Content Production Steps and Flat Spinning -The final word

Billy’s July Project introduced me to flat spinning. As an Internet writer, I am aware of the reasons for avoiding duplicate content. I’ve spun lots of content, without robotic assistance. At first Billy requested one flat spin per sentence, but almost simultaneously requested 10 out of 13 words be flat spun. This created some confusion because it doesn’t add up, especially if the words in the brackets are mostly synonyms, instead of phrases. Even at this point, now that we have gone in and “re-spun” I’m not confident that when the bot removes the brackets and breaks out multiple articles, that they will be 80% original.

Pricing: Of course cost is a factor. I’m trying to gather everyone’s “time studies” to determine what the charge should be for going into article and flat spinning them. I’d still like feedback. I think I had it backwards. I thought it took more time to come up with 150 flat spun words, with brackets and lines, that agreed with the words outside the brackets...and made sense. I figured we could get two or three times as much for the flat spun word count, especially seeing where our client was getting three original articles after it was run through the bot.

Example:

Original article 700 words @ .03 = $21.00
Flat spun word count (one spin per sentence) 150 words (less than ½ hr. to do) @ .07 = $10.50
After robot processing, client has 3 original articles, 700 words each -total of $31.50
2100 words of content for .015 per word...I though there may even be some room at these rates to provide more flat spinning to get closer to 10:13 ratio.


Now I’m thinking that this model isn’t going to work. Billy said he had to spend an hour on each article to increase the flat spin word count. Sally and I asked for the opportunity to send him a finished product...”ripe” apples, instead of green ones. Hence the “re-spin” project. With this extent of spinning, I think it’s getting kinda muddy. I feel like at one spin per sentence, flat spinning is a great tool...at a 10:13 ratio, it’s probably just a wash compared to just “hand spinning” the whole article, or doing it paragraph by paragraph. Please give feedback.

Here is what I think the most efficient process would be, again, your feedback is requested:

I really like how we are doing these “WIKI-style!” That should continue. So in this process, it should be where more that one person can grab any segment of the process, document their portion, and keep this wiki thing going! I also like the flat spin technique, as long as it is used correctly, and not over-used...So:

1) We get a project like this from Billy, and post his “work request” on BCS. His request should include good instructions, key words, web sites to use for reference, sample articles, etc.

2) Production manager sets up and titles all the Google docs for the project, puts them in a folder, and shares the folder with all content producers. PM also copies these docs to a folder that isn’t shared. Protecting our work from sabotage by some unhappy camper that may not be willing to play nice in the sandbox with the rest of us. The PM gets a flat fee for this portion of work.

3) CPs claim a doc by renaming the doc, adding “claimed by (name)” after the title. The CP will then:

• research and write the article in Google docs (backing up on personal hard drive recommended) A CP can do the editing on their own application if they must, but only use Google Docs for word count. Don’t copy/paste/delete/paste with spins.
• keep comments and questions pertaining to that piece in “discussions”
• tell the PM when it’s complete, so the PM can invite the client to look it over.
• PM will put editing notes in “discussions”
• CP will make edits if necessary, doing final proof.
• CP calculates word count, puts it at the top of the doc “orig article word count 700 by (name)”
• CP renames Doc to “completed by (name)” after the title.
• CP enters word count, title, time, etc in the form on the BCS Blog.

If spinning is required, in other words, our client is looking for three, 80% (or better) original articles, that will be called out in the work order. I want to get away from sending our content over with the flat spun brackets, etc, if they allow us to. I want to get our own robot to help us spin these. However, I’m aiming for the sweet spot between robotic and hand spinning to provide our clients with a complete product that they don’t have to tweak in the least. Someone, hopefully Trish, can give us some guidance here. She has experience with this, but also realizes that spin bots are becoming obsolete with recent changes in Google algorithms. I think we agree that their best purpose is to assist in a hand spin, like I’m about to describe.

1) CP claims a finished article to do a flat spin, by renaming the doc with “flat spin 1 in progress by (name)” after the title, replacing the “completed by (name)” after the title.

2) CP double checks starting word count, notifying PM of a discrepancy. PM will notify author so book keeping can be corrected.

3) CP does flat spin in accordance with some fool-proof instructions and powerful tips that will be forth coming. Also, proof and edit the doc while flat spinning if needed...just to be nice :-)

4) Do record keeping -change title to flat spin 1 complete by (name) record spun word count at top of doc and in form on BCS Blog.

5) If it needs more flat spin, PM will note that in the title, and it can be claimed again, renamed “flat spin 2 in progress by (name)” ...repeating these 5 steps.

Now is when the robot comes into play. We take this article, put it through the flat spinner -By “we” I mean whoever gets to wear the “robot master” hat. Trish? (She is considering it.) The robot spits out three original pieces...no brackets. The RM pastes all three of them in the doc, stacking them preferably...About us 1, About us 2, About us 3, social BM title 1, social BM title 2, social BM title 3, Original article 1, original article 2, etc. The RM will get a flat fee for this portion of work. Now it’s ready for final edit, and the RM will indicate that by renaming the doc to indicate that. The RM will also post the word count, which should be around 1500 at this point. If we want a final article to be 750 words, then the original article, befor flat spinning and everything should be about 500.

1) CP will claim the piece for final edit ..”final edit in process by (name)”

2) CP will shuffle around some sentences a bit,  if possible in each section, cutting and pasting, to make it more original.

3) CP will add to the word count in each section, adding phrases, sentences and/or bullet lists -bringing it up to the required final word count. Recording the amount of words they added to the doc...as per the drill: on top of doc, in the form, renaming title “final edit complete by (name)”, etc...always making sure to double check the starting word count, before they begin to add to it.

4) The PM will do a final proof and edit small mistakes, receiving a flat fee for that.

5) the PM will email it to the sales manager. The SM will look it over, check all the accounting, add a 25% mark up that will be used to pay CPs  their “flat fees” for the work they do when wearing their specific “management hat”

6) when it’s accepted, and paid for, the SM will distribute the funds to the CPs, according to the accounting, and will receive a flat fee for that.  

7) if it is “kicked back” for any reason the SM will negotiate a way to make it right, fix it for full payment, or accept a “kill fee” and/or find a use for it as “scrap” maybe, posting it somewhere for passive income and/or reference material.

That’s it! Pretty conclusive, huh? I welcome feedback, comments, suggestions and questions below in the comments.