Some Thoughts for Those Looking to Get Started as Content Providers

I've seen a few threads on this main forum regarding writing content, and there are countless threads asking how to get started online, how to make $_____, etc. etc. I thought I'd offer a few tips on the lane that I found to be the fastest, especially starting out - freelance content creation for others. I'm a big believer that those looking to make an immediate return on the web are well served to offer a service, at least initially. So for any new folks starting out, or anyone considering dipping their toes into content writing, here are a few thoughts.

(Note: This post is directed towards those that speak English as their first language.)


Practice, practice, practice - and don't forget that your eyes are as important as your fingers.

Succeeding as a freelance writer on the web is all about the quality of work you produce. Producing broken, unintelligible, poorly researched content will never elevate you above the crowd. There are hordes of people all over the world already providing that type of work for prices that will not put food on the table for the average western writer. Failing to break away from the crowd on quality will ensure failure to break away from the crowd on rates.

The key to improvement, as with anything in life, is practice. New freelancers need to write as much as possible. In the early stages of breaking into online freelancing, a decent writer pricing reasonably for their skill level might be able to keep the work flowing steadily enough that practice and paid work are one and the same. If that isn't you or that isn't the case, I'd highly recommend establishing your own web properties that you can use as a writing outlet in between jobs. It's a far better option than working for chicken feed.

New freelancers also need to read as much as possible. This one gets overlooked a lot. It never ceases to amaze me how common it is for people that don't read to want to be writers. To each their own, but that just never made much sense to me. Simply swapping TV for a book before bed will make you a better writer. (You'll sleep better too!) Language is language, and absorbing written language is only beneficial in the quest to turn your fingers into finely-tuned money machines.

Finally, embrace research. It is impossible for any writer to be an expert on every topic they'll be asked to tackle. It's easy to skimp out on research and produce pure fluff. Especially if you're writing towards a specific word count. Don't fall into that trap. It might seem to pay off in the short-term, but it's only harmful to your long-term success. If research is the bane of your existence, consider focusing on writing spec pieces on topics you are an expert in for sites like Constant-Content that accept such work. Even then, don't expect to avoid research altogether!


There are a lot of opportunities to be paid to write web content.

The need for new content never dries up. For beginning content writers, finding writing jobs comes down to a question of seeking out the gigs that suit you best and then getting your name into play. Will you be qualified for every project? No. Will you get every project you are qualified for? No. Will you get enough work to put some decent cash in your pocket as you continuously refine your abilities? It's a safe bet - If you're willing to do the legwork.

Simply hanging a shingle out on a marketplace like the one available on this very forum can be an effective way to find work. There are writers of all skill levels doing business on this forum, selling their work at a variety of rates. Take advantage of the opportunity that exists here. Don't expect to be paid magazine rates, and don't expect to be flooded with work right off the bat (unless you sell yourself out on price), but there is no reason not to offer your services here.

Down the road, once you're known, you might have a steady enough stream of buyers coming straight to you to keep you rolling. In the beginning, that won't be the case. Until you're established enough for buyers to actively seek you out, go to them. There are countless marketplaces new writers can turn to for work opportunities, and some will allow you to write on spec as well. Get on Freelancer, get on TextBroker, get on UpWork, get on Constant-Content if you can. Be realistic with pricing when bidding or pricing spec work, and start getting your name in the hat. These marketplaces are very flawed, but there is decent work to be found on them.


There are a lot of bad opportunities to be paid to write web content.

Caveat! Just because there are near-limitless content production opportunities out there does not mean that they're all good opportunities, or that you should just take any old job that comes your way. In addition to the myriad opportunities, there is also a huge glut of writers out there. The supply curve in the content world is one ugly mother. Many of the writers you'll be competing with are non-native English speakers that have not taken the time to build up their English writing skills to the level you'd expect from someone trying to sell words.

The massive supply combined with an often glaring lack of quality means that many buyers have become accustomed to the idea of paying fractions of a penny per word for web content. Some will even ask you to work for free for "exposure" or to build your portfolio. These kinds of jobs are, in my opinion, insulting and damaging to the industry as a whole. They're also totally unnecessary for even the newest writer. Ignore them. Any half-decent writer can do better, even in the earliest stages.

In my opinion, a half-decent, native English-speaking writer should not be selling work for a penny or two per word, or anything in that range. Doing so is a short-sell on your own skills. Don't be afraid to turn away offers or ignore projects that don't pay anything even close to fairly. A 1,000 word article at a penny per word pays $10. If you're a superstar, you might be able to pump out 1,000 (quality) words in an hour. The odds are it'll take you longer, and it'll probably put you somewhere south of minimum wage on an hourly scale, but without the security of the steady schedule or discount you'd get working at McDonalds.

Yes, it's good to learn and refine your skills, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be fairly compensated. Price realistically, but don't compete on price and price alone. The reality is your work is probably more valuable if you keep it and purpose it yourself than if you sell it for pennies. So, as mentioned before, you'd probably be well served by developing your own web properties in addition to breaking into freelancing as an outlet for writing at times when paying gigs are slow.


Selling content has some significant upsides and some notable downsides.

The main upside of selling content, especially for someone new to the whole game, is that it will generate an immediate return. "Internet marketing" is full of get-rich-quick schemes, systems, and secret formulas that promise all the riches in the land. The problem is few, if any, of them actually work, and the methods that do often require an incubation period before they start paying off. Selling content creates revenue right away. If someone wants an article, they pay for it up-front. There are a ton of people on this forum asking how to make their first $X or $XX or $XXX dollars online. I don't know if there are many ways to do it as quickly as selling a service.

The flip-side of that coin is that while the money is immediate, it is a one-time proposition. That isn't to say that there are no repeat customers. On the contrary - the value of a long-term customer can be very significant. However, each hour of work you do results in you being paid exactly once. You aren't building any assets for yourself (save for your reputation and portfolio), and you will not benefit from recurring, passive income the way you might if you threw your efforts into something like affiliate marketing or product creation instead. This is a trade off. A freelance content writer is essentially working a job. If you stop working, the money stops flowing. So manage your finances accordingly and weigh this factor against your goals.


Staying motivated is sometimes hard.

It's very easy to burn out as a freelancer. Especially in the early days when the rates you'll realize per piece won't be the greatest, it can be tempting to try to shoot for sheer volume in order maximize the hourly and overall return you can generate. This is a totally viable strategy for certain writers in certain niches. It is possible to pump out thousands of words each day, day in and day out. However, to do so takes experience, and it takes process. Both of those will be lacking early on.

First of all, if you find that you need to pump out thousands of words every single day to stay afloat, take a look at your pricing. You could probably realize an equal or better return without the need to live at your keyboard with a small adjustment in pricing. Experimentation is important to determine what works best. That being said, it's also important to check your income expectations as a beginner. If you're expecting to replace your full-time job immediately after you jump into content writing, ask yourself, is that realistic? Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. But setting unrealistic goals is a path to certain failure.

Avoid working yourself to the point of burnout at all costs. Content writing is a marathon, not a sprint. Well, OK, sometimes it's a sprint. But in the long run, your goal should be steady, consistent production. In time you'll develop processes and work habits that will significantly boost your production, but early on, focus on being consistent. You're much better off writing 1,000 words per day, every day, than forcing yourself to write 3,000 on Monday and being so sick of writing you don't touch the keyboard again for the rest of the week.


In the end, it's a matter of doing it. Opportunity abounds for content writers, so as cheesy as it sounds, the most important step is making the decision to start. If you can already pen a decent paragraph, you're ahead of a lot of the people currently making money writing web content. Tap into the many marketplaces you can use to sell spec work, bid on jobs, or offer up your services. Practice whenever you can. Price reasonably but don't sell yourself short and remember that the goal is to make a decent income, not to be the web content equivalent of a sweatshop worker. As you improve and build yourself a name, a portfolio, and a customer list, adjust your pricing accordingly. With some hard work and some time, it's entirely possible to build a very, very comfortable income selling words. Best of luck!