Get Paid to Write

July 24, 2008 at 10:04 pm | Posted in Writers Write | Leave a comment
Tags: Be a writer, e-book, Fiction writer, Get Paid to Write, ghost write, write, writer, Writing

 

When you decided to be a writer, did you think you were going to write a novel or screenplay?  Did you imagine yourself as the next Stephen King or Hollywood “It” Kid schmoozing with celebrities and getting comfy on Oprah’s couch?  I imagined writing terrific mysteries, releasing a new best seller every year and living comfortably doing something I love. 

 

I do get paid to write, but it’s not quite the vision I had years ago. While you wait for that publishing contract and big advance, you might find yourself hustling for freelance jobs.  I’ve written articles for others to post on a wide variety of topics.  I might not be passionate about solar energy or knitting, but I am passionate about writing. While the topics don’t nourish my writer’s soul, it does put food on the table.

 

I’ve heard my fellow writers complain about the dismally low pay scale for writing articles.  It does not pay as well as print because site owners need to update content daily, not weekly or monthly.  They need quality content but they also need quantity content.  The budget only stretches so far and many of my customers are small business owners.  If you can’t stomach the idea of earning only $20-$30 an hour, there are other options

 

1.  Write for your own site.  This is appealing because you can write about the topic of your choice (such as writing) and you will reap all the rewards. Just be prepared for the three W’s…

 

Hard Work

Lots of Writing and

A long Wait

 

As you build content on your site, you also want to build links. You can do this by writing supplemental articles, NOT duplicate articles, and placing them on sites like WordPress or Peoplefuel.  These sites will host your articles or blog for free and Peoplefuel also allows revenue sharing. This makes the article doubly beneficial because it provides a link to your site plus displays ads to collect extra income.

 

If you decide to write for your own site you should consider how you will make money once you’ve generated traffic and established yourself as an authority.  This brings me to…

 

2. Write an e-book.  The hottest products for online entrepenuers are e-books.  Consumers are ravenous for information and e-books are ideal for satisfying their appetite.  E-books are inexpensive to publish and distribute and they will keep generating revenue long after they’re written.  Non fiction or How To e-books have been accepted by the online audience but fiction e-books still struggle to find a readership.  I don’t know why one genre is more successful than another, but it’s something to consider when planning your e-book. 

 

3.  Ghost write – similar to writing articles for others there is demand for ghost writers to write e-books for others.  There are sites that connect writers and clients with jobs ranging from resumes, essays to e-books and novels.  I haven’t done any business with these companies, so I’m not endorsing them, just letting you know they’re services are available.  The best endorsement for a potential client is an example of your work. Most of my contacts have come from the articles I have posted.  Did I mention that when I write an article for others I ask to include a link to one of my sites?  The best way to get work writing is to write. 

 

4. Pay per post – You can also earn money if you write a review or article about a specific product and post it on your site.  You can pay $10.00 a year for a domain name and find hosting for free.

 

You can get paid to write. It might not be quite what you envisioned, but it is possible. The opportunity is there, you just have to take it.

 

 

Get Paid To Write

Get Paid To Write