Bloggers – Don’t Sell Out Cheap

[EEVblog]

http://www.eevblog.com/2013/03/07/bloggers-dont-sell-out-cheap/

Dave.

[BravoV]

"First they may offer you “info graphics” or other content to put on your blog. Don’t do it. They are trying to get cheap SEO for their highly paying client."

For sure this "info graphics" thingy doesn't pay bills ! 

Love the new text blog Dave ! 

[Bored@Work]

Why I agree you should ask for real hourly rates, the ones mentioned in the article are unrealistic. Not wrong, unrealistic. I happen to know a few frelance writers and some translators. They dream of such rates. They have to fight for each cent for a page. Yes, they get paid by the page (or words), not by the hour. The publishing industry is traditionally tight ass. They don't pay high rates. They rather spend some money to hype some bum to make him their "expert" instead of paying an expert expert-rates.

[johnboxall]

Why I agree you should ask for real hourly rates, the ones mentioned in the article are unrealistic. Not wrong, unrealistic. I happen to know a few frelance writers and some translators. They dream of such rates. They have to fight for each cent for a page. Yes, they get paid by the page (or words), not by the hour. The publishing industry is traditionally tight ass. They don't pay high rates. They rather spend some money to hype some bum to make him their "expert" instead of paying an expert expert-rates.

The amounts are not unrealistic at all. Then again it depends on which country you're in. I get paid by the hour, or charge a set amount that equates to the same hourly rate to complete the job. There's SAP documentation work in Melbourne at $800 a day, even basic manuals or quality stuff is only a bit less. You just need to know where to look.

[Bored@Work]

If you are part of the SAP ripoff machine good for you. But that is by no means the standard for technical writers or translators.

[westfw]

Yeah, I don't think technical authors (of the sort that used to write for the paper magazines like EDN, EET, and so on) ever got paid "engineer wages."

Then again, a lot of them (plus the more scholarly journals) leveraged off of engineers who were already getting paid for that time, possibly plus a "publication bonus", presumably for the good publicity for whomever they were actually working for.

There's probably a reasonable number somewhere, but both 0 and $100/hr aren't it...

[Neilm]

Dave - one question;

Is the name going to change to the Electronics Engineering Video with a bit of text blogging when Dave feels like it Blog? 

[jancumps]

If you are part of the SAP ripoff machine good for you. ....

O0

[StubbornGreek]

Why I agree you should ask for real hourly rates, the ones mentioned in the article are unrealistic. Not wrong, unrealistic. I happen to know a few frelance writers and some translators. They dream of such rates. They have to fight for each cent for a page. Yes, they get paid by the page (or words), not by the hour. The publishing industry is traditionally tight ass. They don't pay high rates. They rather spend some money to hype some bum to make him their "expert" instead of paying an expert expert-rates.

This

If you are part of the SAP ripoff machine good for you. But that is by no means the standard for technical writers or translators.

and this.

And many times, authors of short articles in magazines, etc., don't get more than a couple of copies of the pub and credit (which may be used to gain an extra couple of cents per word for larger pieces - considering the pub was notable and you have more than two under your belt).

[Excavatoree]

Dave - one question;

Is the name going to change to the Electronics Engineering Video with a bit of text blogging when Dave feels like it Blog? 

"Welcome to the EEVWABOTBWDFLI Blog!"

[Hypernova]

Yeah, I don't think technical authors (of the sort that used to write for the paper magazines like EDN, EET, and so on) ever got paid "engineer wages."

Then again, a lot of them (plus the more scholarly journals) leveraged off of engineers who were already getting paid for that time, possibly plus a "publication bonus", presumably for the good publicity for whomever they were actually working for.

There's probably a reasonable number somewhere, but both 0 and $100/hr aren't it...

That's what I think too, a lot of those columnists work as consultants so the supposed free publicity benefit does actually apply to them.

[amspire]

I like the idea of text blogs, but I think it takes up too much space on your homepage - you have to scroll down a long way to see what else is new on your site.

If you did something like a tutorial text blog, it could end up being very long.

You cannot see the most recent video blog for example if you do not scroll down past any recent text blogs. I use the home page sometimes to see if there is a new video blog.

I would prefer it if a blog summary was posted on the home page with a link to the full blog. Alternatively, I don't know if there is a way you can have a show/hide feature on the blog text so it can be expanded on the homepage for reading, then shrink it again to a one line summary. Something like that would be perfect.

Richard

[EEVblog]

I like the idea of text blogs, but I think it takes up too much space on your homepage - you have to scroll down a long way to see what else is new on your site.

If you did something like a tutorial text blog, it could end up being very long.

I don't plan on doing tutorial text blog, or anything longer really.

You cannot see the most recent video blog for example if you do not scroll down past any recent text blogs. I use the home page sometimes to see if there is a new video blog.

I would prefer it if a blog summary was posted on the home page with a link to the full blog. Alternatively, I don't know if there is a way you can have a show/hide feature on the blog text so it can be expanded on the homepage for reading, then shrink it again to a one line summary. Something like that would be perfect.

Possible, but I'd need a new wordpress template for that.
The AmpHour site for example does this summary version.

Dave.

[firewalker]

Can't you use the <!--more--> separator.

Alexander.

[EEVblog]

Can't you use the <!--more--> separator.

Ah, worked a treat, thanks!

Dave.

[firewalker]

Hmmm. If you didn't already try to use it when on the Text editor not the visual one.

Alexander.

[EEVblog]

Hmmm. If you didn't already try to use it when on the Text editor not the visual one.

Yep, doesn't work on the visual editor.

Dave.

[mswhin63]

I must admit Dave, I am not a fan of reading the blogs, I have too much reading to do in my profession and studies. I think you have made a name for yourself purely on video blogging and have worked well. I like the way of sitting back and relaxing watching your videos and even for the long one I can continue to work or do other things and keep an ear and occasional glance in the direction.

[SeanB]

With text I generally can read faster than listening, and it is easier to spend a minute reading a post that might take 5 minutes to listen to, so reading is good. you can also pause reading very easily and come back later if disturbed.

[marshallh]

To Dave's credit he is much more interesting to listen to on video than many talking heads.. but if you are going to write up blog posts, I can read and process them a lot faster.

+1 on reading text

[mikeselectricstuff]

With text I generally can read faster than listening, and it is easier to spend a minute reading a post that might take 5 minutes to listen to, so reading is good. you can also pause reading very easily and come back later if disturbed.

But you can have a video on and be doing something else - most of the content is in the audio. The flipside is you can scan and skip more easily on text.

[SeanB]

Multitasking is not going to allow you to concentrate on both at the same time, one will be backgrounded and ignored after a minute. Concentrated reading will be retained for longer.

[nitro2k01]

While I’m on the subject, as a blogger you will eventually get approached by an online ad agency rep. They will attack you several ways.

First they may offer you “info graphics” or other content to put on your blog. Don’t do it. They are trying to get cheap SEO for their highly paying client.

Ah, I've had quite a few of those. I usually say "yes". Then they say "great" and give me the HTML code they want to post. To which I say "yes". Kind of like this:

[SeanB]

YES!

[justanothercanuck]

You’ve seen them, the big companies going all “social media” internet happy and wanting to draw in and dominate engineering audiences with their online blogs, and piss-poor attempts at setting up online communities.

They're common in the gaming community as well.  Groups like ScrewAttack, GameTrailers, Normal Boots (now defunct), Gamervision, Retroware TV...  Media moguls (and wannabe moguls) setting up Youtube brands for gaming-related content.  Problem is, you sign your soul away in the process.  You go to all the events, but you're not there for yourself, you're there to tout your media group.  They've ruined quite a few good people on Youtube.