I’ve been told at various times in my life that ’’Mr. Right’’ is out there somewhere looking for me, so I thought I might just try to make it easier for him to find me by giving him a few other ideas (five, to be exact) besides right here at Mouthshut.com (which is another story all by itself).
All kidding aside, I’m not just posting this so that Mr. Right will find me--in fact, that’s the LEAST of my concerns at this time--but so that anyone else can, too.
So, here goes. . .
MY FIRST LOVE (a.k.a. The Elephant In The Corner)
You could probably post a swear-word around MS.com with greater ease than you would be able to print the name of this certain site.
For some reason, it has become like the proverbial elephant in the corner of a room that people are aware of but don’t dare to mention in polite company.
Think of being at a social gathering and noticing the odor of passed gas in the air. You might even have some suspicions of its source. However, you say nothing and pretend not to notice. If the odor is bad enough, you might turn on a fan, open a window, or both. But you don’t mention why you’re doing this--though most people would have some inkling as to what inspired you to take such action(s).
And so it is with a certain website--causing me to resort of describing it in generalities by saying:
(1) It has many of the same traits as this one.
(2) You read, write, and rate opinions.
(3) You use a special name for these opinions where you substitute a capital ’’E’’ for the first ’’o’’ in the word ’’opinion.’’
(4) The name of the site is the result of #3 being made plural and a period and the first three letters of ’’comedy’’ being used as the ending.
Anyway, I’ve been a member of this certain place since June 22, 2000--checking it out after seeing it mentioned on a messageboard at a writers’ forum. It’s the first place I’ve ever written online and gotten paid for it.
Since joining there, I’ve made many wonderful friends--and, through them, have learned of other great sites (like this one!) where I actually could write to earn.
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED TO ME WHILE I WAS TRYING TO HELP A FRIEND!
As I said before, I’ve met several wonderful people at the first site.
One day, I was trying to help one of them out (He was down over a messy divorce, and his content partner site didn’t seem to be working. Since he was too preoccupied with his personal life to fix it, I was trying to find someone else who lived closer to him who might be able to actually visit him and help him out) and went to look up a person he’d told me was a good friend of his. While I was at the good friend’s site, I saw the name of another member and wondered if he were also connected to my online friend.
When I went to his site, I found out that he wrote for a site called WrittenByMe. Unlike the first site--which, as a consumer report site, has more limits as to what you can write about--WBM (which has its roots Down Under in Australia) is more of a creative writing site.
Some changes have been made to it lately in hopes of also giving us a springboard (an agent of sorts) in which to sell what we write to other markets, if and when we so desire.
If you get the chance, go check it out (note: with these writing sites, you simply have to to the usual http business and then enter the name of the site right before the dot-com). If you decide to join, you might mention that ainsleyjo sent you--not a requirement, but it would make us both happy campers. Also, if you join, be sure to let me know by leaving a comment here, e-mailing me, etc. and letting me know your username.
WHILE THE CAT WAS AWAY. . .
While the ’’cat’’ was away, we ’’mice’’ found another place to play!
In plain English: When the site with the unmentionable name shut down, I soon received an e-mail from fellow writer, Kassie, telling me about a new site known as Brightidea.com.
This was a place you could go to and write what you might see as bright ideas for a vast number of specific--and some not so specific--categories.
This is a site that’s already very good in a lot of ways. However, it also has a lot of bugs in need of being ironed out. Sometimes, the very creators of it get totally overwhelmed by the mammoth challenges being tossed at them regarding this site.
Some fellow writers have become frustrated by all of this and have pulled out. Yet, many of us have opted to stay on board the ship to see if it will become restored to even greater magesty than before.
This is a brightly-colored site that has a lot of potential. I can see improvements in it frequently and would personally advise any or all of you to give it the chance it deserves!
(Continued in Part Two). . .