Secretly, writers want to share their work. We ogle over our own, but we like our work to be seen – maybe even admired – by others. It feels good. Even better if you can get paid for your work. I’ve found some sites where you can do both – start writing again and earn a chance at getting paid. Yes, I said “earn a chance”. These aren’t guaranteed ways to make money. You need to create quality work. If you’re interested in writing, this shouldn’t worry you. However, if you’re just looking for a quick buck and have no interest in truly putting forth the effort, then your time would best be spent finding an alternate route. (And, no, I don’t know any get-rich quick schemes – sorry).
These quality sites for writers offer an opportunity to earn money for your work in a number of ways. Certainly worth checking out:
Suite101 for emerging article writers or those with experience who want some additional income. Members are serious about writing, but are allowed freedom to write about their topic of choice. You have to apply by submitting two pieces of your own work. Once approved, you need to write 10 articles every three months in order to maintain your membership. You can monetize your article with a tasteful ad and receive a share of the revenue. If you’re article is purchased by someone who wants to use it for their own website, you’ll earn even more.
Squidoo is a social community of writers who create pages, called “lenses”, that provide information to those visiting the lens. It was launched by well-known author and entrepreneur, Seth Godin, as a viral platform to create a significant source of information. I’ve been a member since February 22, 2009, and can’t say enough about what an incredible opportunity this is for writers looking for a place to be creative. I haven’t spent a single penny to be a member on Squidoo, have made some wonderful, new friends, have learned tremendously, and have even earned a few bucks. Earning money while having fun…really, that just sells itself. I wholeheartedly endorse becoming a member of Squidoo – so much so that while I could link you to a referral link that would pay me some a spiff once you’d earned your first $15, I haven’t used that link in this post. It’s that good.
Helium allows writers to find freelance writing assignments by bringing publishers and article writers together in one marketplace. Publishers list the topic they need written, and writers apply to take the assignment. The payment amount for each article is listed in the article request posting. Competition is stiff and and there may not be a lot of listings to choose from, but the money is good – anywhere from $16-72 for an article based on today’s listings.
Hub Pages is another community-based writers nook where content writers join the community and create pages on their topic of interest, can monetize their pages, and earn money as they earn visitors from search engines. I have not joined Hub Pages but many members of Squidoo have joined Hub Pages, as well as maintaining a presence on Squidoo.
Free. Each of these opportunities is free. All you have to do is put in the time to learn, the time to write, and give yourself a chance.