Demand Studios Sucks Also Sucks--The Writing Portfolio Building Strategy They Didn't Want to See Part II

3. Write update articles to those already posted on Demand Media Studios client websites.

The third prong would apply to those no longer working for Demand Studios. The fired writer would simply look at eHow and other Demand client websites. He'd look for topics that fit his interests.

Once he finds an article that doesn't match reality, or that isn't quite correct, he writes an updated article. He posts this article on his blog, or sells it to another one of his clients.

Ehow's articles don't have a publish date. This gives the reader the impression that he's looking at something that's new. Demand Media's writing requirements, for each article, sets them up for long term failure. Their writing style automatically puts a short shelf life on most of its articles.

This gives a former Demand Studios' writer a chance to build a writing portfolio.

All they'd have to do is pick an eHow category that fits their expertise. The freelance writer would write an updated version of the outdated eHow article. The writer would write it in a way that it'd have a longer shelf life.

The freelance writer would then publish this updated article on a competitor's website.

If enough former Demand Media writers do this, they could collectively erode Demand Studio's credibility. This'd happen over the long run. If the writer submits the updated article to DMS' competitors, their credibility would go up at DMS' expense.

Demand Studios expects to continue to earn money from articles their client sites already have. Discredit those websites, with articles representing updates over the eHow articles, and DMS can lose its bread and butter.

This tactic gives a former Demand Studios writer an arsenal of articles in an expertise area... a writing portfolio that'll get his foot into the door for a real client.

Let's say that a writer has experience with arts and crafts. She knows that eHow has many outdated arts and craft articles. She writes updated home and crafts articles. These articles are more accurate than the corresponding eHow article. She publishes them in Ezine Articles, Associated Content, or another Demand Media Studios competitor.

Armed with these articles, and her working knowledge on arts and crafts, she could approach businesses that sell arts and craft items. She could offer to write their introductory letters and collateral marketing or information materials. She could also approach a non profit organization, that specializes in making arts and craft items... and offer to write their fund raising letters.

This approach does two things for the writer. It provides closure. It also arms her to open new doors for her freelance writing services.

This is the key.

My plan didn't require them to give me money, as many of them assumed. Many Demand Media Studios posters preferred complaining under anonymity. The freelance writers didn't want to leverage their numbers to lobby for change within DMS.

Some DSS posters talked about making fun of Demand's fired writers. These posters don't realize that by drastically reducing article availability, DMS is constantly issuing pink slips.

If Demand Studios runs out of titles in their cue, and if no more titles arrive, every Demand writer would effectively be fired.

For many Demand Studios writers, this is the kiss of death for their writing career. Most only had Demand Media as a client. They never bothered to expand their client base. This will be the subject of the post below this.