Getting paid to jot down might sound simple, however the actuality is a bit more sophisticated. Freelance writing may be exhausting to interrupt into, and the pay may be low (or nonexistent) for newbies.
The trick is to get your first few articles or artistic items revealed after which use them to attain larger purchasers and higher pay. And even when long-term freelancing isn’t your aim, constructing a portfolio that showcases your revealed work can bolster your profession as a author or subject-matter knowledgeable.
Nonetheless, publishing these first few items is often the toughest a part of your writing journey. To assist, we’ve compiled a number of locations the place you will get paid to jot down now. We’ve additionally included tried-and-true strategies to permit you to develop as a author and, ideally, make more cash writing within the long-term.
Get Paid to Write for Flat-Charge Web sites, Blogs and Extra
Should you’re new to freelance writing, one of many first issues you could discover is how opaque the entire course of is. Web sites, blogs and publications typically depend on armies of freelancers, however their contributor pointers and pay are sometimes nowhere to be discovered.
As an alternative of diving straight into negotiations with editors about assignments and pay, first attempt to discover a web site or publication that has an easy course of for contributors in order that you understand precisely what they’re in search of and the way a lot they’re paying. (We’ll cowl pitching and negotiating additional under.)
Able to become profitable writing on-line? Listed here are 20 websites to attempt pitching:
1. Copyhackers
Copyhackers is a content material firm primarily based in Canada. It supplies academic supplies to assist new copywriters in addition to paid alternatives for writers to publish prolonged articles on Copyhackers’ weblog.
Its submission pointers are clear: You need to be properly versed within the subject that you simply’re pitching. And it is best to count on to be writing weblog posts which are 2,000 phrases or extra “until it’s extraordinarily splendidly amazingly readable studying.”
Pay: $300 to $1,000 per weblog publish
Classes/Subjects: Promoting, branding, UX (Person Expertise) or advertising and marketing ideas; freelance life-style or recommendation; entrepreneurship
2. Listverse
As its title implies, Listverse focuses on listicles aka listing posts. These are extremely clickable posts the place every major level is a part of a numbered listing (form of just like the article you’re studying proper now!).
The contributor pointers point out you can write articles associated to “any subject you want” — sports activities, self-help, private tales, or gaming excluded — as long as it’s fascinating, well-researched and within the type of an inventory of no less than 10 with two paragraphs per itemizing.
To slim that down ever so barely, the web site is damaged into a number of matters: weird, leisure, common data, life-style, science, society and extra. Your articles ought to roughly pertain to these areas.
Notice: Listverse will solely pay freelance writers through PayPal.
Pay: $100 per listing publish
Classes/Subjects: Weird, leisure, common data, life-style, science, society and extra
3. Narratively
To grasp what sort of articles Narratively publishes, look no additional than its tagline: “Human tales, boldly informed.” All sections of the web site are open to submissions. Simply make sure that your story is longform, gripping and has sturdy narrative parts.
For an in-depth breakdown of the completely different sections and story sorts, learn Narratively’s submission pointers. You’ll want a Submittable account to ship in your draft.
Pay: $300 to $400 per article
Classes/Subjects: Private essays, extraordinary highschool sports activities tales, sudden household companies, hidden historical past, and reported articles with a story, human-interest method
4. Reader’s Digest
Reader’s Digest wants no introduction. However what you in all probability didn’t know is that it provides one of many funnest and low-risk methods to receives a commission to jot down.
However as a substitute of swinging straight for the large leagues with a front-cover function story, you possibly can submit jokes and micro-stories to Reader’s Digest, which is able to publish them on-line and within the print journal. In case your submission is chosen, you’ll get $100 a pop. (That’s among the many highest per-word charges within the trade.)
Be sure you comply with the suitable pointers for jokes and 100-word true tales.
Pay: $100
Classes/Subjects: Jokes or true private tales (100 phrases or fewer)
5. Unemploymentville
In line with its web site, Unemploymentville is “a spot for anybody who has felt the sting of being out of labor.”
It additionally occurs to be a spot you possibly can write visitor weblog posts when you have fascinating small-business concepts, useful job-searching strategies or private tales about coping with job loss.
Unemploymentville accepts submissions each different month. You may solely submit tales in January, March, Could, July, September, and November.
Pay: $25 to $75 per weblog publish
Classes/Subjects: Unemployment, job looking, facet hustles, private essays associated to discovering work
6. Author’s Digest
Author’s Digest is a century-old journal devoted to publishing “every part writers want to remain impressed, to enhance their craft, to grasp the distinctive challenges of publishing in the present day, and to get their work observed.”
In line with the submission pointers, Author’s Digest accepts submissions for a wide range of sections of the journal, and it sometimes accepts chilly pitches for visitor posts on-line.
Pay: 30 to 50 cents per phrase (print); or $50 to $100 (on-line)
Classes/Subjects: Private essays, memoirs manuscripts and have tales of curiosity to the writing group
7. RankPay
RankPay focuses on offering enterprise options with companies like PPC, content material advertising and marketing, and web site design.
In line with the Blogger Program submission pointers, RankPay accepts article submissions which are helpful, well-written, actionable, and naturally 100% unique content material. It takes about 2 weeks for a response when you submit an article; not all submissions will obtain a response.
Pay: $50 per weblog publish
Classes/Subjects: search engine optimization, content material advertising and marketing, small enterprise
8. B. Michelle Pippin
Michelle Pippin is the founder and CEO of Girls Who WOW, a corporation of ladies entrepreneurs. Writers with first-hand enterprise expertise can earn cash by being revealed on the corporate weblog or by way of a personal e-newsletter.
Pippin requires hires writers with precise first-hand enterprise expertise, significantly on matters referring to girls entrepreneurs. You’ll earn extra money in case your article is revealed within the members-only print e-newsletter, although it will possibly by no means be republished elsewhere.
Pay: $50-$150 per weblog publish
Classes/Subjects: First-hand enterprise expertise, advertising and marketing and revenue “hacks”
Get Paid to Write Utilizing Freelance Web sites
To diversify your earnings as a contract author, it’s also possible to join freelance marketplaces, typically known as content material mills. For a lot of these freelance web sites, there’s sometimes some sort of screening course of concerned earlier than you begin working with purchasers.
Typically the businesses will feed freelance gigs to you, and you may settle for or decline them. Different occasions purchasers will attain out to you personally by way of {the marketplace}’s messaging system. Cost varies by market, however it’s at all times funneled by way of {the marketplace} as a substitute of coming instantly from the shopper.
Freelance marketplaces are a low-risk technique to check the waters as a contract author, however they aren’t probably the most profitable long-term possibility.
9. CopyPress
CopyPress is a content-marketing company that gives its personal content material administration system that freelancers can use to attach with tasks from CopyPress’ purchasers.
Whereas it provides some freelance gigs for designers, builders and influencers, content material writing and modifying is CopyPress’ bread and butter.
Join free and begin your coaching.
Pay: About 6 to 10 cents per phrase (author); 1 to 2 cents per phrase (editor)
Classes/Subjects: Varies by mission
10. Fiverr
Began in 2010, Fiverr is a freelance-service market that has grown to grow to be nearly synonymous with freelancing. You may supply nearly any skilled service conceivable on the location, however freelance writing companies are particularly common.
You might want to create a freelancer profile to begin bidding on and accepting freelance gigs.
And opposite to its title, you’re allowed to cost no matter quantity you need — not simply $5. Nonetheless, Fiverr takes 20% of the minimize.
Pay: Your price minus 20%
Classes/Subjects: Varies by mission
11. iWriter
With iWriter, you possibly can earn a set price for each article. The speed largely is determined by your star score, which you obtain primarily based on a trial article and subsequent tasks with purchasers.
In line with the location’s FAQ part, you earn 65% of the worth that purchasers pay for typical assignments, which is able to translate into very low charges as you’re beginning out.
For instance, the bottom tier of project is 150 phrases and would earn you 91 cents. Turning into an “elite plus” author (4.85 score or larger) will drastically enhance your earnings. Full a author software to get began.
Pay: 91 cents to $282.75 per mission
Classes/Subjects: Varies by mission
12. nDash
Based in 2014 as a one-person operation, nDash now boasts a community of greater than 10,000 freelance writers, which it connects with its purchasers, a few of whom are family model names.
To get began with nDash, you must enroll, create a free profile that highlights your experience and previous expertise, and arrange an account with Stripe as a way to receives a commission.
You’ll have the ability to set your charges primarily based on mission sort (weblog, whitepaper, e mail, article, and many others.). nDash doesn’t take a minimize of pay like different marketplaces. It fees its purchasers as a substitute.
Pay: 100% of your set price ($150 to $450 on common, in line with nDash)
Classes/Subjects: Varies by mission
13. Upwork
Upwork is one other huge on-line freelance market. It caters to all types of industries, together with and particularly writing companies.
Earlier than you settle for gigs, you’ll have to register without cost and arrange a freelancer profile. With Upwork, you set your personal charges and discover work by pitching purchasers instantly, accepting work from purchasers who reached out to you or by bidding on tasks that purchasers posted.
Whereas Upwork is free to enroll, it fees you a payment primarily based in your lifetime earnings with a shopper, between 5% and 20% of your set price.
Pay: Set price minus 5% to twenty%
Classes/Subjects: Varies by mission
Get Paid to Write Poetry, Fiction and Different Inventive Works
To receives a commission to jot down artistic work, neglect nearly every part you understand about freelance writing. Getting your artistic writing revealed is a wholly completely different beast, and only a few folks make a residing writing poetry or fiction alone.
Nonetheless, seeing your title in a literary journal could be a gratifying expertise, and that have is simply heightened if you receives a commission to your artistic masterpiece.
Not all artistic writing publishers pay. The truth is, it’s widespread to see “submission charges,” that means you are paying them to assessment your work. In these circumstances, publication isn’t assured. You need to keep away from these eventualities totally if you’re simply getting began.
Under, we’ve included a number of publications that don’t cost any such charges and pays you a modest sum as well.
14. Blue Mountain Arts
In case your poetry has a extra lyrical, feel-good vibe, think about writing for greeting playing cards. (Literary journals are notoriously snobbish towards one of these writing.)
Blue Mountain Arts, a greeting card and reward firm, accepts season poetry submissions on-line and by mail.
First place receives $350. Second place receives $200. And third place receives $100. Successful poems are revealed in greeting playing cards and on-line. Exterior of the poetry contest, you may additionally submit seasonal poems that comply with these pointers.
Pay: $100 to $350 per poem
Classes/Subjects: Really feel-good poetry associated to particular events
15. Rattle
Rattle is a web based and print journal that publishes solely poetry, and it provides poets weekly alternatives to receives a commission to jot down.
Whereas the print journal publishes quarterly, Rattle additionally holds a weekly “Poets Reply” contest on-line that asks poets to jot down a few present occasion that has occurred throughout the previous week.
Pay for acceptance into the print problem is $200 per poem, and on-line publication pays $100 per poem. Reference the acceptable submission pointers earlier than sending in your work.
Pay: $100 to $200 per poem
Classes/Subjects: Poetry
16. The Threepenny Evaluate
A quarterly literary journal, The Threepenny Evaluate publishes nonfiction essays, memoirs and critiques, fiction tales and poetry in print.
Relying on the kind of piece, you possibly can count on between $200 and $400 per revealed work.
In line with the author pointers, The Threepenny Evaluate doesn’t settle for e mail submissions and doesn’t settle for any submissions between Could 1 and Dec. 31.
Pay: $200 to $400
Classes/Subjects: Evaluations, criticisms, memoirs and different nonfiction works; poetry and fiction
17. Poetry Nook
Poetry Nook is a web site and discussion board for poets and poetry lovers. It’s operated by the literary journal Plum White Press.
Every week, Poetry Nook holds a free-entry poetry contest (for 350 weeks and counting). A number of winners and honorable mentions could also be chosen. Winners obtain a $20 fee through PayPal, and honorable mentions obtain $10.
Poetry Nook’s competitors is a good way for budding poets to receives a commission to jot down. There aren’t any theme or size necessities for the poems, it’s “natural impression and memorability that issues,” in line with the entry pointers.
Make sure you’re getting into the proper contest, because the hyperlink adjustments every week. You’ll find the most recent contest on Poetry Nook’s homepage.
Pay: $10 to $20 per poem
Classes/Subjects: Poetry
Different Methods to Get Paid to Write
There’s rather more to writing than freelance web sites and open-calls for submissions. As soon as you’re feeling snug (and maybe after you may have just a few profitable tasks below your belt), you can begin to implement some longer-term methods to construct your popularity as a profitable author.
They may not be as clear minimize because the choices above, however they’re nonetheless necessary.
Pitch to Your Favourite Publications
Pitching unsolicited article concepts is a difficult and obscure course of. However pitching is an important ability for freelance writers, particularly freelance journalists and content material writers. There are untold alternatives to get revealed by your favourite alt-weekly, native newspaper, journal or on-line publication, and so they’re hardly ever (if ever) marketed.
In our insider information to pitching your article concepts, we lay out precisely easy methods to discover the proper particular person to pitch and what to incorporate in your pitch e mail.
Listed here are some key takeaways:
- Pitch the proper editor or your e mail won’t ever get learn.
- Have a deep understanding of what the publication has already revealed on the subject.
- Craft a brief and candy e mail that exhibits a busy editor that No. 1, your pitch is a good suggestion and No. 2 that you’re the perfect particular person to jot down it.
Discovering an editor’s e mail may be troublesome. Scour the publication’s masthead or employees web page and use instruments like Hunter.io to guess and confirm particular editors’ e mail addresses.
Even when the editor likes your thought, the work doesn’t cease there. You then should be prepared to barter your pay — one other obscure and casual course of. Our information will assist you to determine precisely out how a lot to cost to your freelance work.
Begin Your Personal Weblog
Should you’re keen on freelance writing or launching a contract writing enterprise, chances are high you both already created a weblog otherwise you’re contemplating it. Running a blog is extremely common amongst writing hobbyists, and it’s one of many first steps many new freelance writers take after they need to receives a commission to jot down.
The reality is, running a blog is hard to monetize. It’s definitely not a fast technique to receives a commission to jot down, however it’s not out of date both. It can take sustained effort to grow to be a profitable blogger. Fortunately, we’ve a plethora of sources that will help you.
First, you’ll have to learn to begin a weblog, in case you haven’t already. This contains:
- Selecting a writing area of interest
- Choosing a catchy area title and discovering an internet host to your web site
- Constructing a user-friendly weblog
As soon as the fundamentals are arrange, you’ll need to make a devoted plan to monetize your weblog. Profitable monetization methods typically embody:
- Writing informative and authoritative weblog posts which are optimized for serps
- Writing for different blogs and publications that permit you to hyperlink again to your personal web site
- Signing up for affiliate partnerships with manufacturers associated to the subject you cowl, as a way to earn a fee on sponsored hyperlinks in your weblog posts
- Permitting ads in your pages, often through Google AdSense, as a way to receives a commission when folks go to your web page and work together with the adverts
As a result of time funding of running a blog, we suggest that you simply concurrently write for a number of the publications talked about above so that you simply get some cash coming in when you construct your web site. And don’t fret if it doesn’t take off. On the very least, your weblog can double as a portfolio web site that will help you land different purchasers and gigs.
Launch a Profession as a Author
The freelance writing enterprise isn’t for everybody. There are loads of unpaid hours and late nights concerned in getting issues arrange. (And that’s not mentioning further tax burdens and lack of advantages.)
The excellent news is you can break right into a profession in writing by quickly freelancing to construct up a portfolio. Then you should utilize that portfolio to land a full-time job with well being bennies and paid break day.
What writing jobs are on the market? Lots — and apart from the plain journalist and writer jobs, too.
In all places you look, there are phrases. Phrases on e book covers. Phrases in your car’s guide that educate you what that dang squiggly exclamation level image in your dashboard means. Phrases that entice you to purchase stuff.
You get the thought. There’s an individual (or perhaps even a workforce of individuals) behind all of these phrases, and so they’re getting paid. Their titles embody copywriter, UX author, product author, technical author, content material advertising and marketing author and extra.
Much more excellent news: All these jobs had been already distant pleasant earlier than the pandemic. The truth is, writing jobs are among the many mostly listed openings in The Penny Hoarder’s Work-From-Dwelling Jobs Portal.
So whether or not or not freelancing was your finish aim, the revealed clips you rack up alongside the best way can assist you construct a powerful portfolio, set up your self as an knowledgeable on a sure subject and even launch your profession as a full-time author. The choices are infinite.
Continuously Requested Questions (FAQs) About Writing for Cash
Listed here are solutions to a number of the most incessantly requested questions on getting paid to jot down.
Who Will Pay Me to Write?
Loads of folks and publications pays you to jot down articles, weblog posts and extra. Should you’re freelancing, all of it is determined by how you discover your shopper. Many corporations rent writers as workers. Promoting companies, on-line publications and advertising and marketing companies are among the many hottest forms of corporations that instantly rent writers.
Should you’re utilizing a contract web site like Upwork, the pay will come from Upwork — indirectly from the shopper, since Upwork operates like a matchmaker.
Should you’re submitting your article or artistic writing on to a publication, it would pay you often by direct deposit, examine, PayPal or another established fee technique.
The place Can I Submit Writing for Cash?
The simplest locations to submit writing for cash are publications which have clearly acknowledged submission pointers. Some web sites, together with content material mills, on-line magazines and literary journals might settle for submissions year-round and have their charges publicly displayed. We cowl a number of such locations to submit your writing on this article.
Alternatively, you possibly can chilly pitch magazines, newspapers and a few blogs along with your story thought after which negotiate your pay in the event that they like your thought.
How Can I Make Cash Writing On-line?
Running a blog and freelance web sites like Fiverr and Upwork are among the many hottest choices for getting cash on-line by writing. However they’re not at all times the quickest and most profitable choices.
Along with these common strategies, you must also think about writing articles for blogs in addition to extra conventional forms of publications like magazines, newspapers and literary journals — all of that are very prone to publish on-line.
Nobody technique is a money cow, however in case you mix them, it’s doable to make a residing writing.
The place Do I Discover Freelance Writing Jobs?
Discovering freelance writing gigs is far simpler in case you diversify your sources. Along with pitching publications instantly and signing up for freelance web sites, it is best to arrange e mail alerts for a job board or two.
Mediabistro, The Penny Hoarder Work-From-Dwelling jobs portal, FlexJobs and typically even the usual job boards like Certainly and Glassdoor may be helpful instruments in looking down high quality writing jobs.
And as a substitute of ready for the gig to be posted on a job board, you possibly can go on to the supply. Large on-line publishers reminiscent of DotDash (which owns Verywell, Investopedia, The Spruce and a number of other different on-line publications) and Vox Media (which owns The Verge, Vox, Eater, Polygon and others) publish freelance author openings on their very own job boards on a regular basis.
How Do I Begin a Writing Profession?
Writing careers don’t at all times begin by getting a level in journalism or English, both (although a associated diploma definitely helps). Numerous writers discover success by falling in love with writing later in life, selecting to freelance and slowly increase experience and a portfolio earlier than lastly making use of for a full-time job as a bonafide author or journalist.
One factor is for positive, whether or not by credentials or beforehand revealed work, you will need to have the ability to display your writing abilities to land a job.
Matt Matasci is a Southern California freelance author who writes on know-how and enterprise, plus journey and life-style matters.
