Have you ever wondered what the best ways to get paid to write online are?
Writing for a living offers a ton of advantages – you get to choose when and where you work and with whom, skip the commute, and work with no pants (if that’s how you roll). No wonder this promise of creative and personal freedom attracts so many people.
But the truth is that most of them don’t want to think about the realities of becoming a full-time freelance writer. And let’s face they don’t know where to start to look for freelance writing jobs for beginners or how to get paid for online writing.
As someone who struggled with health issues, I was desperate to work from home as a new writer, but each whopping $10 article I got paid for on Upwork left me with only $8 after their fees. At that salary, it would take me forever to ditch my day job for the no-pants one.
I was like that new puppy chasing my tail. Round and round and round in dizzying circles because of information overload. I really just wanted to know how I could make money writing and where to find writing opportunities.
Now I want to save you from Upwork before you waste time there like I did and let you know how to get freelance writing jobs. There are a lot of writing sites and job boards that pay $100 or more for articles, case studies, and more.
I’m also answering your burning questions on getting easy writing jobs online.
Related: Grammarly Premium Review: How to Make Even the Worst Blog Post Sound Amazing
GET YOUR FREE LIST OF 74 WAYS TO GET PAID TO WRITE ONLINE
25 Ways to Get Paid to Write Online
When learning how to write online, many aspiring writers find it challenging to find writing gigs. I’m simplifying this by giving you 25 ways to find freelance writing work. But while you’re here, download my FREE list of 74 ways to get paid to write online.
Now, on to getting writing jobs.
1. Copywriting
What is copywriting? I remember hearing it but never understanding exactly what it was. Copywriters use persuasion and psychology to write promotional content that connects with peoples’ emotions to market a business or products and services.
The main goal is to convert people into customers and make sales.
While that may sound easy, it’s actually not. That’s one reason businesses pay copywriters well. You can make six figures a year as a copywriter because they are so in demand, and not everyone can do it.
Copywriting is an incredible skill that every writer needs to learn whether you use it for clients or your own business.
Here are some examples of projects that copywriters work on:
- Websites
- Brochures
- Blog Posts
- Headlines
- Lead Magnets
- White papers
- Presentations
- Landing pages
And more.
2. Legal Writing
If you have a legal background or can break complicated subjects down into easy reading for others, legal writing may be the perfect writing job for you.
It’s easier to get a writing job like this if you have some kind of legal experience or thorough knowledge of the legal industry. But companies will pay well for that legal expertise.
Typical legal writing jobs include:
- Brief writers
- Legal editors
- Research/News Analysts
- Bloggers and Web Writers who research, edit, and write web content for law firm websites and online publications
- Feature writers
- Freelance legal copywriting
- Legal document writer
- Corporate writers
3. White Papers
A white paper is an authoritative and persuasive comprehensive report that businesses use to promote or explain a specific methodology or educate their audience about a problem and its solution.
White papers are a favorite marketing tool for many companies and a great way to get paid for writing online.
White papers advocate that a business’s specific solution to a problem is the best one, and they are used to influence a potential customer’s decision-making process. White papers can be used in the B2B (business to business) space and B2C (business to customer) marketplace.
You can make good money writing white papers as a freelance writer. According to AWAI’s Copywriting Pricing Guide, you can charge anywhere from $2,000 to-7,000 for each white paper.
That may seem like a crazy price to ask, but if a white paper is written well, it can net the company hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales.
This guide is an excellent resource to look at when it comes to pricing your services and some other helpful tips, including marketing trends and how to present proposals that clients say yes to.
4. Case Studies
A case study is another way to make good money writing. In business, it usually describes a problem in the specific industry and positions the company writing the case study as a solution, or they have a product that solves the problem.
Case studies are usually real-life scenarios where the business creating the case study presents how they solved the problem for a client.
Like white papers, companies can make a lot of money from a good case study. They are excellent marketing strategies.
5. LinkedIn Jobs
When I first started freelance writing, I looked at the LinkedIn job board often. This job board is a great place to apply for freelance writing jobs. What’s nice is that, like LinkedIn, you can set up job alerts so new jobs slide into your inbox regularly.
You can easily see the jobs you’ve already applied for and search based on location. I usually typed in “remote” in the location field when I searched.
Just beware, many of these jobs are the traditional kind, so you need to read the description to make sure it’s a remote position when you’re looking for writing jobs on LinkedIn.
Related: How to Create a Freelance Writing Resume that Wins You the Job + Free Template
Related: Cover Letter for Freelance Writer: How to Create One + a Free Template
6. Technical Writing
Past definitions of technical writing used to say it only encompassed writing user manuals of some sort. This would explain why when I was learning how to be an online writer, that I had no idea that the type of writing I was doing was technical.
It wasn’t until a client told me I was an excellent technical writer that I figured it out.
That’s awesome, but I was learning how to write better blog posts in the Sticky Blogging Masterclass (which is amazing), and it appears that it’s harder for us technical writers to connect emotionally with their readers. ???
Now technical writing covers all documenting of complex processes such as briefs, reports, and executive summary statements. Technical terms and language need to be condensed into something everyone can read and understand.
If you have mad skills in this area, you can make a lot of money as I do.
7. Warm Pitching
I like warm pitching because you’re not pitching to a complete stranger like when you cold pitch. You can warm up a contact in many ways, like by connecting with them on social media. I sent personalized connection requests to businesses that matched my ideal client avatar on LinkedIn.
Then once they connected, instead of cold pitching to them, I could have shared their content and commented on their posts, so they became familiar with my name. That’s warm pitching.
Twitter is another great place to find potential leads. You can follow the accounts of potential clients without requesting to connect or friend them. Retweeting their content helps get you noticed, so they become familiar with your name, and you’re not a stranger pitching to them.
The best strategy for getting freelance writing clients uses warm pitching and cold pitching, which we will talk about in a little bit.
8. Get Paid to Write for Trade Magazines
Trade magazines are another great place to get paid to write articles online. There is less competition, they pay well, and many freelance writing niches have trade publications for their industry.
Trade magazines cater to professionals in their specific industries. Most niches have at least one or two of these magazines.
Some examples of trade magazines include:
- Fire Chief
- Accounting Today
- Automotive News
- Beverage World
- Food Management
- Potato Storage International
- Dairy Herd Management
One key thing to note about trade publications is that they use the language of the professionals they target. The best way to connect with readers and clients as a writer is to walk the walk and talk the talk.
For instance, people in the security industry that I write for speak in terms that a potato farmer may not understand. That’s why trade magazines pay so well. They will pay you for your expertise, and many pay up to $1 a word.
9. Job Boards
Job boards are one of my favorite places to make money writing online for several reasons. First, the good ones, like the ProBlogger Job Board, try to vet their jobs the best they can. This process cuts down on the scams you run into searching for employment as a freelance writer.
This is a form of warm pitching, which makes it easier to get past the fear of pitching to people and businesses. The companies on job boards are actively seeking writers.
The downside is that a gazillion people apply for these same jobs. But it’s easy to set up a general writing resume a cover letter that you can personalize for each job you apply for.
You’ll see a broad range of how much each job here pays. Most start around $40 an article. It’s important here to showcase how hiring you benefits their business.
I personally used job boards a lot, especially in the beginning, when I was growing my LinkedIn connections and cold pitching businesses.
10. Referrals from Clients
Now, this option may not be for newbies learning how to get a job as a freelance writer, but it’s one to remember after you’ve worked for a few clients. Most clients that love your work will be happy to give you a referral.
However, it could get complicated if you write for many content or marketing agencies as I’ve done, because they aren’t going to refer their customers to you, so keep that in mind.
11. Referrals from Family and Friends
Family and friends may be a little more hesitant to refer their friends and business associates to you for many reasons. They love you, but maybe your mom doesn’t want to mix personal and business together.
Most of the time, your friends and family may not even think about it. It may never occur to them; they could send business your way.
It certainly doesn’t hurt to ask them, and you may be surprised. A family member or friend could send the client of your dreams your way. This works well with friends and family members who have friends or family that could use your writing services.
The key takeaway here is don’t be afraid to ask. You may just find a fantastic client that will pay you well.
Related: Content Writing Tips for Beginners: How to Look Like a Pro When You’re Not
12. Join Facebook Groups
This way to get paid online works well if you join groups where your ideal client hangs out or groups that you offer complementary services to. I’ve been tagged in blogging Facebook groups when a fellow blogger or business owner needs a freelance writer.
Plus, these groups are perfect for finding problems that your ideal client needs a solution to. They are an excellent resource for researching the competition and other helpful things you can use in your marketing strategy.
There are also Facebook groups for writers that post jobs, such as The Freelance Content Marketing Writer. They are great sources of information too as you can ask questions in them or ask for advice.
Joining some groups for writers and ones where your ideal client hangs out is the key to success here.
13. Ghostwriting Books
Ghostwriting books is a difficult type of project to break into as a beginner. Most want people with experience in the niche because writing a proposal and book requires someone to know the market and how to work with publishers.
I’m a member of Gotham Ghostwriters, and they are always looking for writers to work on book projects. It’s a premier ghostwriting agency and one of the most popular in the nation.
The only drawback I’ve seen so far is that it seems to be mainly for books, but I’ve seen them in many different niches.
It’s a profitable way to get paid to write about anything essentially because you’ll get paid well for your expertise in your niche. That’s another reason to niche down because ghostwriting books is probably one of the most lucrative writing projects you can do.
14. Write for Blogs in Your Niche
Almost all of my writing projects are blog posts. My very first writing jobs were blog posts, and they’re my favorite writing project to work on.
There are millions of blogs out there, so if you’re interested in freelance blogging, it’s an easy niche for new freelance writers.
There are blogs out there that pay very well, like The Penny Hoarder and Great Escape Publishing. You can earn $200+ writing blog posts for popular blogs in your niche.
15. Email Marketing
Writing persuasive emails takes keen copywriting skills, but you can make a lot of money in helping other businesses with their email marketing. You’ve probably heard that your email list is yours, and no one can take that from you.
Social media platforms come and go, but your email list is YOUR tribe of raving fans. Therefore, it makes sense that copywriting for businesses can be quite lucrative! Email marketing and social media marketing go together because you usually focus on the same topic or campaign.
The primary difference is that the delivery method is different, and the message is personalized to each medium and channel.
If you’re writing emails for clients, then you’ll likely write their weekly newsletters, so your words must connect with them and make them say, “how did she know that?” It’s a great way to make money.
16. Social Media Marketing
So, I just mentioned social media marketing the primary difference, as I mentioned, is how the message is delivered. If you’re interested in social media marketing, you’ll have to know the social media platforms well so you can familiarize people with your client’s brand and drive traffic to their website(s).
What you’ll frequently find is that social media marketers niche down to one or two platforms. For instance, I have a Pinterest Manager, and all she does is Pinterest.
I tried a general social media marketer, and she didn’t work out, but it is common to find social media managers who do every channel.
It’s a great opportunity for writers to use their killer copywriting skills and social media savviness. If you love interacting with people on social media and taking on the challenge of helping businesses grow, this may be the perfect work from home job for you.
Who else gets to play on social media and where pajamas at work?
WANT TO KNOW WHERE TO FIND FREELANCE WRITING JOBS FOR BEGINNERS?
17. Press Releases
Press releases are common writing projects for freelance writers. They are an official announcement that a business issues to the media and other places that help them learn more about your companies or momentous occasions.
They can be for any announcement like when a company acquires another business entity, mergers and business partnerships, new exclusive products, product updates, rebranding, awards, and much more.
Press releases are also known as a press statement, media release, or news release.
I’ve written press releases for all of these accomplishments except rebranding. The goal is to spread the word about the organization, brand, and new solutions they have to offer clients.
Media releases aren’t long. They’re only one page, so you need to be as clear and concise as possible. You can look at press releases as marketing content because they are published on the internet, so they live on forever.
Potential customers or current ones can see them, so you don’t want to overembellish the company’s achievements.
18. Cold Pitch to Businesses in Your Niche
Cold pitching can be intimidating; that’s for sure. I’ve always dreaded it, but it’s a necessary process for any freelance business. Cold pitching is essentially pitching to strangers.
Like I mentioned above, I sent a ton of personalized connection requests to people that matching my ideal client on LinkedIn. In total, I sent around 700 personal connection requests. Yes, that was a lot of work, but I am STILL getting clients from those original connections.
I just got one recently from a connection request in 2018.
Over time, more people accepted my connection requests once they saw I was connected to other people they were connected to.
Then I sent personalized pitches to connections that explained how we connected, things that were good about their website, and some things I thought I could help them with. You have to send a lot of cold pitches to get responses, and follow-up is critical.
It takes multiple follow-ups to get someone to say yes, and some will email back and say they don’t need your services now, but when they do, they’ll get back to you.
I like to mix cold pitching and applying for writing jobs on job boards, especially in the beginning. It helps you gain experience by getting a few writing projects under your belt while you cold pitch to other businesses.
19. Pitch to the College You Went To
Why not pitch your services to your Alma Mater? Universities usually have writing jobs they can hire out for or give to student writers. And colleges love supporting their students.
If your niche relates to education or you work on projects that you think could benefit your college, then pitch to them. Plus, it’s a little less scary because they already know you graduated from there. I would consider that a warm pitch.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Freelance Writing for Beginners
20. Self-Publish Books
As technology has advanced now, traditional publishing for books isn’t the only way to get your book published. With Amazon Self-Publishing, now you can write and publish your book without sending query letters to publishing agencies and papering your wall with a million rejection slips.
Write a book and skip that process by self-publishing it. This article walks you through the easiest way to publish your book yourself. There are a couple of benefits to publishing your book this way.
It doesn’t take nearly as long to publish your book, and it’s another way to establish credibility and expertise in your niche and freelance writing in general.
Give yourself a deadline and plan out the steps you need to complete your project using a project management system like Evernote. Or use a planner like my favorite one that has a section for planning projects.
21. Start a Blog
One of the best ways you can make money writing online is by starting your own blog. There are so many benefits to starting a blog for your freelance writing business.
- It helps establish your credibility
- Serves as a portfolio for your writing business
- You can make money with affiliate marketing and selling your own products
I never planned on being a blogger. I just wanted to start my blog to showcase my expertise and show potential clients samples of my writing. But it turned out I loved it, and it was the best thing I ever did.
Best of all, you can make money by selling other peoples’ products, which is affiliate marketing, or you can create and sell your own products.
22. Write Listicles
Listicles are very popular blog posts that everyone loves to read, and some really great (and hilarious) websites will pay you to write them.
Here are some great websites that pay writers money for listicles. Just check them out to see if they are still taking submissions and what kind of lists they’re looking for:
How many people can say they make money writing for a website like Cracked? It’s a fun way to write for money online.
23. Write for Popular Magazines
Many new writers dream of making a living writing for popular magazines like the Home Business Journal, American Craft Magazine, Early American Life, Reader’s Digest, Good Housekeeping, and Cosmo, just to name a few. It’s a good way to get paid to write online.
You can make hundreds of dollars for just one article in some of the more well-known magazines like Cosmopolitan. A byline in one of these magazines adds instant credibility and trust, two critical things in freelance writing.
If you want to start writing for popular magazines, you’ll want to brush up on your pitching skills because you’ll be doing a lot of it. But practice makes perfect, and you’ll become a pro at pitching before you know it.
24. Say You’re for Hire in Your Social Media Profiles
Another way to earn money writing online is to add a line in your social media bios that says you’re for hire. You never know when someone who needs a freelance writer or can refer you to someone in your niche will come across your bio.
Many people who need freelance writers search on social media first, especially LinkedIn if it’s a professional niche.
Another great place to say you’re for hire is your email signature that way, anyone who sees your profile knows you’re for hire. And I challenge you even to add an email signature to your personal email, so EVERYONE knows what you do for a living.
You never know where your next client will come from, and the source may not be one you would have thought of.
25. Write for Content Agencies like ClearVoice (Not Bid Sites Like Upwork-Upwork Sucks)
There are plenty of content agencies out there, and some pay well, such as ClearVoice. I’ve had my highest paying assignments come from there.
It’s not a primary source of income since I don’t get many opportunities there, but it could be my niche. Plenty of writers make good money there.
These are 25 great ways to get freelance writing jobs – the ones you can work with no pants on. Be sure to download my list of 74 ways to get paid to write online. If you want a little help learning how to get started as a freelance writer, I have just two solutions for you.
One of the easiest ways to learn how to make money writing for beginners is by taking a freelance writing course. There are many free and paid ones out there.
Check out this list of free freelance writing courses. I have two email courses on their, Freelance Writing Path to Profits and Busting Ghostwriting Myths.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Writing Jobs Online Legit?
Yes, writing jobs online are totally legit. I make thousands of dollars every month sitting at home writing in my pajamas. You can see from this list that these are real ways people make money writing online.
Now, there are scams out there, so be wary. Pay attention to your instincts, and if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
Can Anyone Do Freelance Writing?
Yes, just about anyone can do freelance writing, unless you hate writing. But then you probably wouldn’t be asking that question.
Even if you don’t have the experience, it’s easy to start a freelance writing business without spending a fortune. Learn more about how to become a freelance writer with no experience.
How Can I Make Money Writing Online?
As you can see here, there are many ways you can money writing online. These are just 25 ways. I have a list that includes 48 MORE ways to get paid to write online. You can sign up for it here in this post.
You can get really creative with how you get paid to write online. The sky is the limit.
How Much Do Online Writing Jobs Pay?
Many factors go into how much you get paid to write:
Your experience – the more experience you have, the more you can charge
The niche you choose – Some niches pay more than others, especially if it has to do with technology, science, or medicine.
Where you look for jobs – You’ll get paid a lot more if you cut out the middle-man and work directly for clients. Writing for a content agency may mean it’s easier to find jobs, but you’ll pay for that convenience. And if you work for content mills like Upwork, you’ll never make good money.
How competitive the niche is – some niches are just more competitive than others.
Final Thoughts on Ways to Get Paid to Write
These are 25 great ways to get freelance writing jobs – the ones you can work with no pants on. Be sure to download my list of 74 ways to get paid to write online. If you want a little help learning how to get started as a freelance writer, I have just two solutions for you.
One of the easiest ways to learn how to get paid to write for beginners is by taking a freelance writing course. There are many free and paid ones out there.
But if you want a real shortcut to learn how to get paid to write online the easy way, a paid course will get you there faster. I have two eBooks that complement the free courses and give you the tools you need to be a successful freelance writer.
One is Freelance Writing for Beginners: The Basics, and the other is The Ultimate Guide to Ghostwriting. Freelance Writing for Beginners combined with Freelance Writing Path to Profits gives you the basics for starting your freelance writing business.
Busting Ghostwriting Myths and The Ultimate Guide to Ghostwriting bust the myths you’ve heard about ghostwriting and give you everything you need to know to be a successful ghostwriter and set up a ghostwriting business.
Now you know some of the best ways of getting paid to write online for a living, you can find a profitable niche if you haven’t already. You also want to create your ideal client avatar, so you know exactly who you’re writing to so they think you read their mind.
Now that you know some of the best ways to get paid to write online let me know in the comments which one (or more) of these writing projects do you want to try? Let me know below!
Related Posts to Help You Learn More About How to Get Paid to Write Online
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25 of the Best Gifts for Writers That Are Totally Unique
21 of the Most Popular High-Paying Freelance Writing Niches
8 Free Freelance Writing Courses That Will Blow Your Mind
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13 of the Best Books for Female Entrepreneurs to Read This Year
A Freelancer’s Guide to Getting Out of a Writing Rut
You have all the tools you need to start writing online for money.
awesome post! Thanks for the tips gonna look into it!
Thank you Julliet!You never know until you try.
Pingback: Quickly Start a Freelance Writing Business with No Experience
So many tips! Thank you!
Thank you, Emma. I love sharing the great ways people can get paid to write online!
Heather, this is one long and informative post. Very well researched. Of course, the prerequisite for all of them is that you’re a great writer 🙂
There are a few where you would need special skills on top of great writing skills – for example, writing email marketing mails / ad copy take a special advertising skill whereas Legal Writing require you to know about that industry.
Nonetheless, enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading and those are totally skills people can learn early on if they choose an industry they are familiar with and are willing to learn. That’s the key and a WHOLE other article! Jorden Makelle is a prime example of someone without a college degree or background in what she was writing was making $5,000 a month after four months.
Great job! very informative
Thank you Nick! Thanks for stopping by.
Wow! I didn’t even think about most of these as things that someone might pay for. These are great ideas! I’m definitely saving this for later. Thank you for sharing!
Yes, it’s often funny to us what people will pay for as far as writing. Writing is such an important form of communication that many people will pay for good writing! Thanks for reading.