California Local Webs: Writers Start Building Your Own Article Networks

California Local Webs is the newest effort to maximize exposure for Charm Denise Baker's California related articles. All freelance writers, new and not so new, are encouraged to start building your own article networks. Let’s face it, many internet empires are built on the sweat and sleepless nights of freelance writers all around the world. I know this because, when I look at my list of loyal FOLLOWERS and fans on different writing sites, I see a huge diversity of writers, from everywhere and every walk of life.

Before considering the subject of California Local Webs and building your own article networks, I would like to thank the writers and readers who have taken the time to become my Followers. I not only realize the importance of leaving feedback and doing things to support other writers, but I’ve emphasized this point in previous writings. I totally understand how much effort it takes to buy out time for this much needed and much appreciated task. I also admit, I sometimes end up putting this on the back burner and I’ve missed out on responding to a lot of good comments. One big problem I personally have, is email housekeeping. Try as I might, I can’t seem to keep up and manage it all. I typically end up taking a whole weekend to go through mail and missed “Comments”. That’s when I do a lot of reading and commenting of my own. Until then, here’s a blanket THANK YOU to those who are a lot more diligent about these things. That leads into the point of this article.

It is great that you spend time reading, commenting and working on your Hub love, but there comes a time when you should be benefiting from your own hard work! Just take a look through the Hub forums, as well as the other writing websites where writers gather around the water cooler. Notice how many comments you read from writers who are frustrated, disappointed, confused and plain “pissed off” at the low ratio of writing profits to writing activities. Sometimes it's because they may be spending way too much time networking with other writers and NOT actually writing and publishing their work. But more often than not, the reason is: they spend time networking with other writers AND writing and publishing work, but still not profiting.

So that means, that all those multiple writers that you faithfully follow are benefiting from your “love”. The websites you write for are constantly raking in dough from all your great articles and YOU may barely be averaging a few cents a day. All writers appreciate the love and feedback from readers, especially fellow writers, but how much and how long are you spending on this activity?  If this and any other activity outweighs the time you spend actually writing, it's time to re-evaluate your situation.

As for the writing you regularly submit, think about how much and how often you profit, as well as the types of writing income you receive.  Chances are, even if you publish content on a daily basis, you're only earning a fraction of what the writing website you publish on is making.  Before anyone starts to think this is about bashing HubPages or any other writing site, relax, because it’s not. I love HubPages.  This is where I first began on my online writing path. I love the other sites I write for because they've shown me I can actually get paid for the words I create.  I like each one for various reasons, specific to the individual site. This is evident in my detailed coverage of 3 Paying Markets, where I even provide screenshots of my earning information with certain writing websites. But whether I get paid upfront for articles or earn revenue shares on contextual advertising, the question is, am I fully capitalizing on the power of my article writing. How much am I benefiting from my own hard work?  This is a question every writer needs to ask themselves. 

This article will not go into detail on how you can make more money with your writing. In addition to other articles that I’ve provided on this topic, I recently did a good job of explaining a simple, but profitable writing strategy in my SPECIAL REPORT about making more money with your writing. This report details how I foolishly gave away the rights to over 100 articles that could be making me double profits right now. I encourage new writers, especially, to read this report, because many of you are probably making the same mistake.

The purpose of this information is to drive home the point about NOT taking your writing for granted by allowing everyone else to maximize on it but you! I have created a website CALIFORNIA LOCAL WEBS for the sole purpose of promoting and earning more money from my article writing. I don’t fancy myself a webmaster (although I have a few more skills than most) and I’m not seeking to run a business, to the point of being overly concerned with website prestige or appearance (my site is even hosted with a free web host). The website merely serves as a way for me to compile and network my articles in a way that brings attention directly to MY writing and not thousands of others who are competing for the same attention. That is what happens at sites like HubPages, Associated Content, e-How and other sites. While you may believe you're benefiting from the leverage of being associated with a large popular site, you're more than likely lost in the shuffle!

California Local Webs is my way of distinguishing my own California related articles from thousands of other writers. With my own writing network, there's no one to compete with. My biggest challenge is getting readers to my writing, just as it is when I belong to a writing website. The only difference is, once readers find me, they only have my articles to browse through. So as not to be too general, I selected a niche, living in Southern California, because it’s one of the things I know best. Now, I can maximize my earning potential for every single California related article that I write, no matter how many other websites I allow to exploit them (this is in harmony with the information in my Special Report on non-exclusive content).

If you are a new writer, now is the best time for you to start building your own article network. You haven't really started giving away your copyrights yet, because you probably haven't published that many articles. Now is the time to learn about this information and apply it. You can set up your own website where you showcase your own articles.

Monetize the pages to make money with affiliates, just like they are at the writing websites you write for. The only difference is, you’re in control of what you do.

Don’t feel like you need to have a product or service for a successful website. Understand that your writing is your product! Things work on the same principal as the writer websites you already write for. The more articles you build up on your own site, the more clout and exposure you get. The only difference is, on your own website, all the articles in the network are yours. On your site, you’re the big fish in the small pond. On one of the larger, popular website, you’re probably not even a small fish in a big ocean. In fact, you’re probably just the fish bait!

There are two things to keep in mind if you decide to create a website, for the purpose of marketing and networking your articles.

1. Building a detailed site can be time consuming and take away from the actual "article writing" activities. Don't get stuck on trying to create "bells and whistles". Forget about all the frills and stick to the important issue: writing good content on a regular basis.
   
2. You don't need to stop writing and submitting work to writing websites. You want and need all the exposure you can get. Visitors may end up reading articles on your own website (where you get all the $$$, exposure and traffic for yourself), or on the site where the article is originally published (for non-exclusive rights). You may still be receiving revenue share for an article on one writer site, and still be earning from the same article off your own site.
   

You can watch and monitor your stats wherever an article is published, and see where you seem to be earning the most for it. Keep in mind, your aim is to get the most out of your writing by doubling your exposure, but not doubling your efforts.

Please take a few minutes to check out California Local Webs, just to see how you can set up your own article network and continue to earn money with your previously published articles. Feel free to return and leave your comments.