The Best Freelance Online Writing Jobs For Newbies

If you've ever thought of making money online, you have probably run into a lot of freelance online writing jobs. They tend to be one of the few work at home jobs that are available in large numbers. I personally preferred writing for my own blog and making money that way because of some of the pitfalls I'll cover later in this article. That said, I have a lot of experience hiring writers so I know of a couple of websites that actually do pay people to write.

So if that sounds like something you'd want to know more about, you're in luck! Because we've done the hard work for you. We'll tell you the inside story and all you need to know about online article writing, including my own recommended work at home jobs. So, let's get into it, shall we?

What Types of Freelance Writing Jobs Are Available?

Online writing can vary widely. As a freelance writer you have the option of pitching your skills and experience directly to potential clients. This tends to be harder because you have to hunt down clients. But the pay can be a lot better. Then you have website content mills which are basically websites that connect clients who are looking for content and writers that are willing to write them.

The clients are mostly website owners who don't have the time to write content for their websites, or don't have the skills required to write content. So you'll end up writing blog posts, product reviews, feature articles, etc. So in this article, we'll focus more on websites like this because there are a lot more jobs available to every skill level.

How Much Money Can I Make?

The industry average for new writers is about $5 for 1000 words. Your profile and work history will more often than not determine how much you can make per article. Depending on the site, some clients will pay $10-$15 for a 1000 word article. But if you're a highly experienced and skilled writer, you can earn upwards of $80 for a 500 article. Other highly demanding websites pay hundreds for just a single blog post, as you'll see later in this review. So it can vary widely.

The factors that will play into your pay are as follows:

The content mill website – Most websites pay per number of words, others will pay you per hour. Some might make you an affiliate of the website whereby you get paid when your article makes money.

The kind of job – Depending on the complexity of the article in question, some companies assign work to skilled members and pay them accordingly.

Your level of expertise -Almost every content mill website uses a star-based rating system where the clients you write for rate your work. The ratings improve based on what clients say about the work you submit. Good ratings mean better pay.

What Type of Experience Do I Need?

Again, it depends with the website in question. Most websites will ask you to submit a sample before they can accept your application. They will then use that sample to judge your level of expertise or experience. All in all, if you have a good command of the English language and can come up with informative articles based on a set of instructions, you can start from scratch and then gain skill and experience on the job.

What Type of Equipment Do I Need?

Basically all you need is high speed internet and a laptop or desktop that runs Windows or Mac OS system. You'll also need a word processing software like Microsoft Office.

Fortunately you can find a laptop such as Chromebook for about $200 at Amazon.com. You can also purchase Microsoft Office at a great price at Amazon.com as well. Some websites have their own inbuilt word processors for writers, but it's always good to save your work elsewhere and then upload and submit it once you are done. This might save you a lot of time if something goes wrong.

Complaints About Freelance Online Writing Jobs

So far we've laid out the fundamentals and the good aspects about being a freelance writer. Now we have to discuss some of the pitfalls so you don't go into this thinking everything is sweet. Because its not. So let's dive into it.

You might work but not get paid!

Most writing websites leave it to their clients to determine whether the work a writer submits deserves pay. That means you can burn the midnight candle all you want but if the client rejects your work for whatever reason, you'll not get paid for your time. This is more of a function of content mill sites. It's meant to protect the client but sometimes clients are shady and abuse this. So they will reject the writers work but still use it. The content mills try to stop this but they're not always successful.

The initial pay can suck!

When you first start in this industry you have to work your way up. And you're also competing against people from other countries that may work for less. So initially you may not make a lot of money because you're trying to build your experience and ratings on these content mills. Once you do, you'll make more. So as you're building up your experience you may want to supplement your writing income by taking online taking surveys at SurveyJunkie.com. You can also earn money doing the things you basically do online like visiting websites, watching videos or listening to music and more at SwagBucks.com or FusionCash.com.

Work isn't always consistent!

Unlike My Top Work At Home Recommendation or where you basically work whenever you like, I can't say the same for online writing. Sometimes writing jobs are hard to come by especially if you don't have consistent repeating clients or when things are slow. So that means one month you may be making it rain and the next month you're stressed because you have no new work to pay your bills.

No international love

Unfortunately some of these content mill sites aren't open to every country. It's unfair for our international brothers and sisters. But from a business standpoint these sites cater to clients that have certain needs, including native English writers.
But fortunately some sites like iWriter, Upwork or Freelancer are more open than the traditional content mills

Freelance Online Writing Job Websites

Okay now that you know the good and bad, let's get into our list of companies that hire writers.

Flexjobs.com is always a good resource to find many types of jobs including writing jobs. But I've provided additional companies down below to increase your chances of securing a job!

Scripted – At Scripted.com, you'll basically be pitching your ideas directly to clients when you find an article or blog post worth diving into. To start working, all you need to do is pass a grammar and skills test before they let you in. You can check here if you can apply from where you live. All you need is a computer and reliable internet. You can make up to $25 for a 400 word article. Scripted pays via Stripe within 5 days for every job that was accepted by customers.

Hirewriters – Hirewriters.com is also a nice place to start for beginners. You'll basically be picking writing jobs which mostly are blog posts, product reviews and feature articles from your member area. To register for free, you'll need to pass a timed 5-minute grammar test, and then write a short essay about a given subject. Once you pass the test and they approve your essay (usually takes 24 hours) you can start earning immediately. Hirewriters accepts writers from the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia only. Beginners make roughly $3 for a 500 word article while expert writers earn upwards of $20 for a 500 word article. The company pays via PayPal every Friday, and the minimum withdrawal amount is $10.

iWriter – iWriter.com is a great website if you don't know squat about online writing, because they'll teach you how to write. It's free to join and to start working you'll need a computer, a word processor and high speed internet. Jobs are usually available on the dashboard. All you have to do is pick, write and submit for approval. iWriter has no location filter meaning you can apply from anywhere in the world. As a beginner you'll be making roughly $2.5 for a 500 word article, while elite-plus writers earn upwards of $80 for a 500 word article. If you know you got the skills, you can use the FastTrack program where you pay $143 upfront, write a sample, they review it and rate you accordingly. That means you can become an elite writer earning $80+ for a 500 word article overnight. You can read my full iWriter review here.

Contently – Contently.net is also an awesome gig if you are good at the online writing craft. You'll basically be helping high-end clients with blog posts, editorial work and assignments. You'll need to create a detailed portfolio about your experience. After they review your application they'll either accept it or invite you to try again. Once you're in you'll be assigned work relevant to you. Contently accepts writers from anywhere in the world and joining is free. Actually being bilingual is a plus. They pay immediately the client approves your work, no waiting around for checks or weekly payments. Pay ranges from $200-400 for 300-500 words blog posts. This could be higher depending on the complexity of the job.

Upwork – Upwork.com is perhaps one of the most trusted content mills and crowdsourcing platforms around. You'll basically be bidding for writing jobs that match your knowledge, experience and client requirements. If you have a computer and reliable internet you can create a free profile and start bidding for work. There are no country restrictions, you can apply from anywhere. You set your own rates while bidding for work and clients pay you directly via PayPal, Payoneer, wire transfer or Skrill. You can read my full Upwork review here.

TextBroker – Textbroker.com is also an amazing website to apply your trade. To join is free and you'll of course need a computer and internet. The application process is fairly simple; all you need to do is pass the test and submit a sample for review. Once they deem your skills good enough to let you in they'll give you access to where the jobs are. All you have to do is take a job, complete it on time and get paid. TextBroker pays level 2 (beginners) writers 0.7 cents per word, intermediary between 1 and 1.4 cents per word, and the highest level pays 5 cents per word. Once you have $10 or more in your account, you can request for payoff. TextBroker pays via PayPal with no alternative and is also available for US residents only.

Freelancer – Freelancer.com is also another free and reliable crowd-sourcing website. It's not just focused on jobs for freelance writers but obviously you can find writing work there as well. To get started all you need to do is fill out a detailed profile promoting your skills and start bidding for work. To ensure clients don't rip you off, they recommend you use Milestone Payment where you earn as you work, not after. Once a client pays up, you can withdraw your money through a Payoneer debit card. Anyone can join Freelancer form anywhere in the world. All you need is a computer and the internet. You can read my Freelancer.com Review here.

Writer Access – As a talent at Writeraccess.com, you'll basically be writing blog posts, features, product reviews and such for clients. Joining is free and all you need is a computer and stable internet. They only accept writers from the US. Once you apply with your resume, they'll give you an initial rating based on your profile and how well you passed their test. Writer Access pays writers once every two weeks exclusively via PayPal. Level 2-rated writers earn 1.4 cents per word while the highest rated writers (level-6) earn 7 cents per word.

Need More Freelance Online Writing Jobs?

So we've listed some of the best Online Writing Jobs we can find. But the reality is that some of these jobs won't always be hiring when you apply or have too many writers to compete with. So if you want to find the latest article writing jobs in your area which have been researched you should look into FlexJobs.com. It's totally risk-free so if you don't find anything that works for you, you won't lose a single cent.

Alternative Work At Home Opportunities

You are probably wondering if you can start making money writing content as soon as today. The fact is that you might have to wait a while, maybe even weeks to get approved by these websites and start working. The good news is that you can start making money right away with these BBB listed companies SwagBucks.com, FusionCash.com and SurveyJunkie.com.

Are Freelance Online Writing Jobs Worth It?

In a word, yes the can be. You will probably have to start from the bottom and work your way up. There's a learning curve and once you start, you'll be building on your skills, expertise and experience one article at a time. Remember, once you become a qualified writer you can work for any company or website there is. In short you'll always put food on the table, if you are willing to fire up your computer and start working your ass off.

Just keep in mind that the clients have the final say whether you get paid or not. Some idiots simply reject work for silly reasons. And there's nothing you can do about that except give the next job your best.

Ultimately I didn't feel comfortable with some of these risks and prefer to have more control over how much I earn for my writing. So fortunately My Best Work At Home Recommendation showed me how to earn far more money writing for myself. It may be something to consider in addition to writing for clients. After all multiple streams of income is always a good thing in my mind. But that's my two cents.

Hopefully you found this article helpful and you're on your way making money writing articles. Let me know your thoughts either way down below.

Until next time

Eddy ”with a Y”