However, this month’s installment calls for a little sprinkle of glamour. Let’s imagine ourselves walking down the red carpet, decked out in black ties and ball gowns, flashes popping away. Inside the theatre, a hush falls over the crowd as the presenter opens the envelope.

And the March Writer Spotlight goes to…Victoria Grant!

As colleagues around the world burst into applause, Victoria steps into the spotlight. And inquiring minds want to know — how did a freelancer from Virginia, on the east coast of the United States, make her way to centre stage at Crowd Content? That’s what we’re here to find out.

Known on our platform and in real life as Victoria, our featured scribe has been practicing her craft for nearly two decades, including a stint at her local newspaper. Like many before her, she found Crowd Content while searching online for freelance writing jobs. Thankfully, we don’t have to give Google referral fees for the writers sent our way.

Our talented freelancers draw on different strengths and passions, and between them, can tackle any project clients need to be written. Some writers are the happiest diving into in-depth articles. Others are a whiz at whipping up concise snippets. And Victoria? “Marketing copy and beauty writing are my favourites,” she says, which is perfect considering we’re all about glamour today.

Victoria’s knack for weaving together beautiful, flowery language comes in handy on the platform, especially for product descriptions that need to capture a shopper’s imagination in a handful of words. “I love cosmetics because of the subject matter and length,” she says of her favourite project. “They’re fun to write and pay well!”

She does, however, eschew the writer stereotype of working in a coffee shop, opting for the comforts of home. “[I write] in my bedroom, on a laptop at a standing desk I’ve created myself from a dresser and stack of books,” she says of her MacGyvered workspace.

I contemplate asking for other tips on fabricating something from nothing, but it’s probably more useful to seek advice for those just starting on the platform. What wisdom can she share with new writers? “Believe in yourself, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and learn to take constructive criticism!” Victoria says.

When she’s not writing about glowing complexions and shiny tresses, Victoria is likely tending to her garden or curled up with a cat and a book. “I love Alice Hoffman and Alexandra Ripley,” she says of the novelists. “I can’t possibly choose a favourite book.” You might also find her catching up on the antics of America’s favourite TV serial killer — which, I must note, are a long way from the romantic and aspirational copy that flows from her keyboard. “I’m loving Dexter: New Blood and I’m always up for any comedic sitcom,” Victoria adds.

Like most award ceremonies, this show is at risk of running too long. But before we wrap up, the media scrum has a few more questions for Victoria.

What’s your favourite restaurant or meal? “I enjoy so many types of food I can’t choose.”

What do you find most challenging about writing content? “Time management, for sure.”

What sets Crowd Content apart from other content platforms? “The excellent management and admin, the competitive pay and the wide range of opportunities.”

If you could change one thing about our platform, what would it be? “Nothing!” (Just what we like to hear!).

What are the five worst words in the English language? “I have no idea. Two that immediately came to mind are dude and moist.”

The producers are cueing the closing music now, so we’ll say a quick thank you to Victoria for her time, and to all of you for joining us on the virtual red carpet. We hope you enjoyed some glitz and glamour, or at the very least a pleasant diversion from daily life. See you back here next month — maybe it’ll be you in the spotlight!

The post Writer Spotlight: Victoria Grant appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

We’ve been contemplating the art of chess thanks to our chat with this month’s featured writer. Meet Robert, known on Crowd Content’s job boards and writer forum as Ruby Kalten. A skilled copywriter, keen traveller and chess enthusiast, Robert’s story is its own series of intriguing moves.

These have led him 6,000 miles from his hometown of Longview, Washington to “around” Eastern Europe. “I don’t have residency anywhere I’m interested in living, but I currently spend about a third of the year in Skopje, Macedonia,” he says.

In true adventurous fashion, he’s not sure how long he’ll be in the heart of the Balkans. “Once my roommate moves out with her boyfriend, I might pack my bags and settle in on the Croatian coast or run off to India or Laos,” he adds. While this is the perfect example of the free-flowing lifestyle enjoyed by freelancers, I would like to request that Robert take his laptop and Crowd Content login credentials with him.

As for how he ended up in Skopje and writing for our platform? “I had a brief, ill-advised stint in the Air Force starting from 17 that went nowhere fast,” he begins. “I hunted down various odd jobs during my first couple years abroad and did temp work during a brief return to the U.S.”

Before long, Robert discovered he could use his knack for writing to pay the bills. In 2019, he settled into freelance copywriting with Crowd Content out of pure luck. “My ex-girlfriend compromised my Textbroker account,” he explains. “After googling ‘online writing jobs’, I signed up for Crowd Content just in time to pay rent via the Walmart Canada project.”

Robert hit the ground running, tackling pretty well any topic clients sent his way. “Finance, crypto, gaming, behavioral health, fashion, CBD and cannabis, adult toys, auto advice, technology … I’m comfortable and confident writing just about anything,” he explains. When pressed to pick a preferred project out of the many he’s worked on, he gives a nod to the Catena slot game descriptions. “The consistency and regularity … has made them a favorite,” he says.

Robert’s versatility makes him one of our more prolific writers, moving easily between projects and teams. In fact, he’s written more than one million words on the platform, which is no small accomplishment given the relatively short time he’s been here.

He has solid advice for new writers interested in a similarly fruitful writing career. “Take it easy, ask questions, be proactive when you need help. You will always be better off speaking to the content manager than not doing so,” he recommends.

While Robert’s writing pace suggests he’s working around the clock, he’s clearly a time management master. He finds plenty to keep him engaged outside of writing, which brings us (finally!) to chess.

“I’ve become quite the chess fanatic with several sets, many books and a projected FIDE rating around 1800,” Robert says. “I currently have far more confidence than competence but I’m aiming to get good within a year or two.” Being a thorough investigative reporter, I looked into the meaning of the FIDE ratings. They’re used by the International Chess Federation to rank the relative skill levels of players and fall on a scale of 100 to 2800. Since you’re considered an expert chess player once you hit 2000, Robert is being very humble about his talents.

I’m not nearly as highly rated by FIDE, but I do know that my game clock is running out. Let’s pick up the pace and see what else we can learn while we’ve got Robert’s attention.

What’s your favorite restaurant or meal? “I love homemade pierogi (Polish dumplings), either with a traditional filling or one of my own recipes. My most common meals are a Turkish döner kebab loaded with vegetables, slow-roasted chicken, garlic sauce, or cevapi, a common grilled meat dish from across the Balkans. You’ll find the best cevapi in Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast across the sea from Italy.” (Why does Writer Spotlight always make me hungry?)

Who is your favorite author? What’s your favorite book? “Ender’s Game is my favorite book but I consider Orson Scott Card too inconsistent to call him my favorite author.”

Do you have any hobbies or unusual interests? “I’ve grown fond of collecting kitschy Cold War-era memorabilia. I’ve absorbed a vast amount of in-depth historical knowledge, from politically expedient topics like the American Civil War and WWII to more niche and purely interesting things like the political situation in the Balkans.”

What’s your favorite TV show or movie? “I barely watch enough TV or movies to pick a favourite, but the most recent show I really enjoyed was The Good Doctor and I’m always happy to see a new anime adaptation of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.”

Where do you write? “When the weather is pleasant, I write outdoors; when it isn’t, I go to a bar or cafe.”

Have you been published by any notable sites or organizations? “I don’t know if it’s been published yet, but I wrote a personal life/work history for an organization in New Jersey.”

What do you think sets Crowd Content apart from other content platforms? “The culture is not just better but exists to start with. Summer and fall 2021 have been a continuous nightmare for me … so I’ve had occasion to appreciate that management is pretty understanding and supportive. The combination of the job board style with genuinely reasonable rates [makes] Crowd Content an enjoyable alternative to the Textbroker sweatshop or the psychological torture of Freelancer, Upwork, etc.”

Do you have a preferred type of writing? “I like long-form projects that fall on one or another extreme when it comes to guidelines and brief. I either want guidelines to be open-ended or extremely detailed and even a bit formulaic … I find content that’s more middle-of-the-road harder to get into.”

If you could change one thing about our platform, what would it be? “I’d like it if the teams were more visible and there was more information available, perhaps more in-platform communication methods. The Managed side is highly developed, what with the forum and email usage while working with repeat, high-volume marketplace clients is less intuitive.”

What do you find most challenging about writing content? “I find it difficult to accept when I’m not working at 100% and to accordingly stop taking on responsibilities at 100%”.

Complete this sentence: When I’m not working, I love to … “Hang around random cafes with a book.”

What are the five worst words in the English language? “Colonel, lisp, drawer, wiggle (I hate Jason Derulo), booger.”

And with that, my time is up. I’ll let Robert get back to his plans for soaking up the sun on the Croatian coast, and in the meantime, I’m off to find another writer to step into the spotlight. Who knows, maybe it’ll be you!

The post Writer Spotlight: Ruby Kalten – It’s Your Move appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

1. Confusing Plural Rules

The English language has a few confusing rules when it comes to plural words. These rules are based on the last letter in the noun. Here’s what you need to know.

• Regular nouns: This is the easiest rule to follow. Just take your regular noun and add an “s” to the end. Examples: dog(s), human(s), book(s)
• Nouns ending in “s” or “z”: Things get a little trickier when you have a noun that ends in “s” or “z.” Sometimes you add “es” to the end, like when you’re working with bus(es) or blitz(es). On other occasions, you need to add another “s” or “z” before adding “es.” For example, if you want to make quiz plural, you need to double the “z” before adding “es,” making the plural “quizzes.”
• Words ending in “ss,” “sh,” “ch” or “x”: Singular nouns ending in these letters follow the same rule as some nouns ending in “s” or “z.” Simply add “es” to the end to make the word plural. Examples: fuss(es), crutch(es), box(es)
• Words ending in “y”: For singular nouns ending in “y,” you need to know two rules. The first governs what to do if the letter before the “y” is a consonant. If it is, remove the “y” and add “ies” to make it plural. Fairy becomes fairies, carry becomes carries and puppy becomes puppies. The second covers what to do if the letter before the “y” is a vowel. In this case, you’d just add an “s” to turn the singular noun into a plural. Tray becomes trays, play becomes plays and ray becomes rays.
• Words ending in “on”: This is a tricky one. If the singular noun ends in “on,” you make it plural by removing the “on” and adding an “a.” For example, criterion turns into criteria.
• Words ending in “o”: This is another situation with more than one rule to follow. In some cases, you need to add “es” to a singular noun ending in “o” to make it plural. Tomatoes and potatoes are two of the most common examples. If you’re a taco lover, you know that this rule doesn’t apply to every noun ending in “o.” After all, you eat tacos, take photos and memorize mottos.

2. Sounds Like…Confusion

Silent letters are the bane of every student’s existence. They hang out in words like receipt and debt, but they don’t make any distinct sounds of their own. Does this make them useless? Not at all. Joe Devney, a linguistic consultant, explains that some silent letters are used to tell readers how to pronounce other syllables. Refine is a great example. The “e” on the end is silent, but its presence isn’t superfluous. It tells the reader that the “i” takes on a long vowel sound.

Some words have silent letters because they originated in other languages. For example, the word knight is related to the German word “gnecht.” The “k” and “gh” in knight are silent, but a speaker would have pronounced every letter in the word gnecht, explaining the “extra” letters in the English word.

3. Homophones, Homonyms and Homographs, Oh My!

Homophones are words that have different meanings even though they have the same sounds. For students, they’re the source of a lot of red ink on essays. To/two/too is probably one of the best examples. The three words sound exactly the same, but they mean different things. Here/hear is another example.

Homonyms are even trickier than homophones. Not only do they have different meanings, but they’re also spelled the same, making it difficult for some students to understand the differences. “Band” is a good example. You can join the marching band or buy a wedding band; they’re spelled the same way and sound the same way, but they mean different things. Bark is another good example. Maybe your dog barks when it picks up a piece of tree bark with its teeth. See how confusing that can be for a budding writer or English learner?

Homographs are words with the same spellings that have different meanings and may even have different pronunciations — a triple whammy! Without context clues, it would be extremely difficult to determine if someone meant to record their favourite television show or put something on the record. Wind is another example of a homograph; you can wind up a toy or have your hair blown around by the wind.

4. Variable Vowel Sounds

Writing would be much easier if vowels always made the same sounds. Alas, they don’t. For example, the combination “ea” can be used in several ways. A doctor can listen to the beat of your heart and then record what they heard in your medical chart. Beat, heart and heard all have the same vowel combo, but they have three different pronunciations. Hose/lose is another example.

The Importance of Grammar Rules

These grammar rules make the English language more complicated, but they have a purpose. Rules make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to understanding books, magazine articles, brochures and other written materials.

As a writer, it’s up to you to apply these rules correctly and ensure your prose is as easy to read as possible. If following a grammar rule makes your writing more complex, consider rewriting the sentence to make it easier for readers of all education levels to understand. At Crowd Content, our project managers are here to support you every step of the way, whether you have a question about grammar rules or need clarification on an assignment brief.

The post 4 Grammar Rules That Make Reading and Writing Tougher appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

This tale begins in Paula’s hometown in northern England. Paula has been writing professionally for about 10 years, and when she’s working, she’s often set up at a nearby pub. “It’s quiet during the day, the Wi-Fi is fast and the view of the river is great,” she says of her preferred workspace.

But once in a while, she ventures out to explore a hidden world on Earth. Did you know that some of the real-life landmarks, murals, public art and monuments in your neighborhood are portals of energy?

That’s okay if you read that sentence twice. We don’t usually cover alternate universes at Writer Spotlight, but there’s a proverbial first time for everything.

Paula plays an immersive, multiplayer game called Ingress. Using a mobile app, players are tasked with finding and collecting a resource known as XM from various locations around the world. The “agents” work with and compete against others. “I once spent a week stranded in a remote part of Scotland because I was trying to do something in the game and there was a snowstorm,” Paula says. That’s determination!

For those of you who haven’t heard of the game, Tech Crunch describes it as similar to Pokémon GO, but more grown-up and without the “cutesie monsters”: “It’s like capture the flag mashed up with one massive worldwide game of tug of war, with a bit of Matrix-y cyberpunk dressing slathered on top.” Yes, please take a moment to absorb all that.

The world of Ingress sounds fascinating, but unfortunately, there isn’t a demand for finely crafted content here. We’re going to let the agents focus on hacking portals in their digital battlefield, and head back to a more familiar world filled with H1 tags, semantic keywords and bulleted lists.

Paula comes to Crowd Content with a background in computer programming. “I’ve done technical reviews for O’Reilly, but not had my own work published by them yet. I’ve also written for Need2Know Books and Packt Publishing,” she says. She’s most comfortable writing technical content, but her favorite Crowd Content project involves blurbs about assisted living facilities in the United States. “It took me a while to get used to the brief but now I enjoy them,” she says from across the pond. “I’ve learned so much about out-of-the-way little towns in various states of America!”

Thanks to her top-notch writing skills and ability to hit deadlines, Paula enjoys steady work at Crowd Content. But, her freelance journey hasn’t always been this easy. “I was on really bad content mills for a long time,” she says of her pre-CC days. But that’s in the distant past; in fact, she can’t quite recall how she found our platform. “It’s been a long time now, but I think it was via the site Freelance Writing Gigs,” she says.

We’re just pleased she found a home here. “There’s lots of work available and the editors and project managers are always happy to help,” Paula explains, when asked what sets Crowd Content apart from other writing platforms. She also appreciates the flexibility of being able to log on anytime. “At the moment, life is crazy,” she explains. “It’s nice to know that I can pick up work when I feel up to it, and not worry when I don’t.”

Outside of work, one of Paula’s favorite authors to read is Naomi Novik, whose popular Temeraire fantasy series introduces yet another brilliantly inventive world. The nine-volume series reimagines the Napoleonic war fought with an air force of dragons and aviators (note to self: add to TBR list). When it comes to relaxing in front of a screen, Paula gives a shout-out to The Grand Budapest Hotel as a favorite movie. And television shows? “That would be either Space: Above and Beyond or Good Omens,” she adds.

Books, check. Movies, check. Favorite pastimes, check. We’re progressing nicely here, but there’s so much more we need to know. Paula, get ready for the speed round.

What’s your favorite restaurant or meal? “As odd as this sounds, I visited Coldstone Creamery for ice cream once in 2006, then returned in 2011 and it was still as good as I remembered it. Best ice cream ever!”

What are the five worst words in the English language? “Ghost, myriad, whatever, stalker, origin.”

What do you find most challenging about writing content? “Sometimes I struggle to get started….those first few words are always the hardest ones to put down in any order.”

Do you have any advice for new writers? “Always check the brief, even if you have worked on a project before. Things do change and it’s embarrassing to get caught out!”

If you could change one thing about our platform, what would it be? “I wish editors could see the date your work was submitted. I once wrote a huge batch of descriptions and got the same thing wrong in all of them. The editors thought I wasn’t taking feedback on board when they were actually picking up old work for several days after.”

Complete this sentence: When I’m not working, I love to… “Explore new cities and collect unique location visits in Ingress.”

Sounds good, Paula, but please don’t get stranded again. We’ve got a few orders waiting on the boards for you.

Well, this edition of Writer Spotlight has been quite an adventure, and we appreciate Paula sharing her stories and helping us to kick off 2022 in style. As we wrap up, I’d like to also thank all of you for making Crowd Content part of your world. Which freelance writer are we dropping in on next month? Maybe it’ll be you!

The post Writer Spotlight: Paula Hart – Brave New Worlds appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

But, just because your name’s not in lights, you still deserve to take a bow on center stage. That’s why we love it each month when we get to pull a writer out from behind their computer screen. They get to bask in the writerly spotlight and the rest of us learn some cool facts about our virtual colleagues. Case in point: we had no idea that today’s featured scribe regularly steps onto a stage — we’re talking a literal one, here — to wow audiences with her musical skills. In fact, if we had a talent show, I’ve no doubt she’d challenge for first prize. 

Now, you’ve got to read on!

Meet Elizabeth Michael, known in real life as Annie. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Annie now lives in Studio City, a Los Angeles neighborhood where the Hollywood stars shine bright. 

Annie has been writing since she “was old enough to use a pen”, flexing her creativity in writing groups while in school. Over the last decade, she’s translated her talent for composing clear, focused copy into a side gig as a professional online writer. When a friend from another platform referred her to Crowd Content, she ventured into our neck of the internet and has settled in as one of our most consistent and reliable freelancers.

What is it about our community that keeps her coming back to pick up work from the queues? “The support staff on Crowd Content is the best out of any platform,” Annie says. “The weekly pay is great, and I love the variety of projects to choose from.”

You know we love compliments, but in an effort to be fair and balanced, we also ask Annie for suggestions of how to make things even better. Despite the invitation to offer a critique, she’s giving us a flawless five-star review. “Nothing, everything is great,” she enthuses. Just what we like to hear!

Our content managers are equally delighted, relying on Annie’s writing prowess to deliver all sorts of copy to clients. When pressed to pick a favorite project, she gives a shout-out to one team in particular. “I really enjoy writing the Indeed articles,” she says of the career website. “Every batch is a little different from the last, the pay is great, and the editors are really nice.”

She does find some types of writing easier to tackle than others. “With online content, implementing specific keyword phrases can be challenging — it can create awkward sentences,” she explains. She also has a little confession to make. “I try to avoid technical writing when possible, it’s not my strongest area.” Fair enough. All writers have their proverbial kryptonite, so we’ll give her a pass on that one.

In an ideal world we’d get to keep Annie and her smooth prose all to ourselves, but her skills are in high demand. She lives in the showbiz capital of the world, after all. Annie works in the television industry as a transcriber and script coordinator. She gets scripts ready for production, incorporating changes and proofreading and formatting the pages.  

While this sounds glamorous, this work goes on outside of the public eye, just like content writing. It’s only when she has time to play that she takes to the stage. She exchanges her laptop for a microphone and lets a whole different side come to the surface. “Outside of writing, my main interest is singing,” she explains. “I sing all types of music and play the piano, but enjoy cabaret/musical theatre the most.”

This creative passion needs an outlet, and Annie is part of a music school that lets her express her love for music and performance in front of audiences. “We put on shows, and I perform at cabaret open mics,” she says. I trust that Annie is setting aside VIP tickets for all of us at her next appearance.

In the meantime, our show must go on.  We’ve got more ground to cover, so let’s get back to the task at hand: getting to know everything about our writer of the month. 

Who is your favorite author? What’s your favorite book? “It’s hard to pick one author but Stephen King is at the top of my list, followed by Judy Blume. One of my favorite books is She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb.”

What’s your favorite restaurant or meal? “Favorite restaurant is Perkins Family Restaurant in Minnesota.”

What’s your favorite TV show or movie? “Too many TV shows to choose — lots of favorite movies but my top three are Ice Castles, All That Jazz and Magnolia.”

Do you have any advice for new writers? “Don’t be afraid to take on assignments that you may feel are challenging, those projects may end up being your favorites down the line.”

What are the five worst words in the English language? “For me, the worst words (to spell) are bureau, weird, hyacinth, professor and accommodate.”

Complete this sentence: When I’m not working… “I love to shop online, attend my voice lessons and perform with a band.”

Well, the house lights are coming up, so that’s a sign this writerly spotlight is over. My appreciation goes out to Annie for a welcome interlude from keywords and commas. We love finding out who’s behind the smiling profile pictures on the platform. Maybe next time, it’ll be you!

The post Writer Spotlight: Elizabeth Michael — And Now, A Musical Interlude appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Meet Stu Brown. Stu has been with us since the early days and is one of the few who writes and edits under his own name because hey, that’s how it was done back then. I’m sure many of you have crossed paths with our legendary wordsmith, even if you didn’t know it. He’s a mainstay on our editing boards, reining in stray commas and turning passive voices into active ones. 

Stu’s familiarity with Crowd Content translates into some interesting perspectives, so let’s get this spotlight underway and learn what life’s like on his side of the monitor. We’re off to the UK, where we find our featured writer under a staircase. No, really.

“[I write] at home in a hole under the stairs,” Stu says about his work set-up. “Think Harry Potter but I’m the parent, and I choose to work there.” When he needs a change of scene and caffeine fix, he grabs his laptop. “There’s also a pub over the road that does unlimited coffee, something that’s almost unheard of in the UK.”

Stu earned a master’s degree in Chemistry and spent some time working in retail. About 12 years ago he began writing professionally, trading in atoms and molecules for semi-colons and conjunctions. He was plying his trade on other online platforms when a group of writers enticed him to Crowd Content.  

“I was asked to join,” Stu says. “I’d worked with several people here previously on various platforms, and I was looking to expand my options.”

Fortunately for our content managers, he’s still here. His versatile writing skills mean he can handle any topic they throw his way. Well, almost any topic. “I avoid fashion because my sense of fashion is practically zero (jeans and t-shirt for the win), but other than that, I can write in a variety of styles,” he says.

He can switch between business writing, sales copy and blog posts without a second thought, but once in a while, he’s treated to a project that gives his own voice a chance to shine through. “I like it when I can let loose my sarcasm on a project, so writing for the Gazillions project has been fun,” he says of the celebrity news website. 

While his writing and editing abilities set a high bar, there’s another reason Stu is such an integral part of Crowd Content. He’s an incredible mentor to new writers. He’s always one of the first to answer questions posted on our discussion boards and offers plenty of guidance when editing work. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask Stu for a piece of advice to help newbies who want to grow their skills, and he obliges. “Never try to wing a new project without reading the brief,” he suggests. “And please make sure you understand the feedback that you’re being given — from an editing point of view, there are few things more frustrating than giving a writer a lot of highly targeted feedback and three-quarters of it being ignored. We’re here to help writers, but we also need to ensure content is good enough to get to the client.”

When it’s time to take a break from work, Stu keeps busy learning about tech, rock climbing, and helping to manage a small menagerie of animals. He’s also pretty good at wielding a whisk and rolling pin, baking up delectable goodies. This may explain his favorite TV show. “The Great British Bake Off (or Baking Show for those in the U.S.) is always one I watch,” he says. “But I’m also a fan of The Boys and Squid Game. And Lower Decks.”

Stu also enjoys books by Terry Pratchett, best known for his humorous fantasy and science fiction writing. “His work is brilliant, illuminating, fantastic and satirical. It holds up a smoky mirror to the world we live in,” he explains.

Our intrepid writer/editor has been very patient with our interrogation today, but he’s not off the hook yet! We have a few more questions, including some hard-hitting ones about what he likes — and doesn’t like — about our platform.

What’s your favorite restaurant or meal? “There are so many to choose from! If I have to choose something a bit pretentious, I love a good steak tartare, but I also love a good curry with homemade rotis or naans.”

Have you been published by any notable sites or organizations (digital or traditional)? “I’ve had copy picked up by national newspapers and portals in the UK. However, I don’t really worry too much where my copy ends up.”

What do you think sets Crowd Content apart from other content platforms? “Communication and respect. If there’s an issue, it’s not simply swept under the carpet; instead, it’s dealt with. The communication across the platform, whether it’s with CMs, writers or editors, is outstanding, so problems can be resolved fast.”

If you could change one thing about our platform, what would it be? “Editors need to be visible. I edit a lot, and it’s frustrating for writers to not know who is editing their work. It’s frustrating from an editing point of view as well, because you only know who is sending back your work, not who is editing it and passing it on.”

What do you find most challenging about writing content? “There’s not much that I find challenging unless it’s for a new client and the brief hasn’t been fully fleshed out yet. At that point, I have to make judgement calls based on what the client is likely to want, and it can be challenging to balance writer interests with client requirements. Like many things, editing and writing improve with practice.”

Complete this sentence: When I’m not working, I love to… “Cook, climb and gallivant around the countryside.”

What are the five worst words in the English language? “There are none! As an editor, I’m kind of expected to have an opinion on words, but we live in a world that has a rich tapestry of languages to draw from. Words gain ascendance and words gradually go obsolete. And the process is driven by a diverse array of speakers. That’s what makes dealing in words so amazing: You constantly learn of new uses, new ideas and new ways of looking at things.”

And with those thoughts, this month’s Writer Spotlight draws to a close. I’ll let Stu return to his Cupboard Under the Stairs because I can see the editing queue filling up. And to all of you who clicked through to read this, many thanks for being part of our talented crowd of writers. We’ll be back again to introduce another Crowd Content freelancer. Maybe it’ll be you!

The post Writer Spotlight: Stu Brown — The Stuff Legends Are Made Of appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

When thinking about bear vs bare, the correct answer is that it’s grin and bear it. But we’re not talking about actual grizzlies here.

The verb “to bear” does come from a similar root as the animal “bear”: bher. It’s a proto-Indo-European word that roughly translates to “dark/brown animal” (possibly used for generally dark animals including beavers). This word comes from around 2500 to 4500 BCE.

But like many words, it split off as language gained more complexity.

The animal became “bero,” in proto-Germanic, while the verb—closely associated with pregnancy—became beranan (to carry). Squeeze it through the wringer that’s the nature of English, sometimes described as five separate languages dressed in a trench coat, and you end up with two identically spelled words again: “bear.”

Etymology is a fascinating subject, and it does pay to understand the words we use regularly. As writers, it literally pays us to understand words.

So Why Is It Often Written Grin and Bare It?

Simple: People hear the phrase and make an assumption. It makes sense in some ways—the idea that you have to bare your teeth and snarl as you’re doing something unpleasant. While this isn’t the most polite way to do a task you don’t want to do, especially if it’s your boss making you do it, it does conjure up a wonderful image.

The problem is that you already have “grin” in there, so the baring of teeth idea is redundant. Indeed, in the 17th century, the phrase “to grin” was a contrast to a cheerful smile: If you were grinning, it wasn’t because you were happy. Typically, the phrase is intended to tell you to be stoic and resolute in the face of adversity, even if your face is unfortunately contorted.

And despite sounding similar, bare comes from a completely different root word, as well: bhoso (naked). This became bazaz, then baer, and finally bare.

Where Does Grin and Bear It Come From?

Like many phrases, it’s hard to pin down exactly when it was first said. The English writer William Hickey used the phrase in his book Memoirs, which was written in the early 19th century and reflected his experiences from 1749 to 1775. In it, he used the phrase “grin and bear it”:

Vexed at his absurd question, and the childishness of his behaviour, I answered, “I recommend you to grin and bear it,” (an expression used by sailors after a long continuance of bad weather).

William Hickey had a lot of experience with sailors: He was sent to the prestigious Westminster School but was essentially expelled (“removed in high disgrace”) after he discovered the joys of drinking and women. He didn’t stop there—he carried on in London living the high life and eventually stole £500 from his father, which was an absolute fortune at that time. He was put on a boat to India, so in protest, he sailed straight back to England via China (which was a bit of a detour). In revenge, his dad sent him to Jamaica. He returned and made his way to Bengal, in the north of India. Eventually, he started practising as a lawyer.

Ironically, his early life wasn’t so much about grinning and bearing it as about being a hellraiser.

His comment about it being an expression used by sailors gives us an indication of how quickly it would have spread. Sailors were usually well-travelled, depositing idiomatic slang around the world. In the same way they spread various diseases, they also spread language. That language would have been used in bars and public houses around the globe and eventually infiltrated its way into modern vernacular.

Erasmus Darwin, the grandfather to naturalist Charles Darwin and general all-around genius Francis Galton, used a similar phrase in his book Zoonomia, written between 1794 and 1796. The book was a major work on biology, and it contains significant thoughts on where life came from, including references that all life came from “one living filament” and suggested that the Earth had existed for “millions of ages.”

More importantly, from our perspective, it also contained a similar phrase: grin and abide by it.

Hence when a person is in great pain, the cause of which he cannot remove, he sets his teeth firmly together, or bites some substance between them with great vehemence, as another mode of violent exertion to produce temporary relief. Thus we have a proverb where no help can be had in pain, “to grin and abide;” and the tortures of hell are said to be attended with “gnashing of teeth.”

Sure, this isn’t quite the same, but the meaning of the phrase is identical.

Other Uses of Grin and Bear It

So it’s likely that the phrase originated sometime in the mid-18th-century and was pinned to the page in the early 19th century. Grin and abide by it slipped out of favour, and grin and bear it remained.

The phrase was well enough known by the early 20th century that it was referenced as a pun in the title of a poem by Sam Walter Foss, the first four lines of which are:

No financial throe volcanic
Ever yet was known to scare it;
Never yet was any panic
Scared the firm of Grin and Barrett.

This was published in 1907 in Songs of the Average Man. When a phrase is well enough known that it can be used in a pun and the expectation is that most people will understand what that pun means, it’s a clear indication that it’s in widespread use. Writers were confident their audiences would understand the term.

Use Words Wisely

Of course, the great thing about knowing how words are used is that you can use them and get paid. If you want to expand your writing skills, get great feedback from editors and work on a variety of projects in an environment where you don’t have to grin and bear it, sign up with Crowd Content today.

The post Grin and Bear It or Grin and Bare It? appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Meet Tim, who writes with Crowd Content as Liam Chetek. Originally from Oklahoma in the United States, Tim now lives roughly 4,500 miles from home. “Freelance writing has enabled me to live the expat life in Brazil,” he explains. That makes him one of an estimated 9 million American citizens who lives overseas. These expatriates do so for many reasons: work (27%), significant others (28%), and a passion for travel and adventure (16%).

Part of the appeal of spending time abroad is living like a local and immersing yourself in the charms of another culture. And, Brazil is an enticing option. Its diverse landscape makes up almost half of South America, touching every country on the continent except Ecuador and Chile. Brazil is also a welcoming place to hang out, according to a survey of 12,420 expats. Out of 186 countries, Brazil ranked highly for factors such as personal happiness (4th), leisure options (9th) and friendliness (10th).

Our featured scribe began writing professionally two years ago, transitioning from a more technical background. “Database administration, web development, and a whole bunch of things in between,” he explains. He’s always been passionate about expressing ideas on paper, and has kept a daily journal for a decade. You can find him tapping away on his keyboard from the coziness of his home in Brazil — “in my living room, leaning back on the couch with my feet kicked up on the ottoman,” he says. You’ve got to make the most of the comforts of home, right?

Tim discovered Crowd Content through “good ol’ googling”, so we must take a moment to thank Larry Page and Sergey Brin for bringing our worlds together. (We should also thank them for not naming their search engine Backrub, as originally intended. There’s a bonus tidbit for your next trivia night.)

Regularly delivering clear and to-the-point copy to our clients, Tim is an indispensable part of our content creation team. When asked what sets the platform apart from others, he replies, “Honestly, just about everything. Great community, amazing project managers and editors, great — and frequent! — pay.”

While Tim has been writing for Crowd Content for awhile, new writers come on board every day. It takes some time to familiarize yourself with the platform and build relationships, but it can certainly pay off with plenty of ongoing work. Tim offers up wise advice as you settle in. “I think I’d tell new writers to remember to be gentle with themselves. Writing is seriously hard work, so self-compassion is a must,” he says.

When he’s not navigating project briefs and working to hit those client deadlines, Tim’s in the kitchen. “Aside from writing, my biggest passion is cooking. I love trying new foods and reverse-engineering them so I can make them at home,” he says. And when he does head out to dine, he likes to go to “a little place called Click Gostoso that serves churrasco, aka Brazilian barbecue.” For those who aren’t familiar, this traditional style of cooking involves various meats grilled on long skewers over an open fire. The skewers are placed on racks so juices drip down onto other cuts, and the meat is carved right at the table.

Is anyone suddenly hungry?

Well, now that we’re warmed up and dreaming of barbecue, it’s time to turn the heat up a little and really get to know Tim. Here we go!

Who is your favorite author? What’s your favorite book? “Tough questions. I think my favorite writer at the moment is Albert Camus. As for my favorite book, it would have to be The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway.”

Do you have a preferred type of writing? “Not especially, though I do like a good first-person stream-of-consciousness narrative.”

Have you been published by any notable sites or organizations (digital or traditional)? “Not yet!”

What’s your favorite TV show or movie? “The one that comes to mind is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty — the newer one with Ben Stiller.”

Which project has been your favorite? Why? “I haven’t had a favorite project per se, but I do like writing things that intersect with technology and travel.”

What do you find most challenging about writing content? “For someone that loves novelty, writing content can be repetitive at times.”

If you could change one thing about our platform, what would it be? “I’d add a few Slack channels, or some other chat system for writers, editors, and managers to communicate in real time.”

What are the five worst words in the English language? “Can I answer with five consecutive words? I really hate the phrase ‘it is what it is.’“

Complete this sentence: When I’m not working I love to… “Do spontaneous, unexpected things that might lead to a good story.”

Like the skilled writer he is, Tim reels us in and sets us up for more. We’re keen to know what kinds of spontaneous, unexpected things he’s been up to, but those stories are going to have to wait. We’ve decided to instead task him with reverse-engineering some of those tasty Brazilian dishes so we can give them a try. In between Crowd Content orders, of course.

There are so many more of you talented writers we want to meet. Stay tuned as the spotlight shines on another Crowd Content freelancer next month. Maybe it’ll be you!

The post Writer Spotlight: Liam Chetek — Life as an Expat Writer appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Which one is it? Which one do you use?! Ah, to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous grammar rules! Such is the life of a writer.

Not to worry — we’ve got you covered.

The word anytime is an adverb meaning “whenever” or “at any moment.” As you’ll likely recall, you use adverbs to modify adjectives, verbs or other adverbs. You can use it just like you would other adverbs.

On the other hand, the phrase any time has a few different uses. Like anytime, it functions as an adverbial phrase. But it also functions as a noun phrase to indicate an unspecified amount or point in time.

The grammar rules can be a little confusing. To make matters worse, there are instances when you’ll want to avoid using the word anytime vs. any time, regardless of the rules. To understand why we’ll need a quick history lesson.

A Brief History of Anytime vs. Any Time

The English language grows and evolves over time. New words are created, old words disappear and existing words change meaning. How people speak has a big influence on this evolution. How people use words in conversation often makes their way into the written language.

If you were alive as a writer in the year 1821, your experience would be much different. Aside from candlelight and quills over standing lamps and laptops, you wouldn’t have a choice on whether to use any time or anytime. At this point in time, nobody used the word in writing — though people were likely saying it in conversations.

While the word anytime — and the source of our confusion — didn’t exist in print until 1822, it was likely used in conversations before then. It’s known as a casualism, which is when spoken words and phrases manage to weasel their way into written works. Words like gotcha, woulda and coulda are some other examples.

Because of this casual lineage, any time is often preferred in writing intended for a formal audience. If you’re working on an essay for college or a business proposal for a high-profile client, you’re better off ignoring anytime.

On the other hand, if your audience is casual, such as a blog post or a letter to a friend, anytime is perfectly acceptable. Indeed, it’s even preferred over its more stilted cousin in creative writing, especially where dialogue is concerned.

How to Use Anytime

Casualisms aside, there are rules to using anytime properly. As we touched on, the adverb anytime modifies a verb to indicate an indefinite or unspecified point in time for the verb’s action. It literally means “whenever.”

Let’s look at some examples. Take the following phrases:

• So long as it’s after my meeting, you can call anytime.
• Working as a freelance writer is great since I can do my work anytime.
• I love making my own food, so I’m happy to cook anytime.

Notice how anytime modifies the verbs: call, write and cook. You’ll often see it used at the end of a sentence like this, but we can certainly rearrange them with success:

• Feel free to call anytime after dinner.
• Being able to do my work anytime is what makes freelance writing great.
• I’m happy to cook anytime since I love making my own food.

So, assuming your writing is intended for an informal audience and you’re using the word to modify a verb, it’s perfectly acceptable to use anytime vs. any time. If you’re still unsure, a nice trick is to replace it with the word whenever — if the sentence still works, you’re good to go. If not, read on!

How to Use Any Time

The phrase any time can be used in two different contexts with slightly different meanings. Used as an adverb, it essentially means the same thing as anytime. It indicates that something could happen at some indefinite point in time. In this context, we can replace our previous examples, and they’re still correct:

• So long as it’s after my meeting, you can call any time.
• Working as a freelance writer is great since I can do my work any time.
• I love making my own food, so I’m happy to cook any time.

Functioning as an adverb, anytime vs. any time is essentially the same. But things get confusing because any time also functions as a noun phrase. Used in this way, it indicates an unspecified point or amount of time. Building off of our examples, you can see how the meanings change:

• I won’t have any time for a call until after my meeting.
• The ability to work at any time is what makes freelance writing great.
• I love making my own food, so I’m happy to cook if I have any time.

The last thing to keep in mind is that any time is the only form that you can use following a preposition. Prepositions require objects, which are nouns — they can’t be adverbs. So, if the sentence contains the word at, you’ll use the phrase any time:

• So long as it’s after my meeting, you can call at any time.
• Working as a freelance writer is great since I can do my work at any time.
• I love making my own food, so I’m happy to cook at any time.

Not Interchangeable, Sort Of

Unfortunately, because of the rules of grammar, you can’t simply exchange any time with anytime in your writing. Because it functions as both an adverbial phrase and a noun phrase, removing the space can break the meaning of your sentence.

That said, because any time is more flexible, you can use it to replace anytime. If you find that trying to remember the rules of anytime vs. any time is more headache than it’s worth, feel free to stick to just using any time. It works every time. Either way, be sure to double-check by proofreading your work!

In Conclusion

So, there you have it: the history, nuances and sticky grammar rules for using anytime and any time. It seems like a lot to take in for one little space separating two short words. Should you need them, we’ve put a few tips together to help guide you:

• If you’re writing something formal, any time is more acceptable.
• When you see a preposition, always use any time.
• Check instances of any time by replacing it with whenever to see if it works.

There’s no denying that grammar is a little tricky at times, especially when you’re dealing with colloquialisms, casualisms and contractions. If you’d rather leave your content marketing to the pros, Crowd Content matches quality scriveners to webmasters and content marketers. With thousands of expert writers in our ranks, we can help you produce top-notch content anytime. Get in touch today to get started.

The post A Brief History of Anytime vs. Any Time appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

There are also pseudonyms galore here at Crowd Content. Most writers and editors here know each other only by a profile photo and screen name. Our mission at Writer Spotlight is to get warm and fuzzy, and learn more about the people behind the noms de plume.

This edition of Writer Spotlight zooms in on Katelyn Macdonald, better known to her family and friends as Lauren. Lauren has good-naturedly agreed to chat with us about her writing career and life outside of Crowd Content.

Wait, what? You mean y’all do something besides write for us?

Our story begins in Indiana, also known as home to James Dean, David Letterman, Janet Jackson, and Kurt Vonnegut. What you may not know about this midwestern state is that it has a small town called Santa Claus, laws prohibiting you from catching fish with a crossbow, and enough corn crops to produce one-fifth of the country’s popcorn supply. I know it’s true, because the internet told me.

Lauren grew up in the northern part of Indiana and now lives in a small suburb outside of Indianapolis. Her professional background is in retail and childcare, and eight years ago, she began writing professionally. A simple Google search brought her to our platform, and we love that she’s still here. Her knack for pulling together smooth, crisp copy has made her one of our most dependable and highly regarded freelancers.

“I’d tried a few other platforms when I first started writing, but once I found Crowd Content, that’s been the only platform I’ve used,” Lauren explains. “The pay rate is much better than any other writing platform I’ve seen, and I love the support structure and the sense of community.” Aww, thanks, Lauren. We do our best to keep our writers happy.

There’s always room for growth, though, which is why we keep our suggestion box open. We ask Lauren what she’d change about Crowd Content if she could be boss for a day. As one of our more prolific writers, her answer isn’t surprising.

“I’d love to see higher claim limits!” she says. She’s referring to her zeal for picking up work from the platform, which is always welcomed by content managers striving to meet deadlines. “I tend to fill up my queue until I’m overwhelmed with work though, so maybe the current limit isn’t a bad thing,” she adds with a laugh.

When it’s time to get those orders completed, Lauren rolls up her sleeves and sets up shop at her dining room table. She gets the most satisfaction when she can immerse herself in the assortment of subjects in our queues. “I love projects that allow me to do a lot of research about a topic that I’m not super familiar with,” she notes.

In her spare time, Lauren focuses on quality time with her husband and children. You can find the family tackling local hiking trails or hopping on their bikes and cycling. She also enjoys escaping into fiction, putting a couple of fantasy novels at the top of her list. “My favorite book is a toss-up between The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab,” she says.

V.E. Schwab, incidentally, is the name the author uses when she writes for an adult audience. When she publishes for young adults, she’s known as Victoria Schwab. We’re always putting that Google search bar to good use here at Writer Spotlight!

But, before this profile turns into a dissertation on pen names, let’s return to our chat with our featured Crowd Content writer. There’s still plenty of ground to cover, so it’s time to put the pedal to the metal, Lauren.

What’s your favorite restaurant or meal? “I love Mexican food.”

What’s your favorite TV show or movie? “I’ve watched every episode of Psych probably three times, but my new favorites are Ted Lasso and Mythic Quest.”

What do you find most challenging about writing content? “I tend to write a lot of content for a handful of projects, and coming up with unique phrasing or writing from different perspectives is always a challenge.”

Which project has been your favorite? Why? “I love the Caring.com projects because I love learning about different cities.”

Do you have any advice for new writers? “Be willing to take on projects you don’t love and look at them as opportunities to establish that you’re reliable and a team player.”

What are the five worst words in the English language? “Squirt, moist, mesh, cabinet (because I spell it wrong every single time) and rural.”

Complete this sentence: When I’m not working… “I love to read!”

Speaking of reading, a big thank you to all of you for perusing this edition of Writer Spotlight. We hope you’re enjoying meeting your fellow freelancers, because it’s certainly a blast for us to learn about the personalities behind the platform’s finely crafted prose.

We have many more writers waiting in the wings. Stay tuned to see who the spotlight shines on next. Maybe it’ll be you!

The post September Writer Spotlight: Katelyn Macdonald – Behind the Pen Name appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Notice what we just did?

Once you understand how a semicolon works, this endearing little symbol can lend all kinds of variety and rhythm to your writing. Let’s look at the semicolon in action; it’s an easy way to expand your punctuation arsenal.

What’s a Semicolon?

A semicolon is a punctuation mark that looks like it’s part colon, part comma. Italian publisher Aldus Manutius is credited with creating the semicolon, and first put it to work in an essay by Pietro Bembo in 1494.

Semicolons are used in two ways:

1. To join two independent clauses
2. To separate items in a complex list

Why Are Semicolons Confusing?

People are often unsure how to use semicolons because of their similarity to other punctuation marks. Merriam-Webster may describe semicolons best:

“Like a comma, it can separate elements in a series. Like a period or colon, it often marks the end of a complete clause (that is, a sentence part that has its own subject and verb). And like a colon, it signals that what follows it is closely related to what comes before it.”

Comma, period, semicolon — are we confusing things more?

Hang tight. We’re going to walk through examples of the same sentence written with different punctuation to better clarify the roles of these marks. Once you understand the mechanics of how to use a semicolon, you can express thoughts in all kinds of ways.

How to Use a Semicolon

1. Using a Semicolon to Join Independent Clauses

Let’s begin with a quick grammar refresher. When you’ve got a group of words that includes a subject and verb, expressing a complete thought, you’ve got an independent clause.

You can write independent clauses as separate sentences.

• My dad’s birthday is today. I haven’t bought a present yet.
• The project is due tomorrow. She has to work overtime.
• Semicolons can be tricky. This punctuation guide is a big help!

Short sentences can be choppy, but you can meld them together by pulling a comma or semicolon out of your tool kit. Let’s compare how these punctuation marks work with the above sentences.

Using a Comma

When independent clauses are related, you can link them with a comma and coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

The clauses then become a single compound sentence:

• My dad’s birthday is today, and I haven’t bought a present yet.
• The project is due tomorrow, so she has to work overtime.
• Semicolons can be tricky, but this punctuation guide is a big help!

Using a Semicolon

Now, let’s try a semicolon. This powerful little symbol joins related independent clauses all on its own. No coordinating conjunction is needed — just put that semicolon to work!

• My dad’s birthday is today; I haven’t bought a present yet.
• The project is due tomorrow; she has to work overtime.
• Semicolons can be tricky; this punctuation guide is a big help!

The semicolon is a handy tool for changing the tempo of your writing and adding variety to sentence structure. It creates a pause that has a little more oomph than a comma, but isn’t as strong as a colon or period. An article in the New York Times by Parul Sehgal describes the semicolon as a “musical notation”.

2. When Using Words Such as Therefore and However

When you have two independent clauses (remember, these are complete thoughts), you can use words or phrases to transition between them. These transitional expressions, or conjunctive adverbs, let you emphasize, contrast, or restate ideas. These types of phrases include:

• for example
• that is
• besides
• accordingly
• furthermore
• otherwise
• however
• thus
• therefore

Give it a try. Use the semicolon to separate the independent clauses, then slip in a transitional phrase and comma after the semicolon.

• My dad’s birthday is today; however, I haven’t bought a present yet.
• The project is due tomorrow; therefore, she has to work overtime.
• Semicolons can be tricky; thus, this punctuation guide is a big help!

3. Separating Complex Lists With a Semicolon

A semicolon also functions as a comma when separating items or phrases in complex lists. It’s helpful for distinguishing between items, especially if there are already commas within those items.

Here are some examples comparing how to use a semicolon and comma in lists.

Use a comma when listing single items.

• We took a road trip through Washington, Oregon, and California.
• Punctuation marks include periods, commas, and semicolons.

Use a semicolon when listing phrases with internal punctuation.

• We took a road trip to Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; and Los Angeles, California.
• Punctuation marks include periods, which are used as a full stop; commas, which come after introductory phrases; and semicolons, which join independent clauses.

Using a Semicolon vs Comma

We’ve got one final tool to help you correctly use semicolons when writing or proofreading. Refer to this handy summary if you aren’t sure whether to use a semicolon or comma.

Use a semicolon if:

1. You’re joining two independent related clauses that are complete thoughts.

• I’m free today; can I help out?

2. You’re joining two independent clauses using transitional words (i.e. consequently, accordingly, thus)

• I’m free today; therefore, I can help out.

Use a comma if:

1. You’re joining an introductory clause (an incomplete thought) and an independent clause (a complete thought).

• Since I’m free, can I help out?

2. You’re joining two independent clauses using a coordinating conjunction (but, and, so).

• I’m free today, so can I help out?

Put Your Writing Skills to Work With Crowd Content

Now that you can wield a semicolon like a pro, we’d love to see what other writing skills you’ve got! Our clients are seeking freelance writers of all levels to complete articles, blog posts, landing pages, and product descriptions. Find out how to get started with Crowd Content today.

The post How to Use a Semicolon: Guide & Examples appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Here’s one theory: both professions involve examining facts and figuring out a narrative. “When I was a medical student, we were taught to ask open-ended questions,” author Jamie Weisman commented on Lit Hub. “Those open-ended questions are the same ones that start out an essay.”

Physician-writer Terrence Holt has a particularly eloquent take. “We drop into the middle of patients’ stories and try to change the plot for the better,” he told NPR about medicine. “[The patient starts] telling a story, and you try to figure what it means.”

The link between writing and medicine is our not-so-subtle segue to this month’s Writer Spotlight. Meet health writer extraordinaire, Leigh, who works on our platform as Hope Burris. I’m fairly certain if Leigh had pursued her initial plans to go to med school, she’d be listed in the doctor-author category too. Let’s pop into her story and find out more.

Leigh currently calls New Mexico home, but is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania, near Scranton. Yes, that Scranton. “The town from The Office,” Leigh laughs. “[It’s] the only reason anyone knows where it is!”

She’s been writing for 16 years, but once had a different career in mind. “I originally planned to become a doctor, so I worked in the critical care department of a research hospital when I was a freshman in college,” Leigh explains. “Spent a lot of time copying medical journals in the library.” Though she changed her major to business, her passion for health care remained.

“I never lost my love for medicine, so I have incorporated a lot of health and medical writing into my freelance career,” she says. Her credentials are solid: she was managing editor of Northeast Nursing News, where she wrote profiles of local nursing professionals and features on advances in medical technology. She also had a stint as managing editor of the science and medicine channels at Bright Hub.

She credits another writer for referring her to Crowd Content. “We’ve never met, but I’ve known her for almost 10 years through a FB writing group,” she says.

If you ever spend time in our writer’s forum, you know we have quite a few fiction writers in our midst, but Leigh leans firmly the other way. “I love to write nonfiction and educational content that more creative writers might consider boring,” she explains. “I can be a little more casual for product descriptions or blog posts when needed, but I really enjoy writing content for professional services firms — law firms, medical offices, dental practices — and educational websites.”

Since coming to our platform, Leigh’s immersed herself in various health projects. Her favorites include Testing.com and Help.org. “I also love the Caring.com projects,” she adds. “Medical and health writing is my absolute favorite.”

When she’s not writing, she enjoys the performing arts. “I love to go to live performances — stand-up comedy, Broadway-style shows, the local symphony,” she reveals. “2020 was not my year!”

Knowing Leigh’s love of the arts, it’s no surprise to learn where she likes to go to dine out. It sounds like a theatrical performance in itself.

“Vernon’s Speakeasy [is] a local restaurant that is set up like a speakeasy from the Prohibition era. When you make a reservation, they give you a password to use when you arrive. The restaurant is hidden away,” she enthuses. “You’d never know it was there if you weren’t looking for it, so you have to walk up to the door, knock, and give the password before you can get in. Very dark inside, live piano player, etc. Just a cool place overall.”

Leigh also dabbles a little in music. “I played the clarinet in high school and recently decided to pick it back up again. I’m not as good as I used to be, but I am working on it,” she says.

I’m tempted to ask Leigh for a concert because we miss live performances too, but we’ve got lots more ground to cover. Let’s pick up the pace!

What’s your favorite TV show or movie? “The Sopranos, The Office, Parks & Recreation, 30 Rock, United States of Tara, and any type of business show, such as Shark Tank, Billion Dollar Buyer, The Profit.”

Who is your favorite author? What’s your favorite book? “I love all kinds of mysteries and thrillers. Favorite authors in these genres: Steve Cavanagh, Linwood Barclay, Kevin O’Brien, J.T. Ellison, Lisa Regan, Angela Marsons. I also like to read nonfiction books that go behind the scenes of TV shows/networks. I’m looking forward to Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office and Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos, coming out this fall.”

Have you been published by any notable sites or organizations? “My first print piece was published in Abilities magazine. I once had the #1 ranking slot on Google for a competitive mortgage keyword.”

Where do you write? “I have a home office with a desktop computer. When I can’t sit in the office chair anymore, I write from my laptop elsewhere in the house.”

What do you find most challenging about writing content? “Coming up with different ways to word content on similar topics.”

If you could change one thing about our platform, what would it be? “Sometimes you claim an order Friday night or Saturday morning…but then you come across a problem. So you don’t know if you should just write it the best you can…or try to wait for a response from the PM. If we had a pause button, we could pause the timer until we got clarification…or alert someone at CC that more info is needed to complete the assignment. Many PMs do respond to things on weekends, but I don’t expect them to be glued to their computers…they should be free to relax!”

What do you think sets Crowd Content apart from other content platforms? “The pay, the professionalism of the editors and project managers, and the ability to get help when needed.”

Do you have any advice for new writers? “When you get on the platform, think long-term. It can be tempting to rush through your first few orders because you want to make money and you’re eager to take on more work. But if you rush, you risk making mistakes. It’s better to go slow and steady and focus on quality so that you get good ratings and can move up over time.”

Sounds like a true prescription for success from one of our most experienced writers! Thank you, Leigh, for sharing your story. We’ll let you get back to the writing queues and take a rain check on that clarinet performance.

There are so many more of you who make Crowd Content such a great place to be. Who will we learn about next? Maybe it’ll be you!

The post Writer Spotlight: Hope Burris — A Prescription for Success appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Differences Between Proofreading vs Editing

When you write a book, essay or product description, it needs to be as smooth as possible, so readers can focus on your message. Editing and proofreading are essential in achieving your best work.

• Editors aim to improve writing quality with an in-depth review of structure and language. This process can require substantial writing and rewriting. Well-edited documents flow smoothly for maximum impact on the reader.
• Proofreaders make sure the final product isn’t marred by surface errors like typos and spelling. A minor spelling mistake doesn’t change the meaning of your work, but can distract readers and affect your credibility. Proofreading comes after editing is complete and should require only minor corrections.

The two tasks can overlap. Both editing and proofreading can catch spelling and punctuation errors, for example.

What’s Editing?

You’ve researched your article, created an outline, and put together a first draft. Now you’re ready to edit your document. For best results, editing is done in phases to target different levels of detail.

The three main types of editing are set out below, although people may use different terms to describe them.

Developmental Editing

The first step of editing is structural. Developmental editing looks at the overall organization of ideas in your document. You may have to move sections around, so the article is more logical to read, or write additional paragraphs to add context for clarity.

In some cases, an editor may feel an entire section is off-topic and delete it. It’s never fun to see hard work vanish in an instant, but tough edits may be required to make your writing concise.

If you’re editing your own work, you may want to create a post-draft outline. This visual representation helps you look at the big picture to see if your article is organized in a way that makes sense.

Developmental editing is also called a manuscript critique, structural editing or content editing.

Substantive Editing

A substantive edit concentrates on flow. Editors assess the transitions between sections and paragraphs, and the effectiveness of the writing. You might need to:

• Vary sentence length to help with pacing
• Eliminate redundancies
• Get rid of fluff and clichés
• Smooth over awkward phrasing
• Rework sections for consistent and appropriate tone

Substantive editing is also referred to as stylistic or line editing.

Copyediting

Copyediting is even more detail-focused than substantive editing. During this stage, you’re reading the manuscript line by line and digging into sentence structure and the mechanics of the English language.

A copy editor looks for style and grammar issues such as:

• Subject-verb agreement
• Active and passive voice
• Capitalization
• Word choice (clarity and appropriateness)
• Variations between American, British and Canadian English
• Adherence to style guides

This level of editing can also include fact-checking.

What’s Proofreading?

Once editing is complete and all stylistic issues are addressed, it’s time for proofreading. This is the final piece of the editing puzzle. Think of it as the quality assurance check before you release an article or book into the world. At this point, you shouldn’t be making significant revisions — if you are, you’re still editing.

Proofreaders need an eagle eye to pick out the extra space after a period or a missing Oxford comma. Spellcheckers can catch some grammar errors, but you should always review the text yourself.

A Few Proofreading Tips

At the proofreading stage, you’re ensuring every word is right and that you’ve followed appropriate style guides. Check for:

• Typos
• Spelling mistakes
• Spacing errors
• Punctuation mistakes
• Repeated or missing words
• Inconsistencies in formatting titles and lists

Many little errors can crop up, so a systematic approach to correcting mistakes is required. Consider proofreading once to correct spelling and punctuation, for example, and then again for formatting. You can also make a proofreading checklist. Are your headers capitalized consistently? Is there a colon before every bulleted list?

Applying Proofreading and Editing Skills to Tasks

The editing process usually looks different for an author writing a book compared to a freelancer working on short articles at home.

• Authors with a publishing house may have a large support team, with various individuals managing structural edits, copyediting and proofreading
• A small publication may only have the resources to assign one editor to a project
• Freelancers working directly with clients may not have the services of a team of proofreaders and editors

Find a Proofreading and Editing Routine That Works For You

All writers should learn the difference between editing and proofreading and be as detail-oriented as possible. If you’re not comfortable with your skills, you can choose to use an editing service.

Either way, it’s important for freelancers to write high quality, error-free content that’s ready to publish. Since you’ve made it to the end of this article, you now know this means:

1. Looking at the overall organization and structure of your article
2. Focusing on the flow and transitions between paragraphs
3. Examining the mechanics of each sentence and word
4. Proofreading

Depending on your comfort level and the complexity of the project, you might combine steps instead of tackling each separately. But if you do try to edit and proof simultaneously, make sure you don’t introduce new errors. One final proofread is always recommended before you hit that submit button.

Write With Crowd Content

Whether you’re an experienced writer or just launching your freelancing career, put your skills to work with Crowd Content. Our clients are hiring writers of all levels to create articles, blog posts, product descriptions, landing pages, and white papers. Grow your career with the support of our team, and get started with Crowd Content today.

The post Proofreading vs Editing for Clarity appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Many writers are uncertain whether the words winter, spring, summer and autumn begin with a capital letter. You’re not alone if you turn to Google to answer the question.

Let’s clear up the capitalization confusion once and for all. This guide delves into the reasoning behind the rules — and, yes, there’s logic to it! We also have plenty of examples to make sure you can capitalize with confidence when we’re done.

Why Do Writers Get Confused About Capitalizing Seasons?

It’s helpful to know why confusion arises around capitalizing the seasons and when you might be getting offtrack.

One theory, according to Merriam-Webster, is that we’re accustomed to capitalizing days of the week and months of the year. It’s natural to want to apply this rule to seasons. After all, seasons are another way to track the passage of time.

You can see why it might happen — Monday is a specific day, and it’s capitalized. November is a specific month, and it’s capitalized. Autumn is a specific season, and…well, no, it’s not capitalized.

Proper nouns get a capital letter, but general nouns — like spring, summer and fall — aren’t capped, with a few exceptions.

When Are Seasons Capitalized?

Since seasons are common nouns, they follow standard English grammar rules for capitalization. Hit that shift key to capitalize a season when it’s:

1. The First Word of a Sentence

• Winter boots are on sale to make way for our spring collection.
• Spring is my favorite season, followed closely by summer.

2. In the Title of a Movie, Book, Song or Play

• The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was filmed in the winter of 2019.
• My favorite Shakespearean play is The Winter’s Tale.

3. A Proper Noun

• I look forward to the St. Paul Winter Carnival each winter.
• Let’s meet in front of the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway.

Seasons Aren’t Capitalized in Most Cases

AP Style sums it up clearly: spring, summer, autumn and winter shouldn’t be capitalized unless part of a formal name or title. This includes derivatives of the nouns, such as summery. Bookmark this handy Instagram post for a great reminder when you write.

Let’s look at examples of this rule in action. In the following sentences, seasons aren’t capitalized because they’re general nouns and not proper names.

• I’m looking forward to skiing this winter.
• The Moon Festival takes place mid-autumn.
• It’s not summertime without ice cream.

Using Seasons as Attributive Nouns and Verbs

Seasons can also be used as attributive nouns, which are nouns that describe other nouns. They’re still not formal names, so hold off on the uppercase letter.

• Connecticut’s beautiful fall foliage attracts many visitors.
• The summer crop of strawberries is ready to be picked.
• Are there any winter carnivals in the state?
• My students are so restless; they must have spring fever.

Seasons are also used as verbs in some cases. But they’re still not proper nouns and shouldn’t be capitalized.

• They like to summer in the Hamptons and winter in Florida.

Common Capitalization Conundrums

No matter how well you know the rules for capitalizing common and proper nouns, the English language can still be perplexing. Let’s look at the most common mistakes people make when it comes to capitalizing seasons.

Equinox and Solstice

Summer solstice and autumn equinox sound like official names. They occur on specific dates, like Mother’s Day and Halloween. However, they aren’t holidays or proper nouns.

An equinox is a general noun describing the time of year the sun crosses the equator. A solstice occurs when the sun is the furthest north or south of the equator. Write these common nouns in lowercase when using them in sentences.

• The summer solstice takes place on June 21.
• The spring equinox occurs on March 20.

Standard capitalization rules kick in when these words are used in the names of events and titles of books.

• Vancouver’s Winter Solstice Lantern Festival is a family-friendly celebration.
• I just finished Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand.

Academic Semesters and Breaks

Most people are so happy for school breaks that the time off seems like an official holiday. Celebrate your leisure time, but resist the urge to capitalize it unless it’s part of a formal name or title.

• Hawaii is a popular destination for winter break.
• Come to Florida for the 2022 Spring Break Extravaganza!

When you refer generically to a fall or spring semester, you don’t need a capital. Capitalize a specific semester when it’s identified by year.

• I’m taking English in the fall semester.
• Is the editing course offered in Summer 2022?

Keep in mind that some academic institutions have their own internal style guides, so writers should follow their clients’ preferences. The University of Colorado, for example, doesn’t capitalize semester names.

Publications

Newsletters, magazines and journals often publish seasonally. Go ahead and capitalize when a season is used as the name of an issue, but not as a general description of an issue.

• Have you seen the fall issue of the magazine?
• I’m editing the Fall 2022 issue of the magazine.

The Olympic Games

This one is simple: if the words summer or winter directly precede the words Olympics or Games, capitalize both words.

• The next Winter Games take place in Beijing.
• He qualified for the Summer Olympics.
• She’s going to Paris next summer for the Summer Olympics.

Personified Seasons

There’s one last scenario to cover. You won’t come across personification often, but this isn’t a definitive guide if we don’t mention it.

Seasons may be personified in stories and poems for literary effect, which means they’re given human qualities. When you write about a season and assign human attributes, use a capital.

Capitalize on Your Career With Crowd Content

Ready to put what you’ve learned to work? Writers of all skill levels are needed to deliver dynamic copy to clients in a wide range of industries. Choose the projects you work on and how you use your time. Start your freelancing career and write with Crowd Content today.

The post Are Seasons Capitalized? appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

This month, we’re retracing the route taken by one of Crowd Content’s most prolific freelancers. Moira, who writes under the pen name Selina Kyle, has kindly agreed to chat with us about a writing career that tops more than 20 years, sharing what she’s learned along the way.

Originally from Tulsa, Moira spent the last few years as a nomadic writer, moving around as a campground host and spending time soaking up the sun on the West Coast. “When I was in California, I wrote at the beach a lot so I could listen to the ocean,” she recalls. She’s currently back in Oklahoma to be closer to family.

She made an early splash in writing in the third grade when she had a poem published in her school’s student magazine. She eventually turned her knack for putting words together into a professional career. She’s written for trade journals, magazines, newspapers, ezines and websites — with a couple of appearances in short story anthologies for good measure.

“I’ve been both a staff writer and a freelance or a contract writer,” Moira says. “Two of the largest publications I currently write for regularly are Hobby Farms and Horse Illustrated, both print publications that are distributed nationally to stores and a large subscription base.” She’s carved out a strong writing niche, with additional credits in AgVentures, Chickens and American Quarter Horse Journal.

Most writers come to Crowd Content looking for work, but Moira discovered our platform when one of her long-time clients began using our services exclusively. “He requested that I be ‘hired’ and added to his team…he didn’t want to lose me as a writer. Great client!” she says. We’re pretty thankful he brought Moira here, too.

After checking out the platform, she decided to stick around. “I like that I can get to know the project managers I work with a lot. I’ve written for other platforms and there wasn’t much interaction or helpfulness among the writers like CC has on the forum,” she explains. “Emailing a project manager directly and actually getting a response was basically unheard of. I like CC so much better that I’ve quit writing on any other platforms.”

Since Moira has quite a few projects under her belt here, we ask for the scoop on the ones she likes best. “The type with a byline!” she laughs, adding, “Really, any type of writing that lets me write about interesting topics and/or learn something new.” She particularly liked writing blog posts for travel nursing. “The assignments paid relatively well and included a byline, which helped me earn a couple of private clients in a similar field.”

But writing’s not always easy, no matter how long you’ve been doing it. Even the most practiced writers can find it tricky to pick the right words and keep their copy fresh. Moira admits it’s challenging “coming up with something new to say or a…different way to say something when you’re writing about a topic that’s already been done to death.”

Moira acknowledges it can be tough when you’re trying to map out your own route to success early in your career. “I’ve received a lot of advice over the years from ‘more experienced’ writers. Really, you have to find what works for you,” she says. “Some popular advice I can tell you I don’t agree with is ‘write what you know’. This isn’t completely true. If it’s something you can learn enough about to write with authority or you can get information from someone who’s an authority on the subject, then you don’t necessarily have to ‘know’ it.”

In other words, if you’re hesitant to pick up a project because you aren’t sure you have the right knowledge — jump in. You may be surprised at what you’re capable of. Moira adds, “Writing about something you don’t know is a great way to learn something new, which I think is one of the most fun things about being a writer.”

It’s also important to listen to your instincts, she says. “Find your own voice instead of trying to imitate someone else’s, and if there’s a good local writer’s group, join it. Writer’s groups are a great way to make friends with similar interests and you really can learn some great things from other writers. Take what you learn and use what works for you but don’t worry about forcing anything that doesn’t work for you,” she concludes.

Moira’s love for the craft definitely shines through, and we could likely chat about writing for at least another thousand words. But, there’s another reason we’re here. In the time-honored tradition of Writer Spotlight, it’s time to shift the focus back on our featured scribe and find out what she’s really like when not at her keyboard.

What’s your favorite restaurant or meal? “Seafood — all types but especially shrimp, crab legs and lobster.”

What’s your favorite TV show or movie? “Law & Order SVU and Seinfeld. Favorite movie depends what kind of mood I’m in, but if I had to pick, probably Braveheart, Ice Harvest, No Country for Old Men, Mrs. Doubtfire and Dirty Dancing.”

Do you have any hobbies or unusual interests? “I like to go to car shows and play with a team on an online trivia site. When I lived in California, one of my favorite pastimes was walking the beaches looking for sea glass, which my husband would make into really cool necklaces for me.”

What’s your favorite book? “Some of my top picks would be the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey, the Bishop Special Crimes Unit series by Kay Hooper, and anything by Stephen King.”

If you could change one thing about our platform, what would it be? “A project that would have a dedicated team and every writer on the team would be responsible for writing a set number of assignments for that project each month, which would be sent to them directly. It would be much easier to plan your writing calendar, count on a paycheck, and get really good at the projects you were part of.”

What are the five worst words in the English language? “Maybe not exactly what you had in mind, but these are the words that popped into my head: Hate, abuse, racist, misogynistic, cancer.”

Complete this sentence: When I’m not working, I love to… “Not be working. LOL. I’m always working. But seriously, I love to read, watch a movie, play with my new puppy, visit family and friends, go for a random drive looking at scenery and neat houses, watch the sun set, just breathe.”

Moira has definitely earned some time to relax and enjoy the sunset. As for us, we’re punching our next destination into our mapping app and hitting the road again. Which Crowd Content freelancer are we popping in on next? Maybe it’ll be you!

The post Writer Spotlight: Selina Kyle — Many Roads Lead to Crowd Content appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Poking and prying? Those happen to be our specialties here at Writer Spotlight! This month, we meet one of our most curious writers. Freelancer Oriel Roy, known in real-life as Hannah, says she’s “nosy by nature,” but this desire to learn has served her well.

Our story begins in the United Kingdom. Hannah grew up in Surrey and lives in Kent, in southeast England. She began writing three years ago before the birth of her son, and worked her way to freelancing full-time last year. “I started writing as a way to fit work around my little boy and have loved every minute of it,” she explains.

A qualified primary school teacher, Hannah spent seven years as a literary specialist teaching young children. She continues to teach privately around her freelancing commitments, but has long dabbled in writing. “Beforehand, I wrote a few self-published romance novels. I wish I could say that they were a roaring success, but I’d be lying. I have no plans to attempt another anytime soon.” Romance publishing’s loss is definitely Crowd Content’s gain!

Hannah brought her skills to our platform after a blogger recommended Crowd Content as a great place to work. Because our clients come from diverse industries, it’s been a great fit. “One of the things that I love most about being a writer is the chance to research a wide range of topics and discover new interests. I always find medical writing fascinating,” she says. And you never know when Crowd Content may help save the day. “Sometimes, things I’ve learnt while I’m writing have come in very handy,” Hannah adds. “We had a plumbing disaster recently and I knew exactly what to do after doing a lot of work on the plumbing blogs!”

Hannah suggests writers new to Crowd Content dive in with enthusiasm, even if they’re intimidated. “I suffered from a certain degree of imposter syndrome when I first started, and sometimes felt worried to try new things,” she reveals. “The only way to learn and improve in this job is by doing, and it’s good to try to be open-minded about the type of projects you want to take on. My favorite projects haven’t necessarily been the ones that I felt drawn to initially.”

Hannah loves the Resume Builder team the most. “I’m a little nosy by nature, and I’ve rather enjoyed learning about what’s involved in an incredibly diverse range of jobs,” she says. “It’s given me an interesting insight into other people’s lives.”

When she’s not writing or teaching, Hannah spends time picking up new languages. “I’m studying Russian and Korean at the moment,” she says. “My hobby has given me the opportunity to meet lots of new friends online to practise my language skills, and I would love to visit in the future to put what I’ve learnt to the test!”

You might also find her tuning in to classic British sitcoms like Fawlty Towers, Vicar of Dibley, and Only Fools and Horses. “We watched them endlessly as kids, especially at Christmas, and they always bring back comforting memories of evenings at home with my family,” she recalls.

But her ideal way to spend free time? “Go to the coast with my son and husband and spend a whole weekend on the beach and eat too much food at the pub,” she says.

Our research has turned up some good information about Hannah so far, but it’s time to get to the real scoop.

Who is your favorite author? What’s your favorite book? “My favorite author is Hilary Mantel. I love everything she’s written, but my favorite is Wolf Hall.”

What’s your favorite restaurant or meal? “I love Indian food and my favorite treat is a big takeout meal from our local restaurant. I’ve been learning to cook my own curries at home, but they’re never quite the same!”

Have you been published by any notable sites or organizations? “I’ve had a few articles published on Listverse about some of my weirder interests, including a piece about a massive prehistoric fish called Dunkleosteus. That one was fun to write!”

Where do you write? “I’ve developed a terrible habit of writing on the sofa! My morning ritual is to make myself really comfy with lots of cushions, a blanket, and a big mug of coffee. My family calls it my writing nest.”

What do you think sets Crowd Content apart from other content platforms? “I feel that the platform pays its writers fairly, and I love the fact that there is always support available if I’m stuck or having issues. The forum is another major selling point, and it’s great to have a space for writers to support and encourage each other.”

If you could change one thing about our platform, what would it be? “Perhaps an area to explore in the future would be some kind of mentorship scheme, where experienced writers can nurture new talent and help new starters build their skills.”

What do you find most challenging about writing content? “Getting to grips with complex briefs is always a challenge.”

Do you have any advice for new writers? “Take constructive criticism on the chin and see feedback as a learning opportunity… it’s normal to make mistakes as a new (and experienced!) writer.”

What are the five worst words in the English language? “Grotesque, yummy, scrumptious, fishy, and drip.”

I was going to wrap up in Korean to test Hannah’s knowledge, but I’m a little rusty. So, I’ll simply say that I hope Writer Spotlight is satisfying your curiosity about the freelancers working here at Crowd Content. We’ll be poking and prying into the life of another writer soon. Maybe it’ll be you!

The post Writer Spotlight: Oriel Roy — Enquiring Minds Want to Know appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Sure, it’s not literary, but generations of kids pored over the glossy pages of the department’s store annual Christmas catalogue. While this slice of Americana fueled many dreams of shiny toys, its pages of product descriptions inspired more than a few marketing writers, too, including one of Crowd Content’s very own. Let’s find out more, as we do some virtual globetrotting and meet four-star writer, self-professed tree nerd, and amazing grandma, Melissa Spicer.

Born and raised in Eastern Kentucky, Melissa lives just outside of Lexington in Campton, population 400. She’s played with words her whole life, writing mostly poetry when she was younger. She went on to study Communications at the University of Louisville and has published pieces on women’s issues for The Clinton Foundation.

Like many freelancers, she turned a love of writing into a viable career. “Writing has always been a hobby, but it wasn’t until 2008 that I realized I could make money doing it,” she explains. She got her start on various writing platforms, which eventually led her to Crowd Content. “I worked with several of the admins here when they were on other platforms, and one of them invited me,” she explains. “The people here are always so kind and helpful. The work is usually bountiful. And the pay on most projects is pretty good!” she says. Glad you like it here, Melissa. We aim to please.

Her versatility makes her indispensable to many project managers, but she has a particular knack for persuasive copy. “Marketing writing seems to come easiest for me,” she says, adding, “I think it goes back to my fondness of the Sears Wish Book when I was a child. I’d read it cover to cover.”

Melissa’s early training paid off — well-crafted product descriptions are required reading for any writers who want to make their bread and butter from PDs. It’s no surprise then, to find out which Crowd Content project holds a special place in her heart. “I think the Darice descriptions were my favorite, especially the batches with Halloween or Christmas products,” she says. I’m quite sure Melissa’s tightly woven copy sold many glittery ornaments and mini pumpkin decorations. (We miss you, Darice.)

You can often find Melissa writing wherever inspiration strikes — in her home office, at her kitchen table or on the back deck — but some days, the words flow less easily than others. We asked her what the most challenging part of writing content is. “I am easily distracted by all the pretty shiny people and things around me,” she admits. On those days, you might find her reading, gardening and studying trees. “I’m a tree nerd,” she says. But her number one favorite pastime? “Playing with my only grandbaby, my grandson, Weston, who just turned four,” she says proudly.

Whether you share Melissa’s love for writing PDs or prefer blog posts and articles, you might be interested in her advice for new writers: don’t get discouraged. “One thing I’ve always struggled with as a writer is taking feedback personally. Remember editors are only trying to help you grow — and meet the requirements of the project brief,” Melissa explains. “It takes time to develop a thick skin, and sometimes feedback still stings, even after more than a decade of writing.”

You know what’s coming next, faithful readers. Hang on, because it’s time to dive into the lightning round.

Who is your favorite author? What’s your favorite book? “I would probably go with Patricia Cornwell. I’m a crime/serial killer junkie. I have all of her books in hardcover. I am also a Stephen King fan. I’ve read most of his work.”

What’s your favorite restaurant or meal? “I love food, but I’m on a low-carb diet due to my health, so I’m usually noshing on meats, veggies and string cheese. It’s a struggle!”

What’s your favorite TV show or movie? “I’m a huge TV buff. I think my favorite TV show of all time is Desperate Housewives. Or Nurse Jackie. Or Weeds. I can’t choose just one.”

If you could change one thing about our platform, what would it be? “The ability to like, love or laugh at forum comments could be entertaining.”

What are the five worst words in the English language? “Adulting. It’s overdone, let it rest. Firstly (followed by secondly, thirdly, and so on) for obvious reasons. Occasionally (because I only occasionally spell it right on the first try). Is three enough? I can’t think of any other words that I dislike at the moment.”

Complete this sentence: When I’m not working… “I love to play with my grandson and sleep!”

We won’t keep you from your sweet grandbaby any longer, Melissa. Thank you for your time, and I only wish I had a Sears Wish Book for you and Weston to read together! And to all of you other wonderful writers, I hope you found some inspiration in Melissa’s stories to spark your own work, or at least start some very early Christmas shopping. We’ll see you next time when another Crowd Content freelancer steps into the spotlight. Maybe it’ll be you.

The post Writer Spotlight: Melissa Spicer — The Making of a Marketing Writer appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

That’s why we’re pretty proud of our Crowd Content community. Although you may only know your fellow writers from a profile picture and a few online messages, there’s plenty of camaraderie to be found.

Some personalities shine particularly bright. We know which of you can tap out a witty comment or infuse a dash of levity into our days. One such luminary is Richard S., who’s made more than one writer laugh out loud in our discussion threads, generating requests for a “like” or “laughing” button. Someday, Richard may realize his dream of being a commander in the space navy, but for now, we’re glad he’s part of our elite force. Intrigued? Read on.

Based in Sacramento, California, Richard has been writing off and on his whole life, and professionally for the last eight years. “I used to be an EMT, but I’ve done a lot of weird jobs, including private investigator and door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman,” he explains.

In 2016, he joined the Crowd Content squadron. “Work had mostly dried up at the platform where I used to do most of my work,” he recalls. “I tried a Best Buy PD here out of near desperation. The rest is history.”

Richard has since earned his four-star badge and regularly delivers smoothly crafted PDs, articles and web content on a range of topics. “PDs are okay but unchallenging. I especially like articles that make me do some research. It’s like getting paid to educate myself online,” he says of his favorite projects. “I made a living out of Caring and Seniorly in the past, but lately it’s been all Teknicks and HomeServe. I have always preferred long-form articles with minimal formatting.”

His biggest challenge when writing is also the flip side of those work-at-home perks: getting motivated. “My natural state is napping on the couch, so I really have to give myself a shove to start writing in the morning,” he confesses. Richard used to write in coffee shops until the pandemic changed the world. Now, you can find him “sitting in my living room, in my new recliner, a pillow on my lap as a laptop desk.”

While we can confirm Richard’s talents are used only for good at Crowd Content, there are times he’s wielded his skills on those who least suspect it, and with hilarious results. “I’ve been writing bogus complaint letters to corporations and political figures for nearly 20 years,” he admits. “My best so far was when I complained to the makers of Preparation H that their suppositories were hard to swallow. They sent me a coupon and urged me to discontinue use of their product in the described manner.”

Note to self: check if Richard’s written letters of complaint to Crowd Content.

In the meantime, Richard does have suggestions for improving our platform. “I’d like to see a 5-star writer category that pays write+edit rates for the most experienced and reliable writers,” he says. “I would also appreciate making editors wear business suits during working hours, but I’m not sure how we would enforce that.”

An experienced wordsmith, Richard also has advice for those of you who are new recruits. “Have you considered learning to weld? It’s honest work,” he says. “If you must write, step up your exercise routine and watch your diet. Try to build some kind of structure into your day and don’t pull any more all-nighters after age 40. Try to always have a few chores around the house that need doing, so you have something to do while you’ve got writers’ block.”

Excellent tips. But the best way to really get to know our now-infamous scribe is to let him speak for himself. Here’s what else we got Richard to reveal:

What are the five worst words in the English language? “Literally, ginormous, actually, problematic, squish(y)(ed).”

Who is your favorite author? What’s your favorite book? “I can’t remember the last time I got the time to read an actual book. I have gone through phases where I consumed pulp science fiction (think PKD and Heinlein), and other phases where I read a ton of popular science books. When I was a kid, I wanted to be H.L. Mencken when I grew up.”

Have you been published by any notable sites or organizations (digital or traditional)? “I published at All That’s Interesting for several years, and my author page is still up as an archive. If you look at it, please know that I had no control over the editing or layout decisions.”

What’s your favorite restaurant or meal? “I mostly cook at home. For the last several months I’ve been on the Mediterranean diet, so now I make my own pesto sauce.”

What do you think sets Crowd Content apart from other content platforms? “In the beginning, CC’s main draw was the high pay relative to the other platforms. While there’s less of a difference now, CC seems to have the most reliably full queues.”

Complete this sentence: When I’m not working, I love to: “Daydream about being in a space navy.”

Ah, dreams can come true, Richard. But until you can command your own fleet of starships, we’ve got plenty of digital territory for you to conquer.

Before I sign off, a big thank you to all of you. We certainly couldn’t succeed without such a talented, hard-working crew. And now, we’re headed into the stars to find another Crowd Content writer to spotlight. Maybe it’ll be you!

The post Writer Spotlight: Richard S. — To Infinity, and Beyond! appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Listicles have been around for decades, but they’re currently experiencing a surge in popularity. That’s why learning how to write a listicle should be your top priority as a freelance writer. Once you have a good command of the listicle format, you’ll be better equipped to help clients drive traffic to their websites and keep visitors coming back for more.

The 411 on the Listicle Format

So what’s a listicle? In simple terms, it’s a piece of content formatted as a list. From a freelance writer’s perspective, listicles are a little easier to write than other types of content because they typically provide surface-level information. Instead of spending hours researching a single topic, you can put together a listicle pretty quickly.

Just because they’re easy to write doesn’t mean they lack value, though. Readers love listicles because the content is easy to skim and doesn’t require much of a time investment. Their skimmable nature makes them easy to read during a long subway commute, on a lunch break or in a few minutes between tasks. The average human attention span is just eight seconds, making it more important than ever for freelance writers to develop content that gets right to the point.

As an added bonus, listicles can help your clients improve their search rankings and drive more traffic to their websites. If you use Google’s search engine regularly, you may have seen that some searches bring up instant answers. Google pulls these answers from section headings, bulleted lists and numbered lists, which means a good listicle could land your client at the top of the search results for competitive keywords.

Why Listicles Are Good for SEO

Listicles add value for readers, but they’re also great for SEO—but only if you write and format them correctly. Google uses about 200 factors to determine how well a page ranks for specific keywords. Although you don’t have much control over domain-level factors, you can make a few tweaks to each listicle to ensure it gives your client as much of an SEO boost as possible.

Keyword Usage

Keywords are the words and phrases people use to find information on the information superhighway. Incorporating relevant keywords into your listicles helps Google and other search engines understand what each page is about, which can improve a page’s rankings. Google typically prioritizes pages that have the primary keyword in an <h1> header as well as <h2> and <h3> headers. Using latent semantic indexing (LSI) keywords also helps with SEO. LSI keywords are keywords related to the primary keyword. If your primary keyword is “pasta recipes,” for example, “easy pasta recipes,” “pasta recipes without tomatoes” and “30-minute pasta recipes” would be good LSI keywords to incorporate into your listicle.

Content Length

Page length is one of the many factors Google considers when determining how well a page ranks for a specific keyword. Although length isn’t always a sign of quality, longer pages tend to provide more value to readers, so Google prioritizes longer pages over shorter ones. Writing a long listicle could help your client take advantage of this SEO factor.

Content Originality

Google also checks to see if websites have multiple pages with duplicate content or content that’s extremely similar. You can help your client avoid a duplicate content penalty by making your listicle as original as possible and ensuring you don’t make it too similar to any content that’s already been published on their website.

How to Write a Listicle That Gets Results

If you’re ready to make the listicle a permanent part of your writing repertoire, follow these tips.

1. Choose Your Topic Carefully

Not every topic is appropriate for the listicle format. You wouldn’t want to choose this format for any topic requiring in-depth analysis, nor would you want to choose a topic that can’t be broken down into a series of list items.

A good topic for a listicle is one that can be broken down according to a single theme, such as “top gifts for a college graduate” or “best test prep books for the nursing boards.” You can easily create a list on either of these topics, and doing so won’t confuse readers or make them doubt the value of the content.

2. Pick an Appropriate Format

“Listicle” is a catch-all term for any type of content formatted as a list, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution for every website. A standard list is the most basic type of listicle as it combines photos and images with little to no narrative. “Top 20 Gifts for a Medical School Graduate” would be a great standard list, as you could post an image of each gift with just one sentence about why it’s a great pick for someone who recently graduated from medical school.

Definitive lists provide more detail on each topic. “19 Thrillers to Add to Your Reading List This Fall” is well-suited to the definitive list format because you’d need to provide a little more detail to keep readers interested and help them understand why each item belongs on the list. You might write four or five sentences to describe each book and make audience members want to read more.

Framework lists tell a cohesive story through the use of narrative. These listicles tend to provide the most detail about the topic, making them extremely valuable for readers. Something like “15 Mistakes Every New Mom Makes” would make a great framework listicle, as you’d be able to tell a cohesive story that leaves readers thinking about the overall message of the piece. For example, you might want the overall message to be that readers should give themselves grace because every new mother makes mistakes no matter how hard she tries to do everything right.

3. Research Your Competitors

Before you write a single word, take a look at what your client’s competitors are doing. It’s extremely important not to copy from other sites, but you can use competitor research to come up with your own ideas. You may even be able to see what other sites are missing, making your listicles even more valuable for readers. For example, if your client runs a healthy eating website, you might notice that all the major competitors focus on “bad” foods or foods that people shouldn’t eat. You could reverse this trend by focusing on foods that people should be eating so they don’t feel like they’re depriving themselves. Taking this approach would ensure your client’s website has something different that readers can’t find elsewhere.

4. Choose the Right Length

Length is always an important consideration, but it’s even more important when you’re writing a listicle. As noted above, Google tends to reward websites with longer pages, so you don’t want to turn in a 200-word listicle that barely provides any value for readers. You also don’t want to force readers to go through 5,000 words of content to find the information they need. Typically, a listicle should range from 1,000 to 2,000 words. This gives you enough room to provide value without making it difficult for readers to skim the content.

5. Focus on Delivering Value

According to writer Jane Friedman, people value writing when it entertains them, surprises them or introduces them to a “deeper truth they never considered.” If you’re writing a listicle that focuses on commercial products, it can be difficult to inspire people or introduce them to a deeper truth, but you can surprise or entertain them. For example, everyone expects to see flowers, jewelry and candy on a list of the best gifts for Valentine’s Day, so it might surprise readers if you included something like sports equipment or a subscription to an online learning site. You can also entertain people by using an active voice and making jokes when appropriate.

6. Stick to One Page

If your client has you write in WordPress or a similar content management system, make sure you publish your entire article as one page. Many publishers try to increase their revenue by using slideshows or publishing one article across multiple pages, but these tactics often annoy readers. Imagine if you had a slow internet connection and had to click through 19 slides to read a single listicle—you’d probably give up after just a few clicks. The point of publishing content is getting people to read it, not annoying them into leaving a website.

7. Add Images

Images are an essential component of a listicle as combining text with images can help you appeal to readers with different preferences. People who prefer to read text can read your narrative, while readers who prefer visual content can look at the images and read the accompanying captions if they want more information.

Using images is especially important if your listicle focuses on products you want your readers to buy. Even if you’re skilled at writing product descriptions, a picture is often worth a thousand words when it comes to helping people understand what a product looks like and how it functions. Including images helps readers determine if the recommended products are the right size, colour and style for their needs, which can help your clients make more sales.

8. Avoid Clickbait Headlines

Clickbait headlines exist to make readers click on a link to learn more. When you’re writing a listicle, you definitely want people to read it, but you don’t want to use headlines that mislead them or make them think they’re getting something other than what you’re offering. If your client runs a budgeting website, “How to Save $5 Million for Retirement” isn’t appropriate unless the site caters to high-worth individuals who have the ability to save a substantial amount of money each year. “18 Ways to Increase Your Retirement Savings” is a better title because it’s more realistic. People at all different income levels are likely to click to learn more about how they can increase their retirement savings. The original title is likely to discourage people with lower incomes who can’t see themselves saving enough to have millions of dollars when they’re ready to retire.

9. Go Beyond the Obvious

One way to add value is to go beyond the obvious. If you’re writing a listicle about the best mystery books to read during the winter, you might be tempted to include obvious choices like Stephen King’s The Shining and Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen. These are great reads, but almost any list of winter mysteries is likely to include them. If you want your listicle to stand out, try to include a few items people don’t expect to see. Look for books that are set in the winter but don’t mention ice, snow, cold or other winter words in their titles, for example.

10. Use Short Paragraphs

When you write a listicle, it’s extremely important for people to be able to skim it and pick out the most important points in just a minute or two. Writing long paragraphs makes it difficult for people to skim your articles, so stick to short paragraphs whenever possible. It’s easy to do this with a standard list, which may have little to no narrative tying the items together, but be sure to pay attention to paragraph length when you’re writing a definitive listicle or framework listicle.

11. Apply the Right Formatting Elements

Formatting is just as important as grammar, spelling and punctuation when you’re writing content that will be published on a website. The right formatting elements make it possible to guide a reader from the title to the very bottom of the page, ensuring they see the points you want to make in the right order. Bold text, italics, numbered lists and lists of bullet points are all ideal for drawing attention to key points and making the text easier to skim. It can also help your clients improve their search engine rankings.

Listicle Mistakes to Avoid

Now that you know the best way to write a listicle, you also need to know what to avoid.

Bad Titles

The title is the first thing most people see when they come across your listicle online. You don’t want to use titles that mislead people or, worse yet, make them think your listicle isn’t worth reading. For best results, include numbers in your listicle titles to help readers know what to expect. “7 Ways to Improve Your Search Engine Rankings” is better than “How to Improve Your Search Engine Rankings” because it tells the reader exactly how many tips they’ll get. It also sets the expectation that your article won’t be too long or time-consuming to read.

Irrelevant Content

This goes along with the importance of not misleading people. Once you choose a title, every item in your list should relate to that title in some way. “10 Best Mysteries Coming Out This Fall” should include 10 mysteries, not eight mysteries, a biography and a children’s book.

Vague Content

Listicles are a little more superficial than long-form pieces, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have any value. Provide as much detail as possible within the structure of your listicle, whether you’re doing a standard list or an in-depth framework that tells a cohesive story.

Lack of Conclusion

Don’t just create a list of items with no conclusion at the end. Write a few sentences to tie things together and tell the reader what to do next. This is a great place to put a call to action directing the reader to visit other pages on your client’s website or to contact your client for more information about a product.

The Bottom Line

Not every topic is suited to the listicle format, but a good listicle can make you even more valuable as a freelance writer. Just remember to choose your topic and list format carefully, make the content as scannable as possible and avoid writing vague content that doesn’t add value for the reader.

Now that you know how to write a great listicle, sign up for Crowd Content to get paid for your writing expertise. Crowd Content has a freelancer-friendly platform with new writing and editing orders loaded daily. Visit our freelance writing page to learn more about how Crowd Content delivers unparalleled levels of assignment variety and flexibility.

The post How to Write a Listicle That Gets Great Results for Your Clients appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

In other words, they need to consult their style guide.

For the uninitiated, a style guide is a document that defines a set of rules for writers to follow when they’re authoring material for a brand. It guides the editorial process so that all written works are consistent and accurately reflect the brand’s tone and voice. Style guides can cover everything from what words to use or not use to how to properly write numbers and use punctuation.

And of course — how to capitalize titles.

The Two Approaches to Capitalizing Titles

For most brands, putting together an entire style guide isn’t worth their effort. They have better things to do, like grow their business. Instead, they leverage an existing guide such as AP style or the Chicago Manual of Style. They’ll likely create documentation guiding their brand’s tone and voice, but otherwise, for any questions regarding title capitalization — see the aforementioned style guide.

So, what do these guides say about capitalizing titles?

That depends entirely on the guide. Even the two mentioned above take different approaches to title capitalization. Even in a single guide, the rules aren’t always very clear.

Fortunately for you, taking the time to learn the basics makes things considerably easier when you’re facing down a capitalization conundrum with a hefty style guide. The first step on your journey is looking at the two most commonly used conventions: sentence case and title case.

Sentence Case

As you might have inferred, sentence case implies writing the title as you would a sentence. If you know how to write a grammatically correct sentence, you know how to write a title in a sentence case. The only difference is that you don’t use punctuation unless the title in question is, well, a question. Sentence case is popular among bigger news outlets and many online publications. It’s modern and hip.

Observe:

• How to make a living with freelance writing
• Everything you need to know about sentence case
• How do you find a needle in a haystack?

Like a sentence sitting in a paragraph, if you use a proper noun in sentence case, you capitalize the appropriate words. Likewise, if you mention things like the names of books or movies, you’ll capitalize them as you would in writing.

Take a look:

• A quick chat with Stephen King
• Why every person should read “Animal Farm”
• Thoughts on living in New York

And that’s all there is to it. If you’re writing with sentence case, your work is done. Otherwise, put your thinking cap on, and let’s start learning about title case.

Title Case

Title case refers to capitalizing the first word and all major words in the title. If you’re an avid reader, you probably have a feel for title case. Most books you’ve read use it. Even this guide uses it. It’s classy and sophisticated.

So, what constitutes a major word? The consensus is that you should always capitalize nouns in all forms, verbs, adverbs and adjectives. That gives you a pretty long list of words you needn’t concern yourself over.

Have a look:

• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
• How to Win Friends and Influence People
• How to Care for Aging Dogs

Another area where style guides agree is the capitalization of articles. They’re considered minor words by all, meaning they’re only ever capitalized in two scenarios: when they’re the first word of the title or when they’re part of a proper noun, such as a book or movie.

Take these titles, for example:

• The Old Man and the Sea
• A Guide to Saving the Planet
• The Godfather

So, where does that leave conjunctions and prepositions? Well, this is where the confusion arises. While all style guides agree that only conjunction and prepositions are lowercase in titles, almost none of them agree on which ones. On top of that, some guides have specific rules for certain ones.

For example, in AP style, you only capitalize conjunctions that are four letters or longer. The rest are lowercase. But in Chicago style, there are rules for specific coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions; some are capitalized and others aren’t.

The same goes for prepositions. AP style goes with the same rule — prepositions of three or fewer letters are lowercase — while Chicago style insists all prepositions are lowercase. In other words, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the relevant style guide you’re using for your client.

On Style Guides and Writing Briefs

If you haven’t already done so, now’s a good time to fix in your mind the importance of style guides and client briefs. Any time you’re writing for a new client or publisher, you should consider two things:

• The style guide they’re using, if any
• Any changes they may have outlined in their brief

Trust us, it’s a good habit to have. Even brands that adhere to an outside guide often implement their own changes. Sometimes they prefer all words in their titles capitalized, for example. Understanding what they want upfront reduces any back and forth, which saves you and the client time. It also demonstrates your professionalism, resulting in a happy client. And a happy client means more future work. So a happy writer, too.

Here at Crowd Content, we defer to AP style unless a client requests something different. And while AP style is arguably easier to grasp than Chicago style, it still has its quirks. It’s next to impossible to cover all the different title capitalization oddities across every major style guide, so it’s important to know when and where to look, even if you have access to a nifty little tool that converts your titles for you.

Frequently Asked Questions on Title Case Capitalization

Below are some frequently asked questions to help wrap your head around the nuances of title case. It bears mentioning that for sentence case, all of these questions are answered the same: You only capitalize a word if it’s the first word in the title or part of a proper noun.

Do you capitalize a, an or the in a title?

As articles, these words are only ever capitalized when they begin the title or they’re a part of a proper noun.

Do you capitalize the word in in a title?

Since in is a preposition, you’ll need to check the style guide you’re writing to. For example, in AP style, in is not capitalized, but in Chicago style, it’s capitalized when used in a phrasal verb such as “get in.”

Do you capitalize the word and in a title?

Conjunctions often have specific rules depending on the style guide. In this case, however, all style guides agree: Don’t capitalize the word and.

Do you capitalize the word not in a title?

As an adverb, the word not is capitalized across all style guides.

Do you capitalize the word between in a title?

Since between is a preposition, it’s up for debate. In AP style, it’s capitalized since it’s longer than four letters. In Chicago style, it’s never capitalized.

Do you capitalize the word our in titles?

The pronoun our is, indeed, capitalized according to every major style guide.

Do you capitalize the word is in titles?

It’s a tricky verb, but a verb nonetheless. As such, you capitalize is according to all style guides.

Do you capitalize the second word in a hyphenated title?

Unfortunately, there are no definite answers when it comes to capitalizing hyphenated words. It depends entirely on the style guide and even then, some guides don’t provide clear rules. In AP style, both words are capitalized. In Chicago style, the second word is capitalized only when it’s not an article, preposition or coordinating conjunction.

Keep Your Style Guide Handy

There you have it — everything you ever wanted to know about title capitalization. By now, you should be well-equipped for a life of titular title writing. More importantly, you know how important it is to know what style guide you’re writing to and whether your clients have any particular preferences on the matter. At the end of the day, when you know which tools to turn to, knowing every rule becomes unnecessary.

If you’re a blogger or a brand still in doubt, remember that consistency is more important than any specific style you choose. Google and other search engines couldn’t care less about complicated capitalization rules. Pick a style, stick to it and focus on quality content over everything else.

And speaking of quality and consistency, if you’re a brand that’s looking to take raise your marketing to the next level, we can help. Our platform has thousands of top-tier freelance writers ready to help you grow your brand with powerful, high-quality content — proper title capitalization included. Get in touch with us today to find out more.

The post Everything You Ever Needed To Know About Capitalizing Titles appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Read on for an easy-to-understand guide to using the percent symbol when citing figures. We also highlight some of the common mistakes writers make when using percentages in articles and blog posts.

Following AP Style Percent Formatting

In 2019, AP Style revised its guidelines for writing out percentages. Prior to this, the rule was to spell the word percent in full after a numeral (for example, 92 percent or 1.5 percent).

It’s now preferable to use the percent sign — in most situations. While the change caused some debate among writers and editors, the new rule follows common usage.

Here’s what the current AP Style percent guidelines mean for you as a writer.

1. Use the % Sign Most of the Time

When referring to a specific figure, place the % sign immediately following the numeral. You don’t need a space between the number and the symbol.

• Students must have a 75% average to pass the course.
• The motion passed with 56% of the vote.

2. Use the Word Percent in Casual Situations

When writing figuratively or casually, use the word percent instead of the symbol. Spell out the numeral.

• There’s a zero percent chance of that happening!

3. Use Decimal Points Instead of Fractions

AP Style recommends using decimal points if percentages aren’t whole numbers. Fractions are more difficult to read.

• The interest rate on the loan is 2.75%.
• She received a 3.5% pay raise.

4. Precede the Decimal With a Zero for Amounts Less Than 1%

Place a zero to the left of the decimal point if citing an amount less than 1%. The zero makes the decimal point more visible and helps improve clarity.

• The interest rate on loans is 0.4% lower at my bank, so you may want to switch.
• Grocery prices rose by 0.9% this month.

Common Mistakes When Writing Percentages

Still perplexed by percentages? Here’s a rundown of other questions that can crop up when you’re creating content.

What’s the Difference Between Percent and Percentages?

The word percent (or the % symbol) follows a number. It means per hundred and is used with specific figures.

• There’s a 10% discount if you pay in cash.

The word percentage is more general and used when an exact number isn’t provided.

• Only a small percentage of the class completed the bonus assignment; more than 90% opted out.

Make sure you don’t use the word percent in place of percentage.

• Incorrect: What percent of the population voted in the election?
• Correct: What percentage of the population voted in the election?

How Do You Write a Range or Series of Percentages?

When you’re referring to more than one percentage, use the percent sign after each figure.

The AP Style Guide considers all of the following formats acceptable for describing a range of percentages:

• 15% to 20%
• 15%-20%
• Between 15% and 20%

You can also list a series of percentages. Remember to use the percent symbol after each number.

• The store is offering discounts of 25%, 30% and 50%.

Are Percentages Singular or Plural?

Writers sometimes stumble when it comes to percentages and verb agreement. The key is to look at the noun to which the percentage is referring. If the noun is singular, use a singular verb. If the noun is plural, use a plural verb.

• Singular: Only 20% of the membership is at the meeting.
• Plural: Only 20% of the members are at the meeting.

How Do You Compare Percentages?

You often see writers referring to percentage point increases or decreases. Be careful not to confuse percentage points with percentage change, as they aren’t the same thing.

Let’s say a political party’s approval rate increases from 40% to 50%. It’s correct to say that this is an increase of 10 percentage points. It’s not a 10% increase in approval rating, however. Now, you’re referring to percentage change, and it’s a 25% increase.

• Percentage points are calculated by subtracting the final value from the initial value.
• Percentage change is a ratio. It’s calculated by subtracting the final value from the initial value and dividing the difference by the initial value.

How Do You Write Percentage Points?

When writing about percentage points, use numerals.

• The party’s approval rating is up 4 percentage points.

Is It Percent or Per Cent?

Another common question is whether to write percent as one word or two. Both ways are correct; it’s a stylistic choice. Generally, percent is used in American English while per cent is used in British and Canadian English.

Choosing the Right Style Guide

This article covers AP Style percent formatting, but there are variations between style guides. Some clients may opt for the Chicago Manual of Style, APA Style or MLA Style. As a professional freelance writer, you should follow your client’s preference so your copy is consistent with other content they publish.

Work With Crowd Content

Are you ready to flex your writing skills and work on interesting and challenging freelance assignments? Whether you’re an experienced freelancer or starting out your career, there’s a place for you on our platform. We have thousands of clients seeking writers for blog posts, articles, product descriptions and SEO copy. Sign up for your Crowd Content account today.

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