I’ve always loved to write but was discouraged from pursuing this as a career when I was younger. While getting my home business off the ground, I was without steady income and at the time, felt the need to get many things off of my chest. I submitted my first article to Associated Content back in the summer of 2006 and it’s been a heck of a ride. I’ve since started two successful blogs and have taken credit (as well as non-credit) classes on broadening my writing as well as related skills such as search engine optimization and internet marketing. As I have varied interests such as art, pop culture and cooking, so I rarely run out of things to write about.
Now, this is not to boast about me but to give insight for those who seek additional income by writing can make money quickly. If you are a sports enthusiast or fashion student, there are many markets for you and possibly add a writing credit to your resume. Unfortunately, writers who write general articles or unsupported rants, cannot always say this and it is recommended that if they publish (even if they make money at it and are popular), they should do so under a pen name – unless you’re a brand like Perez Hilton.
One thing that experienced web and print writers have stressed to is the importance of ownership when it comes to your works. This is good advice but if you’re starting out, it may be best to gauge certain factors such as byline, pay, exposure, etc. Should you choose to give away your article rights, the beauty is that you can re-tool (also called article spinning) it and sell the piece somewhere else.
Now, on to the good stuff. These are sites where I have first-hand information in regard to what a writer can expect and most importantly, payment.
Break Studios – this Beverly Hills-based company accepts numerous articles in the word count range of 250-700 and there is a lead time of one week to submit article. For the past several months, the majority of articles have been posted on the MadeMan website but they do have relationships with other sites. To apply, a short writing sample is needed and payment is $8 for articles that pass criteria. Recently, they made an announcement of higher-paying assignments but did not specify an amount. For now, they pay bi-weekly via PayPal.
Bukisa – seeks mostly how-articles and submissions go through an approval process before publication. Some writers claim that Bukisa accepts articles already published but as eHow (see below) has changed their submission process, it may be safe to submit original or very good re-writes. Pays by the view per Google Adsense.
Content Authority – after a submitting a writing sample on a random topic and being accepted, a writer has specific keywords to write original articles of at least 300 words at about .007 per word. Also, article must be submitted within eight hours of accepting it. Payouts start at $10 per PayPal.
eHow/Demand – one of the leading online how-to directories, has recently changed to accept contributors that have been approved by Demand Studios. The new process is rigorous compared to the previous format. Once accepted for a three-article probationary period, writers have varied how-to subjects that are designated by Demand. Articles that do not follow specified formatting or certain criteria result in suspended accounts if occurrences are consecutive. All rights go to Demand Media and upfront payment, which starts at $15 per article is twice weekly via PayPal. They have revenue payments options as well which may be a safer option for those who are still working on writing mechanics.
Elance – bidding site that operates similar to oDesk. Once application package is completed, writers and other freelancers can set up a profile and bid for various jobs. Payment can be low for those just starting and freelancers must submit a proposal. Free and paid memberships are available to those who join. They also have a wide variety of payment options and unlike Guru, offer free skills testing.
Experts 123 – once online application is accepted, writers have various options to choose from. There are upfront pay projects that require completion within a day as well as revenue share options such as answering a questions on specific topic. Good for those who like to write informative pieces.
Hubpages – this is a popular site with good resources and linking options with Kontera, Google and Amazon. Good for keyword-dense articles. Payment is usually via Google Adsense.
London Brokers – both a short test and writing samples must be approved first. Once accepted, writers can take up to two article submissions at a time (in order to increase this, they must have successfully submitted three articles). Unlike Content Authority, there is a fairly long lead time (2 or more days) to submit articles. They offer both original single articles as well as re-write options which pay between two and seven dollars for the entire submission. They pay weekly via PayPal.
MyLot – this is good for anyone who wants to get paid to converse about many subjects. They pay pennies per conversation but they do give a little something for uploaded photos as well as taking article requests based on keywords. It is also a good place to find writing or telecommuting gigs. I’ve met some pretty nice people although I would not seek them as a source of serious advice. There are a lot of non-English speaking posters as well as those who are very young and/or inexperienced. Payouts are twice a month via PayPal.
oDesk – this bidding site is fairly popular due to the fact that writers need not prepare a proposal (online links and possibly a writing portfolio are best to show off samples of work), they offer mediation, open about clientele that are not payment verified and offer skills testing at no charge. Most jobs are low and for writers, there are a lot of requests for re-writes or e-book writing. Many contractors outside of U.S. bid on this site and their bids are really low, so it is best to take into consideration all factors involved when bidding low. One word to the wise, if a person has to think for too long, it is not worth the effort.
RedGage – this site is fairly new and accepts links to blogs and other published works, uploaded images and videos. Anyone with an email address can also post original works. Their payouts are $25 via PayPal.
SEED – this fairly new content site is part of the AOL family and it is important to note their ‘beta’ phase that’s a part of the logo. Once a writer submits a short writing sample, SEED offers many topics to choose from. They pay better than the majority of content writing sites but all accepted works become the property of AOL. Also, assignments are on spec. Meaning in this case, other writers may have assigned themselves to the same topic and SEED chooses which one(s) are eligible for payment and publication. Payment is via PayPal upon acceptance of article at writers’ request.
TextBroker – this growing site is one of the most popular due to the vast number of article topics available. Once a short writing sample has been submitted, most writers start off at the “2” level. However, it is easy to move up the ranks and the editors are very precise and unbiased when it comes to corrections and revisions. A person may not like to hear criticism when it comes to their work but have to realize that it pays off in the long run. Established writers can also accept direct orders which pay slightly more. Payouts start at $10 at the writer’s request via PayPal.
Xomba – operates very similar to HubPages
Sometimes, networking through general content sites can lead to more subject-specific sites that pay more and are more discriminating about who they bring on. Other sites to check out for writing leads or content writing company resources are Sun Oasis, Women on Writing (WOW) and this little blog I happened to run across.
If you want to read more in-depth details about my writing experiences, check out my blog, Writer Watch. In addition to experiences good and bad, it also tells of those who are shady (as in they didn’t pay or were a slow pay). Also, if you have further questions or comments, you can post them and I will be as honest as possible.
