eHow Landmarks: Inspiritation to all eHow Writers

This past week has come with blistering, mind-numbing chills (it seems that January is the new December, at least for Pennsylvania). However, along with the cold, cold winter came some announcements from eHow writers, with landmarks that will warm up anyone's spirits!

While I'd love to mention the numerous eHow writers who have written 100 articles, or passed their $100 or 200 goals indivudually, this blog would be longer than a phone book :)

However, the following is an amazing feat that does indeed need great recognition:

Jerrie Dean, an eHow writer since 2007, has written over 450 (465 last time I checked) articles. Recently, Jerrie stated a true milestone of passing... 1,001,999 views!!!

This has generated quite a buzz in the eHow forums, and it has certainly brought a reality check to all of us eHow writers: beyond the earnings, beyond the statistics, beyond the hard work... people READ eHow articles. EHOW IS REAL. Even more, the goals you want to reach through eHow is indeed possible!

Understanding that over one million people have read one, single writer's work is something to behold! I had the pleasure of chatting with Jerrie, wanting to get to understand this amazing feat a little bit better:

Me: What motivates you to write?

Jerrie: I have always been a writer since I was a kid. I never have been much of a talker, so being able to write gives me an outlet. It is so much easier for me to type out a paragraph than it is for me to think of small talk. I am also able to be creative with words and I love words and am humbled by how a paragraph can make someone laugh or cry. Plus, I love to teach piano and I basically just love to help other's learn, and I am able to do that online and reach thousands of people. That's motivation right there for me. I think most any successful eHower is a teacher at heart.

Me: Personally, why do you think you reached 1,000,000... something that I'm guessing no one has achieved?

Jerrie: I don't believe I am the first to reach one million views, but I can tell you that I believe it was a combination of many things. I consistently wrote 5 times a week, at least one if not two articles a day for over a year. I participated in the forums and commented on other's articles. I made sure that my articles were well written and informative and not just something I put out there to make a quick buck. I continuely try to stay ahead of the curve on current topics which I believe helped me to get noticed by the media and would get me on the top 10 eHow list, all which helped me dramatically with my views.

So, again I love bringing news, inspiration and motivation to all of us eHow writers... and while the journey of writing, whether it be pen and paper or internet based, professional contract or freelance liesure, writing is a carousel... going round and round, up and down.

Just remind yourself every now and then of why you got on the carousel, for the enjoyment of the ride.
~Jeff

eHowlity: 4 Make the Most from Writing for eHow

I don't want to speak as a 'Say all, Be all' type... but I noticed that numerous eHowers are in need of some guidance. Whether you have been on eHow a year more than myself, or just created your account tonight, be sure to take these notes, and make something from it.

I have found that eHow and I are partners to love/hate relationship. eHow is awesome for potential income (I still refuse to use any other article websites), and I write as many quality articles as possible, with an occassional humorous how-to here and there. However, I go to check my stats, and find that nothing gets updated. So, I get mad at eHow, and start living my life... and THEN, eHow teases me back by giving me some updated earnings.

While I am certain that this accounts for 99% of other eHowers... everyone handles the situation differently.

Here are some pointers for all of us eHow writer's:

1.) Worry/focus more on writing than earning. Check your views, $ earned, and all those other stats once AND ONLY ONCE a day. If the stats aren't updated, then check tomorrow.
2.) Write about what you enjoy, NOT about what will EARN MORE. I learned this lesson when I wrote freelance for some website... I wrote hundreds of content articles on topics I wasn't familiar with, but knew the money would be good. The result? I got burned out, and was happy when I ended my contract.
3.) Read other writer's work. Yes, reading helps you out too. It's amazing that somehow writer's have stopped reading all the sudden, as if reading another eHower's how to's will hurt your earnings? Reading enlightens you with what works, what doens't work, and how you can adapt your writing style.

So, hope these tips help you out... and remember that it's all about enjoying what you do! It's almost like karma, if you love what you do, it will love you back :) As well, if you read other's work, others will read your work.

Stay warm,
Jeff

A Little Bit About Myself

I am going to take this post in a direction slightly away from eHow, for I think it's necessary for you, the wonderful viewing audience, to see who I am.

I am Jeff Beer, 22, male, from Pittsburgh PA. (Ya, I just did A/S/L)
I am in my senior year of college, majoring in Philosophy with emphasis in Psychology, and in May '09 I will be officially done with college.

... a standard introduction, but, there is WAY to more it. And hopefully, you can take some time read about me. My life. My story.

While I have been blessed with friends, family, loved ones who will support me no matter what... from triumphs to my dumbest choices, I am in a challenge, a personal hurdle. I am in a dilemma that includes me, myself, and I.

I have been in the process of trying to figure life out (aren't we all always in this process though?). I could/can be anything I want, I could/can do and accomplish whatever is physically, mentally, emotionally possible. What gets at me is that I have had so many resources at my disposal, right at my fingertips... all that could have been professional contacts/connections to very successful business opportunities to once-in-a-life experiences. While I took some of those opportunities, I did not utilize as much as I should have. While I have changed my major, a symbol of my career and who I am suppose to become, 4 times (Music Industry to Special Ed./Elementary Ed. dual major to Psychology Counseling and Philosophy to Philosophy with Emphasis in Psychology) ... I am preparing myself for what I want to do, want to be.

In reality, I should have decided on this years ago... but the Real World is not so real.

So now, presently, I am trying to make something for myself. A career. A lifestyle. Definition for who I am. I am very self-intellectualizing, and I love being eclectic. Recently, I have adopted Edison's 'Light Bulb' Philosophy... for I didn't find one major, one career, or one lifestyle, RATHER I found 3 majors/careers/lifestyles that didn't work for me.

As I have grown with a family that instilled a character of hard-work and that you can get anything you want, achieve any dream... that is what exactly I will do. While many throw disbelief and pessimism at me, that my challenge may be too difficult to accomplish, I turn that into motivation... to prove them wrong. My goal, my dream, is to create a career and lifestyle that adopts everything... a very entrepreneurial spirit and method. With this, I want to create businesses, both online and brick-and-mortar. I want to write articles, essays, books, ebooks on topics on extreme spectrum. I want to create the art that has been burning inside of me for years. I want to discuss, think, and help others. I want to do it all. I want to be known as someone who was able to think AND act.

In a way (as most of these stories' morals go), the experiences I learned these last years have been almost over-compensating for what I missed out on, the opportunities I didn't take, and this is something I should be thankful for.

Don't take this post as a sympathetic beg, or think that this is a poor attempt to rub my ego onto you. Rather, actually take time to think about this, my story. I am just trying to tell you not how I failed, but rather HOW I WILL SUCCEED.

I don't care if your 30 years older or younger than me. It's a lesson that I think we all pass off too much, I think we all get off the path every now and then, which is fine... in fact needed occasionally, but the real personal challenge is how we get back on it. Personally, I think we all have grown lazier mentally and physically every day... and those that are most happy are the ones who have understood this, and overcame it.

So, I hope I inspired. Made someone actually stop their world for a second or two, and helped you create a thought, a belief... that anyone can rise. Anyone can do anything. Whether it be in success or failure is not of importance, rather it is within the attempt that is of essence. As well, I hope that you have come to see my true self. I think the internet creates a split personality, and an inability to see our true selves, and with that I have shed my 'internet skin'.

If anyone has been interested of my personal stories, I would love to further my story through my other blog: The Meta-Entrepreneur (http://metaentrepreneur.blogspot.com/)

On this blog, I mix posts from 'How to succeed on the internet' to personal stories like this one'. I think there are too many 'black and white' blogs... that are either business/work/success based OR are completely 'Dairy-esque'. So on that note, I hope you can keep reading my blogs, find interest, and take something from them.

Thanks for reading.
Jeff

eHowlity: 3 - Getting Over the Hurdles

You can imply from the title where I am going to venture into :)

Lately, eHow has provided some challenges for all of us writers... whether it be the delays in earning or views, or recommendations disappearing, it can be frustrating.

*Writers new AND old pay attention!*
No matter what, do not focus on the stressors and setbacks!! You have to understand that this is just something that happens. What is the true task that you need to focus on is the the writing itself! Too many people have a minor setback, but turn it into a MAJOR setback!

Focusing on these negativity only will fire back at you! Think about it, you keep on refreshing and venting about how you cannot get your views fixed (I know, for I have done this before)... next thing you know you go on the forum to vent, and about 10 minutes later you accomplished nothing... and most likely you are still angry.

WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE: Tell yourself "no worry, eHow will eventually fix this problem, I better just start writing on my articles until the situation is settled."

So, let's say you found your views have been frozen since last year *cough, cough* ...you know what you do? You overlook it! Yes, it is incredibly helpful to physically see an increase in views. However, in writing reality... does it matter? Just simply tell yourself "Now I don't have to waste my time seeing what my views are... let's start writing self!"

I really do not want to say this, but it is SO true: YOU ARE YOUR BIGGEST HURDLE!

On that note, stay focused and keep writing! Setbacks happen to us all, everyday. It is up to you to choose the right action.