Even if you don’t consider yourself a professional writer, you can get paid to write articles online. There are many opportunities to sell your articles online for use on websites or in email newsletters. It isn’t hard to get paid to write articles online if you know where to look. The three best places to find article writing work on the internet are sites that pay for articles, freelance websites, and forums where website owners browse.
Sites that Pay for Articles
Many people who want to get paid to write articles will naturally start with sites that pay for articles. On these websites, you can choose what you write about so it’s a great way to get started. It isn’t, however, a great way to get rich.
Not all articles are worth the same. You might get a small payment upfront, get paid by views to your article, or you might wait until someone buys the articles you have listed on the site. Three companies you can start with are Associated Content, Helium, and Constant Content. If you want to hone your writing skills and make some extra cash, these companies are a great place to start.
Freelancing Sites
Freelancing sites are for people who want a part-time or full-time career writing articles. On many freelancing sites you need to pay upfront before you can get any work. You are not being hired by the website, but by publishers that need content written for them.
After you become a member of a freelance writing site, you look at the various projects that are posted. When you see one that you are interested in, you will bid on it. You write what your rate is (unless that is specified by the publisher) and provide samples of your work. Some of the most popular freelancing sites are Guru, Elance, and RentACoder.
Website Owner Forums
One of the best ways to get paid to write articles is to go straight to the people who need the writing done. You can build relationships with website owners and work directly with them without having to pay a cut to the middle man.
When you do this, you’ll need to have a portfolio with a few different kinds of articles in them. You’ll have to decide what your rate is and how much work you can handle. It’s easy to become overwhelmed if you take more work than you can comfortably write. To avoid risk, charge a percentage of your fee upfront.
The easiest way to find website owners is to go where they go. Do a search for forums for website owners and internet marketers. Many of these message boards allow you to post a link in your signature file, so make a nice site with your rates and writing samples. Eventually, you’ll find people who need regular content and if you provide good value, they’ll be happy to recommend you as well.
Whether you want to earn some extra cash or want to make a career as a freelancer, getting paid to write articles is a good way to start. Start by building a portfolio and discovering what others want. You don’t have to stop with writing articles-you can also write ebooks, email newsletters, or press releases. Study successful freelance writers, follow the steps, and you’ll become a successful writer as well.