How to Find Work Writing Articles Online
Published on 10th February 2014 by Shelley Bowers in Creative WritingSo you're doing the Article Writing Course, how's it going? If it's going well, you'll already have some idea of what you'd like to write about and who you want to write for. But, have you thought about finding work online? If not, you really should. Why? Because there are, literally, hundreds of places you can apply for work, in the UK and overseas. So, where do you start to look and how do you sort the wheat from the chaff?
First, let's look at what you need to keep in mind when looking for work. The websites that offer article writing work usually fall into two categories:
- postings from people looking for articles. Here you'll find details of articles wanted, when they are wanted by and how much the employer will pay or how much you're prepared to do the work for. If you see a job you fancy, bid for it then wait and see if you are chosen.
- submitting sample work for sale. You submit articles, of your own choice or as requested, and wait for people to come and buy it.
There are some things to bear in mind when you use these sites. Both will ask for a 'profile' and you should make sure that it's as complete as possible. Remember, the information you include is all the potential employer has to go on when deciding if they want to hire you; so be honest, clear, accurate and professional. Include links to all published work and always upload a photo of yourself if you can. Don't be tempted to exaggerate qualifications, successes or experience, you will be found out and possibly banned from the site.
There may also be 'tests' you can complete - do them. You can take them more than once and you can keep the results private until you're happy with them. They'll test your grammar, spelling and punctuation and doing well usually means you can add an 'English Expert' badge to your profile, this boosts your profile and gives you credibility.
A word of warning - the pay for work on these sites is not always great. Sometimes, it's not worth you accepting certain contracts so choose carefully. That may make it sound like there's no point using these sites, but think of it like this - you'll have work you can put in your portfolio. That can help you get more work, as potential employers will see that you are reliable, honest about your skills and can deliver on time.
Do make sure you read through the terms and conditions of each site thoroughly before you sign up. And, when they provide tutorials on how to make the most of the site, use them.
Some of the best sites for freelance writers are detailed below:
So, off you go. Have fun and get writing!