Guest post by Matthew Nunn
The route a person needs to take to become a successful online writer is different depending on each writer’s chosen topic/s, styles, abilities, qualifications and personal circumstances, but three things remain constant:
- They must be able to write articles that people will want to read
- They must find paying clients for their work and be findable themselves
- They must have a reliable computer, Internet connection and email account
Choosing a Topic
Everyday thousands upon thousands of people are searching the Internet for information about topics, products, services, places and people they’re interested in so there’s never a shortage of subjects or markets to write for. Typical topics fall into the categories of business and finance, green living, sports, home and family, technology, travel, health and wellness – (however the list is by no means exhaustive).
Each of these topics breaks down into even more niches. There are also different levels and styles of writing required, including 300 word general articles of interest, or 1,000 word papers on specialist subjects and written to specific academic writing formulas. A good approach will often be to search online for opportunities offering both short and long term assignments as it can create a more balanced workload and impressive portfolio.
Finding Online Writing Work
To be successful it’s important to find outlets for the articles that will provide the best opportunities available for earnings and exposure. The good news is that there is a real demand for article writing and as it’s all done online it is an excellent example of a home based business. It’s easy to find hundreds of these opportunities online.
When starting out, the majority are low paying, for a 300-500 word article you might be looking at $5-15. Most people believe this is an effective starting point, a springboard to better work as it helps you build your reputation with certain companies and in certain online communities that will lead to better paying work.
Others advise against doing this type of work on principal and attempt to skip this stage, however you will have to prove your credentials with perhaps a University Degree or previous work experience to show you are qualified to take on the higher paying work. To find these freelancing opportunities include your skill set or area of expertise within your search engine search phrase to get relevant results.
To increase your visibility to potential clients register on all freelancing websites you feel are relevant to you. Some sites will offer clients the ability to search amongst a database of freelancers, therefore spend time writing a bio about yourself and your skills, and always keep a complete record of all assignments you have completed as you never know what might catch their eye.
Other sites will allow clients to advertise jobs and then wait for freelancers to contact them. Make sure you visit these sites often and you can usually set up jobs alerts to notify of relevant new assignments. Sometimes you will have to bid for the job, this is where you outline the price you are willing to do it for. Other bids will be displayed, however don’t simply look to offer to do it for the cheapest. Companies will look at your experience and expertise as well as your value for money, so this is where you can start to earn more if you have a good portfolio.
Skills That Could Make More Money
It’s necessary for any successful business person to be clear about what rates of pay would be acceptable. Charges may be calculated per word, per hour or per project and current guidelines to rates for writing can be found online. Once a writer knows what remuneration is needed, it’s easier to focus on finding the writing projects that fit the bill.
One way to locate better paying work is to approach local businesses that are looking for product and service articles for their websites. Once you have completed a couple of jobs for a company, make sure you stay in touch and let them know you’re willing to take on more lengthy, project paying work as and when they have it as this is likely to be better paying.
Becoming skilful at understanding Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and the use of powerful titles and keywords will help to improve results for clients and generate more work. A lot of online freelance writing work is based on writing copy for websites as many companies do not have the time to do this themselves. Knowing how to target certain keywords and construct articles in an SEO friendly way will help you win this business.
Specific qualifications like a PHD in a particular subject can also open doors to more lucrative online writing opportunities. Having a website where abilities can be showcased and learning how to market services effectively will greatly increase chances of succeeding in the field of online writing.
Author Resource:
This article was provided by Matthew Nunn, who works for Workfromhomejobs.tv. This is an online resource that matches people with market research companies for paid online survey opportunities, as well as providing impartial information on popular Work From Home Jobs.
{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes, SEO has become the most powerful tool today as they outcast their hard work, their talents & also the main responsible one who can bring in loads of business!! I completely agree with your point,” Skills that could make more money” You have described it in a very lucrative manner!! Thanks!!!
I just love this line very much, “Specific qualifications like a PHD in a particular subject can also open doors to more lucrative online writing opportunities.” So nicely written which is so meaningful!! I am so happy that now-a-days SEO has become so important for businesses too!!!
I think that to start with a newly born writer should start writing for his own blog or for other blogs where he\she can improve his\her writing skills. Unfortunately, there are many people who can’t write as they seem to have no talent for this type of activity.
And secondly, it’s very difficult to evaluate yourself correctly. Some people are not adequate and consider that they should be paid maximum but in reality their articles are so-so. I think at this stage – at the stage of deciding your worthiness – it’s a good idea to ask for help at real professionals who will be able to evaluate your writing correctly.
Most of the clients will want to see your work sample to know if you are the right person for the job. It is better to prepare a few articles before actually stepping into the field on various common subjects so that they can be presented to potential clients when needed.
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i would add one more tip, as it was my mistake in the past and i probably lost lots of customers due to that problem. when i write articles i usually start from smth not very important, and then end up with gorgeous facts and conclusions. but the problem is… if the beginning is not fascinating, then a reader would not read till the end. adding to this article:
when you write an article, start with the most important things that will draw reader’s attention.
An online writing business can be started as any normal business. You can keep regular business hours and work for clients in a professional way offering them the best of services. If you do not want to write yourself, hire some writers who can work for you. All this can be done from home and online without giving up your responsibilities and doing anything else.
Hey Matthew,
Nice article.I feel that selecting a topic is the most important part of pursuing a career in online writing.Although its difficult but its worth the effort.A good topic will mean that a person has got his basics right.
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An online writing business can be started as any normal business. You can keep regular business hours and work for clients in a professional way offering them the best of services. If you do not want to write yourself, hire some writers who can work for you. All this can be done from home and online without giving up your responsibilities and doing anything else.
Hi Matthew,
I’m interested with your explanation about the online writing. I think he best way to write is finding a great topic, so that it will increase your traffic. And for the most online writer, they use SEO.
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I also think that persistence and dedication are key – working from home writing online content can be a lonely place – if you’re not motivated and persistent, there is a risk you’ll give up before you’ve seen the rewards.
I agree with you Lee. I think creativity plays a big role in this industry. The more creative you are, the more people wants to be connected with you. It is all about networking, I suppose.
Hey Tom,
Like the piece this is what I do is write article online for others it can be lucrative at time but one problem you face it that it is a world wide market so sometimes you run across those that do not want to pay but a dollar or two for writing which is not acceptable.
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A large part of becoming a successful copywriter is having the ability to do great research. Though a degree and/or knowledge or expertise in an area is an added bonus, it is not necessary to write a valuable piece of copy. A great copywriter always checks their facts and only uses relevant and factual information in their copy. Once the research is finished, the copy must be written clearly, provide beneficial information to the target audience and be relatable to those reading it.
I believe that to help build your reputation as an article writer, you musst have your own blog. Even though it is not a must but it helps build your customers trust as they can see your publish articles.
Hi,Matthew,
some nice and useful tips involved here on online writing. Especially the one related to the content itself, because if one makes quaility content, visitors will always get back and ensure some extra traffic. But, it is how to get the quality content…and you are right, it’s through finding what the market wants by choosing the right topic, as well as adding some skills to it, such as learning SEO optimization. Success must show if these rules are followed.
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Mathew, I must say you are really amazing with your words’ really admire you. I was unaware about the fact that we are charged for every single word. So now I think it’s very important to be careful while using words. Quality and quantity of content is vital in case of writing good articles. Also writers need to be creative in their thought. They should possess the skill sets of writing the articles in such a manner that it should attract maximum crowd on your website.
Every word is counted in case of writing an e-book online. So I think writing an effective e-book with word count is important. After all it’s a matter of money. Creativity is all what is required in case of being a successful online writer because writing online will help you to create your visualized personality in the eyes of your readers. Now what will describe you as a person is your book. Your book should have the capability of expressing all your emotions. Be expressive and try to grab attention of your visitors.
One of my friend’s brother just completed his studies and has now applied for the post of an online writer as a free lancer. He has made his own web blogs and website of his dad’s business but it is not doing that great as we have noticed that his website is not at all attractive and looks very dull. The content that he has displayed on his website is also not updated and seems to be very weak in vocab. Because of the problem in his content English, the other visitors I am sure might get a feeling that it is a cheap website and the products might be cheap. So I think that website should be maintained well in order to build up a good repo in the eyes of your visitors and then later on turn them into customers.
I just love writing. Even after trying to convince my parents that I want to become a creative writer, they still did not agree to it saying that a writer can never have much scope in case of expanding his career. They were of an opinion that I will not be able to earn much if I get into the field of content writing. At that moment of time even I did not have the guts to go against my parents. So I had to quit the option and move on to some other field. I still want to become a writer but I am scared to start from the scratch that too after so many years of work experience.
Online writing is actually of different types. It may actually be for making money online or a hobby. Some people don’t write online with the purpose of earning money while some of them have made it as their profession. Also different types of writing means you may write an article, or may write blogs or for that matter articles, books and so on. It actually depends on your passion. I am not that fond of writing but yes I understand the kind of fun it is for those who love writing.
There are some online Companies which pay you a handsome salary just to provide them with good quality relevant content and also there are some which pay you to the amount of words that you have written. I think writing as a profession is a good option to go with and with the growing technology and competitive online growing companies I don’t think this profession will be a flop at all. In fact in the coming years everything is going to become online. So it’s a good option to get started with.
Yes of course these three components are really very important to be successful in online marketing. Creativity in writing and thinking is in demand these days. It will be an added advantage if you have done a certified degree course in writing or else even a PHD will do. You need to use real good words to be successful in online marketing. if you want a practical experience then i think you should start writing small articles and blog online. this will give you a good exposure.
Online writing work is really very interesting. You can also work as a free lancer online. There are some people who are very good at article writing and they are doing really well as articles are in demand big time. More over there are some companies which pay you for every word and there are some which will pay you for each article. So you can always demand differently from different clients. You need to play smart in the field of online writing in order to be successful and believe me I have seen a couple of them who are really doing well with it.
I agree. Article writing is very much in demand these days. But I think that if I were at all interested in article writing than I would have opted for something which would have paid me on the basis of per word. That makes more sense rather than earning the same even if we write long and informative articles. You need to be creative and hard working in whatever you do but at the same time you even need to ensure that you get worth what you write.
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A large part of becoming a successful copywriter is having the ability to do great research. Though a degree and/or knowledge or expertise in an area is an added bonus
You don’t need to be a professional writer in order to be successful in the field of online writing. All you need to have is a creative mind and also a fluency in words so that you are able to pen down all what you feel like writing. It’s always better to research online before you choose a topic. Choose for a good topic on which you know that you will surely be able to write quality information. Check out for some latest updates on the topic which you are writing. See to it that you sound a little humorous.
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If you have good amount of knowledge about online writing, then it’s a good thing to get started with. But if you are not sure about whether you will be able to handle with online writing then it’s better to learn from the other articles that are present online. Also there are some online tutorials which will give you tips on how to write effective and amazing articles and blogs. You need to write good and also be creative in order to get accepted by good companies and to get paid well for all what you write.
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You need to be good with words and clear with your thoughts at the time of writing. Also to make it interesting you need to be a little humorous. Whatever you write, whether it’s a story or any article or even a blog, see to it that it is interesting to read so that the reader reads the matter till the end. You are the seller for your e-book not the advertiser.
You need to excel in whatever you write. Ensure that whichever topic you choose has to be alive. I mean choose a topic on which everybody would like to read. The trend or the latest things happening around you are good to choose from. Do not elongate or stretch the topic too much as it will force your readers to leave it midway. Research by reading from the other sites but ensure that you do not copy any stuff from the other sites as your written blog or article might get rejected.
I have a friend who has started writing a blog, in addition to working full time in a company and he is doing well. I feel to pursue a career in online writing, one has to have creative thoughts, which could grab attention, thereby involving people into their article. Some people are born to talk; I mean they can talk on anything and everything. Such people can go for online writing.
For successful online writing I would suggest you to choose a topic on which you already have some idea. I mean that if you know some story about the consequences or the results of something related to the topic, then I think it would be wonderful to add these kinds of stories to make it a little more interesting. Humor is what should never be missed. You need to be particular with your words while writing because you need to show your emotions through your words.
I tried writing an e-book. I knew that there was something missing in my book but I still thought to give it a try. Somehow I published my book online but I could not make any profits from them as there were hardly a few to read it and a very few of them who downloaded my book. It was a big failure for me as I lost all what I invested but its ok this time I am very particular about everything and currently writing on a latest topic. I will not lose hopes.
Speak out your heart if you are writing some story or a drama. Be specific and give quality information in case of writing an article or a blog. You need to understand the nature of the topic and the kind of readers you will have to your article, story or blog. Choosing a topic of your choice will help you to write more informative content in your article but ensure that the topic on which you write needs to be latest so as to be accepted by the readers.
Write on whatever you feel that you will be able to. But make sure that you do not misguide anyone nor do you make unrealistic promises. Write good words and do not make use of abusive language as it might spoil your reputation. Your words should inspire others and fill up positivity and happiness in the readers. You will only be able to earn money if your work gets recognized in the market.
A writer needs to be intelligent, creative, and innovative so as to understand the art of writing. Express your emotions to your readers through your blog. Building a friendly relation will help you to retain your customers and will also help in marketing your blog, article or book well as your existing readers may refer to the others. Your selling skills should not be reflected in your book. Be casual and write as if you are having a face to face conversation with the readers.
Successful online writing requires a lot of efforts and you need to have a creative mind. Moreover being unique in your presentation, writing quality content, using reader friendly words and at the same time using striky words are important. Also go through the other e-books as you will get an idea as to how you need to write and how you need to present your book.
A writer should know how to reach the depth of a topic. Any reader would want to find maximum information in a single article, so that he need not research more. Give them complete information and this is the key to success in article writing for the internet.
The way writers present their ideas make a huge difference. Nobody would like a boring article or one that is poorly presented. The reader should be able to read at ease.
Make the reader comfortable. Write in points or divide the article in a manner to make the data appear interesting and he should be tempted to read more and more. Have interesting content in a comfortable way of writing and reading.
I think one of the points mentioned by you needs to be emphasized much more. Target audience. Thinking about “Who is the target audience and why should they care” before writing a blog post, makes it more relevant and adds clarity of expression.
I agree, it is really important to find your niche topic and put some effort into it but if the article is not seen by anyone it is a wash. Finding the happy medium and dedicated the appropriate amount of time to writing and marketing is vital. Thank you for the article, great points.