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6 Awesome Ways to Make Money by Writing Articles
Whether you’re a skillful freelance writer or a beginner with no experience, anyone can make money from writing articles. It is a trendy job today, and people do it full-time or occasionally. You can do it either for your own blog or write articles for money for another website. Here are six great ideas on how to monetize writing.
Why You Should Try Writing for Money
Writing online for money is so popular today because it allows people to have a flexible lifestyle and still earn a living. Here are the biggest benefits of such a job:
- It is easy to find a job, as there is always demand for writers, mainly, from online businesses who need to constantly update content on their websites.
- It pays well. Salaries depend on the niche and author’s skills. Thus, finance, cryptocurrency, travel, digital marketing and education might be the most profitable niches in 2022.
- It doesn’t require academic qualifications to start off. There are plenty of courses and books on the internet and in stores that can teach you writing from scratch.
- There is always a variety of topics to escape exhausting routine and educate yourself along the way.
- You can work from anywhere in the world and even travel in the meantime.
- No need to spend time commuting from home to work and vice versa.
- Depending on the country, you can enjoy tax advantages as an independent contractor or self-employed individual.
Best Ideas to Make Money by Writing Articles
To get paid to write articles, you’ll need to start from somewhere, gain skills and knowledge, build a customer base and reputation and be able to earn more with time. What are the options for writing articles for money ?
1. Writing for Your Blog
Setting up your own blog is a long-term strategy, and you won’t make money writing articles instantly. And writing itself won’t bring income unless you monetize the website with affiliate marketing and sponsored posts or by selling your own product.
On the flip side, once the blog features enough materials, it will keep generating money without much effort on your part.
How much can you earn? Travelpayouts partner, Clive Muir, has been able to generate over $20,000 in sales in the tours and activities niche with his website caminodelrey.es . Clive is a reputable writer, but beginners can also generate some income. Usually, it takes around one year to start earning $1,000 – $1,500 per month. For instance, Two Scots Abroad started in 2018 and managed to get over $10,000 followers in just a year.
To ensure a good start, choose a reputable blogging platform, pick a profitable niche, select a catchy domain name that people could easily memorize, and start creating content. Then, it’s important to optimize the website along the way to improve its discoverability for both users and search engines and monetize the content with affiliate marketing. For example, with Travelpayouts partnership platform you can earn with the partner programs of more than 100 brands from different niches, such as flights, hotels, tours and activities, and many others.
Join the Travelpayouts Partnership Platform
Access exclusive tools and the best travel affiliate programs, including flights, hotels, car rental, insurance, tours and activities, all in one place.
To make sure that you can earn easier and faster in the field of affiliate marketing, Travelpayouts shares tips on how to make your project cool and earn money from it. For example, on the Travelpayouts Academy website, you will find free webinars and courses for beginners and advanced content creators. Watch the lesson from the “Travelpayouts 101” course right now to see how you can work with affiliate links on your website.
Getting Paid to Write
To monetize writing skills faster, consider taking a freelance job or preparing a sponsored post. Below, you’ll learn how to find freelance platforms, blogs looking for authors or advertisers to partner with.
2. Freelance Platforms
You can make money writing online with freelance platforms. These are marketplaces where you can create a profile and find clients. Most platforms allow you to build a portfolio and gather feedback from customers. Another advantage is the secure payment process. On the flip side, freelance platforms charge fees to authors, clients or both of them. So, it’s important to check terms and conditions.
Where can you find a job?
- iWriter offers various types of content and topics to make money writing online. It’s possible to start from $1.40 per 150 words and earn up to $80 per 500 words. However, you should make no less than $20 a week to be paid. Otherwise, your money will burn.
- FlexJobs features all kinds of freelance jobs, accessible only with a subscription (from $6.95 per month).
- Blogging Pro offers free access to employers but doesn’t verify them on the other hand. Salaries vary a lot. On average, you can get from $30 to $50 per hour as a content writer.
3. Blogs Looking for Writers
Another option to get paid to write articles is by collaborating directly with websites looking for authors. These are usually big platforms with a large community that publish new posts on a daily basis.
For example, Backpacker magazine accepts articles about hiking, backpacking, interesting personalities, and destinations. It offers $0.40 – over $1.00 per word. Great Escape Publishing requests travel-related posts and content that teaches people how to make money writing articles about travel, blogging, photography, etc. You can earn from $50 up to $200 per post.
These are just a couple of examples, as the internet abounds in blogs looking for authors .
4. Article Writing Services
Unlike freelance platforms, article-writing services act as a mediator and have more control over projects. Your pay will be much lower than if you worked directly with a client, but it is also guaranteed, even if there has been a problem with a client. And you’ll be likely to have a stable work-flow, as big services are more credible in customers’ eyes than freelancers.
WriterAccess welcomes writers, editors, content strategists and translators, and finds them a task with the help of artificial intelligence. You’ll get 70% of the earnings, with $2.8–$7 pay rate for word and two payouts per month.
To join the community, you’ll need to build a profile and pass a proficiency test. There is also an extensive library of images, videos and templates to help authors deliver top-notch materials.
Textbroker is another great service, offering from 0.7 cents to 5 cents per word. You can write on your own or team up with other authors for a bigger project. To start working, you’ll need to submit a sample post, get rated and then be able to choose projects based on your rating. Note that Textbroker accepts authors from the United States only.
5. Sponsored Posts
You can monetize writing skills and promote your own blog simultaneously by creating sponsored posts for other brands: articles, offers, announcements, lists, videos, infographics, and more.
In return, the company will pay cash or reward you with gift cards, free product samples, etc. Generally, you can get $150-$800 per sponsored piece of content when cooperating with the services such as Cooperatize or PayPerPost .
If you want to estimate price by yourself, you can use the following formula :
If you don’t get any sponsored deals yet, it’s important to start networking with other bloggers and brands. If you already do so, be sure to improve your outreach strategy to land better deals and earn more.
6. Writing Contests
Taking part in a writing contest is another great way to get paid to write articles at home. It’s not the most widespread method of making money but still, it’s worth a try. Such contests usually cover a certain genre or topic – fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc. Authors of the most relevant and appealing content get prizes.
For example, you can take part in the Travel Writing Contest from Nowhere Magazine and get the opportunity to win $1,000. Look through the whole list of valid writing contests to choose the event that matches your skills and interests.
How to Create Perfect Content
It’s finally time to start making money with writing.
Don’t hesitate to make money on writing. The trick is just to choose the start gaining skills. If you’re a rookie, why not start a blog of your own and practice until you have a good level of expertise or register with article-writing services.
More experienced authors can easily apply for a higher rate with such services or build a profile on freelance platforms and work directly with clients.
COACHING + PUBLISHING
FORMATTING + DESIGN
FREELANCE COMMUNITY
- How To Make Money Freelance Writing: Websites That Pay Writers $50+
What’s included – and not
Business, career, and finance, family and parenting, lifestyle and general interest, travel and food, tips for successful pitching, previous post, related posts, 10 paid poetry contests (and how to enter your poem to win), cryptocurrency jobs for writers: 9 paying markets to pitch, 20 break-in magazines for new freelance writers.
Tired of writing for pennies (or peanuts or whichever cliche for crappy pay you prefer) and ready to learn how to make money online for real?
We’re tired of it, too. That’s why Carol started paying for posts a few years back – and why she upped her rates to $75+ last fall. And it’s why we update our list of sites that pay on a regular basis.
Below is the new-and-improved, early 2021 edition of Make a Living Writing’s list of websites that pay at least $50 per post.
Rather than linking to the list we published last fall, we’re posting a comprehensive and updated new list. We’ve added new markets we learned of in the past 6 months and removed sites that have categories of posts that are below $50. That’s our minimum.
In some cases, these sites keep it on the Q.T. exactly what they pay. We’re including markets where freelance writers in our network report they pay more than $50, in order to bring you the widest variety of paying markets possible.
We also removed sites that are not currently accepting pitches, which knocked a good portion of the writing-focused sites off. Sites where you only have a shot at earning $50 writing on spec, or based on traffic or ad clicks, are NOT included. This is a list of markets offering guaranteed pay only!
The list runs the gamut of topics, from parenting and knitting to business and writing, so there should be something here for everyone, no matter what type of writing job you are looking for.
And don’t forget, if you’re really ready to supercharge your freelance writing career, the Freelance Writers Den has over 300 hours of on-demand bootcamp trainings you can access 24/7 plus an exclusive community of 1,500+ members sharing valuable advice day in and day out. There’s also a direct referral program with new opportunities to make money writing posted regularly. Get on the waiting list now so you can take your career to the next level.
As always, we appreciate any corrections or additions – please post them in the comments. Here’s the list:
- B. Michelle Pippin pays $50-$150 for business-related articles.
- Coaches Training Blog is looking for articles about coaching – business, life, career, and other kinds. Pay based on assignment.
- Copyhackers pays $325 for articles about copywriting, branding, running a business, and more. Read the submission guidelines carefully to pitch.
- CEO Hangout will pay $50 if you pre-arrange it with the editor – send a pitch and negotiate payment before writing the article. They run posts about the CEO lifestyle, success stories, interviews, and other reported features of interest to business leaders.
- DailyWorth pays $150 for articles about women and money. They list a blackhole [email protected] email address, but I recently tweeted them about how to submit a pitch, and they suggested hitting up the managing editor, Koa Beck .
- Doctor of Credit pays $50 for personal finance articles that focus specifically on credit.
- eCommerce Insiders pays $60-$150 for articles about online retailing.
- FreelanceMom pays $75-$100 for posts about running a business as a busy parent.
- FreshBooks (yup, that same freelancer invoicing site we recommend) pays $200 a post and up. Be prepared to negotiate to get a better rate.
- Acorns has a new online pub called Grow Magazine that pays $50+ for finance writing geared toward millennials. They don’t have guidelines posted, but they told me to submit to [email protected] with the word STORY in your subject line. We don’t normally recommend those generic emails, but because the pub is still new, it might not be a huge black hole yet.
- IncomeDiary pays $50-$200 for articles about making money online, including SEO, affiliate sales, and traffic generation.
- Mirasee pays $200 for 1,000-2,000-word posts on marketing, business productivity, and growth topics. [NOTE: Mirasee is currently paying only for posts they commission. Unsolicited posts are unpaid.]
- Modern Farmer reportedly pays around $150 for articles.
- Penny Hoarder shares money-saving ideas. You’ll need to negotiate pay with the editors during the pitching process – and be willing to forego a link back to your site.
- Priceonomics pays $1,000 for 2,000-word articles on data and economics. The catch? Articles must be submitted on spec. They occasionally post requests for articles on specific topics , which might get you closer to that big paycheck. [NOTE: This pub’s writer’s guidelines now say they pay $50/article. Be prepared to verify/negotiate payment.]
- RankPay pays $50 for articles about SEO, content marketing, and social media.
- LiisBeth is all about feminist entrepreneurs. Study the guidelines, read past articles, and look at the About page and LiisBeth manifesto to get a feel for the audience. Pay depends on assignment.
- For our link, let’s add Smart Blogger as the new #2 site on the “Business, Career, and Finance” list. Copy and link to use are below:
- Smart Blogger regularly invites writers to craft posts on content marketing and freelancing through its job board. Assignments typically pay $150 to $350. Bonus: Even when there aren’t current assignments available to write for Smart Blogger’s blog, the job board offers numerous paid writing opportunities from other sites.
- Aish accepts first-person accounts on the positive influence of Orthodox Jewish beliefs on everyday life – and they pay $200 on publication. Know the frum life to succeed here, and email [email protected] .
- Cosmopolitan.com pays $100 for essays about college. They’re also using this essay submission as a way to find writers for assignments.
- Dame reportedly pays $200 for essays. They do accept reported features and other article types, and pay rates may vary for those.
- Brain, Child publishes long-form essays on a wide range of topics. Send your pitch to editor and publisher Marcelle Soviero . Pays $300 for 1,500 to 4,500-word essays.
- The Establishment pays $125 and up for reported stories and essays.
- Eureka Street is an Australian site that pays $200 for analysis or commentary on politics, religion, popular culture or current events in Australia and the world. They also pay $50 for poetry (check out our full guide to poetry jobs ), which seems to be a rarity these days. [NOTE: This publication is closed to submissions from December 13, 2016 to January 10, 2017. Anything submitted during this time will not be read – please verify they’re back open before you submit.]
- Guideposts pays $250 for Christian faith-based essays.
- LightHouse pays $100 for uplifting essays by blind or visually impaired writers.
- Narratively pays $200-300 for 2000 – 2500-word essays on specific topics. Check their guidelines for a list of current needs.
- The New York Times Modern Love column reportedly pays as much as $300 for essays on any topic that could be classified as modern love.
- Skirt pays $200 for essays about women’s issues.
- The Bold Italic might be a great fit if you’re from San Francisco or have a connection to the city. Past essay topics have included the gig economy, online dating, mental illness, and more. Pay is $50 per essay.
- Vox First Person reportedly pays in the $400 range for personal essays of about 1,500 words. Pitch [email protected] .
- Buzzfeed has an estimated 168 million unique visitors every month, and they publish a wide variety of topics to keep those visitors entertained and informed. Pays $.13 to $.27 per word.
- Babble pays $100-$150 for posts on parenting, entertainment, pregnancy, beauty, style, food, and travel. (NOTE: Babble’s writer’s guidelines are no longer easily found. You may have to do some sleuthing to find contact info for an editor.)
- Just Parents is a UK-based site that focuses on pregnancy and parenting. They pay $60 per post.
- Parent.co posts non-snarky articles about parenting and family issues. Pay starts at $50.
- Fatherly is looking for parenting advice and funny experiences with kids from a dad’s perspective. Pay based on assignment.
- Stork Guide focuses on pregnancy and parenting of newborns and toddlers. They pay $50+ per post.
- Well Family (the New York Times’ parenting blog) pays $100. Pitch the editor.
- The Anxiety Foundation pays $50 for mental health articles.
- The Atlantic’s online health section reportedly pays $200.
- PsychCentral covers mental health. They don’t list a pay rate on their site, and they didn’t respond to my query about pay, but a reader on last year’s list reported they are a paying market. [UPDATE 12/2016: The website says they don’t pay, but exceptions are made if you discuss payment BEFORE submitting.]
- BBC Britain doesn’t publish their pay rate, but I’ve seen reports of $350-$1,000 for various BBC sites. Pitch stories with a British slant for an international audience.
- Bitch Magazine’s website pays for pop culture features. Pay is variable, so negotiate to get your desired rate.
- BookBrowse pays for book reviews! Writers accepted into their stable of reviewers will earn $50 for a 600-word review.
- Adoptive Family accepts pitches on all aspects of the adoption process. Pay based on assignment.
- The Daily Beast reportedly pays $250 and up. Their submission guidelines have a black-hole [email protected] email address, so you’ll want to do a little digging to find the right person to pitch.
- Backpacker is all about wilderness hiking. Pay based on assignment.
- getAbstract reportedly pays $300 for longer (2,000-4,000 word) book summaries.
- Gothamist pays $50-$150 for reported pieces about New York.
- Backstage is a resource for performing artists. Pays $0.14/word – pitch Briana Rodriguez, Editor-in-Chief, on LinkedIn .
- The International Wine Accessories blog pays $50 and up for articles.
- The Conversation doesn’t publish their rates, but it’s been said they pay well.
- Knitty raised their rates to $120-$200 for articles about knitting and knitting patterns. They also have a sister site -Knittyspin – for knitters who like to use handspun yarn.
- Lifezette pays $100-$200 for articles on parenting, politics, faith, health, and pop culture. Contact the appropriate editor with your idea. NOTE: Lifezette has removed their editorial contact page.
- Listverse pays $100 for long (1,500 word) lists on various topics.
- New York Observer pays $100 on posts about politics and culture for “sophisticated readership of metropolitan professionals.”
- OZY does pay freelancers, but rates vary.
- Paste pays $50+ for submissions in many different areas.
- Playboy. com pays up to $350, depending on the topic . NOTE: Playboy has removed their editorial contact page.
- Pretty Designs covers fashion and beauty. You’ll need to negotiate per-post pay.
- Refinery29 reportedly pays $75 and up for slideshows, articles, and essays on various topics. They also post their needs for specific columns on their guidelines page.
- Salon pays $100-$200 for essays and reported features, even very long ones.
- Smithsonian Magazine Online reportedly pays established freelancers up to $600 for reported articles.
- The Tablet pays for articles on Jewish news, ideas, and culture. Pay varies, so be prepared to negotiate. I saw a report of $1,000 for a heavily reported 2,000+ word feature.
- TwoPlusTwo Magazine pays $200 for original posts about poker. They post articles for six months, after which time the rights revert to the writer, so you can sell reprint rights or post it on your own blog.
- Upworthy pays $150-$200 for 500-word posts.
- Vice ‘s pay rate varies, so you will need to negotiate if you’d like to write about food, technology, music, fashion, and other lifestyle topics.
- YourTango pays $50 for posts on love, sex, travel, mental health, and just about anything else that affects your relationships.
- A List Apart covers web design. They pay $200 per article.
- Compose pays $200 and $200 in Compose database credits for articles about databases.
- The Graphic Design School blog pays $100-$200 for articles and tutorials about Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and open source design tools . NOTE: This site has removed its submission guidelines page, and it’s not clear whether they still take guest posts.
- Indeni pays $50-$200 for posts that cover Check Point firewalls, F5 load balancers or Palo Alto Networks firewalls.
- Linode pays $250 for articles about Linux, Socket.io, NoSQL databases, game servers, Open Change, and Web RTC.
- Devilish about web development? SitePoint pays $100-$150 for articles on HTML, CSS, Ruby, PHP, and more.
- SlickWP pays $100 for posts about WordPress and the Genesis Theme framework.
- Tuts+ pays $100 and up for tutorials on various technologies, including Web design and Flash. Tuts once ran a network of 16 different blogs, including Freelance Switch, but it’s all together on a single site now that encompasses design, gaming, photography, writing, and more.
- WordCandy pays 6-10 cents a word for ghostwritten pieces about WordPress – these will appear on some of the larger WordPress blogs, such as wpmudev.
- WPHub pays $100-$200 for posts on web design trends, coding best practices, and other WordPress-related topics.
- Big Grey Horse page $125-$200 for posts about Texas – photos must be included. Texas-based writers are preferred, because the site requires in-person visits.
- Cultures and Cuisines pays $200 per article . NOTE: This site is now gone.
- Desert Times pays $50-$100 for stories about the deserts of North America and the culture and lifestyle of the people who live there. They prefer writers to also submit photos.
- Expatics serves U.S. expatriates. This is another site where you’ll need to negotiate pay before you write your article.
- Fund Your Life Overseas pays $75 for articles about business ideas that provide enough income for U.S. ex-pats.
- Saveur starts at $150 for “amazing stories about food and travel.”
- The Salt (NPR’s food blog) reportedly pays $200+.
- ClearVoice is a platform to connect bloggers with brands in various niches, as well as commissioning posts for its own blog. Pay is variable but ranges as high as $250-$400 (from what we’ve seen so far). When you apply, you set the rates you’re willing to accept; then, the platform emails you when appropriate opportunities arise. It’s not a bid site – fees are preset. But gigs are presented to multiple writers, and then the client chooses who they’ll work with. Luckily, there’s no elaborate application process, once your profile is set — you simply reply that you’re interested, and they let you know if you win the gig.
- Contently pays about 35 cents a word for their freelancer-focused online magazine. Download their pitching guidelines here .
- Freedom with Writing pays $50+ for lists of paying publishers. They also pay for short ebooks, so there is an option for longer-form content, too.
- Make a Living Writing . That’s right, this-here blog pays $150 for guest posts, depending on complexity and research needed. Be sure to read our guidelines thoroughly, especially our list of the topics we’re actively looking for guest posts on right now. Pitching one of those will seriously improve your odds!
- WOW! Women on Writing pays $50-$150.
- The Write Life pays for some posts – you’ll need to negotiate your rate.
Before you pitch any of these sites, read the guidelines carefully and study the posts they’ve already run. Make sure you either have a fresh topic or a new way of exploring an issue they’ve covered before.
Paying markets are more competitive than posting on free sites. And the more bad pitches a site receives, the likelier they will reconsider whether they even accept guest posts, let alone pay for them. (Believe me, this happens, and it is the reason some sites we’ve listed before are no longer accepting pitches.)
Need help learning how to pitch a paying guest post?
See this post on “Guest Post Pitches That Got the Gig” , and this one on what not to do! And make sure to check out our tips for effective freelancer invoicing so you get paid for your work.
Have you written for any of these markets? Found others that pay well? Tell us in the comments below.
Jennifer Roland is a freelance education, financial institution, and technology writer – and a contributing writer here at Make a Living Writing. Her latest book, 10 Takes: Pacific Northwest Writers , was published by Gladeye Press.
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29 easy ways to make money writing online in 2023
Good news: there are a LOT of different options when it comes to paid online writing. No matter your interests or areas of expertise, if you’re ready to bring in some extra cash, opportunities are waiting for you.
Whether you want to write an occasional article for extra spending money or dedicate your free time to running a blog so you can one day quit your day job and become a freelance writer for hire , we’ll show you 30 easy ways to make money writing online in 2023 and everything you need to know to get paid for your writing skills.
1. Start a blog
Blogging is a tried-and-true method for writers to make money online. You may be wondering if it’s still possible for new bloggers to make money with all the established blogs already online, and the answer is YES.
Blogging requires dedication and consistency, and it will also take some time for your blog to gain momentum before you see much income, but it is absolutely possible.
The first step to starting a blog is picking your niche. This is the topic you’ll write about. It’s good to get specific here; there are many blogs on the internet, so if you can provide a unique perspective, your readers are more likely to stick around.
Next, you’ll need to pick your domain, design your blog, and get it all set up. There are a ton of great resources out there to help you with this (just remember you get what you pay for: while there are free blog hosting sites and free templates, top bloggers agree that you’ll need to spend a little money upfront if you want to make money writing in the long run).
Once you’ve got your blog established, remember to post regularly, promote your posts on social media, and engage with your readers. No blog has ever been an overnight success, but you can make good money from blogging with a little time and consistency.
2. Create blog posts (for others)
If you’re not quite ready to start your own blog, you can always dip your toes in the water by guest blogging. Many bloggers hire other bloggers to create content, and a lot of companies will hire freelance writers to contribute to the blog section of their website.
If you decide to go this route, make sure to do your research beforehand. Familiarize yourself with the blog you’re writing for, so you can match the tone and blend in with the existing content.
Bloggers who publish daily get 57% better results than those who publish multiple times per week. - Semrush
3. Establish a niche website
If you have an interest or expertise in a particular niche, you can start a website dedicated to it. This gives you all the creative control of running your own blog without the pressure of regular posting. (Although you will need to update your website regularly to keep it fresh and make sure it reaches full potential.)
4. Self-Publish a book
There are self-publishing options for every type of book, from short instructional guides to romance novels to nonfiction tomes. If you’ve written a book and you’re unsure what your next step should be, why not consider self-publishing?
Publishing your own book is an incredibly rewarding experience, as you have control over every step of the process. This can be a double-edged sword, however. After starting down the path to self-publication, many authors realize that while they love writing, they don’t love obsessing over font and margin options or negotiating with cover artists.
And even if you use a free service, such as Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing , you’ll need to spend money on editing, cover design, marketing, and advertising.
The hope is that you would make that money back from your book sales, but there are no guarantees. But if you play your cards right, it’s possible to turn a profit from your self-published book.
5. Create affiliate content
Ever notice how almost every food blogger includes Amazon links to their favorite ingredients and cookware? Or maybe you found an article on Pinterest listing an outdoor enthusiast’s essential camping gear.
These are both examples of affiliate content, where you (the affiliate) partner with a company to drive traffic to their website and earn commissions on any resulting sales. Affiliate marketing content is an excellent way to generate passive income on your blog or website.
It takes a little strategizing, but once you develop a plan and implement your affiliate content, you can make money while you sleep .
6. Write scripts for video creators
If you understand scriptwriting’s technicalities, you can bring in money by partnering with a video creator. It’s pretty common for video creators to have great screen presence—but not-so-great writing skills, so there are plenty of gigs to be had in this field.
Video content is exploding in popularity, so now is a great time to get your foot in the door and add some script-writing experience to your resume. These gigs are often posted on job boards , and you can also take the initiative and reach out to some content creators whose work you enjoy to see if they could use a hand with scriptwriting.
"60% of businesses use video as a marketing tool." - Biteable
7. Write show notes for podcasts
Show notes are a written online resource for podcast listeners that accompany each episode of a podcast. Every podcast approaches show notes a little differently, but typically, they are brief, easy-to-scan episode summaries that often include additional relevant resources. You can find work writing show notes on job boards, or send cold pitches out to podcasters you would like to work with as a freelance writer.
8. Create written content for social media
Large companies typically have a marketer (or a team of them) dedicated to keeping their social media running smoothly. But smaller businesses often can’t hire a full-time employee to manage their social media presence. Freelancers are the ideal solution, and are a win-win for everyone.
Think about your favorite local ice cream parlor, gift shop, or espresso stand, and do a little digging into their social media presence. If you notice that they haven’t posted anything in months or that they struggle with creating high-quality, engaging content, then you just found an excellent opportunity to pitch your writing services.
There’s no need to bash them or focus too much on their social media mistakes , but you can start a polite and friendly conversation where you mention that you noticed room for improvement. Try to emphasize what they stand to gain from working with you and how much potential you see in their social media presence.
Before you pitch your social media writing services, make sure you do your research on fair pricing and know which services you want to offer at what rates. If a business owner shows interest in working with you, the last thing you want to do is keep them waiting while you iron out details you could already have had in place.
9. Produce content for local businesses
While you’re talking to small, local business owners about their social media content, don’t forget the other services you can provide as well.
Maybe a local business could use your help with the occasional blog post, copy for their website, or informational materials like brochures and pamphlets. If you need a list of local businesses, consider joining your local chamber of commerce. Their events can be an effective way to network with other local business owners.
10. Submit magazine articles
Do you have a juicy story from your personal life that your friends love hearing over and over again, or a political perspective that incites the “mind-blown” emoji from every person you share it with? Write it down and turn it into a magazine article to make money.
The magazine industry may not be as prominent as it once was, but it is still going strong , and plenty of freelance writers are getting paid to write magazine articles. Some magazines pay upwards of $500 per article.
Do a little research to find the magazines that would be the best fit for your article, and make sure they haven’t published anything too similar in the recent past.
This is also a good time to find the magazine’s submission guidelines—make sure you follow their instructions carefully, so you have a better chance of getting accepted.
11. Create an information product
If you’re an expert at something, you can monetize that knowledge by creating and selling informational products. This can be an ebook, a video, a short PDF, or any electronic format sharing your insights. Don’t be afraid to get creative here!
Online information products are an excellent way to generate revenue because there are little to no overhead costs involved. You don’t need to worry about packing and shipping a physical product, nor do you need to be involved in the transactions once you handle the initial logistics of making your product available.
The most important thing is to make sure you’re providing a high-quality product with valuable tips and tricks that your customers won’t be able to find elsewhere. If your customers love what they learn from you, they’re much more likely to pay for other products you offer and recommend your business to their friends.
12. Ghostwrite online content
Want to know a secret?
When you see a byline on an online article or blog post, there’s a pretty good chance that the named author didn’t actually write that content. Ghostwriting is not just for celebrity autobiographies; a lot of blogs and websites hire ghostwriters, too.
If you’re okay with taking home the paycheck but not seeing your name on the byline, seek out ghostwriting gigs. These jobs often command rates of 30% to 50% more than bylined work because they aren’t pieces you can add to your portfolio or claim responsibility for.
13. Write video game guidebooks
Streaming your gameplay isn’t the only way for gamers to make money online. If you know a video game inside and out, consider writing a guidebook for it and selling it as a PDF.
If you don’t want to handle the logistics of selling your own product, you can always write freelance articles and guides for video game websites and magazines.
"In 2019, the gaming industry has generated total revenue of $151.9 billion." - Review42
14. Create destination guides
Whether you love to travel or are the go-to person for the best spots to visit in your hometown, you can turn your knowledge into a profitable destination guide. This can be an extensive information product that you sell on your blog or website, or you can pitch it to a travel magazine or blog accepting these types of publications.
15. Write poetry
Poetry may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about making money writing online, but it’s possible to turn a profit off of your poems. There are several places you can submit your poetry online for publication, and if your piece is selected, you’ll get a paycheck on top of bragging rights. Here are some of the top-paying online poetry publishers:
- The Sun Magazine : Pays $100-$250
- Poetry Foundation : Pays $300+
- Boulevard Magazine : Pays $50-$250
- Crazyhorse : Pays $20-$200
- EPOCH : Pays a minimum of $50 per poem
16. Transcribe documents
Transcribing is flexible work that can pay very well once you have some quality pieces in your portfolio. High-paying transcription jobs often require experience, special equipment, and specialized medical or legal knowledge.
But don’t let that discourage you if you think you’d enjoy the work. You can quickly get your foot in the door by taking on a few simple, lower-paying gigs. Check out these reputable transcribing sites to learn more:
- TranscribeMe
17. Write personal essays
If you have interesting life stories, the world wants to hear them. Lots of websites pay you for the right to publish your personal essays. Further below, you’ll find some publications to pitch.
You could also turn your essays into a blog or website, although you should be very strategic if you decide to go this route; blogs dedicated to niches tend to perform exceptionally well, while personal perspective blogs do not.
18. Create greeting card sayings
Someone has to write the sayings and poems on greeting cards. Frequently, that someone is a freelance writer. If you think you have what it takes to create a best-selling greeting card, these companies that pay for greeting card verse submissions:
- Oatmeal Studios
- Blue Mountain Arts
19. Write product descriptions
Some companies pay quite well to ensure that the product descriptions on their websites are clear and informative. Look for these gigs on job boards or pitch the company yourself. There are even websites you can join, such as Crowd Content , that pay you to write product descriptions for their clients. You can also find possible clients for this on sites like Upwork .
20. Start copywriting
Copywriting can refer to any writing that is specifically used for promotion and marketing. This can include content on websites, video scripts, blog posts, emails—you name it.
Businesses use copy to promote a product or service and drive the reader to action. Some companies hire freelance copywriters, some hire copywriters from marketing agencies that work with multiple companies, and some have staff copywriters. You can find copywriting work on job boards of all kinds, including Indeed and Zip Recruiter.
21. Create email sequences
An email sequence is a series of automated emails sent from a business to its clients at different sales cycle stages. Companies also send out email sequences when someone takes a specific action (or lack of action), such as clicking a link in an email or leaving an e-commerce site with items still in the shopping cart.
If you have a strong understanding of email marketing tactics, you can work with any company to create or improve their email sequences. Since more companies are getting into email marketing , there is plenty of opportunities to make money writing here.
Nearly 90% of marketers use email marketing to distribute content organically. - Content Marketing Institute
22. Write technical manuals
Technical writing is a lucrative field because it requires extensive knowledge of the industry you’re writing for. Technical writers need to know how to take complex information and break it down into simple, easy-to-understand messages.
23. Post on a revenue sharing site
Revenue sharing sites host your content and give you a percentage of the ad revenue generated from the page in exchange. This can be a great way to gain experience writing online , since you don’t have to worry about setting up your own website or driving traffic—although you should do everything you can to market your work and encourage people to read your work on revenue sharing sites.
Here are some examples of revenue sharing sites where you can get paid to write articles:
24. Enter a writing contest
Keep an eye out for writing contests, and throw your hat in the ring when you can. This one is a bit of a gamble because only the winners get paid, but it could well be worthwhile.
Some contests pay their winners surprisingly well, and winning can also be a great way to gain exposure as a writer. So if you have the time, why not give it a shot?
Here are a few reputable contests to get you started:
- Reedsy lists over 100 writing contests
- Biopage’s Storytelling Contest pays $100 to $300 for winning short stories.
25. Write resumes
If you have a knack for creating effective resumes, you can find freelance work writing resumes for job hunters. Check job boards for resume writing gigs, and spread the word through social media that you are accepting clients for resume makeovers.
As a similar way to get paid to write, you can also specialize in LinkedIn profiles. Many professionals are willing to pay for an optimized profile that can help them land work.
26. Write and sell songs
Do you love writing music? You can sell your songwriting services online with the help of these websites:
- Nashville Songwriters Association
27. Review books
Calling all readers! Did you know you can get paid to review books? If you can read quickly and write engaging, objective reviews, this could be an excellent way to earn some extra money.
Here are some companies that accept applications for book reviewers:
- Reedsy Discovery
- Online Book Club
28. Do SEO writing
SEO writers are some of the best-paid freelance writers because they provide the most value to their clients. These specialized writers know plenty of SEO tips, including researching keywords and integrating them into websites to make them rank higher in search results.
Semrush lists seven SEO Certification courses that you can take if you want to learn more about SEO, some of which are free.
29. Write sponsored content
If you have a blog, writing sponsored content is a no-brainer. Simply put, sponsored content is anything that a company pays you to write and publish on your blog.
There are tons of options for companies you can work with, and some creative ways to write sponsored content that doesn’t feel like advertising. Check out these trusted sponsored post networks you can join to find paid blogging opportunities:
- Blog Meets Brand
How can you find paid writing opportunities online?
There are several ways to find legitimate opportunities to make money writing online. The links provided in the above examples are an excellent start, and we have even more ideas for you below.
Cold pitching companies you want to work for
As a freelance writer, one of the most critical skills for you to develop is learning how to cold pitch your services. This is where you send unsolicited emails to companies or individuals to offer your writing services.
Since the people you’re approaching didn’t ask for your help, it’s normal to get many nos. But there’s also a chance that the business does need your services, and you’ll never know unless you ask.
Searching online job boards
Online job boards are a great resource for finding any work, freelance writing gigs included. Here are a few of our favorite reputable job boards. You’ll find some free ones and others that you’ll need to pay to access:
- Freelancing Females
- Freelance Writers Den
- Blogging Pro
Pitching bloggers who accept guest posts
When you’re looking at blogs, take note of the ones that include guest blogging articles. Use your cold pitching skills and email the author to offer your guest writing services.
Bloggers are typically very busy people, and they’re often grateful for the opportunity to outsource some of their work. Not all bloggers can afford to pay their guest bloggers, so it’s up to you if you want to accept free work or not.
Sometimes the new connection and link to a published article that you can add to your portfolio are worth it, but only you can decide.
Searching on social media
It’s becoming more common for companies to turn to social media to find writers to hire. The next time you’re scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, take a moment to check out these hashtags:
- #needwriters
- #hiringwriters
- #writerswanted
- #writersneeded
- #bloggerswanted
Then read through the listings and see what catches your interest. You can often find opportunities in a variety of niches this way.
Submitting queries to publications
If there’s a magazine or website you love, check and see if they accept submissions from freelance writers. See further below for tips on finding a publication to pitch.
Networking with other freelance writers
Keeping in touch with your writer acquaintances is always a good idea. Don’t be afraid to mention that you’re always looking for new writing jobs—the next time they get an offer that they’re too busy for, they may just pass your name along.
You can connect with other writers on social media or at in-person events. Work on keeping your working relationship positive, and you never know when you’ll see a referral coming your way.
Pro tip:Search for freelance writer groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social platforms.
Posting on social media
If you don’t already have social media accounts strictly dedicated to your writing business, don’t waste any time in getting them established. Social media is a fantastic resource to find paid writing opportunities; the occasional post announcing that you’re accepting new clients can do wonders for your business. Don’t forget to encourage your followers to share your posts. Someone in your network may know someone who is searching for a writer.
Creating a website to share your services
Setting up a website to help advertise your writing services is a great way to appear more professional to prospective clients. You can share a link to your website whenever you apply for a gig or cold pitch your services.
Here are some essential elements to include:
- Your resume
- A professional photo of yourself
- Links to any published writings of your own
- Sample articles
- A list of services you provide
- Testimonials from past clients
- Your contact information or even a contact form so potential clients can email you directly from your site
Searching on Craigslist in major cities
Craigslist often has paid writing opportunities, so don’t overlook this resource. Remember to search other locations outside of your own city, too. Check the listings for major metropolitan areas, where people post the majority of jobs. Here are five cities you should check regularly:
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
Another tip to help you find assignments on this website - writing jobs on Craigslist are sometimes posted under “Gigs” and sometimes under “Jobs,” so be sure to check both sections.
Asking past freelance writing clients if they have more work for you
As mentioned earlier, networking is essential. Keeping in touch with your past clients is equally important. There’s no need to hound them, but don’t be afraid to check in periodically and see if there’s anything else they need help with.
Where can you submit your writing online for money?
When deciding where to submit your writing, you want to make sure that the publication will pay its authors and that it fits well with your preferred writing style. Here are a few possibilities for you to check out, organized by niche.
If you prefer writing personal essays, you’re in luck. Here are five sites that might pay you for your essays:
The Bold Italic
Can you write a personal essay about the spirit of San Francisco that will make readers laugh or cry? If yes, submit it to The Bold Italic . The editors will review it and make a decision. If it’s published, you’ll get $50.
Buzzfeed Reader
If you want your personal essay to be read by the masses, you’ve got to pitch the editors over at Buzzfeed Reader . It pays competitive rates for essays about nearly any fresh idea.
The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco pays for dynamic personal essays written by blind or visually impaired writers. It will occasionally publish pieces written by writers outside of this category. The editors enjoy working collaboratively with you on the piece, and pay $100 upon publication.
If you can write a unique personal essay with a strong voice, the editors at Dame want you to send a pitch. A published essay will earn you about $150, though you’ll finalize payment details throughout the submission process.
Business, career, and finance
The penny hoarder.
This popular website is a great place to pitch if you have a laid-back writing style and unique tips about earning or saving money. The Penny Hoarder gives detailed pitch directions and provides a form you can fill out, making the whole process as simple as possible. If your pitch is accepted, an editor will discuss payment with you at that time.
Doctor of Credit
Do you have a strong understanding of consumer credit law? Have you found a unique credit card from a small issuer? Doctor of Credit is a great blog that may publish a guest post if you have niche financial knowledge to share. They pay $50 per post.
Income Diary
This website is all about making money online, from blog design to content creation to entrepreneurship and a success mindset. Income Diary pays up to $200 for an article on these topics.
Freelance Mom
If you know how to balance being your own boss and being an awesome mom, Freelance Mom wants to hear from you. You can earn between $75 and $100 on articles between 900 to 1,500 words.
Family and parenting
Pregnant chicken.
This fun and informative website features pregnancy tips and stories about pregnancy, childbirth, and being a new parent. Pregnant Chicken pays $100 per post.
Zift publishes articles relating to parenting in a technology-driven world. If you have an evergreen, original article about managing kids and screen time, you could earn $100 for it.
Your Teen Media
If you’ve raised teenagers and seen it all, you can get paid to write by Teen Media , a trusted editorial source for readers seeking information about raising teenagers. Payment rates are not listed on their websites, but you can discuss this with the editor if your pitch gets accepted.
Go World Travel
This is a great place to pitch if you’re a new writer. Go World Travel publishes contributions from first-time writers and experts alike. If you can tell a captivating, descriptive story about your travels, you can earn $30 to $40 per article.
Matador Network
You’ll need to set up a profile with Matador Network to respond to their calls for submissions. Once you do, you can earn $40 or more for short commissioned travel articles.
GoNOMAD is a resource for “honest, accurate, well-written and detailed articles and destination guides that speak to an educated, curious, and well-traveled audience.” They pay $25 for stories between 1700 to 2200 words long.
Extra Crispy
Extra Crispy is all about breakfast, and they are looking for opinion pieces, stories, essays, recipes, etc. This is the perfect place to pitch if the most important meal of the day also happens to be your favorite. It doesn’t list payment terms on its website, so you’ll need to work that out with the editor if your pitch is accepted.
Taste of Home
This family-favorite publication publishes recipes from home cooks. You can sign into their website to see what types of recipes they are currently looking for. Taste of Home discusses payment rates upon acceptance.
If you have a unique perspective on food culture, try pitching Eater . They cover a wide range of food-related topics, so take a look and see if you can come up with an idea they might love! Payment terms are not listed on their website.
Digital Ocean
DigitalOcean is looking for talented authors to create technical tutorials and articles about software development. In addition to a personal payout (typically $300), you’ll also get to select a tech-focused charity to receive a donation from DigitalOcean.
If you can create original content to add to Linode’s library of technical guides and tutorials, you can earn $300. They currently are focusing on adding articles about Kubernetes, Linux essentials, and databases, so if you send a pitch about one of those topics, you’re more likely to be accepted.
Do you consider yourself a WordPress expert? If yes, consider pitching WPHUB . Depending on your article’s topic and length, they pay between $10 to $200 for content about web design trends, exploring useful plugins for developers, coding best practices, and other WordPress-related topics.
How to send a pitch for an online writing gig
Whether you're trying to send a submission to a specific blog or applying for a gig you found on a job board, you’ll need to send a pitch if you want to get paid to write.
If you’re wondering what a pitch is, it’s a written correspondence in which you explain to an editor or publisher an idea you have for an article, blog post, story, etc., and ask them to consider hiring you to execute your idea.
While you want your pitch to have your voice and not sound like you copied and pasted it, there are a few essential pieces to include. Here’s what every pitch needs:
- The editor’s name. Addressing your pitch to the right person will show that you did your homework. On this note, also make sure you send it to the correct email address.
- Details about your idea. No need to send the entire finished piece (unless it’s asked for). However, you need to make it clear what your story is about and why you’re the best person for the job.
- A brief bio. The editor doesn’t have time to read your life story, but you should introduce them to you and share any relevant experience you may have.
- A link to your portfolio. This gives the editor the chance to get a feel for your writing abilities and style. If you write in a wide range of styles, it’s a good idea to only link to the ones that best match the publication you’re pitching to.
It’s natural to feel a little nervous when submitting a pitch, especially for new writers. Whatever you do, don’t let your fear of rejection or imposter syndrome stop you from sending a pitch. Manage your expectations, and know going into it that you will receive a lot more nos than yeses.
That’s true for even the most talented writers, though, so don’t take it personally. Keep at it, and eventually, your pitch will reach the person who’s ready to work with you.
5 tips for successful pitching as a freelance writer
To improve your acceptance rate, here are five tips to help you send a better pitch:
1. Follow directions
If you are replying to a job listing or submitting to an established publication, make sure you carefully follow any guidelines they provide. If the publisher thinks that you can’t follow simple instructions such as giving your email the proper subject line or saving your resume in the specified format, they probably won’t be very eager to work with you.
2. Pitch for topics you’re comfortable writing about
When you’re first getting started, It’s tempting to pitch for any and all gigs you can find. But it’s highly encouraged that you pitch selectively.
You don’t need to stick to just one niche, but if you pitch topics you’re genuinely excited about, your passion and expertise will show, it’ll take you less time, and your finished work will be stronger.
3. Send a great idea
If you’re pitching an idea you came up with for a magazine article or a guest blog post, take some time to research the existing content and see what’s missing, so you don’t suggest topics they’ve already published.
Try to come up with a unique angle or provide a different perspective. That way, you send a great idea instead of a topic the site has already covered.
4. Explain why it’s a great fit
Make it clear to the publisher that you’re familiar with the publication and that you know what they’re looking for. Don’t make it about you; emphasize what they and their readers stand to gain from a partnership with you.
Do your research beforehand and know who their target audience is, what types of content they typically publish, the tone they usually write in, etc. The more you understand their style, the more you can blend in and convince them that it’s a natural partnership.
5. Keep it short
Editors are busy and don’t have time to read a novel in their inbox. Your pitch is the perfect place to show that not only are you a great writer, but you have an excellent understanding of clear and concise communication. Stick to the point, and don’t run off on unrelated rabbit trails.
How to get paid to write online
When you write content online, you’re typically considered a contract writer instead of an employee. This means you’ll need to send an invoice if you want to get paid.
An invoice is a simple document that sums up the work you did for your client, so they can see what they owe you. Basically, it’s a bill for services rendered.
It’s essential to make your invoice look professional. If you have branding elements or a logo, you’ll want to include those.
Your freelance writing invoice should include the following elements:
- The word “Invoice” at the top. You want to make it clear to your client that this is an official billing document so that they’re more likely to pay you promptly.
- Date you sent the invoice.
- Your client’s name.
- Your contact information.
- An itemized list of services provided, with short, clear descriptions of each, and individual rates for each service.
- Dates services were provided.
- Payment rate.
- Total amount due.
- Any payment terms previously agreed upon.
- A unique invoice ID number for your records.
There are invoice templates available online that can help you quickly set up invoices to send to your clients. The downside to using templates is that you can't easily track the payment status of all the different invoices you've sent to your clients.
Wave's invoicing software lets you do everything above (and more!) for free, no strings attached. You can create unlimited invoices with your logo and keep tabs on whether clients have seen your invoices. There are also options to set up recurring invoices for regular clients, which can save you a lot of time and headaches. If you turn on the payments option, there’s a small per-transaction fee when a client makes a payment.
Wave Money , a new service we’re launching, lets you deposit client payments and manage funds in an FDIC-insured account. We’re transforming the business banking industry with small business owners in mind. It’s the perfect online business banking option for freelance writers and other entrepreneurs.
How to create a portfolio to help you make money writing online
Having a solid portfolio is a crucial tool for any writer. Follow the below tips to make your portfolio as strong as possible.
Keep your portfolio up-to-date with your best new work
It doesn’t matter how much amazing content you created three, five, or ten years ago. Your potential clients want to see that you have recent publications under your belt.
Don’t include everything
Think of your portfolio as your highlights reel. Only include the writing you’re most proud of and that aligns with the type of work you hope to get more of. There’s no need to have articles from your stint as a sports reporter if you’re trying to break into beauty blogging.
Break it into categories
If you do more than one type of writing, keep your portfolio well organized so that your potential clients can easily find the work that is most similar to what they want to hire you for.
Host it in an effective location
Your personal business website is the best place to keep your portfolio. However, if you don’t have a website yet, you can always use a portfolio-hosting website such as Contently or ClearVoice .
7 Red flags to watch for with online writing jobs
While you can legitimately get paid to write, there are scams out there. Knowing what to look for can help you avoid getting scammed, so keep an eye out for these red flags.
- Anything that sounds too good to be true.
- Any online gig requiring you to send money before you make money (except for some legitimate publications that charge a nominal submission fee).
- A potential client asking for too much personal information.
- Job postings that list unprofessional email addresses that look like a jumbled mess of letters and numbers.
- Vague job descriptions.
- Meager pay for the amount of work. (And on the other end, payment that seems way too high for the demands of the job.)
- A company requesting that you do trial work for free to evaluate or sample your services.
While these red flags don’t necessarily mean you’ve stumbled upon a freelance writing scam, seeing one does mean you need to proceed with caution. You don’t want to get your identity stolen or complete work you never get paid for.
Time to take action
Now that you’ve learned about the best options available for you to get paid to write online, it’s time to get out there and give it a shot. Remember, there’s nothing you can gain from doubting yourself, so show a little faith, pick a path to get started with, and begin to make some money. With the right attitude and enough determination, anyone can make a living writing online.
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Best Sites that will Pay You to Write Articles Online
Updated - September 8, 2022 By David Trounce 202 Comments
Are you looking for article writing websites so you can start earning money online? Freelance article writing gives you the opportunity to work from home. Jobs, where article writers can be earning money, are listed every day.
We provide article writing services for a living and have learned that just knowing where the writing jobs are online is half the battle won.
EARN MONEY WRITING GET INSTANT ACCESS TO 200 SITES THAT WILL PAY YOU TO WRITE.
Plus: 10 Free Premium Tools to Help You Write and Get Published!
Being able to write and earn money online can be very rewarding. You can choose to work with the clients, websites or create your own website that interest you most.
You’ll find freelance job portals very helpful since employers themselves are posting updated jobs. All you have to do is to create a writer’s account and start browsing job offers.
Enhancing Your Writing Skills
There are many other legit ways for freelance writers to make money online . But you need to have the skills to be chosen among the large pool of applicants. So, it’s crucial to enhance your writing skills and develop the right attitude towards this craft by being open to all possibilities.
Enhancing your knowledge and skills as a writer can help you earn money, which can even be a reliable source of your bread and butter. Take a look at the following tips on how to enhance your writing skills so you’ll find high-paying writing jobs online:
Know The Latest Trends:
Writing is an ever-ending journey, which means that it would require an intense thirst to improve your skills. For instance, Search engine optimization (SEO) involves creating content that aims to rank in search engines. This would be especially important for an SEO agency or an Adwords consultant
Meet Other Writers:
Take Writing Short Courses:
As a freelance article writer , you also get to enjoy working at your own pace, setting your own price (as demand for your writing grows) and you get to enjoy a steady income as a freelance writer .
If you want to earn money by writing online for others, here are 10 sites where you can get paid to write your own articles.
Wow Women on Writing: $50-100
Wow Women on Writing does one thing really well: They look after female writers, encourage them and genuinely seek to offer opportunities to budding freelancers. Their audience is diverse and all focused on providing excellent content for women.
Wow Women focus on innovative business, freelancing, and training. The articles are generally detailed and designed to help writers improve their skills and showcase their work. You have an option of either asking for a payment by Paypal or, if in the USA, by Check.
How to get started
Start by reading other Wow Articles. You will want to have an idea of the tone of the site. The site is informative, relaxed and excited about showcasing good writers.
- Ensure that you are not just duplicating their content and re-editing an old idea. Be creative.
- Wow will pay up to $150.00 for a 3,000-word feature article.
- Focus on being useful. How will your post help readers?
- Practical, actionable advice is what readers want with easy to follow steps.
Wow Women focuses on women, writers, and a monthly theme. I am not sure what they offer in terms of a link back to your own content in the articles but they do link back to your site from your Author profile.
Please note that they do not open attachments. Your article or pitch needs to be presented in plain text in the body of the email. Sending a Bio or a link to other published work is a good idea and will improve your chances of getting published.
Strong Whispers: $50 – $150
Strong Whispers offers readers a range of articles about lifestyle, environment and other social issues. The range is wide. Your contribution is not limited.
Articles can range from corporate greed to education reform or change in world leadership to letting the people govern and make decisions on the way we treat the environment and exploitation of resources.
Article earnings are negotiable, but they typically pay $50-$150 per published article. They are willing to pay more for the right article and website aims to publish 2-3 guest posts per month.
Step 1: Send them your best outline for an article you would like to write along with your fee expectation. Topics need to be unique and have a high impact.
They also ask that you send your current blog URL or an URL to published work so they can understand your writing style. They will tell you if the topic is of interest to them and if your sample meets their review criteria.
Step 2: After you have been invited to write for them, go ahead, write your article and submit it for review. They won’t publish simply mediocre or just okay guest posts.
Each article must be well written, accurate, grammatically correct and original content. You will get to view their guidelines so you can be sure to tick all the boxes.
Step 3: After you submit your article online, it will be reviewed. After review you will receive one of 3 emails:
- Rejected – Poor quality.
- Requires minor changes
If approved, it will be set to publish either immediately or at a future date. Once set to publish, you will be paid via PayPal and start earning money online.
Want to Start Writing and Earning Straight Away?
Vocal enables you to monetize your own writing by publishing it on their platform. The more readers you get, the more money you can earn .
Link-Able: $100 – $750
Link-Able is a great way for high-quality authors to earn money publishing for a wide range of clients and industries. Link-Able matches writers who are able to publish on relevant sites with businesses looking to earn mentions, links and traffic to their sites.
Founded by Jay Douglas, Link-Able offers good rates that depend on the sites you have authorship on – or are able to successfully pitch to. niches include business, finance, marketing, health, sport, tech, retail and more.
Note: The site will generally only accept native English authors and those with a track record of high-quality work in English .
The platform is simple and easy to use. Once you have been approved as an author, just browse the available writing jobs and apply.
- Apply for an Author account and choose your area of expertise
- Once approved, browse writing jobs
- Read the job specs carefully. Recommend a site or sites you can write on and a concept for your article.
- If you win the job, you write, publish and get paid – simple!
A quick tip – You will have more success if you limit your areas of expertise to only those things you are truly passionate about.
A Few Tips on Writing the Kind of Article that Gets published
- Make sure your article is free from grammatical errors. We suggest using a tool like the free grammar checker by EduBirdie
- Make sure your article is original.
- Make sure you follow the editorial guidelines regarding word length, style, and tone
These are basic to getting people to show interest in publishing your article and are absolutely necessary.
Cracked.com: $100 – $200
Cracked.com is basically a humour site. If you are a funny/smart/creative person, Cracked.com offers a good opportunity to earn some extra cash with article writing.
No experience necessary. If the content is good, this is a great way to make money blogging . You get to talk directly to the editors. Their content includes articles, photoshops, infographics, and videos. Take your pick.
Register for the site, click on the writer’s workshop, which leads you to the message board where everyone pitches their articles.
You pitch an article idea by writing the article idea, along with the five subtopics under the idea, a full column, and the information.
- At the time of writing, you get $100 per article.
- If you get up to five published articles, it goes up to $200 per article.
- If your article finishes in the top ten articles of the month (rated on website traffic.) you get a $100 bonus.
- You also get $100 for coming first in the Photoshop competitions of which I think they run two a week.
There is a bonus that runs in the design section also from time to time. It includes $500 for designing a winning T-Shirt, and a thread where you post (presumably humorous) infographics and they’ll pay you $100 if it’s featured on the site.
Watch Culture: $25 – $500
Watch Culture offers its news, opinion and entertainment coverage to millions of users worldwide each month.
As an online magazine based in the UK it covers the popular zeitgeist. Each day dozens of writers are earning money by publishing articles on Film, Music, Gaming, Sports, Television and much more to their ever-expanding five-million a month strong audience.
Several hundred articles are posted every single week from contributors, some of which you will see from time to time on Sky News, Metro Radio, BBC Radio, Dublin FM and in the national newspapers.
What Culture have begun rolling out a system entitling all writers to earn money from every article they contribute.
In the Beta testing phase, some of the contributors have earned as much as £700 from one individual article. The system is based on a per views basis, rewarding the very best writers whose content matches what their audience wants to read.
Typically, writers who could come up with original concepts and execute them well have really reaped the big benefits.
If writing isn’t your thing, they are also planning to set up a larger video presence and are looking for talented filmmakers and YouTubers to produce high-quality content for the site.
So if you think you’ve got what it takes to write interesting articles or create popular videos and make money online while doing it, get in touch with them at [email protected] for more details.
If you’d prefer to chat on Skype, the address is ‘whatculture’. Or if you live anywhere near Newcastle in the UK, they can arrange a face-to-face meeting.
Developer Tutorials: $30 – $50
Developer Tutorial provides its users with a regular supply of programming and design guides keeping them up-to-date on new and emerging technologies and techniques.
To help fuel this effort they utilise freelance writers to produce unique, high-quality tutorials in the following categories:
They are also looking for articles referencing cool and useful lists that users would both be interested in and benefit from reading.
An example of this might be, “30 Cool Web Tools to Make Your Development Easier” or “30 Awesome Photoshop Movie Poster Tutorials”.
They pay cash for your tutorials and list-based articles so not only are you helping out fellow coders and designers but you are making more of a name for yourself as a freelance writer.
Pay rates depend on factors such as the quality of the tutorial/article and the demand for the topic it covers.
- Pay rates for published list articles currently range between $30-$50.
- Payment is sent via PayPal immediately after your article is published.
- List based articles must target web developers or designers.
Tutorials are required to be a minimum of 1000 words and should include illustrations (screenshots etc) if needed to more effectively portray your message.
B. Michelle Pippin: $50 – $150
Michelle Pippin is looking for articles aimed at helping small businesses increase their profits, influence, or impact. Michelle Pippin provides sharp and high-quality business and marketing content to a wide audience.
If you have some original work, a great idea or a hack for the business, marketing niche, this could be a site to consider. While the site focuses on women in business, it provides an even-handed mix of articles on profit, entrepreneurial resources, marketing and case study articles as well as relevant news on the business world.
The site has a large audience and a wide mix of business and marketing related material.
Your articles don’t need to be too technical, as though they were being prepared for a peer-reviewed journal, but they should go beyond the basics.
Michelle will expect you to do the research and if it reaches her members only audience (which is a print edition) you will likely receive a bigger pay cheque.
Word count on the site for your average business or marketing article is about 800 words.
- Obviously, your work must be original work.
- If your work gets published in my members only (print) newsletter, you’ll get paid more money, but you will not be able to republish your article elsewhere.
- Payment is on a per article basis and will be paid via Paypal on the 1st of the month following the month it is posted.
Don’t send over full articles. Just complete the form and tell them your areas of expertise. A short pitch should be fine but keep your offer short and sweet.
Metro Parent: $50 – $75
Metro Parent Publishing Group is open to experienced freelance writers to help build the content of their magazine and website. Their general goal is to have a good mix of fun and substantive local stories of interest to local parents.
Here are a few factors to consider before sending your pitch.
- Make it local. They are looking for stories and sources that reflect the communities they cover: Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. Therefore, southeast Michigan ideas and sources are preferred.
- Pitch early. Content for Metro Parent is determined months in advance. Story ideas should be pitched a good two to three months before the month it would run. This is particularly important for seasonally-anchored stories.
If your article submission is accepted or you have been assigned a story, you should submit an invoice (within an email is fine) that includes name, address, phone number, Social Security Number, name of story and payment amount.
The invoice should be submitted within a week of submitting the story.
- Features 1,000-2,500 words: $150-$350, depending on the complexity of topic and number of sources required.
- Department columns: $50-75
- Parent Pipeline pieces: $35-50
- Reprints: $35
The finished story should be single-spaced with a hard return at each new paragraph. Do not indent for new paragraphs. And include only one space after punctuation marks.
- Include your byline plus the preferred tagline
- Font should be Times New Roman, 14-point
- Include a suggested headline and/or dek
- Subheads (i.e., within the body copy) are strongly encouraged for stories 1,000 words or more.
Metro Parent prefers stories to be sent as a Microsoft Word attachment. For those who don’t have Word, send the story within the body of an email.
Be sure to include the name and phone number of sources at the end of the story, in case they have follow-up questions.
Sitepoint: Visit Link for Pricing
Sitepoint writers are generally web professionals with a passion for development and design. Site Point is specifically looking for content that is technical, instructive, well-written and innovative.
Based in Melbourne, Australia, Site Point works with article writers from all over the world. The editors are web developers and designers at the top of the industry. They claim to pay above-industry rates for quality articles.
Site Point covers the following topics:
- CSS, JavaScript, PHP
- Ruby, Mobile development, UX
- Design, HTML
You will have to inquire using the link above for rates and process.
Uxbooth: $100
Uxbooth is into design. I figured that much out. The rest of their site is gibberish. For example, their “About us” page begins with these words,
“The UX Booth is a publication by and for the user experience community. Our readership consists mostly of beginning-to-intermediate user experience and interaction designers..”
What that means is anybody’s guess. it might be good for the user experience but it’s nigh useless if you were looking for a reading experience . Nevertheless, they offer you money to join them in the art of gibberish.
Uxbooth does not accept fully written drafts outright. Instead, they pair authors with editors in order to collaborate throughout the writing process. It works like this:
- You pitch a topic or idea that you’d like to share. Don’t be shy!
- If accepted, a development editor is assigned to you in order to help you develop your narrative in accordance with their style guide. The two of you discuss and evolve the idea until it’s ready to share.
- That’s it! Articles are usually published four-to-eight weeks after they’re initially pitched.
- They pay $100 per article.
Related Article: Go deeper and learn how to set yourself up as a freelancer online.
Know about other great writing gigs? Do these need updating? Speak up in the comments below.
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February 26, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Thanks for the list. Writing’s a great way to earn money when you find yourself sitting at home.
July 18, 2014 at 5:51 pm
Thanks Kiran. Hope you make some money out of it all!
November 15, 2015 at 6:03 am
Hi Sir i hope you will be good, i want to start online job, for the basic what is the best job, and how can i get money, For example if i am writing articles for some one how will he/she pay me ? i look forward to hearing from you. Thanks
April 22, 2016 at 4:47 pm
Your article was great. I write articles on animals, history and travel mainly. I made very good money submitting to Bubblews before they went out. I have also submitted to other sites.
I really need the money so could you let me know where I could submit my articles. I have submitted over 9000 articles to different sites over the last several years.
September 11, 2016 at 1:07 am
You can create a blog or website (for passive income and portfolio) and monetize it with revenuehits or infinity ads, then add a Hire Me button and advertise the blog or website for free on Craigslist or with pay on people’s websites with Google Adwords.
May 22, 2014 at 11:18 pm
thanks for the list.
July 18, 2014 at 5:43 pm
Thanks for the Thanks!
June 9, 2014 at 7:37 pm
I did not unerstand that how to make articles…………
June 10, 2014 at 8:34 am
Saif, article writing is a skill learned, like any other skill. To begin your learning I would suggest:
1. Write in the language you are most comfortable in. 2. Write about subjects you really like. 3. Read. Read all the time. Read the articles that are already being published online in the area you are most interested in.
Once you have a good knowledge of your subject and you have some ideas about where you might want to get published, hit me up for a chat. I will show you how to write up your article.
July 26, 2014 at 4:12 am
Hi David, this is quite informative and I must say the little knowledge I had about article-writing websites and their rates has greatly been improved. I have a request though, do you have any account that you can help me out with. I am a beginner, a year to be specific, and still in college.
November 27, 2014 at 2:25 pm
Fantastic stuff, I re-designed my site and the search rankings plummeted I have added you in my reading list, keep up the interesting work.
November 9, 2015 at 9:24 am
I am a Finance and business writer even though I can write about other subjects as well. How can I get going? Any work available or links?
November 9, 2015 at 9:35 am
You could try Penny Hoarder. Those are both large fields so it would depend on your particular niche.
June 21, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Sir, I Want suggestions for writing article. First of all I want to ask you that I could write articles on my behalf or suggested by authors. I want to ask u that I have many subjects on writing about god, soul and about the cause of birth of a man in side the world………………………. suggest me pls sir
June 21, 2014 at 8:57 pm
Hi Vaibhav,
I have emailed you a response to your questions. Let me know if I can help you some more.
July 18, 2014 at 5:40 pm
I recommend visiting one of the sites in this list.
July 18, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Hey Friends,
If you want to earn money by doing part time work, you can do it just by following these great business ideas.
100% trustworthy.
July 18, 2014 at 5:37 pm
Thanks for the feedback, Mahendra. Are you any relation to Niel?
July 19, 2014 at 12:14 pm
Sir thank u for listing links related to earning good amount of money from writing articles .Sir can u advice me how can i improve my writing skills.
Regards, GHUFRAN
July 19, 2014 at 12:27 pm
Practise is the key, Ghufran. Practise in your own language for your own people. Write about the things that you love in your own culture and community. You should also join a forum like Writers Digest and try and learn from other good writers.
July 22, 2014 at 7:34 pm
Hello, I want to write articles. I have never written any ,but I am in serious need of money. I want to do any online job and whatever the paying is. I am student in university. I hope sir you will help me.
I shall be thankful for your guidance. THANKS IN ADVANCE
July 22, 2014 at 7:57 pm
Asim, if you are new to writing and you want to make some money, you could comment writing. It’s easier than writing a whole article. You can sign up to Post Loop in the link toward the top of this page.
They pay money for writing comments. You will need to read the instructions and follow them carefully. But once you do, you can earn a little bit of money by writing comments online.
July 25, 2014 at 3:46 am
Hey David… I also want to earn online….plz recommend me a website so that I may start earning……
July 25, 2014 at 8:54 pm
If you are new to writing online, you might want to start with something fairly simple – commenting for money. You will find a link near the top of this article. If you feel confident, you could try signing up for scripted.com for single jobs that pay better, you could try Blogging Pro’s Job Board here: http://www.bloggingpro.com/jobs/
July 29, 2014 at 11:41 am
Awesome article! In my opinion, if you’re already writing, why not start a blog? A Blog is one of the most effective ways to make a long-term sustainable income online.
Blogging is HUGE! You just have to know how to tap into it correctly. I started a blog in the “cooking” niche which is my passion less than 6 months ago. I’ll admit, my first couple months we’re definitely a struggle. Luckily I found a “blogging success” blueprint so to speak, and ever since then, I’ve been averaging $200+ per day..and that’s without any of my own products. All through affiliate sales.
Once again, great article! I’ll be subscribing for more!
August 22, 2014 at 7:11 am
Hi, the comment that you post really grabs my intention since I’ve been struggling for years to earn money on the internet. Thanks so much, David.
August 22, 2014 at 1:42 pm
My pleasure Harold.
October 7, 2014 at 10:50 am
How did you manage to gain success? I’ve been thinking about starting a blog, in the hopes that I could get a full time career out of it, but I’m not sure where to begin!
There are so many blogs out there, so much that I can’t shake the doubt that nothing will come of it.
Your help would be much appreciated!
Cheers, Lisa
October 17, 2014 at 3:05 pm
Thanks a lot, i will be glad to help you let me know how.
May 12, 2017 at 9:24 pm
Please suggest best affiliate sites for the blog . I want to earn at least $5 per day through the blog . Also, tell which sites are best that gives money to comment.
August 2, 2014 at 1:22 am
This is a great website for my article writing needs.
August 2, 2014 at 8:11 pm
Thanks Gerald, glad you like it.
August 3, 2014 at 8:17 pm
I’m so happy to have come across your post. If possible, can you email so we can chat some more? I have been doing content writing for a while now, but I’m hoping to start taking it to the next level. I’d love advice from someone who is knowledgable in the industry.
Thanks in advance and I look forward to hearing from you.
August 3, 2014 at 10:10 pm
Happy to help if I can. Let me know what kind of questions you had and I will do my best.
August 11, 2014 at 6:25 am
Thank you for the great articles. You did a great job putting them together. Regina
August 13, 2014 at 9:38 pm
This article surely helps, thanks David.
August 19, 2014 at 6:58 pm
Are you looking for the best tool on the Internet these days? Are you looking how to make more money on the Internet? Do not waste your time ! Get it right now!
August 20, 2014 at 3:30 pm
Hi Sonia. No, not really looking for any tools. I find that I get plenty of tools leaving comments on the blog and don’t need to go looking for them.
August 20, 2014 at 7:15 am
Thanks for the tips! But I have a query. I submitted an article on What Culture but I think it is small. Will it be rejected because of the article being small?
August 20, 2014 at 3:28 pm
Hi Raajit. Glad you like the article. Though I am not a decision maker at What Culture, I have given it some thought and yes, your article will be published and you will go on to have an awesome career in publishing. You may even win a prize of some sort one day. Well done and congratulations in advance!
August 20, 2014 at 6:44 pm
David Sir, you are being funny. But thanks for the encouragement!
August 20, 2014 at 6:54 pm
Yes, Raajit, I was being funny because, without actually seeing the article – and since I do not own What Culture – I have no way of knowing whether they will accept it or not. If you want to send me a copy of the article I will be happy to take a look at it.
August 20, 2014 at 9:07 pm
Please give me your email id so I may sen you the article.
August 25, 2014 at 4:51 pm
Thanks for this site. This site really helpful to write article for every new writer.
August 27, 2014 at 5:47 pm
No worries Nahida. Good luck.
August 26, 2014 at 1:02 am
Hello am a full time writer can you recommend to me any client who has writing projects
August 27, 2014 at 5:45 pm
Hi Morris, check out some of those listed in the post. Also check out Pro Bloggers job listings.
August 31, 2014 at 7:44 am
Hi, Thanks for the list but do you have a site that one can just register and get articles to write?
November 17, 2015 at 7:11 pm
I have been freelance writing since August and have a lot of education background in science, graphic design and political science. I found some academic writing sites that pay very well for writers with a higher education.
There are others, but none pay as good as this one. The support is great and you can call them with any issues. I recommend this only for writers with a strong background in writing academic essays. There is no startup fee but you will need to provide a transcript to prove your educational ability prior to bidding and sending proposals.
After a week I had 10+ invitations to write daily. I’m supporting my family and enjoying more time at home. Best of luck everyone, stick with it!
June 7, 2017 at 9:26 am
Hi , i want to write on some topics related to science and human moral development.what may be the best site for me in order to start writing and earning money as early as possible.
September 5, 2014 at 9:57 am
Some of these sites are fine – Cracked in particular is great – but I would be really careful about promoting WhatCulture to anyone.
I’ve heard some real horror stories from many, many people about them. They have a history of plagiarism, which they went to great lengths to cover up. They’ve lied about job descriptions so that they can trick people into doing free work for them. They’ve withheld pay from their writers and refused to pay others all that they are owed.
Maybe if you want to get a tiny amount of cash for an article titled ‘Best Sex Scenes Evah’ they’re fine, but otherwise I wouldn’t risk being exploited.
September 5, 2014 at 10:10 am
Never! Thanks for the feedback. We update this list all the time to keep it useful. If you find a site that’s reliable, let us know.
June 1, 2015 at 11:59 pm
Couldn’t agree more. I have never written for them but, having seen friends do so, I have spoken to them about the possibility. They were the most childish, unprofessional people I have ever interacted with. Petty nerds, quite frankly. Since then, my friends have either left or been forced to leave their writing duties because of the incompetence and harshness of the idiots in charge. Matt (editor in chief) is an idiot in particular. Peter is also a moron.
June 2, 2015 at 6:40 am
Thanks Ellie. I think it’s time I gave WhatCulture the boot. If you know of a good alternative, let me know.
September 17, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Really an inspiring article with earning keys…. thank you…. I want to know that I am from India.may I earn through these sites…. ? With regards… let me know sir…
September 21, 2014 at 4:22 pm
This list is like a treasure to the writers. They will surely enjoy this list. I would like to ask one question. Why did you mentioned the name as “Watch Culture” in your list when its real name is “What Culture”. I didn’t got that. Is there any specific reason behind it or it’s just a typo?
September 28, 2014 at 10:33 pm
I am a homemaker,currently i do surveys online and earn 2 to 3000 per month. I am looking for some better options to earn more will you please guide me.
October 7, 2014 at 10:53 am
This is awesome, thanks for the information!
Just wondering, what do you think is the best way to get my blog successful enough to pay the bills? Have I got a better shot posting articles for these companies, or running a blog myself?
October 23, 2014 at 9:01 am
Lisa, It depends on the niche your blog is in – and how competitive the niche and how you monetise it. Yes, you can make a good income writing for others, and in many ways it is less stressful – once you have the client base. Then again, building up your own online writing business or blog can be very rewarding.
Give us a shout if you would like to have a chat about your particular situation.
November 8, 2014 at 9:15 pm
I was leaning towards health and fitness. Unfortunately this is an extremely common subject, so if I end up having a go at this, I need to find a new and interesting way to portray it… to seperate myself from all the other fitness bloggers.
Any help/advice would be great.
November 11, 2014 at 8:06 am
You are right. The niche is highly competitive and standing out is hard. You have a couple of options, but both require the same precision. You could start your own blog or you could write for others.
One involves you marketing yourself to targeted (and well developed) websites, the other involves you marketing your own website and then finding a way to monetize it.
The precision issue is this: You need to narrow your niche interest down to one, or three elements at the most.
Sit down and come up with a list of all topics related to your interest. Health and fitness is generic, competition too high. So you want to aim at just one niche market in that industry.
For example, your speciality might be:
Women’s Fitness Programs. You could review and recommend them – a nice affiliate opportunity right there.
Weight Training for Women Exercising from Home Fitness training for mums…
You could even get more specific: Weight Training for Mums at Home (Ewk! – but again, a nice affiliate opportunity there). Belly Gym for Working Women – Entirely focused on one aspect of fitness and health, say, Daily exercise tips for working women that help maintain a figure.
The key factor is this – be precise. Start within a very narrow niche and become an authority on it. Then build from there once you begin having success. Become the Belly Gym Expert for working women.
There is a great angle right there – feel free to use it! I see that, amazingly, the domain is available – it’s a great short, easy to remember domain name and business title – quick grab it before I do! [www.bellygym.com]
All the best, Lisa.
October 12, 2014 at 9:57 pm
Thanks for the heads up. This is my first venture into writing an article. Can you suggest a site(s) where I can be able to practice and have my “work” assessed?
Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
October 23, 2014 at 9:03 am
Most sites won’t give you a lot of helpful feedback unless they know you well. Most times it will simply be yes or no to your submission.
You can send your article to me for assessment if you like and I will be happy to direct you to the most likely sites to publish your work.
November 11, 2014 at 1:15 am
Hi. I am student of 11 grade. And I wanna make my self fully equipped with English writing. So, I was suggested to put my glance on this website and you get every thing. I expect that you will email me with warm welcome. Regards. Abdul Rafio Memon.
October 13, 2014 at 3:32 pm
The above mentioned 10 sites is great collections. It is helpful for writer to make money writing articles.
November 11, 2014 at 1:19 am
Sadia, if someone wants to improve his writing skills then which websites are best. Regards
November 7, 2014 at 4:01 pm
Nice List! One new site is NichePage. It is similar to Zujava and HubPages but it is completely focused on sharing information about amazon products and each page is structured for products alone.
November 10, 2014 at 4:26 am
sir I like to earn money by article writing and registration. please provide me guideline. thanks.
December 5, 2014 at 7:28 am
Subscribed and really enjoyed reading this post! I am sure you have other posts that give your readers some tips about the many differences to article submission guidelines, right! Probably it’s great practice to get your first articles approved by ezine articles or hub-pages (guess one of my last rushed works I wanted to add to hub-pages wasn’t approved uuh ooh) to have happy readers. Please let me know about these. I would also like to share this or any other post or article you would recommend with my “How To Make Money Online Newsletter Readers? Please let me know! Thanks again for your work! Respectfully, Oliver Ohene-Dokyi
December 7, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Awesome list. I would like to recommend one more that pays you for guest blogging. Web Tool Hub.
December 15, 2014 at 1:57 am
Thanks for this article. I have been searching for information on this topic for a while and your article has encouraged me to get started writing.
December 18, 2014 at 6:35 pm
Online business is all about the content. If content is king for your website you will do OK.
December 21, 2014 at 9:45 am
Thanks a lot David.
March 4, 2015 at 7:04 pm
Now a day’s content writing is not an easy affair for everyone due to high competition and due to plagiarism matter. It needs creativity and mind power. There are a numerous websites are coming to the internet everyday and those sites needs fresh and unique contents. Writing articles online can provide you money and fame. yes you are right there are a number of sites who are providing enough money for articles to add their site. That’s why freelancer content writers are getting enough writing projects with lots of money.
March 11, 2015 at 9:56 pm
I love writing and I am from Nigeria. Thank you for this great help.
March 15, 2015 at 8:09 pm
My pleasure David.
March 17, 2015 at 1:22 am
Great article! Thanks a lot David.
March 23, 2015 at 12:09 am
Hi David, I would like to write on issues like meditation and self healing. Could you please suggest something ?
April 5, 2015 at 3:06 pm
Really I am highly impressed to learn about make money online by reading your blog! I pray to almighty that you can grow up more and more and share your knowledge among us. By the way do you have anything special on your blog about oDesk Tests? looking forward to your reply.
April 11, 2015 at 11:57 am
Hi Odesk. What an unusual name you have. Thanks for your comments.
April 22, 2015 at 7:15 pm
Hi Sir I have read over 150 books in past 4 years and my thirst for reading didn’t end so I started reading articles and then began writing short stories. Here I found your blog which really spurred me to take a step further. To earn through writing.
May 2, 2015 at 6:18 pm
Nice list, good work, my question is have you ever tried one of this ways of article writing?
May 10, 2015 at 6:38 am
G’day, Hitesh. Yes, I have. It is hard work, but once you get a foot in the door it becomes easier.
May 2, 2015 at 9:43 pm
David, really a good work done by you. I am also interesting in write articles. Thanks for your help.
May 10, 2015 at 12:12 pm
I also want to start something in article writing but I am not getting a start
May 21, 2015 at 4:59 am
Hi David, Thank you, I need a piece of advice I have good experience of writing essays, reports, articles and dissertations for universities in UK and Australia. I want to make it big. I will appreciate if you could guide me through. Thank you, Sonu Sran
June 15, 2015 at 6:34 am
At The Daily Heckle, we pay between £10 and £20 for articles. We’d love to be on this list.
June 15, 2015 at 8:09 am
Hi Malcolm, thanks for stopping by. That sounds doable. Check you inbox for my email.
June 19, 2015 at 3:10 pm
Hi David, Thanks for your information. It really will be very helpful for me. I was helpless thinking what have to do. But now I’m thinking there are something by which I can start.
June 28, 2015 at 9:15 am
THANKS for the list David!! Did I say thank you?…THANKS A MILL!! 😀
July 1, 2015 at 5:23 pm
This is a very useful list of content writing websites that pay upfront payments. On top of that, as Lisa has suggested, a writer should not overlook the option of setting up his/her own blog, and using Adsense monetization. Blogspot and WordPress are the most popular free blogging platforms. Or use IZEA and other websites where a writer can find sponsored article opportunities. I am amazed with the fact that Penny Hoarder can pay up to $800 or What Culture up to $700, for a single article, as you have mentioned! Is it how incremental payments add up? Of course, I wouldn’t even try Ceramics.org, since I am totally ignorant on this topic. This is regardless of how much I would be tempted to write a 5,000-word article for the incredible amount of $950. This is definitely a niche market. Perhaps another established market for online writers is Constant Content, as it has been testified by writers that make a decent income there.
July 1, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Thanks for the tip on Constant Content, Barge.
July 2, 2015 at 2:51 am
It all sound good. A bit complicated but good.
July 13, 2015 at 4:26 am
Thank you for the insightful article. I’m impressed at your willingness to help and give advice to those who request it and that’s why I have decided to seek your help and guidance.
I’ve been blogging for 7 months now and while making money isn’t my primary focus yet I was wondering if you could guide me on how to carve a niche for myself writing football articles and also on how to make money writing sport articles. Writing football is my passion.
Many Thanks
July 13, 2015 at 9:33 am
Hi Paul, I have replied with some suggestions to your email address. Give me a shout if I can be more helpful.
July 13, 2015 at 7:50 pm
Dear David Sir ,
It is very nice thought “writing” Please suggest a site , who purchase online my articles . I think its is very nice idea of self employment. In our mind so many thoughts of our brain every minute and every second , so it’s nice thing writing and earn something for our family.
July 19, 2015 at 8:00 am
I was just looking at your Best Article Writing Sites for Earning Money Online website and see that your site has the potential to get a lot of visitors. I just want to tell you, In case you didn’t already know… There is a website service which already has more than 16 million users, and most of the users are looking for topics like yours. By getting your site on this service you have a chance to get your site more visitors than you can imagine.
July 23, 2015 at 10:37 am
I am interested in writing articles on God and faith. Are there any websites that are interested in Spiritual uplifting and do they pay?
I also have a handbag business. Do you think I can write articles about women’s handbags.
July 28, 2015 at 1:06 am
nice article David. I want to start a food and relationship blog but don’t really know how to start. Pls i need ur help. I’v also writen some poems. Is there a way i can make money with that? Cheers!
August 13, 2015 at 3:28 pm
I just started writing articles and so looking for some good websites to publish my articles online and hence earn money out of it and also a number of visitors as well. I would like you guys to suggest me to go through some best article publishing sites.
August 13, 2015 at 8:20 pm
Respected David sir It is really great and awesome that, we got a website to narrate our thoughts and develop our writing skills .Iam really having a great passion and enthusiasm to write different articles in English on different topics,so that if you would help me in edifying my request and passion, I would be enough and more satisfied in my life. looking forward to your reply by Tony
August 14, 2015 at 5:08 am
Sir David Writing is a wonderful skill to attract people according to their mental requirements. The difficulty is how to judge the mind of the people; whether, your written stuff will have impact on their mind or not. Is there any suitable gauge exist to determine the liking of audience before writing our stuff or consulting others?
August 28, 2015 at 10:15 pm
This was very useful. I am currently taking some time off work and was exploring writing opportunities online, and came across your article. I have been writing for a while now but have never published anything (online). I have done a lot of report writing, case studies and success stories for organizations working in the development sector. I am working on a research article nowadays and hoping to have it published some time in the near future.I was wondering if you could provide any direction regarding sports websites that are in need of freelance writers. It is an area of interest and I think I may be able to contribute.
September 5, 2015 at 1:34 am
Hi David, I’m glad I have come across your site 🙂 it seems vey helpful indeed. My aim is to earn money through online writing. I have written several articles and I want to send you one of them to you for assessment if it is possible. Thanks in advance Cheers, Marwa
September 6, 2015 at 8:35 am
i am a newbie and above website seems high ranked. can you suggest me some other website from where i can start as a newbie
September 8, 2015 at 5:42 pm
love what you are doing sir, thanks a lot.. I am into writing short stories and would like to ask if there is a site that you could recommend, thanks once again
September 10, 2015 at 8:03 am
This is really informative. Thanks and keep up the good work
September 11, 2015 at 11:47 pm
Thanks Nick. I hope you find some success from one of these sites.
September 11, 2015 at 11:49 pm
Thanks Nick. Hope you find a site worth writing for.
September 10, 2015 at 9:13 am
Sir, i want to earn money by writing articles, but i don,t know the procedure of it. Kindly tell me how can i registered myself and how can i get articles topic for writing?what should i do for it?
September 11, 2015 at 11:46 pm
Hi Hussain, use the list in this post to find a good article writing site. Make sure you choose a site that writes about the things you like.
September 12, 2015 at 7:08 am
Hello friends,
I am a blog writer and article I am going to start write where I can earn after posting blogs, articles and comments, likes, reviews, etc on each and every thing you will get a flight point which will convert in to money and that will be paid by cheque. This is very easy way to earn money by working from home. By writing blogs and articles you can earn money for writing.
September 13, 2015 at 11:49 pm
Thanks for dropping by, Vipin. All the best with your writing.
September 15, 2015 at 4:47 pm
G’day Erik. Glad you found it helpful. All the best with your money making efforts and your writing clients.
September 19, 2015 at 5:50 pm
Hello…this has lots of information. Thanks for such nice article.
September 25, 2015 at 7:06 pm
Sir, I have read all these suggestions, which websites that hire writers to post about computer games and hardware /software technology would you recommend?
September 26, 2015 at 5:15 pm
Faraz, I would start with Dev Tutorials, Tutts and SitePoint, depending on your niche.
October 2, 2015 at 10:51 pm
Please can you help and guide me to how to start my own blog? I have lived in Africa spent a lot of years in Asia. I have a huge experience on what life is all about in these parts of the world. I have mingled with the locals and seen a lot. Thanks
October 6, 2015 at 10:21 am
Hi Nathan. Sure, happy to help. What kind of help did you want?
September 27, 2015 at 1:55 am
This Article is very helpful and informative.
Please can you tell me the sites in which I can write Articles on Football. I’m a huge Arsenal Fan 🙂 and I can write short or long Article about Arsenal or about English Premier league. I have been watching EPL for the last 5 years.
Even though I don’t have any experience in writing Articles….
But I believe in myself. I have been practising on writing Articles for about 3 months now.
Just need an opportunity….so can you tell me any site other than Watch Culture where I can write Articles on Football and can make decent amount of money..
September 29, 2015 at 9:35 pm
Syed, you could get a regular gig on gfe sport. Even if they don’t pay you, you would get exposure that helps you fill out your resume. Email them. If you do well, then you will be able to point to those articles when talking to paying gig sites – they always ask for published samples.
September 30, 2015 at 12:32 am
Okay. Thanks for the help David. I’ll try it out.
September 30, 2015 at 6:51 am
After searching for information on writing online and only finding sketchy results, this list of actual paying sites instead of craigslist click bait was quite refreshing.
I’m 23, and I graduated with an English degree last year. I am confident in my writing ability; I only need to learn how to write for the online market. Is it really that simple? Just write and submit to these sites? Or are there other things to learn, like the proper citation format for sources and links in your article, how to write a query letter, maintaining/knowing your rights….I noticed that most authors/bloggers have a personalized “signature” or banner at the bottom of their article, along with their email and picture. Are these provided from the site, or are they made and coded by the authors? I understand making a blog is crucial to creating an online presence, but I’m wary of spending too much of my time writing for free. I’m not looking to make a living at the moment; I just need a second income. I’m in Canada, if location makes any difference. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you,
October 6, 2015 at 10:34 am
Hi Mel. If you just want to earn a little extra in your spare time then writing for others is ideal. You don’t have to worry about having or maintaining a website. As far as writing for free goes, your blog is an investment. It’s a property. Every link that points to it and every bit of good quality content that you write on it is increasing its value in real monetary terms. So, if you love to write, you are not really writing for free. You are increasing the value of your site with every article.-
September 30, 2015 at 5:10 pm
Hi, David! An excellent article you have here! I’m sure it’ll help many other people (sure did give me a lot of information).
My question is; what do you think about sites that pay you per view/share/like and so on? I’m talking about sites like HubPages, Bubblews etc. I’m sure you know about them. Apparently, they pay 1 cent ($0.1) per view or something similar. Do you think it is possible to expose articles written for them enough to earn a significant amount of money? Some sites pay for ad clicks as well (like HubPages). Do you think it’s worth the time, or not? I’ve been doing some research, and I found many people who claimed to have earned $300~$900 as ‘passive’ income through such sites.
Thanks for giving your time to read this. Regards, K. Joshi
October 6, 2015 at 10:32 am
Sites like that tend to have a small handful of users who are genuinely making money, the rest of us are just propping up the site with all our hard work and articles. It’s not the way for a serious writer to go if they want to put bread on the table. Aim high.
October 14, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Thanks for the list. There are innumerable opportunities available these days for on line content writing but this goes without saying that the content should original and fresh enough so as it brings a good deal of traffic on your website.
October 21, 2015 at 10:24 pm
hi, I’m new to the writing world but would love to make some money online, what advice and / or suggestion would you give
October 29, 2015 at 3:39 pm
Thank you so much David.
November 5, 2015 at 10:23 am
No worries, Shanu. I hope you find a site you can write for and make a profit from. Good luck.
November 5, 2015 at 12:23 am
Your article is very helpful for me. I will follow your instruction. Thank you.
November 5, 2015 at 10:21 am
HI Habib, thanks for your feedback. All the best.
November 10, 2015 at 9:01 am
In my view, earning money online depends on how much traffic you will be able to generate for your blog. Super targeted traffic is essential if you are going to be able to make your money via online.
November 14, 2015 at 10:33 am
Hello, sir i am from india i want to know that if i am living in india. So can i writing for cracked.com or some other site from india. Please reply me sir… Thank you
November 17, 2015 at 10:58 am
Thanks for providing such great value information. Sharon.
November 21, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Halo Sir, Really Tnx for your article. It is really very helpful. I have a ques in my mind and i would like to ask you that. Is there any site where i can post article about any subjects and if it is choosen then they will pay? The name of the sites you have mentioned are quite good about choosing there own criteria and then writing about that,but i am lookin for a site that is open for all. I would really be grateful if u kindly ans my ques. Eagerly waiting to hear from you.Tnx.
December 1, 2015 at 12:18 am
Thank you so much for compiling this 🙂
It’s nice to know I don’t have to settle for .005 cents per every 1000 views like a lot if theseller ridiculous sites .
December 1, 2015 at 9:32 pm
Thanks Nicole. Yes, you can earn a living writing, but you have to start strong and really bring focus to all of your marketing and content – not just the content you create.
December 1, 2015 at 6:52 am
Oh….I am very grateful to find your article since I was looking for the way to earn money through my writing skills. I do hope that I can prove that earning from home is true, since nobody (around me) could not believe that. Thank you, David. Hope the best for you.
Regard Made Sandat
December 2, 2015 at 9:08 am
Thanks for sharing this list! It provides an opportunity for the budding Indian writers to share their articles with thousands of our visitors and start publishing.
December 4, 2015 at 6:06 pm
Hello Sir , Is there something for students willing to earn money through their writing skills as well ? You know for many of us writing and reading is not just a passion anymore , it is salvation.
December 5, 2015 at 12:57 am
A really helpful article, all told. As a international university student in the UK, I have wanted to pursue a part-time income for a while now. While I have little skill in writing, I am an absolute beginner at it’s online equivalent and was hoping you could advise me on how to start out.
Is there any particular site you could recommend for me? Or at least a place to test the waters and find my own niche with a few articles?
December 6, 2015 at 10:35 am
Hello Sir, Sir could you please help me out? Actually I want to write articles but I want to be given specific topics. Please suggest me some site. The topics can be absolutely anything. I’m sure I can write them. I hope you’d consider this. Thanking you.
December 12, 2015 at 2:36 pm
Hi David I want to earn by writing.I can write well about women’s issues and other related things and also about current issues.But Iam not able to understand how to start and to send them please help me out. Thank you
December 12, 2015 at 3:17 pm
Hi i know very well about College Humour, just now understand with this article there are so many site like this, as you mention, firstly will try with Wow Women on Writing site, thanks for sharing.
December 13, 2015 at 8:53 am
Thanks. Writing is really an underestimated source of revenue.
December 14, 2015 at 7:46 am
you can write your articles for Redgage and this site will pay you money for your content. So that you can earn life long for your article.
December 22, 2015 at 8:10 am
I wanted the article writing job to earn money and please help me how to submit the article.
December 17, 2015 at 10:15 am
I prefer Earn Honey to make money from home by playing games .
December 23, 2015 at 12:04 am
Loved it. Some really good points in there. Cheers, have a great day
January 1, 2016 at 9:56 am
Thank you for this great information Am a Kenyan,funny,social and got this love to write and finaly start a blog someday.I intend to start writing for pay.How will i get my money given i that i got my bank account in a kenyan bank?
January 25, 2016 at 1:17 pm
Hi sir I want you to suggest me some sites where I can able to publish articles on Indian society and other social causes and also some of my single lines quotes. So that I can make money from them and can enjoy my studies too
February 4, 2016 at 3:06 am
Hmm, sorry Gourav. Not being Indian myself, I have limited knowledge on writing on Indian Society. You could try Life Hack.
January 29, 2016 at 10:59 am
Please help me. I want to make income by writting on internet.What first step do i take?
February 4, 2016 at 2:59 am
John, take a look at the sites on offer at the top of this post.
January 29, 2016 at 8:38 pm
Hi David, really like your article!!
I currently write for two of SB Nation’s blogs and cover Spanish football, but I’m not being paid – and my search for websites that take paid contributors has been futile.
Would really appreciate any help 😀
Thank you!!
February 4, 2016 at 2:57 am
Sarthak – I have 200 sites available for download – take a look at the top of this article for the link.
February 10, 2016 at 9:15 am
David, could you add my website http://www.ewriticle.com to your list. I am paying up to Rs300 for each article.
March 14, 2016 at 5:33 pm
David , really article writing on website is best online job.Nowadays it became popular in young generation.your website is really better than other.I have a site on online jobs.
March 24, 2016 at 11:02 am
Very nice and informative site. Thanks.
March 25, 2016 at 10:19 am
How can I commence content writing to earn money.
May 14, 2016 at 6:51 pm
Hi, Great Cover Article. People should follow your tips to make money. Passive Money Ideas to submit Article on Making Money Online.
May 22, 2016 at 9:58 am
When you’re just getting started to make your own home business, you need to sit down and think. You should also write down what you need to do, just so you can reference your notes later. You’ll need notes, because if you want to start a business, there’s a lot of things you need to consider.
What are my skills? What are my talents? What can I do to make money? Those are just a few of the many questions you should ask yourself. You need to know what your skills are, just like you need to know your talents. If you can combine those two elements together, you’ll have a way to start generating ideas for a business opportunity.
June 15, 2016 at 3:51 pm
Hi…. I m a home maker.I like work from home…can u please help me ..how to write and how the user will pay amount .what i should do?
June 15, 2016 at 5:45 pm
Hii……im a home maker i like to do work can u help ..what are the steps to follow….how tey will pay amount …to me? If i finish work…say me clearly
June 16, 2016 at 8:36 am
You doing really a good job. I have got so many tips from your article. Thanks.
David, I like writing about philosophy, time travel, all that stuff related to human existence, how human were created, who created us. If God created us were did they go, were they people from another solar system, another Galaxy, witches, superstition, ghost, spirit, life after death, metaphysics, the beauty of nature. I write about how I feel when the cold wind passes by me touching every part of me, and the moon struggling hard to shine as bright as she can despite of the dark cloud making all their effort to cover the moon. The sun, the running river, etc, etc. All this stuff which people don’t talk much about. All my writing are only thoughts that run through my mind. I don’t have strong evidence to prove my thoughts and that’s what make me not to publish my articles. I try searching for the niche familiar to my writing’s. But I find none. Do you think , there will be a niche related to such topics. If yes, please do let me know. Yes, I too can write article on any niche if I give time and research on it. But, my priority goes to the above outline I mention which is very rare in the world of Internet I guess. Thank you.
best regards Krishna Chhetry.
June 19, 2016 at 5:57 pm
sir I am Vishal. I wanna earn money online. I know that I can earn money by blogging,creating site or by writing article. But I am not understanding what should i choose? How to start? How shall I get money. Plz help me sir. I shall be thankful to you.
June 21, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Thank you for sharing this info 🙂
Best regards, Errol Muller
August 7, 2016 at 4:57 pm
Hi, As you know, Paypal doesn’t support some countries. Do you know some websites which pay online money with alternative payment methods? If yes, I will be very grateful to send their list to my email address. thanks
August 12, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Hi, after reading your article, I have been boosted up and want to do something which I have been afraid of…I am into writing poetry a lot and fiction is my interest. I have started a wordpress blog and posting into it whenever I can and so I want to know, what should I do with my poetic talent to start earning money.
September 7, 2016 at 12:56 am
Hmmm, wish I had good news, Graham. Most Poets don’t make their money until they are returned to the dust from whence they came.
August 15, 2016 at 5:01 pm
Its one of the best posts full of good resources on writing content. I have not visited all of the sites yet but I am going to check them all one by one. Thank you so much.
August 25, 2016 at 9:50 pm
Great information. God bless you!
August 26, 2016 at 9:42 pm
Amazing Content!! Making money from home is made so simple now and days! i didnt have a penny to my name last year, and i currently make 1,500 a month from the simple steps given by David at Mallee Blue Media. This is a great company to learn self development, entrepreneurship, and how to generate an extra income!!
September 1, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Great content is an essential need for every website. I was really upset and discouraged when I wasn’t getting good traffic due to my bad content for my website readers. I found an agent who provides awesome contents for my website. Now I enjoy traffic with ease and joy because I know I have audience who will be reading. I have been using his writing services for sometimes now and he is the best so far.
September 10, 2016 at 12:12 am
This is just the sort of straight forward points I love to see!
It makes things clear and great to understand Thaniks 🙂
September 10, 2016 at 4:04 am
Most of online business is about affiliate marketing and ecommerce but there is almost no leverage because there is lots of hard work involved and everybody know that it’s tough to make money that way. Anyone can spend a bit of time understanding the new business model and make money effortlessly regardless you’re newbie or not.
October 15, 2016 at 4:08 am
Thanks for the writing site update. Finding a site that pays well is difficult for all writers, you shed a bit of light on the subject.
October 20, 2016 at 2:42 pm
No problem, Marlene. Glad it was helpful.
December 13, 2016 at 4:10 pm
I want to write my articles considering fashion and lifestyle will that well go with this online site
January 17, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Thank for the list. It’s amazing when we can stay home and still make money right? I love that so much.
January 20, 2017 at 1:17 pm
I gained a lot of insight after reading your article. I am going to redesign my website in the light of what you have said. Thanks.
January 28, 2017 at 12:39 am
What’s up, all is going perfectly here and of course every one is sharing facts, that’s really excellent, keep up writing.
February 20, 2017 at 7:27 pm
It really is truly a nice useful part of facts. I am just thankful you contributed this useful info along with us.. free business training Remember to keep us updated like that. Many thanks for expressing.
March 8, 2017 at 6:41 am
Thanks a lot for this article. Very useful David.
March 11, 2017 at 3:20 pm
So do links from Twitter activity now contribute for search engine optimisation? I was told they do after the Panda Google algorithm update Will surely be coming back, its a great blog!
March 15, 2017 at 4:22 am
Hey! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche.
Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a wonderful job!
March 27, 2017 at 11:32 pm
Hi David, Thanks a lot for the guidance through that article, That is so much informative. I want to write stories and articles on life,travel,sales thought process etc but i don’t have that much good communication skill for English. I want to know is that possible to write those articles or stories in Hindi as well to earn some money and fame if I am capable to. If you have any suggestion for this query kindly mail me. that would be so nice of you.
March 30, 2017 at 7:53 pm
Hey Harry, take a look at the ebook of over 200 sites or use one of the 10 listed here. Find a subject you enjoy writing about nad try these sites. You can also let me know what your interests are and maybe I can help you with your first article.
March 30, 2017 at 7:59 pm
David, I am not a professional writer but on regular bases I try to write something new related to Life,relation,career,politics etc. My max blogs or stories are about relationships and politics.
March 30, 2017 at 10:40 pm
Interesting piece of writing. I will be joining some of these websites. Thank You, even if I am late.
April 10, 2017 at 4:13 pm
Inside the top 10 of my favourite posts, thankyou!
April 14, 2017 at 7:45 pm
hai!! I know Hw to write a movie of social life bt has no one to help me. Now think I have an idea ..
April 18, 2017 at 10:25 pm
Thanks for the article! I’m a teacher in China (from the US), and I’m looking for ways to supplement my salary because I only actually work about 20 hours a week. I have lots of time to do other work, but my contract prohibits me from taking on tutoring and the like.
Anyway, I realized I can get away with working online, and I’ve been looking for a venue ever since. I considered Textbrokers, and I may try that approach, but I wasn’t aware that there are more substantial opportunities out there for entry-level freelancing until I read your article. I tend to underestimate myself and overestimate the competition, but I’m realizing that I likely have a good chance of making some money and enjoying writing. I wrote some feature articles in magazines in the past, and I have a degree in English. Even though it’s been a while, I suppose the sort of writing you suggest would actually be doable for me.
Another option I considered is technical writing of some sort. Do you know of any entry-level opportunities?
Thanks, again, for the heads-up!
May 26, 2017 at 6:59 pm
Jared, thanks for your comments and feedback. I think writing is a good way to earn a living, but it does take time to build up a convincing portfolio. All the best.
April 24, 2017 at 10:12 pm
Hi there, These are the really very good article sites. i want to start writing, these sites will really help me out. Thanks
May 23, 2017 at 8:49 pm
Hi there! This blog post couldn’t be written much better! Looking through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept preaching about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he’ll have a great read. Thak you for sharing!
May 25, 2017 at 2:51 am
Being a new bird , it takes a lot of time to understand the proper road to reach at the destination , but your information is truly precious. I am from India and have started my work as a reviewer. Thanks
May 26, 2017 at 6:51 pm
Hey Deepak, glad it was helpful.
June 13, 2017 at 10:22 am
Am I the only one who only sees 4/10 here? Where are the other 6 websites?
June 13, 2017 at 11:04 am
Yes, Lou, you are the only one. Everybody else clicked either Like, Tweet or Google +1 – 😉
June 27, 2017 at 6:38 am
SEO has never really had a proper home. Because it’s technical, it’s best suited for workers who have learnt the business and have practical experience. This can be quite rare with a lot of professionals though.
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Get Paid to Write — Top 17 Sites Plus Proven Freelance Strategies
by Matt Matasci
Contributor
Getting paid to write may sound easy, but the reality is a little more complicated. Freelance writing can be hard to break into, and the pay can be low (or nonexistent) for beginners.
The trick is to get your first few articles or creative pieces published and then use them to score bigger clients and better pay. And even if long-term freelancing isn’t your goal, building a portfolio that showcases your published work can bolster your career as a writer or subject-matter expert.
However, publishing those first few pieces is typically the hardest part of your writing journey. To help, we’ve compiled several places where you can get paid to write now. We’ve also included tried-and-true techniques to allow you to grow as a writer and, ideally, make more money writing in the long-term.
Get Paid to Write for Flat-Rate Websites, Blogs and More
If you’re new to freelance writing, one of the first things you may notice is how opaque the whole process is. Websites, blogs and publications often rely on armies of freelancers, but their contributor guidelines and pay are often nowhere to be found.
Instead of diving straight into negotiations with editors about assignments and pay, first try to find a site or publication that has a straightforward process for contributors so that you know exactly what they’re looking for and how much they’re paying. (We’ll cover pitching and negotiating further below.)
Ready to make money writing online? Here are 20 sites to try pitching:
1. Copyhackers
Copyhackers is a content company based in Canada. It provides educational materials to help new copywriters as well as paid opportunities for writers to publish lengthy articles on Copyhackers’ blog.
Its submission guidelines are clear: You should be well versed in the topic that you’re pitching. And you should expect to be writing blog posts that are 2,000 words or more “unless it’s extremely wonderfully amazingly readable reading.”
Pay : $300 to $1,000 per blog post
Categories/Topics: Advertising, branding, UX (User Experience) or marketing concepts; freelance lifestyle or advice; entrepreneurship
2. Listverse
As its name implies, Listverse specializes in listicles aka list posts. These are highly clickable posts where each main point is part of a numbered list (sort of like the article you’re reading right now!).
The contributor guidelines mention that you can write articles related to “any topic you like” — sports, self-help, personal stories, or gaming excluded — so long as it’s interesting, well-researched and in the form of a list of at least 10 with two paragraphs per listing.
To narrow that down ever so slightly, the website is broken into several topics: bizarre, entertainment, general knowledge, lifestyle, science, society and more. Your articles should roughly pertain to those areas.
Note: Listverse will only pay freelance writers via PayPal.
Pay: $100 per list post
Categories/Topics: Bizarre, entertainment, general knowledge, lifestyle, science, society and more
3. Narratively
To understand what type of articles Narratively publishes, look no further than its tagline: “Human stories, boldly told.” All sections of the website are open to submissions. Just be sure that your story is longform, gripping and has strong narrative elements.
For an in-depth breakdown of the different sections and story types, read Narratively’s submission guidelines . You’ll need a Submittable account to send in your draft.
Pay: $300 to $400 per article
Categories/Topics: Personal essays, extraordinary high school sports stories, unexpected family businesses, hidden history, and reported articles with a narrative, human-interest approach
4. Reader’s Digest
Reader’s Digest needs no introduction. But what you probably didn’t know is that it offers one of the funnest and low-risk ways to get paid to write.
But instead of swinging straight for the big leagues with a front-cover feature story, you can submit jokes and micro-stories to Reader’s Digest, which will publish them online and in the print magazine. If your submission is selected, you’ll get $100 a pop. (That’s among the highest per-word rates in the industry.)
Be sure to follow the appropriate guidelines for jokes and 100-word true stories .
Categories/Topics: Jokes or true personal stories (100 words or fewer)
50 Ways to Make Extra Money This Month
5. Unemploymentville
According to its website, Unemploymentville is “a place for anyone who has felt the sting of being out of work.”
It also happens to be a place you can write guest blog posts if you have interesting small-business ideas, helpful job-searching techniques or personal stories about dealing with job loss.
Unemploymentville accepts submissions every other month. You can only submit stories in January, March, May, July, September, and November.
Pay: $25 to $75 per blog post
Categories/Topics: Unemployment, job hunting, side hustles, personal essays related to finding work
6. Writer’s Digest
Writer’s Digest is a century-old magazine dedicated to publishing “everything writers need to stay inspired, to improve their craft, to understand the unique challenges of publishing today, and to get their work noticed.”
According to the submission guidelines , Writer’s Digest accepts submissions for a variety of sections of the magazine, and it occasionally accepts cold pitches for guest posts online.
Pay: 30 to 50 cents per word (print); or $50 to $100 (online)
Categories/Topics: Personal essays, memoirs manuscripts and feature stories of interest to the writing community
RankPay specializes in providing business solutions with services like PPC, content marketing, and website design.
According to the Blogger Program submission guidelines , RankPay accepts article submissions that are useful, well-written, actionable, and of course 100% original content. It takes about 2 weeks for a response once you submit an article; not all submissions will receive a response.
Pay: $50 per blog post
Categories/Topics: SEO, content marketing, small business
8. B. Michelle Pippin
Michelle Pippin is the founder and CEO of Women Who WOW, an organization of women entrepreneurs. Writers with first-hand business experience can earn money by being published on the company blog or through a private newsletter.
Pippin requires hires writers with actual first-hand business experience, particularly on topics relating to women entrepreneurs. You’ll earn more money if your article is published in the members-only print newsletter, though it can never be republished elsewhere.
Pay: $50-$150 per blog post
Categories/Topics: First-hand business experience, marketing and profit “hacks”
Get Paid to Write Using Freelance Websites
To diversify your income as a freelance writer, you can also sign up for freelance marketplaces, sometimes referred to as content mills. For these types of freelance websites , there’s typically some kind of screening process involved before you start working with clients.
Sometimes the companies will feed freelance gigs to you, and you can accept or decline them. Other times clients will reach out to you personally through the marketplace’s messaging system. Payment varies by marketplace, but it is always funneled through the marketplace instead of coming directly from the client.
Freelance marketplaces are a low-risk way to test the waters as a freelance writer, but they aren’t the most lucrative long-term option.
9. CopyPress
CopyPress is a content-marketing agency that provides its own content management system that freelancers can use to connect with projects from CopyPress’ clients.
While it offers some freelance gigs for designers, developers and influencers, content writing and editing is CopyPress’ bread and butter.
Sign up for free and start your training .
Pay: About 6 to 10 cents per word (writer); 1 to 2 cents per word (editor)
Categories/Topics: Varies by project
Started in 2010, Fiverr is a freelance-service marketplace that has grown to become almost synonymous with freelancing. You can offer almost any professional service imaginable on the site, but freelance writing services are especially popular.
You need to create a freelancer profile to start bidding on and accepting freelance gigs.
And contrary to its name, you are allowed to charge whatever amount you want — not just $5. However, Fiverr takes 20% of the cut.
Pay: Your rate minus 20%
11. iWriter
With iWriter, you can earn a fixed rate for every article. The rate largely depends on your star rating, which you receive based on a trial article and subsequent projects with clients.
According to the site’s FAQ section, you earn 65% of the price that clients pay for typical assignments, which will translate into very low rates as you’re starting out.
For example, the lowest tier of assignment is 150 words and would earn you 91 cents. Becoming an “elite plus” writer (4.85 rating or higher) will drastically increase your earnings. Complete a writer application to get started.
Pay: 91 cents to $282.75 per project
Founded in 2014 as a one-person operation, nDash now boasts a network of more than 10,000 freelance writers, which it connects with its clients, some of whom are household brand names.
To get started with nDash, you need to sign up , create a free profile that highlights your expertise and past experience, and set up an account with Stripe so that you can get paid.
You’ll be able to set your rates based on project type (blog, whitepaper, email, article, etc.). nDash does not take a cut of pay like other marketplaces. It charges its clients instead.
Pay: 100% of your set rate ($150 to $450 on average, according to nDash)
Upwork is another massive online freelance marketplace. It caters to all kinds of industries, including and especially writing services.
Before you accept gigs, you’ll need to register for free and set up a freelancer profile . With Upwork, you set your own rates and find work by pitching clients directly, accepting work from clients who reached out to you or by bidding on projects that clients posted.
While Upwork is free to sign up, it charges you a fee based on your lifetime earnings with a client, between 5% and 20% of your set rate.
Pay: Set rate minus 5% to 20%
Get Paid to Write Poetry, Fiction and Other Creative Works
To get paid to write creative work, forget almost everything you know about freelance writing. Getting your creative writing published is an entirely different beast, and very few people make a living writing poetry or fiction alone.
Still, seeing your name in a literary journal can be a gratifying experience, and that experience is only heightened when you get paid for your creative masterpiece.
Not all creative writing publishers pay. In fact, it’s common to see “submission fees,” meaning you are paying them to review your work. In those cases, publication isn’t guaranteed. You want to avoid those scenarios entirely when you’re just getting started.
Below, we’ve included several publications that do not charge any such fees and will pay you a modest sum to boot.
The creative writing world runs on Submittable, an online submissions manager. You can create a Submittable account for free.
14. Blue Mountain Arts
If your poetry has a more lyrical, feel-good vibe, consider writing for greeting cards. (Literary journals are notoriously snobbish toward this type of writing.)
Blue Mountain Arts, a greeting card and gift company, accepts season poetry submissions online and by mail.
First place receives $350. Second place receives $200. And third place receives $100. Winning poems are published in greeting cards and online. Outside of the poetry contest, you may also submit seasonal poems that follow these guidelines .
Pay: $100 to $350 per poem
Categories/Topics: Feel-good poetry related to special occasions
Rattle is an online and print journal that publishes only poetry, and it offers poets weekly opportunities to get paid to write.
While the print magazine publishes quarterly, Rattle also holds a weekly “Poets Respond” contest online that asks poets to write about a current event that has happened within the past week.
Pay for acceptance into the print issue is $200 per poem, and online publication pays $100 per poem. Reference the appropriate submission guidelines before sending in your work.
Pay: $100 to $200 per poem
Categories/Topics: Poetry
16. The Threepenny Review
A quarterly literary magazine, The Threepenny Review publishes nonfiction essays, memoirs and reviews, fiction stories and poetry in print.
Depending on the type of piece, you can expect between $200 and $400 per published work.
According to the writer guidelines , The Threepenny Review doesn’t accept email submissions and doesn’t accept any submissions between May 1 and Dec. 31.
Pay: $200 to $400
Categories/Topics: Reviews, criticisms, memoirs and other nonfiction works; poetry and fiction
17. Poetry Nook
Poetry Nook is a website and forum for poets and poetry lovers. It’s operated by the literary magazine Plum White Press.
Each week, Poetry Nook holds a free-entry poetry contest (for 350 weeks and counting). Multiple winners and honorable mentions may be chosen. Winners receive a $20 payment via PayPal, and honorable mentions receive $10.
Poetry Nook’s competition is a great way for budding poets to get paid to write. There are no theme or length requirements for the poems, it’s “organic impression and memorability that matters,” according to the entry guidelines.
Ensure you’re entering the correct contest, as the link changes each week. You can find the latest contest on Poetry Nook’s homepage.
Pay: $10 to $20 per poem
Other Strategies to Get Paid to Write
There’s much more to writing than freelance websites and open-calls for submissions. Once you feel comfortable (and perhaps after you have a few successful projects under your belt), you can start to implement some longer-term strategies to build your reputation as a successful writer.
They might not be as clear cut as the options above, but they’re nonetheless important.
Pitch to Your Favorite Publications
Pitching unsolicited article ideas is a tricky and vague process. But pitching is a crucial skill for freelance writers, especially freelance journalists and content writers. There are untold opportunities to get published by your favorite alt-weekly, local newspaper, magazine or online publication, and they’re rarely (if ever) advertised.
In our insider guide to pitching your article ideas , we lay out exactly how to find the right person to pitch and what to include in your pitch email.
Here are some key takeaways:
- Pitch the correct editor or your email will never get read.
- Have a deep understanding of what the publication has already published on the topic.
- Craft a short and sweet email that shows a busy editor that No. 1, your pitch is a good idea and No. 2 that you are the best person to write it.
Finding an editor’s email can be difficult. Scour the publication’s masthead or staff page and use tools like Hunter.io to guess and verify specific editors’ email addresses.
Even if the editor likes your idea, the work doesn’t stop there. You then need to be ready to negotiate your pay — another vague and informal process. Our guide will help you figure exactly out how much to charge for your freelance work .
Start Your Own Blog
If you’re interested in freelance writing or launching a freelance writing business, chances are you either already created a blog or you’re considering it. Blogging is incredibly popular among writing hobbyists, and it’s one of the first steps many new freelance writers take when they want to get paid to write.
The truth is, blogging is tough to monetize. It’s certainly not a quick way to get paid to write, but it’s not obsolete either. It will take sustained effort to become a successful blogger. Luckily, we have a plethora of resources to help you.
First, you’ll need to learn how to start a blog , if you haven’t already. This includes:
- Choosing a writing niche
- Selecting a catchy domain name and finding a web host for your site
- Building a user-friendly blog
Once the basics are set up, you’ll want to make a dedicated plan to monetize your blog . Successful monetization strategies often include:
- Writing informative and authoritative blog posts that are optimized for search engines
- Writing for other blogs and publications that allow you to link back to your own site
- Signing up for affiliate partnerships with brands related to the topic you cover, so that you can earn a commission on sponsored links in your blog posts
- Allowing advertisements on your pages, usually via Google AdSense, so that you can get paid when people visit your page and interact with the ads
Due to the time investment of blogging, we recommend that you simultaneously write for some of the publications mentioned above so that you get some money coming in while you build your website. And don’t fret if it doesn’t take off. At the very least, your blog can double as a portfolio site to help you land other clients and gigs.
Launch a Career as a Writer
The freelance writing business isn’t for everyone. There are a lot of unpaid hours and late nights involved in getting things set up. (And that’s not mentioning additional tax burdens and lack of benefits.)
The good news is that you can break into a career in writing by temporarily freelancing to build up a portfolio. Then you can use that portfolio to land a full-time job with health bennies and paid time off.
What writing jobs are out there? Plenty — and aside from the obvious journalist and author jobs, too.
Everywhere you look, there are words. Words on book covers. Words in your vehicle’s manual that teach you what that dang squiggly exclamation point symbol on your dashboard means. Words that entice you to buy stuff.
You get the idea. There’s a person (or maybe even a team of people) behind all of those words, and they’re getting paid. Their titles include copywriter, UX writer, product writer, technical writer, content marketing writer and more.
Even more good news: These types of jobs were already remote friendly before the pandemic. In fact, writing jobs are among the most commonly listed openings in The Penny Hoarder’s Work-From-Home Jobs Portal .
So whether or not freelancing was your end goal, the published clips you rack up along the way can help you build an impressive portfolio, establish yourself as an expert on a certain topic and even launch your career as a full-time writer. The options are endless.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Writing for Money
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about getting paid to write.
Plenty of people and publications will pay you to write articles, blog posts and more. If you’re freelancing, it all depends on how you find your client. Many companies hire writers as employees. Advertising agencies, online publications and marketing firms are among the most popular types of companies that directly hire writers.
If you’re using a freelance website like Upwork, the pay will come from Upwork — not directly from the client, since Upwork operates like a matchmaker.
If you’re submitting your article or creative writing directly to a publication, it will pay you usually by direct deposit, check, PayPal or some other established payment method.
The easiest places to submit writing for money are publications that have clearly stated submission guidelines. Some websites, including content mills, online magazines and literary journals may accept submissions year-round and have their rates publicly displayed. We cover several such places to submit your writing in this article.
Alternatively, you can cold pitch magazines, newspapers and some blogs with your story idea and then negotiate your pay if they like your idea.
Blogging and freelance websites like Fiverr and Upwork are among the most popular options for making money online by writing. But they’re not always the fastest and most lucrative options.
In addition to those popular methods, you should also consider writing articles for blogs as well as more traditional types of publications like magazines, newspapers and literary journals — all of which are very likely to publish online.
No one method is a cash cow, but if you combine them, it’s possible to make a living writing.
Finding freelance writing gigs is much easier if you diversify your sources. In addition to pitching publications directly and signing up for freelance websites, you should set up email alerts for a job board or two.
Mediabistro, The Penny Hoarder Work-From-Home jobs portal , FlexJobs and sometimes even the standard job boards like Indeed and Glassdoor can be useful tools in hunting down quality writing jobs.
And instead of waiting for the gig to be posted on a job board, you can go directly to the source. Big online publishers such as DotDash (which owns Verywell, Investopedia, The Spruce and several other online publications) and Vox Media (which owns The Verge, Vox, Eater, Polygon and others) post freelance writer openings on their own job boards all the time.
Writing careers don’t always start by getting a degree in journalism or English, either (though a related degree certainly helps). Lots of writers find success by falling in love with writing later in life, choosing to freelance and slowly building up expertise and a portfolio before finally applying for a full-time job as a bonafide writer or journalist.
One thing is for sure, whether by credentials or previously published work, you must be able to demonstrate your writing skills to land a job.
Matt Matasci is a Southern California freelance writer who writes on technology and business, plus travel and lifestyle topics.
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How to Get Paid to Write Articles: Step-by-Step
Are you wondering how to get paid to write articles? Check out this comprehensive guide!
This article explains how to get paid to write articles and offers some resources that’ll kickstart your freelance writing career.
While most writers will not get rich writing articles, freelancing is a great way to make a little extra income. Some writers can carve out a niche and make a full-time income with freelance writing, but you have to know where to start.
Whether you view yourself as a blogger, tutorial writer, or full-time article writer, there are many ways to make money writing. Discovering how to get paid to write articles is a good way to launch a successful writing career. By following these steps, you can begin looking for writing jobs and enjoy a lucrative side job or full-time career as a writer.
How to Get Paid to Write Articles: Steps to Take
1. set up a paypal account, 2. create a writing website, 3. submit guest posts for popular blogs, 4. send articles to print magazines, 5. follow freelance websites that pay writers, 6. build a linkedin writer profile, 7. join freelance writing jobs sites, 8. pitch ideas to publications, 10. start writing for content mills, 11. get used to rejection, 12. keep an income diary, 13. monetize your blog , a final word on how to get paid to write articles, faqs on how to get paid to write articles.
Writing articles is a fun side gig as you can try lots of different niches and topics while also building a portfolio of clients. New article writers can expect to get paid three to four cents per word. More experienced article writers can get paid eight cents or more per word. If you are interested in becoming a freelance article writer , these specific steps will help you get paid to write faster.
Many of the sites that pay writers for their work use PayPal as their payment method. If you don’t have a PayPal account, this is your first step.
Keep in mind that PayPal will view you as a business when you start earning money for your article submissions. Consider setting up a business account from the beginning to avoid the need to upgrade down the road. Business accounts are free, but you will pay some fees when you get paid.
You need a place to display your writing. Learn how to use WordPress, and set up your own writing website. Showcase some high-quality works that you’ve written on the site.
When you apply for writing gigs, you can send companies to your writing website to showcase what you can do. You can also link to other bylined articles you write for clients once your site is set up.
As a freelance article writer, you need to build a writing portfolio. Beginners can find this to be the most challenging part of the process. If you have good writing skills, start by submitting guest posts to popular blogs.
Guest blogging usually does not earn income, but it can help you get some bylined pieces out there that you can use to build your writing portfolio. Focus on blogs in the niche you find most interesting to write about, and submit helpful articles that people will enjoy reading. That way, you can point to these guest blog posts when pitching clients later on. Sometimes, you can even land clients directly if you’re writing for a popular site.
Learn more about what is guest blogging?
Print magazines are still a solid option for publishing your written work. Each one has specific submission guidelines, but if you can submit feature articles that fit those guidelines, they may take them for publication.
Getting an article published in print usually brings high income. This process is challenging because you have to submit and face the real issue of rejection, but once you get a submission accepted, you’ll enjoy the extra money.
One place you can start looking for published articles in a print magazine is Reader’s Digest. They pay $100 per story or joke of 100 words or less, which is a lucrative pay rate.
New writers often wonder where they can write for pay. Creating a list of websites where you can publish your work will help. This list is not exhaustive but will get you started:
- Copyhackers : If you can write non-fiction, 2,000 or more word articles on any particular niche topic, you can publish on Copyhackers. This website pays very well for its blog posts.
- Narratively : If you want to get paid to publish a personal essay or personal story, this is the site for you. The focus is highly human-interest.
- Listverse : Listverse publishes listicles, which are highly clickable, numbered posts. They pay $100 per post and take just about any topic.
- CopyPress : CopyPress offers freelance writing gigs for copywriters and editors. Pay rate varies based on the project.
- Fiverr : Though this isn’t a great site for a professional writer, Fiverr can help you grow your business. Keep in mind that you don’t have to pay $5, but you can bid on and accept freelance gigs through the platform.
- iWriter : Writer has different writing tiers for its writers, and the higher tiers can be lucrative. Build a profile here and work to increase your star rating to get higher-paid gigs.
- A List Apart : This web design-focused company takes pitches and will pay $200 per article if yours is accepted. The publication requirements are strict, but the pay is worth it.
- nDash : nDash is an excellent site for writers because it does not charge writers. Instead, it charges clients! Whatever you set your rate as, you get the full amount when someone hires you.
These are only a few examples of publications that pay freelancers. Check out our guide to writing jobs .
Many businesses look for freelance writers through LinkedIn. After you create your writer’s website, create a LinkedIn profile. Consider publishing posts in your chosen niche through LinkedIn to gain readership.
Keep tabs on your LinkedIn account, and respond to people who reach out. You may land a few gigs when you do.
Other freelance writers have success blogging on and writing for popular Medium publications. You can save some time by posting the same piece of content on both social media networks, thus boosting your potential reach.
Sometimes, the best freelance ghostwriting gigs are those that come from private clients. They cover topics like setting freelance writing rates and pitching clients. Some of the most popular sites include:
- FreelanceMom
- MediaBistro
- FreelanceWriting.com
Another popular option is Writers Work. Read our Writers Work review .
If you have a particular niche you enjoy writing about, you can make money online by pitching ideas to websites and publications in that niche. To get an idea about what they might take as far as articles, follow them on social media.
If you have a topic idea that fits their readers, reach out to the site to see if they are taking submissions. You just might find that a few that offer pay to content writers who create appropriate pieces for their readers.
If you want to gain exposure and experience as an article writer, apply for a content mill. These sites don’t pay that well (3 cents to 5 cents per word) but they’ll help you understand what clients expect from article writers. Plus, you can build up a portfolio of work, try different niches and use all of this valuable experience to pitch more profitable clients later.
Read our guide to writing for content mills .
Part of learning to make money writing is the sting of rejection. You may submit pitches and articles to many websites before someone takes one and pays you for it. Learn to accept rejection, as it is part of the process.
If someone rejects a piece and gives feedback, learn from that feedback. Use it to make your next article more effective and publication-ready.
Track your income and where it came from. As your freelance writing business grows, you’ll discover which sites are the most effective, and which ones are best left alone.
Start focusing your efforts on the sites and platforms that are the most lucrative. Drop those that do not pay well, and you will start building a better income level.
While freelancing, blog and publish articles related to your niche on your website. Then, monetize it by adding advertisements or affiliate links. This strategy gives you a side hustle that earns money residually on your writing.
As you build your blog, focus on SEO to reach more readers through the search engines. The more traffic your blog has, the more income you will get from those posts.
Learn more about the best affiliate programs for freelancers.
This guide explores different venues you can use to get paid to write articles. Before you start your article writing business, make sure you have solid writing skills. Then, build a small portfolio of writing samples you can show people that showcase your skills.
Remember, a writing business starts slowly, but if you are a true entrepreneur, you can build a successful one. Take some time to explore your desired writing niche, but don’t be afraid to jump out there and get started.
Writing has the potential to be a highly lucrative opportunity if you put in the effort to grow your freelance writing business. Take the time now, and soon you will enjoy the rewards of a successful writing gig on the side.
Can I write articles for money?
Yes, writing articles can be a good side gig for people with solid writing skills. Learn the publication platforms you can tap to get a solid income and start pitching article ideas.
How to start writing articles for money?
The first step in writing articles for money is to set up a writer website and post some sample articles. Then, set up accounts on various writer websites. Finally, start submitting pieces and get paid for your writing.
Is article writing a good career?
Article writing is a good career if you enjoy the written word. Although you may not see job ads with the title “article writer”, you can easily break into this area by applying for “content writer” jobs. Typically, these jobs involve writing blog posts and articles several hundred or several thousand words in length. Rates start at three to four cents per word.
What is feature article writing?
Feature article writing describes picking a topic or a story and writing at length about it. A profile of a celebrity, a sports figure or a political are examples of features. Similarly, a feature article may be about a newsworthy location or an event. Usually, feature articles have more colour and personality than news articles. They are also more opinion-focused.
What is magazine article writing?
Magazine article writing is similar to feature article writing with the caveat that the article in question is meant for print. It may involve interviews, a profile or an insight into an interesting or newsworthy event. Magazine writers usually get paid by the word.
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Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.
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Get Paid to Write Articles: 21 Amazing Sites That Will Pay You $100+ Per Article [2023 Update]
Whether you’re a writer looking for established outlets to spread your word or you’re a guest blogger looking to promote your brand and get traffic , you can get paid to write articles.
Many sites will pay you to contribute content , while still allowing you to have a bio and retain a link to your site – but very few sites will pay you really well .
Tip: Jeff uses BuzzSumo to generate content ideas, create high-performing content, monitor its performance, and identify influencers.
Listed below are 20 sites that will pay you at least $100 per article, upon acceptance or publication, and most will allow a bio with a link back to your site.
Here we go:
BONUS: Want to use your writing skills to earn a side income? Join the Side Hustle Strategies Membership Community to get the inspiration, resources, and community to start and grow your side hustle.
Sites where you can get paid to write articles:
Fiverr is a freelance marketplace where you can get paid to write articles by creating a “Gig” and becoming a seller.
A gig is purchased every 4 seconds on Fiverr, with freelancers and experts making anywhere from $5 to $15,000+ per project.
The best writers on Fiverr easily make more than $100 per article, so if that’s what you’re after, it’s a great place to start.
2. Greatist
Niche : Mental Health/Relationships/Getting Healthier
Amount : $125+
Payment Method : Unspecified
Greatist is a blog focused on relationships, mental health, and life as it affects 20- and 30-somethings.
They are looking for articles about mental health, relationships, and getting healthier. They also accept career-related articles (especially when it comes to achieving work/life balance and being more productive), struggles with substance abuse, and social media/technology.
They expect articles to be between 1,000 – 1,500 words and pay at least $125 for each article they accept.
3. Longreads
Niche : Anything
Amount : $250 – $1,500+
Longreads is looking for well-written, well-told, and easy to follow stories that illustrate relatable human experience that their readers can identify with.
They want blog posts, reading lists, short interviews, personal essays, memoirs, critical essays, book reviews, investigative projects, and long-form journalism.
Depending on what category your submission falls into, it can be between 800 to 6,000 words. They pay a minimum of $250 and up to $1,500+ per article.
4. Listverse
Niche : General
Amount : $100
Payment Method : Paypal
Listverse is possibly the foremost authority when it comes to lists online, and they boast an audience of over 15 million readers a month.
They are looking for unique lists of 10 items, usually at least 1,500 words, and they pay $100 upon acceptance of your list.
5. Copyhackers
Niche : Copywriting/Startups/Marketing/Freelancing
Amount : $325
Copyhackers is interested in practical content for startups, marketers, freelancers , and designers.
They are looking for articles that discuss topics that include launching and growing a business, freelancing for lifestyle/money, conversion copywriting, UX and A/B testing, product design, persuasion and psychology, etc.
They expect articles to be in-depth and thoroughly researched. They rarely accept articles less than 2,000 words and want articles to feature a first-person story/account.
They pay $325 per article.
6. Photoshop Tutorials
Niche : Photoshop/Design
Amount : $25 – $300
They are looking for tutorials related to Photoshop, and they pay anything from $50 to $300 per accepted article depending on whether you submit a “quick tip” or a full tutorial.
7. Informed Comment
Niche : Policy/Foreign Policy
Informed Comment is a leading publication about policy and foreign policy. They are looking for articles that can contribute to policy decisions and foreign policy.
They are particularly interested in content focused on US foreign policy as well as Middle Eastern and South Asian politics. They also want content that addresses religion, human rights, women’s rights, workers’ rights, religious discrimination, energy, and climate change.
They expect pieces to be between 800 – 1,000 words and pay $100 per accepted piece.
8. The Travel Writer’s Life
Niche : Travel
Amount : $50 – $200
They are looking for articles about the business of getting paid to travel, whether this is through writing, photography, tours or other means.
They pay $50 – $200 per article depending on the type of article.
9. Bitch Media
Niche : Feminism
Amount : $150 – $1,000
Bitch Media is looking for feminism pieces that are well-researched and backed up with evidence and statistics.
They want articles to be discussion-provoking and to make a connection between the writer’s personal experience and larger social forces; they want articles to be a feminist response to pop culture. Articles can be around 1,200 – 3,000 words.
They pay between $150 to $1,000 per article depending on what category your article falls into.
10. UX Booth
Niche : User Experience
UX Booth is an authority when it comes to User Experience, and they are looking for research-backed articles on how to create better user experience.
They prefer articles to be in the 1,200 – 1,800 words range.
11. Cracked
Niche : General/Humor
Cracked is looking for funny and clever articles, mainly in list format, and they pay $50 – $200 per article depending on the type of article.
12. Tuts+ Code
Niche : Web Development
Amount : $100 – $250
They are looking for articles on anything related to web development; this could be PHP, HTML5, CSS3 or anything in between.
They pay $100 for a “quick tip” tutorial and $250 for a regular tutorial.
13. Smashing Magazine
Niche : Design/Coding/User Experience
Smashing Magazine is looking for articles related to web design, graphics design, UX design, WordPress or mobile, and they pay $50 – $200 per article.
14. A List Apart
Niche : Internet
Amount : $200
They accept articles about coding, design, content strategy , user experience and basically internet industry/business.
They prefer articles to be between 1,500 to 2,000 words and they pay $200 per article within a month of publication.
Niche : Web Design/Web Development
Amount : $150
Scotch is looking for articles about web design and development. Articles can be about React, JavaScript, Node, Laravel, Angular, Python, Vue, CSS, and other web development related topics.
They pay $150 per article.
16. Metro Parent
Niche : Parenting
Amount : $35 – $350
Payment Method : Check
Metro Parent is a leading parenting publication looking for parenting articles. They pay $35 – $350 per article and they want features to be within 1,000 – 2,500 words.
They have a preference for articles from local freelance writers in the following communities: Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne Counties.
They pay via Check upon publication of your article, within the first week of the month of publication.
17. International Living
Niche : Living Overseas
Amount : $250 – $400
Payment Method :
International Living is a publication focusing on living and retiring overseas, and they are looking for articles about living and retiring overseas.
They pay $250 for 840 words, and $400 for 1,400 words. They also pay $50 for one-tine use of your photographs, and they pay upon publication of your article.
18. Sitepoint
Amount : $150 – $200
Sitepoint is an authority when it comes to web development, and they are looking for in-depth articles about HTML, CSS and SASS.
They pay $150 for articles and $200 for tutorials, and they often pay more for articles that are more comprehensive and that they feel will do well traffic-wise.
19. Digital Ocean
Niche : Linux
Digital Ocean is looking for beautifully-written tutorials about Linux and FreeBSD cloud hosting and, besides potentially gaining exposure to their millions of readers, you can also make up to $200 per article.
Your article can come in form of Updates, Simple Tutorials and In-Depth Tutorials, and you can earn $50, $100 or $200 respectively depending on what category it falls into.
20. Tuts+ Vector
Niche : Vector
Tuts+ Vector is looking for articles related to Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, CorelDRAW and other vector-related tutorials.
They pay $50 – $200 depending on the nature of your contribution.
21. The Penny Hoarder
Niche : Finance
Amount : Up to $75
The Penny Hoarder is a leading personal finance publication, and they are looking for articles mostly based on personal experience. Especially ones containing detailed numbers, strategies and advice about saving or earning money.
They prefer articles to be 700 – 900 words, and they pay up to $75 per article depending on a lot of factors; you might need to reach out to their editor first to discuss payment.
Bonus: 50 Websites that Pay You to Write [PDF]
Do you love the above list? Awesome. There’s more where it came from.
As a bonus to Jeff Bullas’ readers, you can also get my report featuring a total of 50 websites that pay writers, most of which pay more than $50 per article, for free.
The report features websites in more than a dozen categories and contains all the information you need to pitch these sites and get paid to write articles for them. If you’re a writer looking to get paid for your content, this list is invaluable.
Get paid to write articles by downloading the PDF below:
Download the PDF List
Guest author: Bamidele Onibalusi is a world-renowned blogger and freelance writer. Huffington Post calls him an “ultimate business success story” and he’s been featured in Forbes and Digital Journal amongst others. He blogs at Writers in Charge .
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How to Make Money Writing: 5 Ways to Get Paid to Write in 2023
by Glen Long
on Jan 11, 2023
Most writers never get rich.
You know that. I know that. Everybody knows that.
But is it possible to make a nice little side hustle income? Get paid to write from time to time?
Absolutely.
In this post, you’ll learn exactly how to make money writing – different strategies, how to do it – basically, everything you need.
Let’s start by talking about what’s possible (and what’s not).
Table of Contents:
The truth about how to make money writing.
- Write Articles for Popular Blogs, Magazines and Journals
- Create Collateral for Content-Hungry Businesses
- Become a Best-Selling Kindle Author
- Sell Yourself as a Conversion-Focused Copywriter
- Build a Niche Blog and Promote Third Party Products
It’s Time to Choose Your Path and Finally Make Money Writing
Writing for a living offers a ton of advantages – you get to choose when and where you work, and with whom.
No wonder this promise of creative and personal freedom attracts so many people.
But the truth is that most of them don’t want to think about the practicalities of becoming a full-time freelance writer .
They don’t want to think about the uncertainty, the rejection, the self-doubt.
They don’t want to think about all the small, unglamorous tasks that make a writer’s life possible.
Deep down they fear their perfect dream will tarnish if they drag it down to earth. So it just hangs there in a shiny bubble, waiting for the day it miraculously comes true.
But let’s be honest — it just won’t happen. Or do you really think someone will approach you one day and say:
“Hey there. I heard from someone that you were thinking of writing something, someday, and I’ve love to pay you to see where that someday could lead.”
Of course not, but without a concrete strategy, that is what it would take to make your distant dream of having a writing career a reality.
Experience shows that vague plans fail. Grounding your dreams in reality is what makes them happen. Even if it means thinking about the things you’d rather not consider.
It’s not enough to say you want to make a living as a writer; you need to know how . You need a concrete plan to bridge the gap from where you are now to where you want to be.
And the more realistic your plan, the better. Don’t bet the farm on a path that only a small handful of super talented (or incredibly lucky) outliers have followed. Choose one that’s worked for lots of people.
The 5 Most Realistic Ways to Make Money Writing
- Get Paid to Write Articles for Blogs, Magazines, and Journals
- Make Money by Creating Collateral for Content-Hungry Businesses
- Get Paid to Write by Becoming a Best-Selling Kindle Author
- Make Money Writing as a Conversion-Focused Copywriter
1. Get Paid to Write Articles for Blogs, Magazines, and Journals
Despite talk of global “content fatigue,” major publications — both on- and offline — must keep publishing content or die. Just look at the plentiful opportunities for writing gigs on any job board (like our own Smart Blogger Jobs Board ).
That means popular WordPress blogs, magazines, and journals remain hungry for quality content writing — and many are willing to pay good money for it too. You’ll need to hustle to find the best paid writing jobs, understanding that success won’t happen overnight. But freelancing for these publications is still a smart way to make money online as a writer.
Let’s start with the blogs.
Although writing articles for popular blogs (a.k.a. guest blogging ) is still typically unpaid, with most new writers trading their content for exposure (via a byline or author bio ), numerous exceptions still exist.
A well-written guest post can lead to freelance writing gigs and other paid work. Take this blog as an example: we’ve approached several guest writers to create content for our paid courses, and paid them several thousand dollars for their work.
And what about the world of print? Is that still a viable way to make a living as a writer in this day and age of online everything?
Traditional publishing has had a rough ride, but many consumer magazines are still going strong, and many of these publications still pay well for a feature article . Of course, you can’t expect to land a lucrative opportunity right away — you’ll need to climb the ladder via smaller, local publications, building your credibility as you go.
Likewise, trade journals crave quality articles within their narrow topic area and many are waking up to the more conversational, engaging writing style that writing for the web demands. Also, talented bloggers with proven specialist knowledge can often skip the ladder-climbing and break in with the right pitch.
In general, the secret to making this model work is being tenacious about chasing down opportunities — whether it’s ghostwriting or regular freelance writing work — and being efficient with your writing once you land them.
The people who follow this model successfully are like writing machines — they crank out quality content quickly and don’t allow themselves to get bogged down in any one project.
2. Make Money by Creating Collateral for Content-Hungry Businesses
In the last five years, content marketing — this concept of creating valuable content to attract customers and build credibility and trust — has undoubtedly gone mainstream.
The result? More and more businesses are getting into the content game. Some have a clear strategy, while others are just jumping on the bandwagon and hoping it pays off down the line.
This has created a market for smart writers who can write for a specific audience. These content-hungry businesses need articles, white papers, case studies — the list goes on. And they fully expect to pay for them.
Breaking into this market can be tough without a few contacts to get you started, but it’s not impossible.
Initially, you may need to jostle for attention with thousands of other eager freelancers vying for online jobs on marketplaces like Upwork.com.
But with patience and hard work you can establish a track record of successful projects and break away from the low-earning masses.
However, this route requires a writing portfolio of content-related skills — not just an understanding of the target niche, but of marketing fundamentals and SEO too. In other words, you’ll need more than a laptop and a passion for writing to impress this crowd — you’ll need to persuade clients that you understand the bigger picture.
One smart way to differentiate yourself as a professional writer is to build your own platform, using blogging and guest blogging to demonstrate the expertise you hope to harness for others.
3. Get Paid to Write by Becoming a Best-Selling Kindle Author
What about making it big as an author? Could that be your best route to a life of freedom as a full-time writer?
Well, it’s certainly more realistic than it used to be. Ten years ago, writing a best-selling book was a distant dream for most writers and self-publishing on Kindle was often dismissed as a vanity exercise .
But today, thanks largely to Amazon and Kindle, the self-published book market is gigantic and making money from writing books is far more achievable.
Enter, the authorpreneur — the author with an entrepreneurial brain.
Of course, more achievable doesn’t mean easy. If you have visions of publishing one book and retiring on the profits, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
To succeed, you need to be commercially minded and target an established market with proven demand from readers. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow your passion but be prepared to validate it first.
You’ll need to be persistent and prolific too — chances are you’ll publish several books before gaining any traction, and you’ll need sales from multiple titles to approach anything resembling a full-time income.
However, according to a report earlier this year from Author Earnings, 1,600 indie authors are earning $25K or above from Amazon book sales, and 1,000 published their first book three years ago or less.
But should you be writing fiction or nonfiction? Nonfiction is the most natural fit for the average blogger, and if you’re blogging in a popular niche, the chances are that books covering similar topics will also be popular.
If you want to find success as a self-nonfiction author, check out Steve Scott. Even though he’s recently switched his attentions to a regular podcast on self-publishing , his old site still has a ton of useful information.
Fiction writing is arguably tougher (and requires a rather different set of creative writing skills), but there’s no denying that your earning potential if you do hit it big, is much larger. And it’s no coincidence that the most famous self-publishing successes are all fiction titles.
For inspiration and direction visit The Creative Penn . Joanna Penn is a prolific fiction (and nonfiction) author and her site is rich with information about making it as a creative writer.
But in either case, you need to be led by the market for topic (or genre) selection. And you need to be prepared to write multiple books before seeing any real results.
One major advantage of this route is that you continue to earn money from your back catalog, sometimes far into the future. Once you start to make a basic living from your writing, additional titles only build your income further.
The secret to making authorpreneurship work for you? Build an email list. Your existing fans are the perfect audience for your next book.
4. Make Money Writing as a Conversion-Focused Copywriter
Copywriting , in a nutshell, is writing that’s designed to make readers take a specific action.
Sales letters, video scripts, even product descriptions — these all need writing by someone, and they live or die on the results they produce.
Copywriting may not seem fundamentally different to other forms of writing skill, but in practice, it’s a discipline all of its own.
While there’s a trend towards more conversational, empathetic copywriting — moving away from the hype-fuelled “hard sell” — you still need a solid understanding of the principles of persuasion.
So unless you have a copywriting background be prepared to invest a lot of time (and possibly money) in learning the fundamentals. There are some excellent books on the topic — CA$HVERTISING: How to Use More than 100 Secrets of Ad-Agency Psychology to Make Big Money Selling Anything to Anyone (affiliate link) is a good place to start. Copyblogger’s Brian Clark shares his favorite titles here .
The most famous training course on copywriting is probably AWAI’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting .
Notwithstanding the steep learning curve, the rewards of copywriting can be significant. A high-converting sales page might earn you $2,000, plus a slice of the revenues too.
As a bonus, a foundation in copywriting will also be valuable should you ever decide to sell your own products.
5. Build a Niche Blog and Promote Third Party Products
I’ll be honest — building a popular blog is tough. Really tough.
And once you’ve scaled your blog beyond a certain point, you might be surprised how little time you actually spend doing the thing you love — writing.
So if your dream is to build a six-figure blog, you’d better be as excited about the prospect of running a business as you are about writing your next blog article. (In fact, if you’re making six figures, writing is one of the things you should probably outsource.)
But there is a path to making money from a blog where you still spend a good proportion of your time writing. And it starts with picking a writing niche where a large, passionate audience already exists and — this is crucial — where you can find successful products from trusted names to sell.
Promoting affiliate products (affiliate marketing) is a much smarter way to start earning money from a blog than creating your own product. With an affiliate product , someone else has already done the hard work of validating the market, building the product, and enhancing it based on customer feedback. Someone else gets to handle the pre-sales inquiries, payments, refunds, and product support.
Many affiliate products pay high commissions too — 50% or even more — because the incremental production cost of digital products is essentially nothing.
The secret is finding the right products — ones that you can stake your reputation on. Pat Flynn is the undisputed king of passive income, earned (mostly) from sales of affiliate products — check out his video on Choosing Affiliates Products to Promote and How to Sell Them.
Ideally, you’ll know what products you’ll sell even before starting your blog because then you’re growing an audience that perfectly matches your offer.
Of course, you still have to do all the stuff that makes a blog successful — publishing great content, building your email list, reaching out to influencers, etc. — but writing remains a big part of the equation, i.e., creating the stellar content that brings people to your site.
Once you’re in a groove, you can think about adding your own products to the mix, using your writing skills and topic knowledge to deliver a specific result that readers are willing to pay for.
But when you’re starting a blog , promoting affiliate products is the most realistic, and least risky, way to make a living from writing.
Just stop for a moment and ask yourself:
“Am I sabotaging my writing dream by refusing to get real about the how ?”
Because you know what… I’m tired of seeing talented writers stuck in lives they don’t love.
So the dreaming stops here — it’s time to decide once and for all.
Are you truly serious about writing for a living, or is it just an idle fantasy to cheer you up when your regular, full-time job gets you down?
If you are serious, then decide: which of these five paths above will you follow? Writing articles for money as a content writer? Content marketing? Becoming an authorpreneur? Copywriting? Or starting a niche blog?
If none of them feels like an exact fit, don’t worry, that’s normal . Pick whichever one’s the closest and try it on for size. Any discomfort is just the price of getting real.
Got one? Excellent.
Let’s turn your perfect dream into an imperfect reality — one where you’re making enough money as a writer to support yourself, and then some…
Just picture the faces of your family and friends when they find out. 🙂
GET PAID TO WRITE
Make 2-5k per month, even if you're a beginner . we're seeking writers of any skill level ..
Written by Glen Long
88 thoughts on “how to make money writing: 5 ways to get paid to write in 2023”.
It takes a lot of practice to be a writer and you have to be eager to learn. I wouldn’t mind to acquire that skill. Do you have any article that will teach the process of becoming a writer?
We don’t have an article that covers the entire process, but we have many on the topic of writing here:
https://smartblogger.com/category/writing/
The fast path is to take at least one of the courses Jon Morrow offers on this site. Writers who are taking his courses are always welcome to guest post on my site because I know they’re serious and going to be above average.
It can cost a lot to edit content, so the better the writer the less time and money it takes to get it ready to publish. Some writers need zero editing and know how to SEO images and the content so those writers can easily get contributor access and invited back regularly.
And you are going to teach us how to do this, right Glen? haha I love Smart Blogger, great blog. I wonder how many will do a little bit of a couple of these. I have been leaning a little bit towards the conversational copywriting, but with all of these, you have to learn how to write. And, with the online writing, I think writers need to have a little bit of copywriting knowledge. Once we settle on one of these avenues, it helps build our own differentiation.
Great stuff!
Well, we’ll teach you some of the how. 🙂 Some of these “ways” are outside the scope of Smart Blogger but I thought it was important for people to understand their options.
And yes, I think you could absolutely combine some of these approaches. The content marketer and the copywriter would be a natural pairing for instance.
You don’t have to confine yourself to one approach – but you do need to have some kind of strategy for earning money that’s grounded in reality.
Thanks for your insights.
Great post with solid tips.
As someone who has had that kind of success on Kindle, it’s definitely doable. But I’ve seen a few platform changes that have changed the playing field dramatically.
So if you’re going to go the Kindle route, please be sure that you’re using it to build an email list and invest your Kindle gold into a well-oiled platform that let’s you continue serving your audience at a higher level than you ever could on a third-party platform.
Thanks Anthony.
Yes, of course, you’re absolutely right about the email list – it’s a critical piece of the puzzle. I’d thought to mention it but the point was getting rather long.
But I’ll make a quick edit because it’s too important too ignore – the model falls apart without it.
Thanks for pointing that out.
Once again Smart Blogger provides several doses of reality. I made my first $1,000 on kindle, but I didn’t publish a second one right away. Big mistake.
Another note on kindle…
The books don’t have to be that long. You can write and sell e books at 10-20k words. Steve Scott and Ryan Biddulph both wrote dozens of mini books and found success.
Off to share!
Hi Ayodeji,
Congratulations on your Kindle success – that’s a great result.
Excellent point about book length. I actually read a Kindle book promoting that very idea which was rather good:
Write Short Kindle Books: A Self-Publishing Manifesto for Non-Fiction Authors by Nathan Meunier
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Write-Short-Kindle-Books-Self-Publishing-ebook/dp/B00S1YER5G
Highly recommended!
Thanks for stopping by.
Jon Morrow, I adore you. Thank you for being a continual source of inspiring, practical advice. I love it that every time I click on a link you send, it is focused, helpful and most of all actionable!
Thanks Cathy. I’ll pass that on. 🙂
Hey Glen, We are thinking of trying out No 5. Pat Flynn’s link will be useful Thanks! 🙂
My pleasure Pete!
Thanks for the great post, Glen.
A bunch of interesting strategies. I’d say that #2 and #4 require robust knowledge/expertise beyond just writing well. And particularly with #2 – I’d be curious to hear from people who have done it, because it seems to me like a very narrow niche that hard to get into.
But one more vote for writing books. And yes, while it is always a good strategy to have several books out there, it’s also possible to write a book that sells so well, you can live off it. It’s (almost) happened to me.
You can also create products based off the book to further diversify and increase your chances of living off your writing.
I’d recommend investing time and effort into understanding what people want and buy books on, as well as what’s already out there – so following the same principles of content creation that Jon Morrow (and you, and the whole team) writes about.
I’ve found the most financial success with #2, simply by providing local companies with online content. My three years of experience in blogging place me in a valuable position to offer my “expertise” as they just start to venture online.
Thanks Joanna!
Yes #2 needs some domain expertise and #4 requires a deep knowledge of the target audience but that can be acquired with research and studying successful campaigns for the same audience.
And #2 isn’t as narrow as you might imagine – but it takes some time to build momentum.
You’re living proof that you can be successful with Kindle books – any tips for budding authors? How did you pick the topic for instance?
P.S. Here’s a link for anyone else who’s interested to read your book: https://www.amazon.com/Laser-Sharp-Focus-Concentration-Productivity-Fast-Track/dp/0473349337/
This Chief Content Monkey is something else. He always find a way to get me smiling at the end of his oft-powerful pieces.
On my mark to Facebookland and Twitter City to share this gospel of making a living as a writer!
Great piece, Glen.
I like to be like you, one day :).
Many thanks Timmy. I always enjoy your comments – they’re packed with personality. 🙂
Excellent article Glen.
I wish it had been available when I started out. I’m currently working as a content marketer (no.2) and as a conversion-focused copywriter (no.4).
The key to my success was to learn from others and then apply what I’ve learnt. Building and growing my own brand and website gave me a valuable testing-ground for content marketing strategies and conversion-optimisation techniques. The experience and knowledge I gained helped me to impress clients and win jobs.
It wasn’t easy, but the struggle was well worth it.
Hey Clement,
Thanks so much for adding your voice to the conversation. It’s great to hear from someone else who’s already in the trenches, living the reality of being a paid writer.
And I’m glad to hear you confirm that your blog helped you grow your knowledge and impress clients. I just popped across to your site and it looks like you’re getting strong engagement from your readers – nice job!
Thanks for checking out my blog! I’m honoured. I’ve learnt so much from you and the other writers (monkeys?) at Smart Blogger.
I’ve been doing #1, #2 & #4 for several years. Have a core group of clients (small businesses and non profits) and editors who use me regularly. Diving into #3 this month and learning to write radio scripts at the same time.
I had to learn a number of specialized skills to cobble together an income – however, this suits my personality. I wouldn’t last 6 months at a job where I just did one thing and didn’t have to force myself to keep learning. In any given week I can be interviewing for a column or article for print, writing SEO blog posts for niche businesses, writing marketing copy (appeals, newsletters, etc.) Or working on my fiction. Love it, but it took years to find a solid group of clients and editors and to receive enough referrals I didn’t have to continually hunt down work and hope I got paid.
Sounds like you’ve done the hard work of breaking through and are now reaping the rewards. Love that you’re using a mix of these different approaches. Sounds like it gives you a lot of variety, but also you have more security too, not relying on one source of income.
Thanks for your comment!
Thank you so much for this insightful and helpful post! I’ve been dipping my toes in different areas of writing for the last few years. I started off by writing a novel–which I’m still editing (hopefully to be done soon!)–but have tried my hand at guest-blogging and even just recently started my own blog. I do freelance editing as my main job, so that gives me the flexibility and lifestyle of a freelancer–which I LOVE–but in the end, WRITING my own content is my passion, and I hope to get to the point of a livable income from that someday in the not-too-distant future. Thank you again for this!
Awesome that you’ve almost finished your novel. So impressed by the dedicated that takes. 🙂
And it’s great that you’ve enabled a more flexible lifestyle through freelance editing.
Best of luck shifting the focus to your own writing – you’ll get there I’m sure!
Great info and lots of value here. Way to encourage others to live unstoppable!
I found this particularly interesting because I have so many blogging students who tell me they want to be a “freelance writer.”
I’m never quite sure what that means.
My own writing is consumed with writing my blog, some unpaid guest posting and writing my own training info courses which are, really, far more video than text.
So, I usually end up telling them to look for the “mills” that churn out copy for paying clients, but only pay writers something like 3 to 6 cents a word.
That’s a tough way to earn an income, and is why it’s commonly referred to as “beer money.”
You’ve given me a much more hopeful perspective on just what “freelance” might mean to my clients and students and I’m sending them to this article first, before we talk more seriously about their options.
My suspicion is that some of your students who want to be freelance writers don’t really know what they mean by that either! 🙂
I hope this article puts a few of them on a realistic path to achieving their goals.
Making the transition from content mills and bidding sites like Upwork has been really tough for me. But it’s very encouraging noting the steps you recommend here. Especially about copywriting. I need to master that. Thanks Jon
Probably safe to say that #1 can help you make a living at just about anything 🙂 Great article
Hi Glen, excellent post. I especially appreciate the way you shed light on the behind the scenes aspect of managing the writing career! I have been doing #1, #2 and #5 for some time. I quit my academic career as an anthropologist and started a travel writing blog (the two overlap hugely though it may not be obvious). I had to change my writing style a lot – in a way hide the wordiness of the academic talk to attract a wider audience. But once local business and magazines noticed me, my academic background and my research expertise combined with travel topics are exactly what they are willing to pay for. I’d say it’s not always easy to choose a single path. It’s important to become aware of your own unique skills and then position them inside a niche. 🙂
Hey Andrea,
I think academics who learn to write for the web are in a strong position because they have knowledge and credibility that others without a formal grounding in their topic lack.
Sadly though, many struggle to adopt the more casual, engaging writing style that online readers demand.
P.S. I love your tip “become aware of your own unique skills and then position them inside a niche” – great advice!
Hi Glen, very informative post for the all the writer for making money online got too many new things today. Thanks for sharing 🙂
This is mind blowing Glen,
Indeed, there’s a lot of money to be made as a writer. Although, writing can be a very tedious profession as a starter but once you’ve honned and nutured your skill, the opportunities are endless.
I’ve followed Steve Scott on all his kindle publishing guides back in the days and man, that guy really knows his stuff.
The good news is that I finally published my first ever kindle book this week and so far, it’s already doing well.
I have about 12 reviews so far and was able to take it to #1 best selling book in its category within 48 hours of launching (Although, i was giving it out for free).
I plan to be publishing new ones as often as possible too, let’s see how it goes.
A great post again Glen, thanks for sharing.
I’m still
Congratulations on your Kindle success Theodore. That’s great to hear and inspiring for others. 🙂
Ah Prospero! This is such stuff as dreams are made on. And you give us the reality of how to apply ourselves to make them come true so that our little lives will not just be rounded with sleep.
This is a keep-and-refer-back-to post as we progress. Thanks Glen.
Thanks Kim! 🙂
Writing for popular blogs is nice but its really difficult to achieve. Getting a popular site to accept your post seems impossible as a blogger.
It’s easier than you think. We’ve been teaching students of all abilities to do it for years. Here are a few tips:
1) Study what’s popular on your target blog before making your pitch. Don’t think only about what you want to write about, but what their audience loves reading about.
2) Study headline writing and spend time crafting great headlines for your guest posts.
3) Pitch two or three different topic ideas at the same time to increase the chances of getting a positive response.
Hope that’s useful!
Thank you for showing several ways to earn money as a writer. I think your advice about trying several ways makes sense to me. I don’t really know by now in which direction I will go in the future, but it will surely have something to do with writing – in one way or the other. Thanks again for your inspiring article.
No problem Stephan. Glad to have given you some concrete options to pursue. 🙂
Great article, Glen. I would certainly love to be a best-selling kindle author someday.
Quick question though, there are times I feel that writing (especially for corporate requirements) is becoming a tedious process. I was just wondering what makes you passionate about writing?
If you’re writing about a topic you’re not particularly interested in, yes, it can become tedious.
I guess I’m fortunate in that I am interested in the topics I get to write about.
I find it’s also motivating to think about the possible transformation for your readers. So even if you’re not super passionate about a topic, maybe you can be passionate about what your writing helps your readers achieve.
Another thing to help keep your writing passion alive is to have a side project you dip into from time to time when your enthusiasm lags.
Does that help?
“I find it’s also motivating to think about the possible transformation for your readers.” – this definitely helps, Glen. Sometimes I find myself focusing on getting this article done or that post polished – this attitude seems to add a lot of unnecessary pressure and adds to the “tediousness” of the task.
I can imagine your advice – shifting the focus on how I can help change the life of my readers – shifting some of that pressure away. Thank you very much, Glen.
Writing is an art. Everyone will not be blessed with this talent. Many people love to write and want to live as a passionate writer.
Most of the writers were not aware of the excellent opportunity. You have given a good five ideas for writers to get into their dreamed way
The links you provided in your content was also very informative and worthy suggestable. By reading your article, I opted the Second way you suggested.
Thanks for your post 🙂
Well, I was not aware that we can make a wonderful career in the writing field. I only thought about technical career for making a lot of money. But now, I have realized the importance of writing. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for giving the different options to earn from writing. I am not much of a writer myself, but need to learn and do it as I am only starting my niche site. But, in time, when I am earning from it, I will definitely outsource it and focus on the thing I love most, running a successful online business. Thanks for this
I like your breakdown of the different ways to make a living a writer. For me, I’ve found my sweet spot writing digital marketing content for small business and solopreneurs. I can collaborate with them and help them with their content marketing strategies, which helps me hone my expertise skills 🙂
An encouraging read. Thanks. I found this article while searching Google for writer’s blogs and generating income as a writer. I actually landed on the Stephen King post. I shall bookmark this site as a daily resource for motivation. Thanks 🙂 Something I’d add to supplement the list is to write a daily journal. I’ve done this for years and it keeps the creative juices flowing and helps me to experiment with my ‘voice’. I write for children in the main but am working toward more adult material. Cheers.
In today’s era of inline business, people are trying to build their authority as a writer. They want to make a lot of money.
I totally agree with you that if a writer doesn’t have the strategy then it won’t be a work for him/her.
Writing the guest posts for the popular blogs can help a lot. The more people would come to know about the writing style and the knowledge you have.
Thanks for sharing this guide. ~Ravi
The quickest way to make money online is by writing. But the quickest way is generally like writing for a few dollars per 500 words or so. As a writer, if you fall for that trap, you will be doing only donkey work. Try to establish your brand as a writer. Determine your own pricing and you can see that writers can earn quite notable money.
Thanks for sharing. I think you’ve touched my life this very moment.
But one thing is annoying me right now. And that’s the fact that virtually all the blogs I visited today on how to make extra money for myself as a writer have been telling me about Affiliate Marketing, yet I don’t belong to any of them.
I’m looking at registering with the web host I hosted my blog, but I want to know: will my use of free WordPress theme have negative effect on my quest? Can an affiliate program ban me for not using a premium template? What’s the effect? I need your honest opinion. (You can visit my blog to see what it looks like)
I have just removed my ads from my blog. It was looking too spammy. Now the focus is on my calls to action. I am finding that affiliate sales and content marketing are working for me. My long term goal is a membership site.
These are amazing tips for writers. I am a blogger I’m not sure if I’m a writer just because of that, it feels like cheating because a lot of people spend a lot of time studying for a killing writing experience while I was studying a whole different career.
Still, I love to write and all these tips are fully welcome, thanks for sharing.
There are many writers who are making enough money to make a living. Becoming a kindle author is a great idea.
But every writer needs to have the qualitative writing style. People like to read the content with the worth appeal.
There are many freelance websites which are hiring the writer and provide the money.
Glad to know more about it. ~Ravi
In this world of writers, Only innovative writers make their benchmark. I think that, the more a writer can explain things easily, the more he/she become successful. However i am totally agree with your points glen.
Thanks Glen really informative and useful piece of content and it clearly show how much efforts you have made to create this content. Keep it up!
On balance. You have to be happy with your own work — but when you’re asking other people to give you their time and attention, then you owe them some degree of quality and usefulness.
Being a writer is hard. What most people want to be is an author. You know, the sort that attends cocktail parties and is fawned over by fans and publishers and media moguls. Also plenty of sex is to be had from said fans, and there’s all of the adulation in the press and in readings and signings. But writing? That’s fucking drudgery. Few people want to actually do that.
I couldn’t agree more Garry! Some people even hire talented writers to become a “published author”.
Agree with your 5th point. It would be much better to make a niche blog and promote third party product rather than promoting own product when someone wants to make quick 6 figure income.
Niche blogs are attracting so many internet marketers nowadays and they are doing well with it.
Indeed a great Idea and also Thanks for sharing Pat Flynn’s video. 😀
Great article.
You talked about affiliate marketing. Is there any way to explore affiliate marketing opportunities in services industry? Especially in small business domain?
Lucky to place at # 65
After reading your post, I became tired!
NO NO your writing was interesting, but I became tired of scrolling down to 64 for leaving a comment.
By the way, now I’m feeling quite comfortable & writing a comment.
All the 5 points are doable & every writer should try out them.
Thanks & keep sharing. SM
E-book and blog writing are the most effective of all. I’ve actually earned quite well with those two forms.
I have been writing for my blog for almost a year. In January I will be guest posting then I think writing an ebook should be my next step. This post was helpful and gave information I wasn’t aware of.
In today’s age of blogging, freelancing and article marketing, everyone has become an author. Quality works rarely go unnoticed.
Thanks for this wonderful post. Most guys who wanna take freelancing as a career do make serious mistake of not choosing a particular niche to promote their skills.
You can’t just claim to be a writer in all niche and be successful. Let clients know you for something you are extra ordinarily good at.
Hey thanks buddy, another great piece of work. You really have much knowledge on writing and have great use of wording in your articles.
I’ve started my blog this month, how long adsense will approved my application ?
Getting rich by writing content is still not so easy but your tips will help so much. On the first step, the user has to improve his/her writing skills after that they should think about earning money.
Hello Glen, I really appreciate your effort for providing this wonderful information and guidelines to write the content and earn. I am doing a business of Quality Industrial Roller Doors in Sydney, could you please suggest some more ways to promote my business on the web. I’ll write the content for my business to promote it on different platform with the help of the information which you have provided.
This article is fantastic and I got some good information by reading this. thanks a lot for sharing this informative and useful post!
Thanks a bunch for this revealing piece. I am new to this space and the nuggets you shared are priceless.
Thanks and more neurons to your prefrontal cortex.
Great post. I completed the AWAI copywriting course almost 2 years ago. Since then, I’ve been in a bit stuck. Should I blog, should I try to find copywriting gigs, should I offer my services to people in my niche or should I branch out slightly? I’m in the healthcare field, so it’s a natural fit for me, but like many others before me, the prospect of a side gig outside of my comfort zone is alluring. Do you have any advice for obtaining copywriting gigs in general?
Hey Glen excellent post! I found this post when i was browsing through google looking to hire a company blogger. Would you have any recommendations?
As someone who has had that kind of success on Kindle, it’s definitely doable. But I’ve seen a few platform changes that have changed the playing field dramatically. So if you’re going to go the Kindle route, please be sure that you’re using it to build an email list and invest your Kindle gold into a well-oiled platform that lets you continue serving your audience at a higher level than you ever could on a third-party platform.
These are some great strategies. Thanks for sharing this.
Hey Glen this was great help for a content writer as well as an SEO guy like me, I’ve always struggled with this and now I think I know what I have to do in the future. would appreciate more articles like this in the future.
Waoo thanks for this articles. Writings have really generated a lot for people and am looking forward to writing this year 2020
I found that starting with my own blog helped me promote my business and then when it came to trying to make some extra income writing content for other businesses my blog gave me a portfolio to show them the quality of my work. Making money from writing is tough in such a saturated market but if you look beyond just one stream of income you can strike that vein of gold with lots of work & resilience.
Thanks for telling these Information about earning money methods. I will try these methods. Please guide me for SEO. Thanks.
Hello Glen,
Thank you for a helpful and detailed post Glen.
There were times while reading it that I felt more positive about my chances to earn more through writing, but mostly it seemed like an uphill battle for most of us aspiring writers, especially the ones who don’t boast much of a portfolio.
I have written many articles and posts, but nothing published on major sites or renowned blogs.
How would you go about building a better rated portfolio? I’m using my own blog mostly nowadays, but I would love to be seen elsewhere too?
Regards, Dawie A
Great content. I am a writer and I find that it is really a struggle making money with just my writing skills.
Thanks for showing opening my eyes to good means I can make money writing. It is indeed a very rich article.
Thank you for sharing such an insightful article, yet again. Smartblogger has never let me down in terms of content. I have recently started managing the blog page for Job Vacancy Result. I would love to implement some of these methods there. I also have my own blog page. Certain things can be implemented here.
Fantastic article! But the sad news is I’ve quitted writing in Upwork and Fiver after investing a little time. It’s because Upwork was paying low and Fiver didn’t give me any job. However, trying to be successful at blogging by following the advices of you. Thanks
Love the amazing post, keep up the good work.
More and more people try their hand at blogging, but the truth is that so few actually make it to ever generate a substantial income from their efforts. If someone starts a blog only for the purpose of making money and’s not passionate about writing in the first place is just wasting his time.
What an outstanding article, Glen. Well written and an excellent read too. Allow me to add another strategy I have come across to make money writing. In a word “Medium”. But many people are not eligible for the partner program, and I am one of them. Therefore I have figured out several ways to make money as a writer on Medium both with and without being part of the Medium partner program. All I can say is, writing for Medium is another great way to make quite a bit of money as a writer and an affiliate marketer. Have a lovely Monday…
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