PWG Writers Archive

The Care and Feeding of Your Article Farm

If You Don't Care For Your Farm, It Will Not Produce.

It's an unflattering term, 'Article Farm'. It draws to mind thousands of lowly writers huddled together in cramped, unsanitary conditions tapping away at their keyboards for mere pennies a month. The advertisers get leads and sell their products, the corporation gets the ad revenue, and the writers get just enough to buy a cup of coffee to stay awake to keep pecking away.

I have been chastised for my naughtiness as a writer as many times as I have received accolades. I can't help myself, it's part of who I am to jump my fenced enclosure and get into the beautiful editors pastures. I'm promptly returned to my place but, take your eye from me for a moment, and I'm out again chasing my publishers. On the article farm, corporations don't fit in. They don't appreciate their livestock and are especially irritated at typists like myself. In corporate article farming you, as a writer, are a production line by product and your thoughts are a commodity. Nothing more.

There was once a Utopian concept of this industry operated by a small mom and pop team. Everyday they entered into the farm and spoke with us and gave us encouragement. We were well cared for, no one took more than their fair share and everyone benefited. Our keyboards were sleek in design and our minds sharp and agile. We produced the best content and eager consumers rallied to read our new and unique perspective of the current events. The mom and pop were very happy. And we were as well. Until they sold us to the corporation and moved to Barbados.

Slowly our conditions began to go down hill, we were fed less and less and expected to produce more and more. Our content suffered as a result and those troublesome writers like me led to slaughter. I escaped my confines for one last time and wandered the lonely hills and valleys until I found another small and happy farm. The owners are gentle and encouraging and their contributors are happy and talented. I often wonder how my old beloved masters would react if they witnessed the conditions of their writers under the cold hand of the corporations. I can only hope my current home at Full of Knowledge never sells out as well. Time will tell.

Sources/Resources

Previously Posted on FullofKnowlege.com

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