Writing Jobs Online for Beginners

Working Online as a Writer

Finding work online can, when starting out, feel like an impossible task. Writing jobs online for beginners, in particular, can be difficult to locate. There is a relatively simple explanation for that: everyone wants to do it and everyone thinks they are qualified to do it. In fact, a person could go so far as to say that people believe it is an easy way to make money. The truth of the matter is that working from home writing is not as easy as many people make it out to be.

Places to Look for Work

There are numerous places to look for work online as a writer and the best starting point for you will be determined by the particular level of experience and expertise you bring to the table. Here are a few places that you could get paid to write online:

Freelancer – Freelancer is an option for those people just starting out. With that being said, the quality of the site is pretty low. They will, for example, charge you fees for jobs that were canceled for being against their terms of service. This means that you could potentially end up paying them to do a job that doesn't even exist. The quality of work is low on this site and the extremely low bidders will make the process of making any real money next to impossible. If you decide to accept writing jobs on Freelancer your efforts should primarily be used to build up clips and a small portfolio to use elsewhere.
Odesk – Odesk is a good option for writers with an established portfolio. Writers can find quality work and quality clients here, though the user interface and time-tracking leave something to be desired.
Upwork – A new merger of Odesk and Elance ... soon this will be the predominate online freelancer marketplace..
Elance – Elance is the best option for those looking at the “auction-bid” freelance job sites. They have a system in place to ensure payment from clients and financial protection is provided via escrow accounts. The site has been around for years and has provided work for thousands of individuals. Job listings are high quality and the process is straightforward, but many writers will find it challenging to land jobs at first as many clients prefer writers with numerous reviews, strong writing samples and an established track record on Elance. Plan to work here once you build a portfolio.
Craigslist – People list jobs on Craigslist constantly. Writing jobs don't require a physical presence, for the most part, so you can look for jobs in locations besides your own. With that said it can be a challenge to be sure that you'll be paid for your work - especially work completed virtually. This is something to keep in mind when you complete writing jobs on Craigslist.
Fiverr.com – Fiverr is a fun new online marketplace which allows freelance writers to charge $5 for their services. Does this mean you have to undervalue yourself and set low rates? Not at all! Many writers will charge $5 for one 500 word blog article or they'll set a price of $5 for 500 words of editing completed. This allows you to set a specific rate while leveraging the appeal of the marketplace to potential clients ("Hey why not? It's only 5 bucks!"). We share some additional information on how to make money with Fiverr in additional articles on this site.
Websites and Publications – Do your homework, get an article idea, and submit it to the editor of the site or publication based on their submission guidelines. This is a great way to build a reputation as a writer, but you should expect to wait a long time for a response to your work. This is going to be an option that is primarily reserved for those who have a few clips and publications under your belt but it isn't usually a good option for those looking to make a steady income from writing online.
Nonprofits – Nonprofits always need help and this includes writing. From emails to brochures and marketing materials - there's plenty of work to be had with nonprofits. The problem? They will accept volunteers, but rarely will a nonprofit pay you for your writing work. This can, however, be a great way to build up clips and a good reputation for your writing if you don't have one yet.

Get Paid to Write Online

Anyone can write from home for money, assuming they have basic writing skills and at least a modicum of organization. Finding the work is, generally, the hard part of the process. Once you have a small portfolio of writing work, a decent resume, and some completed work under your belt, finding work will become as easy as applying for it and you can begin to charge a premium for your writing. People will pay for quality, don't undervalue your services. There are many writing jobs online for beginners; it is only a matter of looking for and finding them.

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