. I wrote about Britain’s most famous architecture prize: The RIBA Stirling Prize.
I decided to write my first article about Sir Christopher Wren a subject I was very familiar with. After a few changes suggested by my editor it was published: Sir Christopher Wren: A Profile
The first step on the road to becoming a Suite101 writer is obviously to apply. Suite101 are permanently on the look out for new writers to build the content of their site. The application process is carried out online here.
Before You Apply: Is Suite101 right for You?
Before filling out the application form I carried out online research to find out exactly what Suite101 is, and what the possible benefits of becoming a writer would be. I read the information on their web-page as well as other writers experiences, Nicholas’ post “Writing for Suite101.com and About.com: Is It Worth It?” was the most useful of the ones I read.
The Application Process
The application process is extremely simple. There is only one form to fill out and your email address is the only piece of personal information you are required to give out at this initial stage. Their are however, two tough sections to complete: “Expertise Related to Suite101.com Topics” and “Two Original or Published Sample Articles”.
Expertise Related to Suite101.com Topics
Suite101 asks you to state three topics that you will write about and then relate why you consider yourself to have expertise in this area. The site states that “pasting in your résumé is not acceptable”, however, I found that I was able to edit the content of my resume, including my educational background and work experience, into an appropriate piece.
Two Original or Published Sample Articles
Suite101 asks you to submit two articles relating to your chosen areas of expertise. These articles have to demonstrate your knowledge of the subject matter and you abilities as a writer. I choose two articles that I had already written and after re-editing submitted articles on Architecture in Singapore and Sao Luis in Brazil .
What Happens Next?
Once completed your application form is sent to an editor at Suite101 to be approved. On approval you should recieve an email entitled: Application Status, congratulating you and giving you a link to the contract.
Tom Ravenscroft is a freelance journalist who currently resides in the UK. He holds a Masters in Architectural History from the University of Edinburgh. Since graduating he has broadened his knowledge of architecture by traveling extensively in Europe, Latin America and Asia.
His work has been published in several South American newspapers, travel guidebooks and has appeared online at a variety of travel and architecture based websites.
The aim of this Blog is to inform people about Suite101, how it works, and most importantly if writing for them is worthwhile. I will chart my experiences and progress as a writer with Suite101 right from the application process, giving my opinion on the benefit I am receiving from the site, both financially and as a career-building tool.
