Debra’s Writing

Most of the things I write about as a keyword concubine are pretty benign. Let’s face it, only among a handful of hardcore fans is there much controversy surrounding the topics of used pool tables or fun things to do in Philadelphia. Occasionally I’ll take on an assignment that might stir up some emotion because I feel strongly about it, one way or the other.

But sometimes I stumble into a situation where I’m asked to write something against my own beliefs or ethics. A minor example of this is being asked to write about an unproven herbal remedy as if it’s a miracle cure for terminal cancer. I won’t do it. I won’t encourage desparate patients to use time and money they could be spending on improving the quality of their lives chasing a phantom cure.

Then there are the big ethical no-no’s. I recently had a client ask me to write an article about “pre-teen sex.” My response was a terse, five word, “You’ve got to be kidding.” The client wrote back explaining the site s/he needed content for was designed for teens to provide accurate information about sexuality. I responded that accurate sex education has no greater proponent than I, but that he had asked for an article about “pre-teen sex,” not teenagers and sexuality. I was determined not to write an article that would titillate every pedophile with an Internet connection.

In the end, we compromised. I wrote a dull, factual article about sexual development in the pre-teen years. For good measure, I threw in that, while normal pre-teens may engage in sexual play and exploration with each other, an adult who wants to have sexual contact with a pre-teen is not normal and should be reported to the nearest trusted authority figure. The entire 300-word article took me nearly five days to research and write, an embarrassingly slow record for someone who is usually a fast writer.

At least, however, I came out of it feeling I’d stayed true to my own value system which emphasizes protecting children from predatory pedophiles. Sometimes when you do keyword writing, you have to walk a thin line between what the client wants and what you believe is right. Every keyword writer must make the final decision for him or herself. As for me, I’ve decided that the money isn’t worth selling my soul.

Child Protection Issues:

Eight Dangerous Myths about Spanking on NoSpank.net

What Should I Do When I See Someone Hitting Their Kid? on NoSpank.net

And the final articles in my Mary Tudor series:

The Two False Pregnancies of Queen Mary I of Englandon Suite101.com

Mary I of England – Beloved Queen or Bloody Mary? on Suite101.com

Part of my philosophy of keyword writing is to always keep looking for new gigs, because you never know when the old ones are going to dry up. I’ve seen too many seemingly stable employers come and go to want to put all my eggs in one basket, thank you.

Anyway, I’ve been writing for Experts123 for a few weeks, picking up an article here and an article there. If I recall, the last one I wrote for them was about buying supplemental insurance. Their work for hire assignments are reasonably priced, and they pay on schedule.

I usually leave the revenue share assignments alone, because you have to have something like half the free world look at your content to earn a couple of bucks. So whatever possessed me to apply to their revenue share program as an “Adult Caregiver Expert”? Beats me, but they decided I had the expertise they were looking for and accepted my application. Every other week or so, I’ll be posting articles about issues of concern to adult caregivers like cognitive dysfunction, changing their loved one’s living arrangements, home care options, dealing with nursing facilities, long distance caregiving, caregiving and legal issues, adaptive devices to help seniors remain independent, safety issues, elder abuse, self care for the caregiver, end of life care, and any other topic I can think of that might be relevant.

This is a true labor of love–I know very well these articles probably won’t earn me a dime. But they will give me a soapbox to talk about one of my favorite topics: the family members and friends who tirelessly provide care to loved ones who need assistance. If one caregiver finds one of my articles and gets some hope or comfort from reading it…well, mission complete.

‘Til next time!

Who Are Adult Caregivers? – Experts123

And for those of you with a passing interest in Tudor history:

Mary Tudor – From Princess of Wales to Bastard Child - Suite101

Family Feud Among the Children of Henry VIII – Mary vs. Edward - Suite101.com

Mary Tudor and her Bloodless Rebellion Topple Jane Grey - Suite101

For those of you who are wondering, yes, I am a little curious about “Bloody Mary” and what made her into the person she was. My next article in the series will deal with how she could think she was pregnant twice…and be wrong both times. Physician error, medical condition, wishful thinking, or flat-out lie? You decide.

Whew! What a whirlwind month or so it’s been since I’ve last posted. Let’s see…I got my new computer. The first one I bought froze up every time I looked at it, so I had to exchange it. The whole process was a pain in the neck, but the newest computer, an HP, works great. It’s so much faster than my poor old clunker.

Of course, when I got my new computer, I realized how shabby my old computer desk looked, so I had to buy a new one. And then the office chair I’d been using for the last century or so broke, so I needed to get another one of those, too. And to make room for all the new stuff, I had to do a thorough apartment cleaning. I ended up calling 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Their service was amazing, and they hauled away about half a truck load of furniture and other items I no longer needed. Then I donated another three boxes of books, DVDs, and CDs to the thrift store that helps fund the not-for-profit hospice where I’m employed as a social worker.

So, I’ve spent the weekends working like crazy on my apartment, but my efforts are finally starting to pay off. It looks less like a landfill now and more like a living space. The only unhappy campers are my cats, who enjoyed playing among all my junk. I figure they’ll deal with it.

The best part is that through all of this chaos, I’ve been writing steadily. I’ve done several assignments for Textbroker at decent rates, and Experts123 has also been a steady source of income. I also have a confidential client for whom I write blog posts. Finally, I’ve gotten to indulge some of my interests on Suite101.com. Lately I’ve been interested in lobotomies, after watching the 1982 movie Frances, a biopic about the actress Frances Farmer. I’ve listed my two lobotomy articles below in case anyone else is as morbid as I am. But here’s the ultimate irony. Contrary to what is portrayed in the movie, Frances Farmer never actually had a lobotomy! That was a myth started by one of her biographers. Oh, well, at least I got some writing mileage out of it.

‘Til next time!

Recent Articles

The History of the Frontal Lobotomy in the United States

Famous Lobotomies – Celebrities Who Underwent Psychosurgery

And for those of you who have absolutely no interest in lobotomies…

Cat Fight: When Two Cats in the Same Household Can’t Get Along (Not to brag, but this one includes a couple of adorable photos of two of my cats. At least I think they’re adorable, anyway.)