How Can I Get Paid to Write?
You have your way with words and can articulate your thoughts in writing. You have heard about how people make money writing – now you want to get paid to write as well. What are the best ways to earn money writing online? Are there any websites that make this easier?
The key to making money online is knowing what kind of content is in demand and where to find it.
10 Online Writing Jobs That Pay
There are tons of companies seeking talented writers to improve their leads etc. But which jobs can you do and get paid as a writer? Here are the most common.
1. Write Articles As a Freelancer
One of the best ways of landing blog writing jobs is through online freelance listing websites like Upwork, Freelancer.com, and Problogger Job Board. You can also reach out to business owners to pitch your ideas.
Blog writing is usually around 500 at least to 5,000 words per blog post, and payment can be per word or a flat rate for the entire project – depending on the client.
The number of clients you will have and the work you will be doing depends on your pitch and your ability to network and find opportunities.
2. Focus on Article Writing
Even though people use them interchangeably, articles are different from blog posts. While blogs adopt a narrative tone, articles adopt a more formal style. For example, it informs and demonstrates the validity of a business’s claims about its product or service.
You can find this kind of gig on sites like Upwork and Freelancer.com. Other ways to get article writing jobs are to pitch directly to clients and use your network of other writers to find opportunities.
An article in a newspaper averages 600 to 1500 words, while an article in a magazine averages 1500 to 3500 words. In other cases, articles can range from 4000 to 5000 comments. A higher word count gives readers a complete picture to better understand the topic.
3. Ghostwriting
Ghostwriting is writing for a client without a byline or any form of credit. The client remains the “author” of the piece. It can be web content for lead generation or sales conversion, blog posts, articles, books – you name it.
However, ghostwriting gigs pay well, so many writers don’t mind not getting credit for the work.
A lot of professionals begin writing by landing ghostwriting gigs. They start blogs and build a brand to charge more for their writing services as they earn money.
Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer job boards are among the most popular places to find ghostwriting jobs.
4. Write for People… and Search Engines
Have you heard about SEO as a career? It has become a whole industry.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of optimizing websites, blogs, and content to reach high ranks on search engines such as Google and Bing.
To rank high on SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages), companies and marketers will spend big to hire good writers who understand how to optimize content for search engines and produce high-quality results.
If you are passionate about writing, know about SEO, and don’t mind doing initial keyword research, then SEO writing can be a good gig.
You can find SEO writing jobs on freelance sites such as Upwork or Freelancer. Other freelance job boards, such as Contentwritingjobs.com, Freelance Writing Jobs Blog, and TopTal, also offer related gigs.
5. Connect Businesses with Prospects Through Social Media Copy
Currently, a diverse pool of audiences is waiting to consume social media content, making it one of the ways you can get paid to write.
Social media writing jobs need you to create content for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other social networking sites. Usually, content on social media is simple, consumable, easy to relate to, and sharable – in short, things that are easy to read and digest.
You can find social media writing jobs on different job boards or through your existing clients. For instance, if you write a great blog post or ghostwrite a remarkable piece, your client can decide to offer you a social media gig. A portfolio will also give you an advantage when pitching to prospective clients.
6. Get Your Creative Juices Flowing with Email Marketing
Email marketing has an incredible ROI of $36 for every $1 the business invests. So, many companies are paying big bucks to email writers to create email copy that is relevant to their target audience.
If you have a knack for writing great emails that convert and keep the tone conversational and friendly – email writing can be a lucrative writing side hustle for you.
It is also possible to make a career out of it if you can prove your worth to your clients and build a strong portfolio.
Popular job boards post email writing jobs from time to time. Master cold outreach if you’re looking for a gig that pays almost $100k/year. Job boards can be saturated, but cold outreach is a great (and free) way to send emails to businesses related to your niche. Building a niche blog is another excellent strategy for landing an email copywriting gig.
7. Press Release Writing
Don’t underestimate the power of well-written press releases. They can generate significant exposure for a business, including links to their website, mentions in the media, and even press coverage.
You are helping the business spread its message to the public via relevant media outlets.
Job boards like Upwork and Indeed post many press releases writing jobs. The minimum pay is usually $30 per hour, but it can be as high as $182 for experienced writers.
8. Inspire Readers By Getting Personal
Personal essays are non-fiction pieces with a unique theme. Sites like Poets & Writers, Readers Digest, One Story, and The BBC accept submissions from writers. Their websites then feature the best pieces.
Media Bistro spoke with several editors, who unanimously agreed that personal stories should have diverse points of view. To have a chance of having your essay published and become an essay writer, it has to be something new but also relatable to your intended audience.
The length of your essay will depend on the publication, Although they are usually at least 250 words long. These platforms are also popular among writers seeking to build their portfolios.
The rates of personal essays vary by outlet.
9. Become a Podcast Writer
Podcast marketing is a trend that has risen in the past couple of years. People listen to podcasts for learning and entertainment. You could hop on this bandwagon and begin writing scripts or topics for podcasts.
Many podcasters are willing to pay top dollar for content because quality content will guarantee higher listenership and engagement. However, prepare for stiff competition and hone your skills to begin your journey as a successful podcast writer.
Podcast writers earn per word or by the hour, depending on the project’s requirements. And you can find this writing job on popular job boards and social networking sites.
You can also write scripts for videos, YouTube shows, explainer videos, and other multimedia content.
10. Participate in a Writing Contest
It’s not a regular job or a top-paying one like the rest in this piece. But earning from writing contests is a great side gig, especially when starting as a newbie writer (or freelancer).
Keep an eye out for contests, read the guidelines, and submit an article – you could receive compensation for your work. A few examples of places you can find writing contests include:
- Young Lions Fiction Award
- L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest
- Inkitt
- 53-Word Story Contest
- Drue Heinz Literature Prize
- Hektoen Grand Prix Essay Contest
- Biopage Storytelling Writing Contest
- The Gabo Prize
- Pen/Heim Translation Fund Grants, etc
One thing to remember when scouting for writing contest opportunities is that not all writing contests offer free entries.
Some writing contests, like Bumblebee Flash Fiction Contest, F(r)iction Contests, and Newfound Prose Prize, require you to pay an admission fee.
Get Paid to Write: Websites that Pay You to Write
1. 99designs
99designs is a platform that connects freelance designers with businesses that need them to design things like logos, business cards, book covers, flyers, etc. This platform also runs a blog, and they usually invite writers to pitch ideas for articles they can publish on the blog.
According to the website, you may become a regular contributor after 3-4 successful published articles.
Pay: Contact the editorial team for details.
2. B2B Writing Success
B2B Writing Success is an online resource where B2B writers or aspiring B2B writers can find information to help them succeed in this genre of writing. They also have a premium membership where members can access more tools and a community where they can get help from other like-minded professionals.
They invite freelancers to submit articles and videos that inform and educate their audience about how to write for other businesses. You don’t have to be a member to get paid to write for B2B Writing Success.
Pay: $100 – $300
3. Freelance Moms
This website is dedicated to helping moms and women close information gaps and connect them with other women running a business successfully. Freelance Moms accepts contributions from moms and dads about topics like entrepreneurship, work-life balance, etc.
Pay: $100 for a 1,500-word article.
4. Transitions Abroad
Transitions Abroad offers some of the most comprehensive information available for cultural immersion travel, study abroad, work and living in different countries worldwide, as well as drawing from its ever-expanding article archives.
To be published on this website, the article must follow a particular writing style. For guidelines on submissions and previously published articles, please refer to their website.
Pay: $75 – $150
5. Copyhackers
You will need great writing skills to get paid to write for this website – and with good reason. The pay is among the best you’ll find anywhere for writing on the Web, but the competition is tough.
Copyhackers provide resources in the form of courses to help copywriters, founders, and marketers level up their pen game. As a result, their contributors must be almost exceptional.
Pay: $300 – $1000
6. Healthy Living
Do you fancy writing about all things health and wellness? You can pitch to the editor at Healthy Living, and if you’re accepted, you’ll get a byline on each post you write.
Pay: $150 for 1,500 words
7. Money Pantry
Money Pantry is a personal finance blog that invites freelancers to contribute money-related content like money-saving tips, paying off debt, retirement preparation, etc. The articles you submit must have a unique voice and follow their style guide properly to be published on the website.
Pay: $30 – $150
8. Mold Busters
Mold Busters was established in 2005 as a Canadian mold removal company owned and operated by a family. The business always seeks passionate writers, paid contributors, or guest bloggers, to contribute relevant, useful, interesting, and informative articles.
Make sure to go through their writing guidelines to have a higher chance of being approved as a contributor.
Pay: $200 – $400
9. Make a Living Writing
This site helps writers like you make money online by teaching you how to turn your passion into profits through freelance writing. Topics will generally be about freelance writing and tips to help you improve your writing skills.
Pay: $75 – $150
10. Focus on The Family
Another website where you can earn money to write is Focus on The Family. This website promotes morality, parenting, faith, and culture based on Christian ethics. A comprehensive guideline is attached to each topic, explaining the title, word count, payment, deadline, format, audience, and more.
Pay: $0.25 per word
These are only a few websites where you can get paid to write. With a little more research, you will surely find other legitimate websites that will pay you for your content.
Start Making Money Writing Online
Now that you know the paid online writing jobs, it’s time to take action. Build a portfolio, sharpen your skills, and get paid to write.
Remember, making money writing is a marathon in that you run every day – you must keep writing, learning, networking, and building your portfolio.
