About Alexandra Heep

About Alexandra Heep: The internet has allowed allowed Alexandra to maintain a semblance of life when encountering an unexpected, lingering health crisis. The Internet is a lifeline which not only allows her to remain connected to friends, but also survive, via writing.While Alexandra Heep is her pen name, she does not hide behind it. Instead, she used it to brand herself on the Internet and to create opportunities.

Alexandra published her first book, a collection of her best poems, on July 11, 2012. You can buy it at Lulu.com

Support independent publishing: Buy this book on Lulu.


Sunday, December 18, 2011

Strange Writing Jobs

It's funny what kind of memories get jogged loose when reading blogs. Reading other people's blogs can actually serve as a writer's block cure. I can't exactly remember what inspired me to share, but I like to mention some of the strangest writing assignments I have had.

When I started over 4 years ago, during my first month or so I spent a whole week writing articles about IBS (that's irritable bowel syndrome). Unfortunately, the research for one of them about "colon cleansing" took me to websites that showed pictures. I lost my appetite for a week and can still see them in my mind. However, I sold the article for $35 to someone in India. I thought that from there prices for my work would go up. Alas, it wasn't so.

But, I digress. I have written travel articles about many faraway places I have never heard of, and those rank among my favorite articles. I have written about every ethnic and cultural type of wedding you can think of, including hand fastings, and despite never being in a bridal party can tell you everyone's duties. I've told you everything there is to know about getting tattoos, buying and selling homes, and treating everything from a pimple to hemorrhoids. And no, it does not involve eight daily glasses of water and yes, I have written about those too.

Some of the strangest articles included the advantages and disadvantages of dating a Momma's boy (it was hard to find pros), luxury accessories for pets, the chemical dangers of muscle cars (did you know they are riddled with asbestos?), how to get purple hair, and astrology advice. I also had to write quizzes, one of them was how to find out what type of pretty person you are. Huh? That's what I said.

But, I have one that tops all these. Over the years, I have written about individual businesses as well. One seemed harmless enough when I accepted the assignment. Alas, I should have done my research first, then accept. See, once I put in the name of the business the top search results showed multiple arrests at said establishment for, uhm, substance violations. And no, this was not California.

Further research showed that this place of business, in addition to its regular merchandise, also sold ... glass pipes, aka b. o. n. g. s., openly. Somehow I doubt that the publisher (third party) had in mind me driving traffic to the store for customers to buy their, uhm, 420 supplies.

3 comments:

Raymond Alexander Kukkee said...

Alex, you are living proof that one can write about any subject matter with thorough research! Great post--and food for thought! ~r

Diane said...

Boy, can I relate to this topic! I think yours ARE stranger than mine though. :-)

Conny said...

Funny you should say that you had a hard time finding advantages to dating a Mommy's Boy, Alex.

I recently wrote about it and there are several. One of them, that a Mommy's Boy will very seldom use violence on their partner. Another one was that they help around the house and won't weasel their way out of doing the dishes or running a vacuum around the house.

Me, I'd prefer a Mommy's Boy over a macho man any day.