Time to take the next step...
Running Just My Two Copper has been the greatest experience online I've ever had but it's time I stopped kidding myself that I'm capable of doing this all on my own.
Just Kidding. You should see the look on your faces, priceless!
But seriously, Just My Two Copper is looking for talented writers for both weekly and daily columns in order to add even more value to the site. These posts will be in addition to the ones I write on my own, so readers here will be treated to a similar experience to sites like wow.com. A posting schedule will also encourage visitors to come more than once per day which will mean more community growth and discussion.
In order to allow for a better reading experience, once the new authors are incorporated into JMTC I will be adding jump tags to all articles. This will cut off posts at a certain point and add a little "Read more..." link to each one. Since there will be as many as 4 articles in a single day, readers will now be able to scan through and pick the ones they want from the front page instead of browsing the archives.
Setting this up could prove to be quite a time sink on my part but I think doing this now will better prepare JMTC for the cataclysm expansion and the insane amount of information which will come from it.
Image of pen and paper taken from http://www.ladylinet.com/
Image of pen and paper taken from http://www.ladylinet.com/
24 comments: on "Hiring Warcraft Gold Writers"
Anonymous said... September 3, 2010 at 8:28 AM
Don't try to make this blog another wow.com-like website, one article a day is just fine.
Another gold-blogging idea would be a profession-goldmaking blog, where ideas from the forum (or goldguide) are focused on and discussed, a bit like the forums but in bite-size chunks.
Anonymous said... September 3, 2010 at 8:56 AM
I disagree with anonymous because I dislike there being hundreds of blogs similar to JMTC about earning WoW gold and always figured half of them should start working together at a single Blogspot to get that one more valuable and thus more popular.
Right now everything is discussed a 101 times and you see many posts about the same subject with the same ideas and the same arguments. This should happen less often if some bloggers were to team up.
Also, some writers will know more about different aspects of the game. One is an addonjunkie, the other is an active raider, one likes to do glyphs while the other hates it, etc. Different PoVs on a Blog are good.
ps. When I first saw the post title I was hoping it would be "Hiring Professional Site Designer" *tiptip*. A good looking/recognizable site will also attract people.
Markco said... September 3, 2010 at 9:13 AM
@Zerotorescue I am hiring a site designer, we meet next week to discuss a new look for JMTC :D
Great minds think alike, awesome summation of why this is a good idea.
Also, anonymous, you raise a fair point as well. Keep the discussion going guys, new ideas are great.
critorus said... September 3, 2010 at 9:18 AM
Seems like a fun idea.
But I wonder if you have many different writers, how would not everyone write about the same thing?
Also, a professional webdesigner is good a choice ^^
I would personally use wordpress for this. Open-source and way more professional themes available
Mageshadow said... September 3, 2010 at 9:40 AM
I don't know. It would be nice to get payed for writing posts because currently, I know myself at least, I am not making any income off ads. I would love to write for JMTC as that's what fueled to start blogging :)
The site would get more love if it was more of a wow.com community because I know myself at least I check this site out 4-5 times a day to read the latest comments, forum posts, etc.
Unknown said... September 3, 2010 at 10:03 AM
I'd love this kind of job :/
But I'm British so I'm guessing the time difference ect would screw me out of it :<
Sykez
Markco said... September 3, 2010 at 10:13 AM
@sykez - You would have trouble writing a daily column but the weekly ones would be no problem. I write my posts weeks in advance after all.
StitchMonkey said... September 3, 2010 at 10:13 AM
I agree that you should be careful to not get too broad, and as Anonymous put it, turning into another Wow.com. But I do think there is something to be said about branching out more and unifying things. I am only have one level 80 and am a miner/skinner so my options to make money are limited, but I have to say that even though I can not use all of the tips and tricks I see here, I still find them interesting to read. This site has always been well done and I look forward to it each day.
Though if you are looking to branch out, if I may toss out some ideas for columns.
There is a post in the forums that is sadly not getting as much attention as I would like, but it is the one on time saving tips. I think a column on tips to save time would be great. If you are more efficient in whatever you are doing to make gold, you have more time to make gold. Looking at the ways to make things more efficient would be a great series. It could also be possibly branched out in to saving in general, it could look at ways to save time, save money (less spent means more net worth) be more efficient with mats, look at cost benefit analyses, etc. Examining the ways to increase your gold through various savings would be a great read I think.
Another idea I had that I think will be even more appropriate come Cataclysm, would be a column on ways to make money in your daily activities and on your way through Cataclysm. I would love to see a weekly column saying essentially “Hey if you are doing this anyway, take the time for X, Y, and Z as well as it can make you money on your way”. Basically looking at the over looked areas and ways to make money as you are out and about anyway. I remember vividly a couple months after Wrath came out a friend who I always considered more knowledgeable about WoW than me saying “Don’t sell those Arctic Furs”! I had been selling them on the AH from the first one I got as they brought in a very pleasant sum back then . . I thought he naturally meant don’t sell on the AH, no he meant don’t vendor them. He had actually been vendoring them for months. This is the type of little thing, that would be great to see (though this example might be a bit obvious and not missed by many here, it is the type of thing that would be useful). What quests are worth the time due to a reward that is more profitable than at first glance? What little hidden corners of a new zone is worth the detour to mine/skin/herb/fish in? What factions have rep rewards that are more valuable than meets the eye?
With so much new content, I am sure there will be lots of surprises. Looking at the ways to make the best decisions about all the new content to reap the most gold. I tend to enjoy Wow the most when I am doing a little bit of everything at once. I’d rather get my fishing/skinning/mining up as I am out leveling/questing than look at them separately, I’d rather work on my fishing and cooking in tandem than as separate things and likewise I prefer to spend some time trying to make money as I am out questing/leveling. I am sure others have similar play styles and could use these type of ideas.
Anonymous said... September 3, 2010 at 10:44 AM
I think in the end, Markco you need to simply do what you think is best for you and your site. I think its a good step forward.
While myself not per say a wow gold blogger, it be really something if I ever got such a job to post on a site like this. However I know there are many other good wow bloggers out there who could do a far better job then I ever could do.
With that said, I hope that things here are kept simple and don't over do it. I hope that the web designer your speaking with understand the difference between whats good design vs good content and how they go par on par with each other.
I've been making web sites since 1996, I've met many good designers and I've met many who simply don't understand that just because it looks pretty doesn't mean it's good.
Anonymous said... September 3, 2010 at 10:47 AM
Almost forgot, I like to also point out, that Markco, I would redesign this blog for free, not even a add placement or a tag or anything back to me.
That's because I simply love this place for how simple it is and the feeling that when I'm reading your post Markco, I feel like it really is a one-on-one discussion over just, here are my opinions and everyone talks about them in comments and you never get much more feedback form the wirter like on WOW.com. Thats just my 2 copper on that. xD
Anonymous said... September 3, 2010 at 10:49 AM
Where do i send the application? :)
Liam said... September 3, 2010 at 10:52 AM
Sounds like an interesting Idea.
Ill be getting intouch with you soon.
200th follower btw :P
xoxo anaalius
Markco said... September 3, 2010 at 10:55 AM
@anonymous:
Send "resumes" to markco AT justmytwocopper DOT org
@The NU:
I will encourage writers to interact more with their commenters here at JMTC.
Shadowstep -us-bloodhoof said... September 3, 2010 at 10:57 AM
I'm a student of 3d art and animation, A little slow but if you can think of something to model for the site i can give it a crack art wise.
Shadowstep -us-bloodhoof said... September 3, 2010 at 11:01 AM
also sorry the goblin is railing into you once again with willful misinformation this time
Cold said... September 3, 2010 at 11:25 AM
"Image included at top of post." as part of submission.
Question:
Do you mean each submitted sample post requires an associated image (based on content) or do you mean an author's headshot image, like a newspaper columnist would have.
Markco said... September 3, 2010 at 11:34 AM
Sorry Cold I guess I was a little vague. I meant an image like I'm doing now, related to the content.
Thank you for all the offers to help redesign the site. What I'm going to do is get in touch with a professional designer next week and if you have any ideas just send them to my email and I'll bring them to the discussion.
If I use any of your suggestions or graphics I will find some way to give you credit for the design help.
Raimondas the Insane said... September 3, 2010 at 2:11 PM
When do you plan to get off of Blogspot? Also, the forums seem to be down.
Uriul said... September 3, 2010 at 2:51 PM
I like the idea, I think - although if people just write on JMTC *and* still keep up their own blogs... well, that wouldn't hurt, but it wouldn't necessarily help either.
One thing I think multiple writers would allow that'd be pretty cool is a point/counterpoint type post every week. The discussion on CTA 14 about raising the prices of netherweave bags (whether it's worthwhile or not) is a great example. Markco could reach out to the JMTC writers and say "hey, I think you should do X in this situation, who disagrees?" and then Markco writes first and then the other gets a chance to argue (or the other way around, with Markco responding). Sort of like Drama Mamas on wow.com, except with disagreement rather than "what she said!".
Cold said... September 3, 2010 at 5:07 PM
Cold said... September 3, 2010 at 6:09 PM
For those of us that are blogging already, can we submit previously written posts or do you require them to be brand new submissions? Asking strictly from the application process aspect.
Mageshadow said... September 3, 2010 at 9:25 PM
What do we say in our "resume"? xD
Anonymous said... September 4, 2010 at 2:13 AM
Just out of curiosity, how much
does writing for a blog like this pay?
Anonymous said... September 4, 2010 at 1:36 PM
I'd like to respectfully request that you reconsider the jump tags. For those of us keeping up from work by reading your blog via Google Reader, jump tags will make it impossible for us to read you during the day. :( Perhaps your contracted web designer may have some alternate suggestions for the feed readers?
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