Make More Money Writing Online

How to Increase Productivity and Income

Sep 5, 2009 Rebecca Lake

Writing and publishing articles online has become an increasingly popular way for writers to make money. Here are a few suggestions for maximizing potential profits.

Online freelance writing is a relatively easy way for writers to add to their income stream. There are an endless number of venues where writers can submit their work and for the new writer starting out, the process can be a bit confusing. Many writers start out making only a few cents on the dollar and give up before they start to see any real income. By developing a system for writing and submitting articles, it’s possible to maximize profit while keeping the time invested to a minimum.

Know the Expectations of Each Site

For each site a writer submits to, he or she should know what the guidelines are for word count, content, and copyright. They should have an idea of what types of article categories each site hosts and which are most popular, as well as what the requirements are regarding writing style. Some sites prefer a more professional or editorial tone while others prefer articles that are more conversational.

Most importantly, a diligent writer should also have a thorough understanding of how the site pays its writers and how articles generate revenue. Most sites pay based on ad revenues or page views but there are also some that offer upfront payments. Rather than writing for several sites at once, a writer may choose to writer for only one or two. Knowing how the sites pay will make it easier to choose where pieces will be submitted.

Get Organized

Any writer who is serious about making money writing online has to be organized. He or she should have a system that tracks what articles have been published on which sites and when. By keeping track of what pieces have been published where, it’s possible to prevent duplicate submissions and it’s also easier to see which topics have been exhausted and which ones may still generate new pieces. In keeping track of submissions, it is also essential to keep track of earnings. Some topics will generate more revenue than others and by keeping a running total of which articles are earning the most, it’s easier to see which topics will make money and which ones won’t. It’s pointless to spend time writing articles on topics readers aren’t interested in.

Choose Topics and Titles Carefully

Some writers will choose topics based on their experience or knowledge. Others will write about things they are passionate about. Still others will write about almost anything. The most successful online writers are the ones who know how to choose topics that audiences want to read about. Their articles are consistently relevant and readers will return to them again and again. A good writer also knows how to choose titles that are search-engine friendly. Keywords are what drive article traffic so it’s important to title articles carefully. Be specific but not overly specific and avoid using phrases that don’t reflect the article’s content.

Be Ready to Write and Set a Time Limit

One of the biggest mistakes that new writers make is sitting down at the computer and waiting for an article to take shape. A good writer takes time to do their research first so that when it’s time to actually write an article, only a minimum of time is involved. While it’s always important to remember that quality writing is what counts, many writers let themselves get bogged down in writing the perfect article.

Most articles only generate a few cents to begin with, so it makes no sense to spend hours writing an article that can be completed in just a few minutes. Setting aside a specific amount of writing time each day and imposing a time limit for how long it takes to complete an article will make the entire process more cost-efficient. It’s entirely possible to write quality articles in only a few minutes a day if the writer is focused and has done their research.

Keep an Eye on the Competition

It’s important to remember to set aside some time each day or each week to read some of the content that’s on the different sites. A good writer knows what others are writing about, what topics have been exhausted, and where the potential for new opportunities lie. They stay ahead of the curve and learn from what other writers are doing. Keeping up-to-date on which topics are “hot” will save a writer time and effort when it’s time to sit down and write.

Making money online requires a certain level of skill as a writer but it also requires patience, focus, and discipline. Simply writing an article and posting it to a website is not enough to be successful. Any writer who wants to make writing online more than just a hobby needs to have a system in place that allows them to generate high quality articles quickly. The basic rule of writing online is to write well and write often. By following these simple suggestions, it’s possible to get ahead in the online writing game.

The copyright of the article Make More Money Writing Online in Freelance Writing is owned by Rebecca Lake. Permission to republish Make More Money Writing Online in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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Comments

Sep 6, 2009 1:37 PM

Guest :

Thanks for this article.

I've become a relatively successful freelance writer without ever taking advantage of these online article publishing opportunities... I think my timing was just off.

However, I would advise writers starting out to look into outlets that offer them an opportunity to publish articles, get paid increasing amounts of money, and improve their writing.

This last is extremely important; I'm often tempted to stay at the level I'm on and not push for better. I think it's crucial that we keep improving even when we're very good. We not only get paid more, but we become more the people we want to be.

Angie Dixon
http://www.incredibleclients.com

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