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Go where the Work is

If you are looking to make some fast cash and are a decent writer there is a lot of opportunity online to work as a freelance writer. Even as little as a decade ago there were nowhere near the online writing prospects that exist today. There are literally millions of websites out there today and many of them are desperate for fresh content because having a constant flow of new content, particularly with specifically chosen keywords, helps to boost a site’s ranking. Higher ranking often translates into more customers, which means more money. The great part about this for freelance writers is that many of these site owners do not want to write their own content so they are willing to pay others to write it for them.

Make sure Your Skills are Up to Par

Before you embark on a freelance writing career, or writing side job you will want to make sure that your writing skills are up to date. Being fluent in whatever language you plan to write in is very important. You may also want to take some online grammar and spelling tests to verify your abilities. There are also plenty of writing courses and resources available, both online and off and some of them are even free. In addition, it is a good idea to become familiar, if you are not already, with some of the more common writing styles.

Know what Works Online

Much of the freelance writing that is available online incorporates SEO or search engine optimization. If you are not aware of what this is you will probably want to become familiar with it before beginning your online job search. Do not worry if you are unfamiliar with the concept of SEO; there are plenty of places online where you can learn about it and hone your skills. This site is one place where you can practice your SEO writing and make some fast cash while you are at it. It is really not as complex as it may sound. It basically just involves incorporating pre-selected keywords into your writing a specified amount of times.

Discover Your Strengths and know Your Audience

You may find once you start writing that you gravitate towards certain subject matter. Some people find it helpful to specialize in a certain topic area or specific type of writing and become an expert at that. Other writers enjoy the variety of writing on different topics and in various areas of writing. Also, you need to be aware that when you write for an online audience the pieces will tend to be short and, because of this, will need to be engaging and to the point. When people come to a website they usually want to find information quickly. If the information they are seeking is not readily available and easy to spot they will move on to another site. That is why you will often see articles like this one, with sub-headings to catch people’s eye and allow them to skim the article for what they are looking for.

Get Ready to Put Yourself Out There

If you do not currently have any writing samples you can set up a blog and start writing. Once you have a few posts on the site you can start applying for jobs, using your blog for writing examples. Be diligent in checking the freelance job boards and you will be on your way to fast cash.

Need Fast Cash Now? Apply Here!

Times are hard and people are losing jobs left and right. If you could use some extra cash, why not try writing freelance on the internet?

Yes, there are actually internet companies that will pay you $10 to $25 per article, provided your writing meets certain criteria. As a freelance writer, you sell articles to these companies to be posted on their web pages. If your articles are accepted, you can make a decent living just by writing from the comfort of your own home.

Can I really get paid just for writing?

Yes, you really can. You don’t have to have a degree in journalism to start freelance writing, but you do have to be able to write clearly and coherently. If you can compose a fluent email, are mindful of your grammar and spelling, and can easily accept critiques from an editor, you’re pretty much good to go!

Editors will reject articles that don’t live up to the standards of the website, but don’t let that stop you. Simply take it as a learning experience to improve your writing skills and keep submitting. If you’re able to write or at least willing to learn, all you  need is a computer, an internet connection, and a PayPal account.

What’s so important about content on the internet?

There’s a saying floating around the net: “Content is king.” Word content on a website is crucial because it draws readers to the site. Understanding how search engines work can shed light on the question. When you look for a topic on the internet, you pull up a search engine like Yahoo or Google and type in a word or a short phrase. These are called keywords. You hit enter and a list of your search results appears.

Internet companies go to great lengths to make sure their site appears on the first page of your search results, a process called search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is labor-intensive, but more cost effective than paying for advertisements. Internet companies don’t always have the time or manpower required to update the content of their sites, so they outsource the work to freelance writers like me, and hopefully, like you.  The continual need for new content — new words in new articles — is why freelance writing can be a lucrative business.

How do I get paid for freelance writing?

Internet businesses generally pay their freelance writers in one of two ways: upfront or residually. Upfront payment means you write an article with a certain number of words, and the website buys your article for an agreed price. For example, the company may offer $15 for a 300-word article. Residual payment means that instead of being paid an agreed lump-sum when your article is accepted, you are paid a share of the revenues generated as your article draws traffic and readers click on the ads surrounding it.

Where do I start?

Personal Money Market is a great place to get started. It’s easy to join, and the company offers several different payment options. If you’re just starting out, you may want to try the pay-per-post option first, and then build your way up to better paying gigs. Simply contact the site for more information and follow their guidelines. That’s all it takes to get started making extra cash as a freelance writer.