Happy Friday QG Writer!
I hope everyone has something fun planned for this weekend. I know I do! Tomorrow I get to walk in my college graduation ceremony at SUNY Cobleskill, very exciting! Cross your fingers it doesn’t rain on my parade!
I just wanted to pass on a friendly reminder about proper article etiquette.
This week has a been a bit slow and I know that everyone is itching to get there hands on a few articles. Please be selective when claiming articles, and only take articles that you can commit to completing by the deadline. It’s unfair and unprofessional to withhold work from others while you decide whether or not the project is doable in your specific situation.
While I try my best to accommodate extensions when possible, extensions are not a given. Too many extensions may reflect poorly upon your account and should be used only as a last resort.
I know everyone is very busy with various other projects, family, and work responsibility; so I’ve included a few tips that can be used to help pick and choose your articles.
Ask yourself the following before hitting the claim button:
How will this article effect my family time?
How will my existing projects effect the time I can dedicate to this project?
Can I realistically meet the deadline (without pulling an all-nighter)?
Do I have a basic knowledge of the subject to help me with the article? If not, can I dedicate the time to research the topic?
I have found that there are a few ways to save yourself the headache of an article time crunch.
Assign yourself a shorter deadline: “I will have this article done the day before”. With a shorter deadline, you give yourself a little leeway in the event of an emergency.
Keep a running schedule next to your computer for easy access when claiming articles, one of those flat-lying desk calendars can do wonders for time management. The catch is that THEY ONLY WORK WHEN YOU REMEMBER TO WRITER THINGS DOWN!
Organize your bookmarks. keeping a few writing essentials handy like a dictionary and thesaurus can be a lifesaver if you hit a writer’s block while searching for information on a topic or the perfect word.
Print a copy of the Current Style Lists and other resources. I understand that not everyone may have access to a printer, but even if you save the style list as a Word doc, it will make it easier to access, instead of flipping back and forth through tabs and windows. Printing the “How to Find Links” information might also be helpful.
Paste the article directions into your article doc. Instead of trying to remember all of the article directions or move back and forth from your research to the writer panel, paste the article instructions into the doc, that way the instructions are easily accessible and you can remove completed requirements as they are met.
Close unnecessary tabs/windows. We all have our vices and distractions. My vice is Facebook and social media, but I don’t want to spend 6hrs on a project that should take 3, so I have to teach myself to close my Facebook tab and get back to work.
I would love to get some writer feedback and helpful tips going. If you have a tip that works well for you, please feel free to leave a comment and share it with other writers.
Personally, I print out page one of the directions and post it up next to my keyboard, that way I can glance at it as I go along and cross out what is completed. That way I don’t have to move from where I am working at the time.
I always have all my important information at my finger tips and posted on my wall above my desk for quick views when it comes to selecting different types of styles for articles. Now, if I could only find a way of catching the articles as they drop so I can claim one. This is the only frustration that I am having at the moment. I keep racing to the starting line and miss one every time. Any suggestions for that?
Hi Winona, I totally understand the frustration of claiming articles. The middle of the month tends to be a bit slower. With all of our writers rushing to claim articles, you have to be quick with your mouse. Best of luck!
I find it easier to grab articles by leaving my email open AND the “Claim Available Articles” page open. It refreshes on its own I think, but if not, when you see the email for an available article, you can quickly go the claim page and hit “refresh.” Sometimes it isn’t posted right away, so just keep hitting refresh every minute or so until it pops up. It’s quicker to refresh a page than it is to go through log-in and getting to the right place. You also have to read the descriptions quickly, because someone is likely to grab it while you are reading it. Scan it quick and decide whether or not you can do it.