If you love writing but don’t have a full-time job, a great way to earn money online is by writing articles for other people. You can make a decent side income by doing this, and you can also get a full-time writing career off the ground if you’re good enough.
1. Build Your Writing Portfolio
Before you start freelancing, it’s important to have a solid writing portfolio that showcases your work and skills. You can do this by contributing to a local newspaper or magazine, starting a blog or even writing for student publications.
2. Write for Commissioning Editors
When you’re looking to write for a specific publication, it’s best to start by pitching your ideas to their commissioning editors. These are journalists who hire freelancers to write for their magazines and newspapers on a paid basis. The amount of money you could be earning depends on the length and style of your articles, but it can be a very lucrative way to start.
3. Find a niche that’s in demand
The first step to making money as an article writer is to identify a niche that has a high market demand. Once you’ve determined a niche, you can then focus on SEO to drive traffic to your site. This can be done by incorporating ads or affiliate links into your content.
4. Pitch to a Revenue Sharing Website
One of the best ways to find opportunities to write for money online is by sending your content to revenue sharing sites like Medium and Hubpages. These websites host your content and pay you a percentage of ad revenue generated from the page in return for hosting it.
5. Write for a Magazine
Some magazines publish articles on a freelance basis and pay up to $500 per article. This is a great opportunity for anyone with a strong writing background who loves to write about newsworthy topics and events.
In some cases, magazine writers will have to write a short pitch describing the article they’d like to submit. This can be a useful way to gain experience and show potential editors that you understand how to communicate clearly with an audience.
6. Start a blog
If you’re not sure what to write about, starting a blog can be a great way to test the waters and see what kind of topics are popular. You can then monetize your blog by adding ads or affiliate links in your posts, which can lead to a profitable side gig.
7. Use a WordPress Template
If you want to take your writing skills to the next level, consider using a WordPress-based blog and setting it up to show off your writing. This will also help you build a reputation as an author, which is vital to finding freelance opportunities.
8. Invoice Your Clients
When you write for a client, you should send them an invoice to confirm that they have paid you. This is a great way to protect yourself from any future issues, such as a dispute over payment.
