Freelance writing is the ultimate side thing. It's flexible, it pays well, and it's fun.In fact, freelance blogging has helped me get from 1.600 US dollars per month to more than 5.500 US dollars per month to come. This job was my golden ticket to bigger and better opportunities.The flexibility and sheer volume of opportunities that come with freelance writing make it a fantastic side business for anyone who loves to write. It can be worked into any college student's schedule and can be a great side income for anyone looking to accelerate student loan payments.
If you want to get your foot in the door and make some extra money, here are 14 ways to get paid for writing.
Blogs that pay for your tips and stories
If you love sharing your tips and stories and are looking for unique ways to get paid for your words, writing for blogs can be a very lucrative venture.
The benefit of this side hustle is that you can get paid well, but have no obligation to submit articles on a regular basis. If you have a great idea, just pitch it to one of these blogs to get paid!
The Penny Hoarder – The Penny Hoarder is a blog dedicated to unique ways to make and save money. The Penny Hoarder pays a flat rate per post (must be pre-arranged with the editor) and also offers bonuses of up to $800 if your blog post reaches a certain number of views.
The Dollar Stretcher – The Dollar Stretcher is a longtime frugal living website with a monthly print newsletter. You can earn $0.10 per word for stories or tips published in the monthly print version.ACHS – American College of Healthcare Science is looking for posts that are 600-1.000 words long and relate to your favorite topic on holistic health and wellness. You pay $50 per post.
Income Diary – Income Diary is a blog about making money online. If you are a marketer or successful entrepreneur, this might be a good fit for you. You'll pay anywhere from $50-$200 per post payable through PayPal.
Back to College – Back to College is looking for articles about older students going back to college. You'll pay anywhere from $32.50- $ 65+
Great Escape Publishing – This outlet is looking for articles about travel. Pay anywhere from $50-$200 depending on the type of assignment you take on.
iWorkWell – iWork Well is a business website that covers a wide range of topics. This website will pay you up to $200 per post.
Break into magazine writing
One high-paying writing niche that is a little harder to break into is magazine writing.
If you write for a magazine, you can earn anywhere from $0.10-$2 per word. This can lead to a lot of money. If you are successful in this niche, you can earn much more than freelance blogging. The only downside is that your work may be a little less consistent.
If you want to get into magazine writing, one of the best places to start your search is Writer's Market. This book contains hundreds of different publications that pay you for your words. Not only that, but the writer's market has the name of the editor as well as submission and pay guidelines.
This is a book I've had on my shelf for a couple of years and contains a wealth of information.
Getting jobs from popular job boards
When I first embarked on my freelance writing journey, job boards were my go-to resource. I scoured my favorite job boards daily and applied to as many writing jobs as possible.
You can find jobs like writing blog posts, resume writing and more on job boards.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Problogger Job Board – The Problogger Job Board offers many opportunities in many different niches on a weekly basis. Search this job board daily and apply for anything that suits you.Freelance Writing Gigs – Freelance Writing Gigs is a blog that scours the web and curates the best new job listings daily.
Here is a list of other freelance job posting websites.
*Tip* When applying to job boards, it's extremely important that you only apply for jobs where you have specific knowledge. So the more you can position yourself as an "expert", the higher are your chances to get this job.
Find unique gigs on Craigslist
Another of my favorite sites when I was a beginning freelance writer was Craigslist.
Craigslist is a place where you can find unique opportunities. There is also the possibility of being scammed on Craigslist, so it's important to do your due diligence and sign a contract before doing any work.
To find writing gigs on Craigslist, simply search in major cities (like New York or L.A. for example) and then go to the "Jobs" section and click "Write / Edit"."
From here, you can browse the offers and find work from home.
My favorite Craigslist job was writing business descriptions for directories. I would write 100-word descriptions of various companies (from AstroTurf companies to high-end hotels) that are sent to directories. I only received $2 per description, but since they were pretty easy to write, the money added up quickly.
I usually made at least $300 per week in my spare time.
Cold pitch to find your own customers
After months of visiting job boards and Craigslist, I finally switched to finding my own clients. I found this method to be the absolute best for creating a steady stream of clients that I really enjoyed working with.
While finding your own clients is probably ideal, there are a few things you need to do to make this work:
Choose a writing niche – Determine exactly what you want to write about.
To get a job, you must demonstrate that you have expertise in a particular subject. Choose a topic you enjoy writing about, but are also very knowledgeable about.
Create a freelancer's websites or blog – The next step is to create your own little "home" on the Internet. If you already have a blog in the niche you want to write in, you can simply add a "hire-me" page to your blog.
If you don't have a blog, create a freelance website with the domain as your first and last name. You can then add an about me page, a service page and also be sure to list contact information.
Gather some writing samples – If you have published work in the niche you want to break into, you are in good shape! Easily link to these pieces from your writer's website.
If you have no previous work, you need to find a blog or company where you can submit a few articles for free.
Start pitching – The next step is to narrow down companies and blogs that use freelance writers and pitch them. Make sure your pitches are customized for each individual business or blog.
Rinse and repeat!
Cold pitching companies can sound a bit overwhelming at first, but once you complete the process, it becomes very simple. If you're serious about making a living freelancing, this is one of the absolute best ways to get a steady stream of paying clients, I promise!
If you want to start a freelance writing business (especially for bloggers), check out this course: freelance writing for bloggers. Here's everything you need to know to start writing for online publications.