Supplement Income with Online Freelance Writing

The value of most American’s 401(k) programs is not the same as it was a year ago. With job instability, foreclosures and mounting debt, consumers are choking and it looks like there’s no way to turn.

Put Your Ability to Write to Work

There is a way to help supplement the declining value of your 401 (k) plan. It’s easy to do and all you really need is a computer and the ability to write. The internet has a voracious appetite for content. Just think about it; in the last week, how many hours did you spent on the internet?

Even if you spent several of those hours playing games, emailing and chatting with friends, it’s likely that a portion of those hours were spent reading online content. Whether you were researching how to make homemade laundry detergent or how to lower your teen’s auto insurance premium , you were probably reading content.

Demand for Freelance Writers is High

With new websites popping up every day, the demand for content is ever increasing. Unless the website is an online store with 100% of its efforts dedicated to pictures and prices, the store will need someone to write content. This is where you come in.

An Unprecedented Opportunity for Online Writers

Unlike the days of old where unpublished writers had a difficult time securing writing gigs, the Internet allows freelance writers to publish online content and then use the publish content as a résumé building opportunity. Getting in the door can be as easy as choosing a user name, providing a valid email address and selecting a password. Sites like Bukisa , Associated Content, Orato and HubPages, to name a few do not require resumes or writing samples.

As a new freelance writer you can sign up for one (or all) of the above sites to get your feet wet. The kicker is they pay you while you’re learning the online freelance writing ropes. Freelance writing online takes a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, the sky is the limit.

Freelance Writing Graduation

After you’ve had a modicum of success on those sites, you can use those articles as samples to apply for writing sites that have more stringent writing requirements. Sites such as Suite 101, BrightHub and Demand Studios all required a resume and samples of prior writing. It is not uncommon to use articles written for the first layer of sites in order to be approved for the second layer of sites.

Time is on the Writer’s Side

The nature of the internet is the longer an article has been published, the more it is circulated throughout the internet and the more traffic it gets. Usually the more traffic an article receives the more the article is worth. Old is good when it comes to writing on the internet.

Patience is the Key

Similar to investing in the stock market, freelance writers should develop a steady continuous writing pace. In the investment community it is called dollar cost averaging. That means an investor will establish a certain dollar amount to invest on a regular basis. This way if the market goes down, the investor can purchase more of a particular stock. When the market goes up, the stock previously purchased at a lower rate is worth more. The cost averages out in the long run.

Writers on the other hand can decide beforehand how many articles to write in a given day, week or month. Writing consistently, whether its one article a week or one a month, helps writers to build a large foundation of articles that earn money over time.

Just like with investing, money does not accumulate overnight. The trick is to remain consistent, patient and continue to hone your skills. As you grow as a writer, you’ll learn the tricks of the trade. With each trick you learn you’ll find you’ll gain more traffic and more money.

Investing one hour today writing an article can earn a steady income for the life of the article. Some articles will earn a lot and some little, but just like dollar cost averaging, it all evens out in the end.

For more information on how to become an online freelance writer, check out No Job for Mom. 

Filed in: Freelance Writing