Web Sites for Freelance Writers

When I started looking for freelance writing opportunities, I read several blogs and articles on where to find freelance writing jobs. However, I quickly realized that many of the bigger websites, such as Elance carry a membership fee. Although I know a lot of people make a good amount of money through these websites, I wasn't ready to make a financial investment until I knew I could actually make money writing. I searched for online resources and employment websites for freelance writers that were free to use.

I've met a wide variety of people who have voiced a need to find a way to make money without getting a second traditional job outside of the home. I personally recommend freelance writing because of the things I found online. There is an immense amount of writing opportunities online. In my previous blog post on freelance writing, I supplied links to three websites I have found helpful. Here are two more websites I have found more recently that might be helpful for someone just starting out or looking for something very flexible.

1. Emerging Cast - This website doesn't even require you to submit a writing sample. All you need to do is register with an email address. They are looking for writers to write very short how-to articles. By short, I mean an introduction and maximum of three steps. The articles do not require research or citations, so you can just choose topics you know you can write about without having to look anything up. They are also looking for articles written in multiple languages, so if you happen to be fluent in written Spanish or French you can find a lot of jobs. Now, the pay for this website is VERY low. Most articles pay $2 per article. However, I found I could easily write 10 - 15 of these articles in an hour, which comes out to $20 - $30 per hour. When you look at it that way, the pay isn't that bad. The writer is acting as a ghostwriter, so you won't be able to use this as an opportunity to get exposure. Getting started is a little slow. You need to submit one article and wait for it to be approved. Then you can submit up to ten articles, and wait for them to be approved. Once you have the ten articles approved, you can write up to 50 (then 100) at a time. If you have even basic writing skills, and you are looking for a way to earn some money on the side, this may be worth checking out. I've provided the link below. I go to this website when I am between jobs with my other clients.

2. Crowd Spring - Crowd Spring has actually been around for a while, but they provided jobs for graphic designers and the like. They just recently started offering opportunities for writers. Clients will post their projects on Crowd Spring, writers can respond to the clients with their proposal for the project, and then the client chooses the writer they want to work with. Now, most of the jobs require a high degree of skill and/or experience. however, what I really enjoy about this website is that it presents clients who are simply looking for a company name. the client describes their company and the image they are trying to project, and then writers can suggest a name for the company. the awards for the winning names ranges from $200 - $300. I haven't written a winning name yet, but I have submitted names for a chocolate company, a woman's clothing line, and a weight loss center. I find thinking up company names to be something fun to do between more stressful jobs. the other fun thing about this is you can submit as many names as you want. There was another writer who had over 30 submissions for the woman's clothing line. Even if you aren't a writer, you can propose company names, and maybe get some money for it.

I have to thank my brother, Ray, for telling me about Crowd Spring! Simply telling people you are trying to make money freelance writing can open you up to some unique opportunities. I hope this is helpful information!