About.com?

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Linda Garrison

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Hi Kari - It sounds like you have a good plan for getting your new site up and running! Don't worry too much about overlapping with other food sites on About.com. We have the same challenges on the travel channel. I frequently link to the destination guides' content to fill in holes on my site, and cross-linking with other About sites is encouraged. Many readers will find your site via search, so if you have a Swedish meatballs recipe, it might rank higher than one on another site (since your URL will have "Scandinavia" in it.) Besides, a page with links to many different recipes for Swedish meatballs might get great placement, since you would be repeating this key word over and over, and seeing how the same dish can be made many different ways might be interesting. Just a thought.
 

saf1367

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Good luck to everyone in prep! ColleenV and Herb Witch, Rachel Coyne was my mentor as well and she was great to work with.

Kari, it took About.com 2 1/2 months after I graduated before my site went live so you may have more time than you think!
 

kewrite

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Wow - 2 1/2 months?!

Normally the time frame is 10-14 days after you graduate for your site to be live.

Good luck to everyone!

-Kori
 

ColleenV

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Prep is Over

Well, this is it. I've reached my final review date. Now all I can do is wait and see. I'm trying not to think about it too much.

What I do know is that I absolutely busted my butt in prep. At this point, I'm just proud of myself for getting as much good content up as I did. Especially since all I really wanted to do for the last two weeks was sleep----being 31 weeks pregnant can do that to you ;)

Good luck to everyone else who's waiting for news. It definitely helped knowing that there were other writers from AW going through this at the sae time!
 

MoreThanMommy

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Good luck to Mskatmoon, Colleen, Alina and Lynn!

You've survived prep! Hopefully you won't have to wait too long for results.

Christy
 

Herb Witch

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Just got home and checked my email. Received my final review for Herb Garden prep - didn't get it.

POO-DOO!!!

Oh well, at least I tried.

My anniversary is tomorrow - so at least I have a nice lunch or dinner to look forward to.:)
 

ColleenV

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Woooohoooooo!!!!

Holy crap---I got it!!!! I got my email from Rachel about an hour ago, and I've been a babbling, shrieking fool ever since. Am I the only one who ran around the house screeching upon getting their graduation email? :D

The support, encouragement and information everyone in this thread has given me has been unbelievable. You guys were a huge part of my whole mindset going through prep. I can't thank you enough!

I can't believe it....I'm kind of in shock right now!

Thanks guys. You're awesome!
 

ColleenV

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Just got home and checked my email. Received my final review for Herb Garden prep - didn't get it.

POO-DOO!!!

Oh well, at least I tried.

My anniversary is tomorrow - so at least I have a nice lunch or dinner to look forward to.:)

Herb Witch--

That sucks---I'm so sorry you didn't get it. I wouldn't even know where to start in writing about herb gardening---I'm still very much a novice at that part of gardening.

It's a hard thing to go through, putting in all that work and then hearing that kind of news. I went through that last year for another topic, and I know how disappointing it is.

Take care.
 

mskatmoon

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hoping...

When I got my notice that I didn't graduate prep for organic gardening, I was hoping that you got it Colleen. Congratulations! I had a tough time through prep because of some technical difficulties. I think that got me off track. At least the "rejection" notice wasn't awful. It seemed I had the right stuff there, just not enough. Next time though...;)

Anyone know if container gardening prep already started? That would be a great topic for me too.

Katina
 

ameliawrites

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OH MY GOD!

Guys, I have been doing all sorts of weird juujuu because I was so devastated when I did not get the cheese site at About.

Well....drum roll please....I GOT HERB GARDENING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have worked my flippin tail off and was totally paranoid about coming here to see what you guys were doing. I didn't tell anyone I was working on it and didn't dare dream of getting the job. Huh, imagine that?!

Now I have had it for about an hour and I am feeling totally freaked out! LOLOL..I know, it is normal but I have been trying for so long!

It is sort of surreal since I see that others were trying out for the same topic and I could have said I was in prep if I had been haunting the boards.

It was a haul. I got the flu(as did dh and all 4 kids), plus we closed on my inlaw's new home while FIL was in the hospital-tons of stress there too. Now we move Thursday. I figured it would be a good distraction for me not getting in. HA!

Anyways, I will be here a lot more now that I am going to panic about having gotten the gig.

:)

Amelia
 

Herb Witch

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Congratulations on getting Herb Gardens Amelia!

I can't wait til your site is up - I'll be your biggest fan.:D

Well, one way to look at not being accepted, now I'll have more time for writing Herbs & Spices articles over on Suite101. Back to working for pennies.:Shrug:
 

ameliawrites

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Lynn-

(((((((((Lynn)))))))))))) Thank you so much. That means a lot to me. I know that when I got notice that I didnt make it through Cheese prep I was just broken up. I mean, it was my first time through prep and I had tried so so SO many times. I remember trying when my now 10 yr old was sleeping the the sling and he is my #2 child. I have 4 now!

On another note, I will have to leave my BellaOnline job since I can not do herbs at both places I don't think. It is not paying but I have been with them on and off since the beginning and Bella is a fabulous place to work. I have also gotten a lot of work because of Bella.

Ok, I have to log off and make dinner. Back to reality for me.

Amelia
 

NancyP

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On the off chance anyone is lurking to see which About.com topics are in high demand, here they are:

Cell Phones
Budget Style
Identity Theft
DIY Fashion
Garages & Storage Spaces
 

Uncarved

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thanks Nancy, I would love it if SOMEONE always posted when About.com lists their "in high demand" ones. Appreciate it.
 

NancyP

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Tina,

You're welcome; I'll try to keep everyone updated if this is info you all want to see.

I really believe AW writers, because of the strong community spirit here, make great About.com Guides. AW folks already "get" the Guide philosophy. I would love, truly, to see every writer here become part of the About.com team.
 

ColleenV

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When I got my notice that I didn't graduate prep for organic gardening, I was hoping that you got it Colleen. Congratulations! I had a tough time through prep because of some technical difficulties. I think that got me off track. At least the "rejection" notice wasn't awful. It seemed I had the right stuff there, just not enough. Next time though...;)

Anyone know if container gardening prep already started? That would be a great topic for me too.

Katina

Thanks, Katina :) I haven't heard anything about the container gardening prep---I hope you get into prep for it! I was wondering how it was going for you after you posted about the tech. problems you were having before the 2nd review. I was swearing up a storm this morning while I was giving my site some last minute tweaks---it seemed like nothing was working right.

Let us know if you hear anything about Container Gardening. I'll be rooting for you!
 

ColleenV

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Congrats!!!

Guys, I have been doing all sorts of weird juujuu because I was so devastated when I did not get the cheese site at About.

Well....drum roll please....I GOT HERB GARDENING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have worked my flippin tail off and was totally paranoid about coming here to see what you guys were doing. I didn't tell anyone I was working on it and didn't dare dream of getting the job. Huh, imagine that?!

Now I have had it for about an hour and I am feeling totally freaked out! LOLOL..I know, it is normal but I have been trying for so long!

It is sort of surreal since I see that others were trying out for the same topic and I could have said I was in prep if I had been haunting the boards.

It was a haul. I got the flu(as did dh and all 4 kids), plus we closed on my inlaw's new home while FIL was in the hospital-tons of stress there too. Now we move Thursday. I figured it would be a good distraction for me not getting in. HA!

Anyways, I will be here a lot more now that I am going to panic about having gotten the gig.

:)

Amelia

Congrats, Amelia!!! Can't wait to see your site when it goes live. I'm a big fan of Tomato Casual, btw. I actually just applied for a job blogging over there because I was positive I wouldn't get the Organic Gardening gig.

It's amazing that even with everything you had going on, you managed to get in. And, I'm right with you in panicking now that I've gotten the gig...
 

PattiTheWicked

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Amelia, I can't wait for you to get your site up and running, because I plan on doing a LOT of linkage to your herb pages. Congratulations to everyone who passed Prep!

And for those of you who didn't, good luck next time around. You've put a ton of work into your efforts, and it will eventually pay off, if not this time then the next.
 

novelette

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So sorry about that, Lynn! :-( I know how you feel, though, but if it helps, there's plenty of people here who went through Prep more than once (I've only done it once & didn't make it) and made it the second or third time around. I'm just waiting for my perfect topic to open up. {{{hugs}}}
 
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