Making Money on the Internet

The power of the internet never ceases to amaze me. It seems amazing that something that is defined by Dictionary.com as an interconnected system of networks that connects computers around the world, has the unbelievable power that it does. The most amazing part, all of this comes not from the internet itself, but from the human mind. Separately, people can be intelligent, creative, inspiring, caring, generous, and generally amazing to talk to or to meet. Now, imagine the internet. Every person in the world connected to every other person? All intelligences, all creativity, brought together as one. That's how the world's most powerful research tool works.

With the internet, you can legally find music, movies, and words from all around the world. I, personally, like to utilize all these tools. I download music from Itunes, watch movies and TV shows on Hulu, and read Associated Content, right here.

As a student in college, this brings me to my favorite point about the internet. Money is tight for a lot of us here in America. We're all pinching every penny. So, how can the internet help you out?

Have you ever been to Youtube.com, multiple people have been contacted by professional companies to work for them. I'll take a very general example, have you ever seen the short animation, "Charlie the Unicorn?" It's one of the most popular videos on Youtube, and if you're at a High School or College. It's almost impossible to find someone who hasn't seen it. The creator of this animation, Jason Steele, was contacted by the Adult Swim company on Cartoon Network to produce his own series based on "Charlie." He eventually dropped out, because he felt a quality cartoon based on his 3:30 short, could not be created without sacrificing his creative integrity, but he was offered a network deal. Youtube Celebrity, Brookers, has been in negotiations for multiple deals, after producing about 76 video blogs.

Well, whatever talent or skill you have, I can almost guarantee that there is a community online willing to pay you for it. Sadly, most people don't utilize this. Take me for example, I love to write, I feel that I have some degree of skill at it, and if I get a chance to write, I take it. So, I publish on Associated Content. They pay me for each article, and depending on how many people want to read my articles, I get paid more. If you like to present your opinion, but you don't enjoy writing so much, you can take online surveys for, not only cash, but other rewards as well.

Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Creative Writing- If you want to make money doing some fiction writing, there are quite a few websites out there willing to pay by the word. One of my favorites is Alternative Coordinates, which pays 1.5 cents per word for Science Fiction, Horror, Fantasy and Speculative Fiction. Another great one is Pedestal Magazine which publishes fiction, reviews, and poetry. It pays up to 5 cents per word, and poetry is paid $30 flat. Important tip: Don't write just for the money. If a story doesn't mean anything to you it reads blandly and people can tell.

2. Article Writing- This is a great way to make some extra cash. First and foremost, I prefer Associated Content, because you can get quick upfront payments, feedback from fellow writers, and you earn residual performance payments for your published content. If you're just a reader here, you should take a shot at writing an editorial or two. Important Tip: Don't get discouraged. Money starts off relatively slowly, but after 5 or 6 articles, you may start to get, if not some building revenue, then a feel for what people like to read, what your editors like, and your own style.

3. Video and Animation- A great website for this is Metacafe.com. If you're a flash animator or a live-action producer, this is a great way to get your works out there and make some money in the process. Make sure all your videos have a specific theme or your subscribers won't know what's going on. By that I mean, Comedy, How-to's, animations, etc. Important tip: Creativity! Your videos are creative, well-done, and entertaining. 3 minutes in front of your camera doing the Soulja Boy dance will not earn you any cash. The more people that view your videos, the more money you can make. And producers are often given producer rewards, which only increase earning potential.

4. Blogs- The best way to get money for basically keeping an online diary is setting up a blog on blogspot.com. You get paid for the ads that people who view your posts click on. An important tip for this is to be honest. You have to show real life for what real life is. It's quite possible to gain a large fanbase in just a couple months. Important tip: Dedication. If you want to keep a fanbase, you'll almost always have to post once a week or more.

So, with a keyboard or a camera, and a simple idea, you could be well on your way to making your fortune, or just a few extra bucks to spend. All thanks to the power of the human mind, and the Internet.