Okay, you are asking yourself at this moment, "Why would anyone write another article about writing articles online?" Well, to start with, this article will not tell you that writing online articles is easy just because you love to write. You have good command of the English language and excellent grammar (not a dangling participle in YOUR grammar). You do not insert a comma every time you take a breath or write a sentence that is almost a paragraph in length. You've got the right stuff; now to find the right people.
This article will not inspire you to rush to your computer to find that site delighted to have found you and take you in hand, nor will it lead you to believe that the articles get written on a well-oiled assembly line, everyone is happy and there is plenty of money rolling in for everyone.
It would be ridiculous to ignore the thousands upon thousands of successful writers of online articles, blogs, etc., who make excellent incomes on the internet. Most of them have years of hard work invested in their craft and many have a professional writing background. They were the front line of internet writers ten to fifteen years ago and they forged a path for all of us hopefuls coming up behind them.
Then, there are the rest of us hopefuls, "newbies" so to speak. We have no idea where to start but we do know what we want to do. Some of us have just retired, have time on our hands and could use the extra income. Others do have jobs but could certainly use additional income in today's economy.
The most important aspect of making any significant money on the internet is research. I cannot stress that enough. You must do your due diligence - investigate every opportunity and be very cautious of home businesses who, for a fee, offer immediate substantial income using your writing skills. If you don't have to WORK for the money, you're not going to EARN the money - simple as that.
Use multiple search engines and phrases to find the online sites that don't ask you to pay them before they pay you! They do exist, but there can be pitfalls. Your research should be intensive so you get a general idea of what is out there and what is specific to your skills and interests. Most importantly, KNOW what you're getting into before you sign on the virtual dotted line. Don't be one of us who find a site that offers projects needing article writers and think you've found heaven. Don't get onboard if you don't know what you will be paid, when you will be paid and how you will be paid. The projects listed on these sites are up for bid. There are listings for everything from simple data input to article writing and rewriting, proof-reading, copywriting and shadow writers. The clients list their requirements and their budgets but very seldom do they list what the successful bidder will be paid per article.
You peruse the many, many projects offered and you note what others are bidding (although, in my case, I had no idea what the numbers meant). Bids for $30.00, $50.00 - but for what? Are you bidding per article? Per project? The numbers are good but you have failed to take the absolutely necessary step of learning just what these numbers signify. You blindly jump into the process by just looking at what everybody else is bidding and throwing in a similar bid, knowing that the low bidder is usually awarded the project.
Your skills and general experience win you 2 or even 3 projects your first day. You are thrilled but absolutely ignorant of what you have signed up for. Your first client wants 10 articles in 2 days, on a specific subject, between 500-550 words and using keywords a specified number of times. Your roll up your sleeves and delve right into the first article. You are a conscientious worker and you want to prove yourself. The research on the subject matter alone takes anywhere from ½ hour to 45 minutes. Then you write the article, being absolutely certain you do not plagiarize, which means re-writing everything you've found online. The formatting, re-writing, final proof-reading and spell-check take you another 2 to 2-1/2 hours. You are a fast and accurate typist but you spend 3 hours on the first article. It has the acceptable number of words, it has the required number of keywords and it is both interesting and error-free. It is accepted and the client is pleased.
You ask what you are being paid but do not get a response.
You're on to the 2nd article (big mistake) and you again spend 3 hours on it. It is submitted and the client is again pleased with your effort. You ask what you are being paid but, again, for some reason, no response. It is now four days later and you have spent countless hours submitting your articles, one after the other. Your brain is tired, you've sat far too long at the computer and you've even gotten up in the night to write just one more article so that you meet the required deadline. Finally, after five articles have been submitted and accepted, you demand to know what you are being paid. Only now do you realize that this is of paramount importance and must be answered before you complete the other 5 articles due.
Since I have now recovered the function of speech and can actually form sentences other than gibberish, I will share with you, who are still reading, what 15 hours of pure dedication poured into 5 completed articles earned me. I made the princely sum of $1.00 per article! I earned a total of $5.00 for 15 hours' work which breaks down to thirty-three cents per hour. Never has one worked that hard and diligently for thirty-three cents per hour. The best part is that I accepted 3 projects, so I now owe the site provider $15.00 ($5.00 per project). I am, my friends, $10.00 in the hole!
Do not do what I did. Do not engage the client in argumentative emails as you submit your resignation and decline payment of your $5.00 in highly suggestive terms. Do not be drawn into angry words, accusations and useless statements falling just short of obscenity. It will do nothing but make YOU feel better and is neither professional nor dignified. You do not want words you regret out there on the internet to perhaps come back and bite you when you least expect it. You don't need enemies. Just end the relationship and chalk the whole thing up to bad experience. Oh, but do get yourself out of any similar projects you've accepted. Just lick your wounds and use the hard-learned lesson in the future. Now you know a little more about offering your services online. Never again will you be foolish enough NOT to do your research and learn what you're getting into.
This experience has taught me that I am a darn good article writer, that I enjoy the research and the challenge of taking information and turning it into a cohesive, interesting article. I enjoy the structured guidelines and have a better understanding of limits and deadlines and what I'm worth financially. Best of all, I have five written articles as examples of what I can do. You can't usually buy invaluable experience for $5.00 but I did - it just about killed me - but I did!
By Kelly Bashtanyk
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