Make Money Writing Online Articles

The Internet is a great tool for many things: research, news, communication, shopping, information... and now even making money! Writing for Associated Content can be a great way to make a few extra dollars and the best part is that you're earning it while doing something you like.

There are other sites that offer similar opportunities and they can help freelance writers get a start, gain experience and earn some extra cash while at it. Following are some sites where you can try your hand at, some are easy to join, others require passing an application and getting accepted. But if you can write for one or more of these, your skills are sure to improve and the earning potential is not bad either.

HubPages.com. This site is a good one to write about all kinds of things. It can serve as a place for writers to reflect on personal musings, recite recipes, write news articles, how to pieces etc... It's really more like a blog, once could say. There are all kinds of writers and not all are professional or even good, some just like to reflect on their philosophies and don't try to be grammatically correct. Others are great writers and do it for a living, the diversity is large so there's something for everyone.

The site pays strictly from ad revenue and you get paid directly from the advertisers. They have Google Adsense, Amazon, ebay and Kontera. You get separate id's for each and activate the ones you want. The pay is not spectacular, but it ads up the more you write and they are not very strict on their subjects.

Helium.com. Helium is a lot like Associated Content, but the titles you write on are pre-selected. In other words, they have a list of subjects and under each one there are a number of titles that you can pick and write to. Once you have your article you compete with other writers that also wrote under the same title. The articles get rated by the writers themselves and you can gain 'stars' the more you rate. You also gain stars according to how many articles you write. Helium also has a 'Marketplace' where publishers request content and pick from all the contributed articles from writers. They have a set fee that is posted and if your article gets picked you get paid the fee.

The site also pays by page views, but it's not posted as to the amount per clicks or anything, but it is definitely not a large amount. The best way to make money on Helium is to submit to the Marketplace, you can get a decent amount if you can get a few articles sold there. As with AC the more you write on the regular site the more you sand to make.

Examiner.com. This is an excellent site to contribute to, it is set up like a newspaper and many of the writers there are actually professional writers. You have to fill out an application and get accepted to the site, so they don't take everyone, but if you are a serious writer and like to report in a journalistic style you have a good chance. They have a large list of topics and you apply for the one that interests you the most and you report only in that subject.

They have you pick an area as well, usually the city you live in or near to, or an area you know well. Then you become the 'Miami Parenting Examiner' for example. They also have national positions, but you have to start out locally and then you can apply or request the national ones. They may also offer a national position if there isn't a local position for you and they think you write well enough.

The pay is pretty high compared to other sites, it averages at about $10 per 1000 views. They also come up pretty high on Google searches so you have the chance to get a lot of viewers. If you can write interesting articles that people find worth reading you'll have high page views and as you build your article list your readership will grow. There's a great chance to make a decent amount of money there.

If you'd like to apply to Examiner let them know I referred you on the application, I write there also and they encourage us to bring in writers. My ID is 6503 and the name is Anna Sanclement. I hope you get accepted if you apply. Good luck!

Suite101.com. This site is also a very reputable site that only recruits writers who can prove they have good skill. They turn down many applicants and are quite specific on what they are looking for. But if you can get in, it is a good opportunity to get your writing recognized and to build your portfolio. Even as a member, editors check your work and make suggestions on changes that would make your articles better. It is a good way to become stronger as a writer.

You'll start out as a 'Contributor Writer' and then after having written a certain amount of articles on any subject, you can request to be promoted to 'Feature Writer' where you'll write mainly on a chosen topic.

The pay is also pretty good here and it is comparable to Examiner.com's, although there is no set rate so it is not clear as to what it is exactly. Some users have said that it also averages to about $10 per 1000 views. They also have contests where you can earn a set amount if you win.

Study the site well before you apply and make sure you check their style, this will increase your chances of getting accepted. They want you to mainly write in the third person in a journalistic style, they also ask for sources and they like subheadings to break down the paragraphs.

LifeTips.com. This is a very unique site and quite different from other writing websites. You apply to become a 'guru' for a particular subject or 'niche' where you write tips on it. They have you fill the application and give some samples of your writing on the topic you want to be a guru on. If you get accepted then you become the owner of your section and add or delete tips as you see fit. When you first get access to the site it has generic tips and/or tips form a previous 'guru', so it's up to you to organize it your own way.

They encourage you to write 101 tips and when you reach the number you are given the choice to publish a 'Tips Book' with your name as the author and it is sold through Amazon and other bookstores. The site has ads from Chitika and you get a percentage of the clicks on those. Once you get your book published you also get $2 from every unit sold.

Well, here is a list of some good sites that have potential for some income. I hope you try for some of them and have good luck. Internet writing is really getting to be a nice way to supplement one's income and also for emerging writers to get experience and build up their portfolio. Hopefully it can become a way to make a full time living and the way more people are relying on the web for reading material, it is certainly a possibility.