Photo courtesy of Channah (sxc.hu)
When I first began working from home, I was on the phones, trying to juggle family life with a pre-determined schedule. I had no idea I could work from home writing, so I plowed away at the only legitimate job I could find – customer service. While this is a great work at home gig for anyone with a quiet place to work, it can be restrictive if you have children, or in my case very loud pets.
As I began to look more deeply into different types of work from home jobs, I discovered a plethora of companies that will pay you to write short articles on the topics of your choosing. I had always considered myself a hobby writer, but I never thought I could actually get paid for it. I was overjoyed when I found out it was true, and now I make my sole living as a freelance web writer. Here’s how you can do it, too.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to have a fancy degree or even any experience writing for the web to get started. The only requirements are a strong command of the English language, creativity, and a will to make it work. It’s hard at first, and it takes many hours of reading, studying, and plain hard work. You’ll need to become familiar with search engine optimization (SEO), finding and using keywords, web writing formats, and particular style guides.
Before you give up and think that you’ll never be able to learn all this, let me reassure you. I began to work from home writing for the web with NO IDEA what I was doing. It took months of work to get it down, but now I’ll never have to work outside of the home again. There is no easy way out, but you can do it if you really want to make it work.
Step 1 – Research
The first thing you should do, if you decide you want to make web writing your new work from home career, is to read all you can on the subject. Familiarize yourself with the lingo and trends. Some great resources include freelance and web writing blogs, forums, and articles. Research is a great way to find out if you’re really cut out to be a web writer. If you think you can handle the work, then it’s time to get started.
Step 2 – Getting Started
There are numerous websites that will hire you to write articles. However, many of them require that you have some experience, a basic understanding of SEO and keywords, and writing samples. Don’t fret if you don’t meet these requirements yet. There are a few sites out there that will allow you to sign-up for free and flex your new web writing muscles without a writing resume or experience, and this is also a great way to begin a portfolio of samples for future employers.
We all have to start somewhere, and the best place for an absolute web writing newbie is Associated Content. Sign up for a free account and familiarize yourself with the site. You’ll be paid a small upfront payment, usually less than $5.00, but you’ll also earn ongoing royalties for life on the articles. See the site for more information on the payment structure. However, at this point, you should be most concerned with learning how to effectively write for the web, instead of making a ton of money. That comes later.
Once you’ve become familiar with finding keywords and incorporating them into your articles, and you’ve begun to make a little money, you can then move on to higher paying sites. Associated Content is a great place to learn, and don’t fret if you make mistakes. Create a pen name if you aren’t comfortable with your writing in the beginning, so it doesn’t come back to bite you when you finally figure it out.
Step 3 – Branching Out
Now that you have a better idea of what you’re doing, you can consider branching out. Other sites that accept newbies to work from home writing include eHow and Textbroker. With eHow, you’ll be paid residual income on a monthly basis, depending on how much ad revenue your articles earn. Although you won’t get rich quick, over time you can build up a significant income here. Read as much as you can, including eHow tutorials and tips written by successful writers to help you on your journey.
Textbroker is a little different than Associated Content and eHow. Once you’re accepted, you’ll gain access to a list of articles that have been requested by clients. You choose the article you want to write and follow the client’s instructions. You’ll be paid a small amount for each article in the beginning, but as your writing improves and you gain a higher rating, you’ll soon have access to higher paying articles.
Step 4 – Branching Out Even Further
You should have a pretty strong handle on web writin by now, and you may be ready for some real paying work. I would advise waiting until your rating on Textbroker has been elevated, just so you know that your writing is strong enough to make it on some of the more highly competitive sites.
Once you’re ready to move on to the bigger leagues, you’ll need to create a writing resume. Next, take your very best articles from Textbroker, AC, or eHow and use them for applying to new sites. Some of the best places to write, in which you can actually make a full-time living, include Demand Studios, WiseGEEK, and Suite 101. If you aren’t accepted at first, don’t give up. Simply wait another month, continue to improve your writing on the previous sites, and try again. Eventually, you’ll get it and you’ll be a real “work from home writing for the web” success story.
For more info: Visit The Freelance Home Writer, a blog that includes web writing tips and tutorials for new and experienced writers, reviews of sites that pay you to write, resume help, ehow tutorials, residual income information, and more.
Comments
I would like to know more about writing online and become a freelance writer. I have written articles for the local paper and they were printed.I would like to know where you can write about your life experiences.
Hi, Cat.
There are numerous companies which will pay you to write. Some of them allow you to choose your own topics, but often the best paying sites will require that you write the topics which they deem to be in high demand.
Please see the sites mentioned in the article for more information, or visit The Freelance Home Writer at freelancehomewriter.blogspot.com for in-depth reviews of these sites.
Also, feel free to email me at WAHCindy@writeme.com if you'd like more personalized advice.
Thanks!
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