One of the first things you may notice if you are new to freelance writing is how opaque the entire process is. Websites, blogs, and publications frequently rely on armies of freelancers, but their contributor guidelines and pay are frequently unavailable.
Instead of jumping right into negotiations with editors about assignments and pay, look for a site or publication that has a simple process for contributors so you know exactly what they’re looking for and how much they’re paying.
1. Copyhackers
Copyhackers is a Canadian content company. It offers educational materials to assist new copywriters, as well as paid opportunities for writers to publish lengthy articles on Copyhackers’ blog.
Its submission guidelines are straightforward: you should be well-versed in the topic on which you are pitching. And, unless it’s extremely wonderfully amazingly readable reading, you should expect to write blog posts of 2,000 words or more.
Pay range: $300-$1,000 per blog post
Advertising, branding, UX (User Experience), or marketing concepts; freelance lifestyle or advice; entrepreneurship are some of the categories/topics covered.
2. Listverse
Listverse, as the name suggests, specializes in listicles, also known as list posts. These are highly clickable posts with numbered lists for each main point.
According to the contributor guidelines, you can write articles about “any topic you want” as long as they are interesting, well-researched, and in the form of a list of at least ten items.
To narrow it down even further, the website is divided into several categories, including bizarre, entertainment, general knowledge, lifestyle, science, society, and more. Your articles should be roughly related to those topics.
Please keep in mind that Listverse will only pay freelance writers via PayPal.
3. Narratively
Look no further than Narratively’s tagline to understand the type of articles it publishes: “Human stories, boldly told.” Submissions are welcome in all sections of the website. Just make sure your story is long, gripping, and contains strong narrative elements.
Read Narratively’s submission guidelines for a detailed breakdown of the various sections and story types. To submit your draft, you’ll need a Submittable account.
Pay range: $300-400 per article
Personal essays and reported articles with a narrative, human-interest approach are the categories/topics.
4. Reader’s Digest
Reader’s Digest is self-explanatory. But what you probably didn’t realize is that it provides one of the most enjoyable and low-risk ways to get paid to write.
Instead of going for the big leagues with a front-cover feature story, you can send Reader’s Digest jokes and micro-stories, which will be published online and in print.
If your submission is chosen, you will receive $100 per submission. Make sure to follow the rules for jokes and 100-word true stories. $100 is the amount you would be paid.
5. Unemploymentville
Unemploymentville, according to its website, is “a place for anyone who has felt the sting of being out of work.”
It is also a place where you can write guest blog posts if you have interesting small-business ideas, helpful job-searching techniques, or personal experiences dealing with job loss.
Pay range: $25-$75 per blog post
Unemployment, job hunting, and personal essays about finding work are some of the categories/topics covered.
Conclusion
Writing is a great thing to do once you’re sharing knowledge. So which one of these companies you plan to check out?
