The search phrase "Get Paid to Write" turns up nearly a half-million results on Google. Apparently, you can get paid to write articles, blog, review websites, and take surveys. Unfortunately, many of these opportunities are less attractive than they appear. How can you separate the valid writing opportunities from the time-wasting websites?
1. How much are you getting paid?
Professional freelance writers won't often settle for less than $35-50 per article, or more, depending on how long it takes to crank out. If you're looking at article sites that are offering $5-10, you may want to rethink the offer. As a freelance writer you should have a goal for how much you wish to get paid per hour for your work. You can easily determine if online writing offers fall into your asking range by adding up the total time it takes you to find the offer, research the material, write the article, and do your editing. Then take your expected pay for the work and divide it by the hours you put into the article. If you were paid $25 for an article that took you two hours to produce, you're only taking home $12.50 per hour before taxes. Are you willing to put that effort into the article for $12.50 per hour?
2. How are you getting paid?
Will you be paid a flat rate for your article or blog? Or does the site offer a commission based on a breakdown of Adsense Revenue or another money model? Sites offering a commission are more likely to accept a wider range of quality than those offering a flat rate, because they know the popularity of well written articles will make them more profitable. However, this level may still not be enough to support your writing habit.
3. How will they be using your work?
Some sites pay for articles or reviews and give you full credit. Others may take them for full-usage rights and do with them what they please. Many writers may not care if this happens - once they get paid for the work they are happy to see it go. But others might be looking to develop a writing rapport and portfolio, and if the article is sold outright, it is one less item to add to their publishing credits. Before signing up, decide how important this factor is to you and determine how your work will be used.
4. Do you have to pay to join?
Stay away from websites that claim to send you jobs for hire under a subscription. These sites often send out lists that are no better than listings you can find for free elsewhere, and may not be valid writing opportunities from respected publishers and websites. The point here is to get paid, not to pay for it.
5. Don't expect to get rich quick.
Many new writers chose the profession because they believe the internet is full of ideas that will make them millions of dollars with little work. Even overnight successes built up their businesses for years before hitting it big. Don't get into writing with the expectation of making a fortune. It takes the same hard work, and often even harder work, than most other careers.
As always, stay away from any writing opportunity that requires access to your bank account, promises to pay via Western Union or a check wire, or is solicited by email by a foreign head of state. These are signs of scams that can get you into big trouble and ruin a promising writing career.
