Freelance Writing: Start Low (But Not too Low) and Aim High
October 20, 2009 by Deb Ng
Filed under Freelance Writing
I receive a lot of flack for my support of certain content sites, but the truth is, when I left home to be a freelance writer, these places saved my life. Though I had been published in print and worked in a publishing house for over 12 years, the higher paying jobs weren’t as easy to come by. When I began freelance writing full time, I used content sites to supplement my income and they kept the income flowing. I don’t think there’s anything with starting low, as long as you’re earning a livable wage. However, I also feel we should also have goals and expectations.
Use it for the Experience
Some bloggers are reporting you can’t use your web content clips to land higher paying, more prestigious opportunities. I’d like to tell you this isn’t necessarily true. If you only have certain content sites on your resume, some editors won’t consider your application. I also know if you’re a really good writer, editors will look at your samples no matter where you worked. I can also tell you a web content clips landed me a newspaper column. My blog landed a gig with About.com and the About.com gig landed me a very nice job with Oxygen Media. Really, the rest is history. So I do believe you can take your web writing experience and use it to land better opportunities.
Know You Can Always Do Better
I know plenty of writers who are happy where they are and have no higher aspirations. I respect their choice. However, writers should all know there are always higher levels of opportunity. There is no shame with starting low to get your foot in the door, but then see what else is out there. For example, I used to write about saving money. I used those web content clips to land a newspaper column (which, actually, paid less than my web content jobs), a steady job writing for Legal Zoom, iParenting Media, the Dollar Stretcher and others. I used my lower paying jobs as a jumping off point. Soon I was entertaining offers from private clients, those were the most lucrative.
When I worked with b5Media, it wasn’t the highest paying opportunities, but we had regular coaching from Darren Rowse, so I considered that a perk and learned about blogging from the best in the business. Other blogging and content sites offer critiques and mentoring as well. Sometimes the low pay is worth having tools and mentoring, better enabling writers to graduate to higher levels of pay.
And before you blog about how I want everyone to take low paying jobs and only write content, know this: I wish everyone can be paid lots and lots of money for their hard work. That’s not always easy right off the bat. Some writers can’t land higher paying jobs, but at least they have options. Maybe if there were so many options 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have spent so many years at jobs I hate.
The bottom line? Everyone has choices. Start low if you wish, but aim high. The possibilities are endless and talented writers will go all the way.
- Freelance Writing Experience: Does it Matter Where Your Clips Come From?
- How to Find the High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
- FAQs Answering Your Questions About the Gigs Posted at Freelance Writing Jobs
- The Best of FWJ: 15 Posts About Finding the Best Freelance Writing Opportunities
- How to Raise Your Freelace Writing Bar and Get the Big Bucks
Hi again Deb. I’m interested in learning more about these “web content sites” you’re referring to. A colleague suggested I consider applying to write for suite101.com and/or examiner.com. Do these sites fall into that category? Can you give examples of others? Or perhaps point me to a reference? I’d appreciate it.
Hi Frank,
Suite101 and Examiner pay on a residual basis. Less than $1 per 1,000 page views. I don’t recommend them as being a good opportunity. Try starting with Wisegeek, LoveToKnow, Demand Studios, Bright Hub or another content site paying a flat fee.
Frank, I definitely agree with Deb’s recommendations. I just wanted to add that Examiner is a great place to earn some notoriety or to establish yourself as a topic expert. I would recommend using it to break in to a new niche. You will not make a livable wage on there by any means (although the Twilight Examiner is apparently doing really well)!
Demand Studios in particular helped me improve in my goal to beat deadlines early, which is a bit hard because part of the fun of writing a research article is sometimes the rush of the deadline.
Great post, Deb. I must say that I am very impressed by how you handle those who criticize you. Your responses are always classy and gracious.
Deb, thanks for the great post. It is very balanced. I’m reading “Secrets of a Freelance Writer” by Robert Bly right now, and he seems to agree with this strategy. Of course, if you _can_ get a higher-paying job, don’t turn it down just because you’re a beginner. That’s my situation and I hope it works out.
As a new writer I’m finding your posts about web content sites very interesting. Would you be able to post a list of the best “web content sites” to write for or something of the like?
Thanks,
Amber
Deb, thanks for another encouraging post. As a relatively newbie freelancer, I always appreciate the positive perspective. You always mix solid advice with sound encouragement. That’s very much appreciated!
Thanks, Deb. I’m currently doing piles of article ghost-writing through something I got from your job postings. They pay badly, but it’s very steady, and has helped keep me alive for several months. So I don’t knock this sort of thing at all. Naturally I still hope to parlay this into something better (and actually I’m an editor and want to do more of that work), but this has kept me going.
Yes, just as Deb has said, I also write for Suite101 and I agree. It’s a lot of work for only a few dollars a month. I would apply for wisegeek.
I am currently in the process of their application process, so I hope my articles are accepted. They pay a flat fee of $10 per article, and although they have you sign a paper where you sign over your copyrights to your work they do allow you to take credit for your work, which is nice.
Deb,
Thank you for this. I’m literally starving to death right now as a writer. Your encouragement means a lot to me.
Speaking of content sites, does anybody know anything about Helium.com? I was approached by them not too long ago, but my research indicates it wouldn’t be a lucrative venture.
@Deb. Very inspirational post:) Due to the fact that content sites arent exactly praised, I find myself spending more time looking for higher-paying work and neglecting the content sites that value me dearly. In the meantime, im broke. Although I enjoy writing, the low wages discourage me.
@Cheryl. Trust in your research;). If you are looking for more options I would suggest BrightHub.com. Although the pay isnt at the top of the charts, they do offer a flat rate fee in addition to revenue earnings. Check it out:)
Hi Deb. Thanks for this post. I’ve always told the same to aspiring freelance writers since our craigslist here in the Philippines always advertise $1 to $4 per 400-500 article ;/ I’ve always heard of these things as ’slave rates’, like the last comment I got in my blog, but then I guess it’s always a writer’s choice. If a $3/article is a livable wage for him, then he could take it – especially if he’s starting out. He could learn a lot, build on his portfolio, improve his writing skills and everything else. I started low too, at around $1.25 for a 500-word article, but I struggled and tried going for offshore clients – and I did.
Your posts really help me a lot to become a better freelance writer. At 21, and with less than 3 months into freelance writing, you’ve simply helped me to be where I am now.
I confess I’m among the writers who started too low. I wasn’t earning a livable wage at first. Fortunately, I’m a quick learner, so it didn’t take me long to find better jobs.
I do use articles published on content sites as clips and never had a problem. In fact, these clips help me get most of my jobs. In the end, I may not be making much direct money from content sites, but the gigs I get thanks to those articles more than make up for that.
Deb, I like your balanced opinion on this issue. I struggle with this because those higher-paying gigs are popping up to me, but I still need to keep that lower-paying stuff on the back burner to keep a steady flow. I feel like I am ready to ‘go freelance’ and manage this.
Speaking of which, I wrote an article on the topic recently and was paid my goal rate. I found the opportunity on here. Thanks!