selling your essays online

How to Make Money Writing (I Made $15 Million)

by Jon Morrow

on Aug 30, 2024

There are tons of articles about how to make money writing, but here’s what makes this one different: I’ve made over $15 million from my writing.

Over 200 million people have read my work, my copy has sold hundreds of thousands of products, my self-published books have sold tens of thousands of copies, and now I’m building up my social media profiles, already writing a post with over 1 million impressions.

But I wasn’t always so successful.

I used to write for other people’s blogs for free, dreaming of the day my words would pay the bills. I was thrilled just to see my name in print, even if it was on some small blog no one had heard of.

Gradually, my popularity grew. 

My articles would get a few thousand visitors. A few months later, tens of thousands became the new norm. 

That’s when I knew I was getting good. Other sites took notice too, offering to pay me to write for them. 

At first it was only like $100 an article but it eventually grew to $500, $1,000, $3,000, and – can you believe it? – $5,000 per article. I was making six figures, writing just a blog post or two a week.

But one day it occurred to me… why was I writing for everyone else and not myself?

So I started this blog on the side. It took off like a rocket, getting hundreds of thousands of visitors the first year and eventually becoming the most popular writing website in the world. It’s made me millions of dollars. 

So do I know how to make money writing?

Yeah, I think it’s fair to say I do.

Here, I’m going to tell you exactly what I would do if I was starting over. This guide is step-by-step, brutally honest, and also completely realistic if you’re willing to put in the work.

Let’s dive in.

Phase 1: How to Get Paid to Write

So you’ve always dreamed of being a writer. 

Maybe you always got good grades in English class. Maybe you kept a diary or blog, pouring your heart onto the page. You know you’ve got a way with words – and you’re ready to make a living from your talent.

There’s just one problem: 

The world is full of people like you.

The harsh truth is, the market is utterly saturated with people who have a basic grasp of writing. If you can string together coherent sentences, organize your thoughts logically, and empathize with a reader – congratulations, you have the same skills as a gazillion other wannabe writers.

But here’s the rub – those skills alone typically translate to a paltry $100-$1000 per month. There are just too many writers out there with that baseline level of competence. 

I should know. When I was starting out, armed with a shiny new English degree, I assumed my clever turns of phrase and knack for crafting compelling arguments would have editors clamoring for my byline. 

What a wake-up call to realize nobody in the publishing world gave a hoot. I was just another starry-eyed liberal arts major trying to break into the brutally crowded field of freelance writing.

So what did I do? 

I added a few more basic skills to the mix that most aspiring writers DON’T have.

Networking to Build Relationships

Most writers are introverts, so you know what they really suck at?

Networking.

I should know, I’m also an introvert, but I couldn’t help noticing that most editors give work to writers they know. 

So, despite the discomfort, I made it my mission to become a known quantity.

• I followed other writers and editors on X (once called Twitter) and responded to every tweet. 
• I sent friendly follow-up emails after turning in assignments. I asked about their kids, congratulated them on successful projects, and sent birthday gifts
• I met up with writers and editors at conferences, looking for my next writing opportunity. My bait for gathering a crowd? A box full of doughnuts. 

Slowly but surely, everybody knew who I was and gave me a chance.

Which brings me to…

Don’t Be a Neurotic Writer

Having managed literally thousands of writers, I can tell you with absolute confidence that 90% are neurotic.

• They procrastinate until the last minute.
• They get upset when you edit their work.
• They never proofread their work, because that’s the editors job.

So if you want to stand out, here’s a simple tip: do the OPPOSITE of everything I said above.

Turn in your work early, never get upset about edits or rewrites, and proofread your work to make the editor’s life as easy as possible.

They will love you and invite you to write again and again and again.

That’s how I clawed my way up from content mill serfdom to better-paying gigs. It wasn’t my innate writing talent that did it (although that certainly didn’t hurt). It was my willingness to hustle, connect, and prove my reliability and professionalism at every turn.

The Bad News?

While everything I’ve said here works to get you paying freelance writing jobs, it doesn’t really mean you’ll be paid well.

 $1,000 a month of extra cash on the side? Sure.

Maybe even $3,000 a month if you really hustle and work full-time.

But if you want to make a GOOD living writing, you need to seriously level up your skills, which brings us to…

Phase 2: Delivering Outcomes

Want to earn real money as a writer? 

Then you need to stop thinking about writing in terms of words and start thinking in terms of results. 

Clients don’t really care how pretty your prose is. They care about tangible outcomes like:

• Ranking at the top of Google
• Generating sales
• Building a social media following

If you can deliver on those, you can command fees that would make your average freelance writer weep. I’m talking $50,000 – $90,000 per year and up. 

But to get to that level, you need to develop some key specialties:

SEO Writing

SEO writing is all about creating content that ranks highly in search engines. It requires:

• Understanding search intent – what people are actually looking for when they type in a query
• Optimizing internal link profiles – linking to other relevant pages on the same site
• Strategies for external link building – getting other sites to link back to your content

Example: 

Let’s say you’re writing an article about the best running shoes. 

An SEO content writer would make sure to include terms people actually search for, like “best running shoes for flat feet”. They’d link to other articles on the site about related topics like running form or race training. And they’d reach out to other running bloggers and publications to try to get them to link to the article.

The result?

If they do everything right, the article would rank, their client would get traffic, and they would get a testimonial proving they got results. This would then allow them to raise their rates.

Copywriting

Copywriting is content writing that’s designed to drive a specific action, like making a purchase or signing up for an email list. Key types of copywriting include:

• Email marketing copy
• Sales pages
• Opt-in pages
• Checkout pages

The goal is always to persuade the reader to take the next step in the sales process.

A freelance copywriter might craft an email series that gradually builds trust with the reader and warms them up to buy a product. They’d use proven techniques like storytelling, social proof, and scarcity to nudge the reader towards a sale.

With copywriting, you are basically a salesperson, but you use the written word as your sales tool. It’s the highest paid type of writing there is, because the outcome is literally money.

From your email campaign, your client might make $100,000 and pay you $5,000. They got a 20X return.

Think a successful writer like that has a tough time getting clients?

Further Reading:   Copywriting 101: How to Become a Copywriter

And copywriting isn’t the only type of online writing. Here’s another:

Social Media Writing

With social media writing, the aim is to create written content that gets shared and goes viral. That means:

• Crafting engaging hooks that stop the scroll
• Using storytelling techniques to draw readers in
• Following content frameworks that are proven to get engagement
• Employing strategies for getting more shares and followers

A social media writer might share a shocking statistic or counterintuitive idea to grab attention, then weave a relatable story around it. They’d end with a clear call-to-action, like asking a question or suggesting readers comment with their own experience.

The outcome? Followers. You literally make your client famous.

 And people are vain. The world is full of people who want to be famous. So you will never be out of work.

Which Type of Writing Should You Learn?

Lots of people will tell you to pick one and specialize, but I’ll be honest with you…

All the writers I see making bank know the basics of them all. They develop a well-rounded writing portfolio and then go deep to achieve true mastery in the area that resonates most with them.

That’s been my own approach. I began by mastering SEO, learning how to optimize content for both readers and search engines. Then I developed my copywriting chops so I could write persuasive emails, sales pages, ads – you name it. Now I’m diving into the world of social media writing and content marketing.

By becoming a triple threat – an SEO expert, sales copywriter, and viral content creator all rolled into one – I’ve been able to consistently drive huge results for both myself and clients.

I’m not just a professional writer; I’m a one-man traffic and revenue-generating machine.

You can do the same. 

Focus on developing outcome-oriented skills, not just writing for writing’s sake. Choose one specialty to master, whether it’s SEO, copywriting, or social media writing. Learn the frameworks, practice your craft, and get results.

Then, when you pitch your services, you won’t just be selling your time or your words. You’ll be selling your proven ability to rank content, convert customers, and build buzz. 

And that, my friend, is how you crack into the  big leagues of freelance writing .

Of course, even with an impressive skill set, you’ll hit an earnings ceiling if you’re always trading time for money. To really break through to the next level of income, you need to start managing projects and leading teams…

The Big Leagues: Project Management and Team Leadership

The most successful writers I know aren’t just scribes – they’re project managers and team leaders. They coordinate large-scale content production, juggling multiple writers, editors, and stakeholders. 

It requires a whole different skill set:

• Project management – keeping everything on track and on budget
• Team leadership – motivating and guiding a group to do their best work
• Strategic planning – developing content strategies to achieve big-picture goals

It’s a lot more responsibility – but it also comes with a lot more earning potential. Top-level content managers and strategists can easily pull in $100,000+ per year.

I made this transition myself when I became an editor at Copyblogger. Suddenly I was overseeing up to 100 writers at a time, assigning articles, managing deadlines, and making sure every piece met our high standards. I had to level up my communication, organization, and people skills in a big way.

But it was so worth it. Not only did I get to shape the direction of a major publication, but I also got a crash course in what it takes to run a content machine at scale. Those high-level editorial and project management skills would prove invaluable for what came next…

Building Your Own Assets

Want to know the real secret to exponential income growth as a writer? 

Build your own assets. Instead of always writing for other people’s blogs and businesses, start creating your own:

• Launch your own blog or website
• Create and sell online courses
• Write and publish books

That’s how you go from earning a comfortable living to raking in millions. You’re not just trading time for money anymore – you’re creating intellectual property you can profit from over and over again.

I’ve followed this exact path. In March of 2010, I launched Smart Blogger, applying all the SEO, copywriting, and content marketing tricks I’d learned over the years. 

In the first year alone, it earned over $500,000. Today, it’s the largest writing site in the world.

I used my SEO chops to draw in an audience of over 6 million people, then leveraged my hard-won copywriting skills to sell them on my premium training programs. 

The result? Over $15 million in revenue and counting.

And a good portion of it is passive income.

The beauty of this approach is that it lets you fully harness all the skills you’ve developed – SEO, copywriting, project management, team leadership, the works. By combining them to create top-notch content and products for an audience you’ve built yourself, you tap into a whole new level of earning potential.

The sky truly is the limit when you start owning your own assets. You’re not just a successful freelance writer for hire anymore. You’re a full-fledged media entrepreneur.

Further Reading:   How to Write a Book: Everything You Need to Know

Yes, You Really Can Get Rich from Writing

I’m living proof.

These days, my daily routine looks very different than it did when I was a newbie writer hustling for gigs. I spend my time developing content strategies, brainstorming new products, and guiding my team to execute at the highest level. I get to write when and what I want, on my own schedule.

I also get to live anywhere I want. Currently I’m in Mexico with a full-time cook, chauffeur, and housekeeper, living like a king.

So if you’re reading this, wondering if it’s really possible to make a great living as a writer – the answer is a resounding yes. 

You just can’t be lazy about it. You have to continually level up your skills, take on new challenges, and think strategically about your career.

You have to be willing to put in the work – but if you do, the rewards can be truly life-changing. 

You’ve seen the roadmap. You know what’s possible. Now it’s up to you to take the first steps and start your own journey to becoming a multi-millionaire writer.

Are you ready?

Make Money Online , Writing

An earlier version of this post was authored by  Glen Long . It's been rewritten for freshness and comprehensiveness.

Jon Morrow is the CEO of Smart Blogger, one of the largest writing sites in the world. An expert in copywriting, SEO writing and email marketing, his writing has earned him over $15 million to date.

The ultimate toolkit for becoming one of the highest-paid writers online. Premium training. Yours for free.

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12 Free Platforms For Writers To Publish Articles Online

Are you a new writer looking to publish your articles? Choosing the right digital publishing platform might be a little confusing at first.

Before looking for the best publishing options, you need to decide which platforms are suited to your topic or writing style. Are you interested in writing opinion pieces, sharing personal experiences, providing expert advice, or publishing on academic topics?

Every platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. It’s all about finding one that aligns best with your writing style, topics, and intended audience.

You can check the suggestions in this article to help you decide which platforms will offer you the best chance of finding new readers.

Article Contents

You can publish articles online right now

With digital publishing, it is easy for anyone to learn how to write and publish articles .

There are many online publishing platforms for writers, so you can publish your writing in a matter of minutes.

What works for one writer might not work for the other. Are you writing essays or how-to guides ? It is also important to know who your audience is when choosing article publishing sites.

Do you want to reach teens, young adults, or adults? Are you trying to reach young entrepreneurs or established business owners?

Are you writing poems? There are also many free sites where you can publish your poetry .

Consider the types of articles you want to write and the audience you want to write for. Then, you can go ahead and find the best online publishing platforms.

There are also plenty of free writing apps to help you write great content that readers will love. But you should always use a reliable online grammar checker to make sure your writing is as perfect as possible.

Then, you can bring your vision and ideas to the world with digital content. With so many people reading articles and online content on laptops, smartphones, and tablets, there is always an audience for new writers.

There are many online magazines and sites that accept articles for free. It’s up to you to find the best digital publishing solution to suit your needs.

To get you started, here is a list of platforms offering free article publishing.

Medium is a very popular free publishing site where you can share your writing. You can connect with more sophisticated and dedicated readers than you might find on other social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook.

However, it is similar to a social network in its ease of connecting with other Medium users. But it is best suited to long-form writing.

It is very easy to create and set up your Medium account. Then, take a quick tour and read the FAQs. You are now ready to be published online with your first article.

The publishing tools are super easy to use with click and edit or drag and drop to move elements.

Your content on Medium should be full-length articles that are highly informative. Using original images is highly recommended.

Be aware, though, that it is not a publishing platform suited to short and obvious promotional blog posts.

You can read our how-to-use Medium guide for more detailed information about the submission guidelines. But they are quite straightforward.

2. Linkedin Articles

You are probably already on Linkedin. So why not publish your articles there?

Follow the instructions for publishing LinkedIn articles , and you are ready to go.

With so many people on the site, you are bound to find readers for professional articles.

It has to be one of the best places to help you gain readers.

3. Publish PDF

This really is the easiest way to publish your writing online.

You don’t even need to have a website or blog.

All you need is a PDF file and your Google account.

Best of all, Google indexes PDF documents , so yours may appear in Google Search.

Read our quick tutorial on how to publish a PDF article online , and you will be ready to publish immediately.

4. Scoop.It

Scoop.It is one of the most popular free publishing platforms for new writers.

You can publish great magazines on this website, and it does what it promises.

There is a function where you can find great content to help as inspiration.

Simply use appropriate keywords, and you will be flooded with information.

You can find some excellent content on Issuu  and some entertaining writing as well.

It is a user-friendly platform where anyone can create digital publications.

You don’t need to use any publishing software.

You can also sell your digital magazine directly from the website, making it possible to earn some money.

Issuu is definitely one of the leading platforms for anyone who has something worthwhile to say.

With more than 15,000 updates daily, it is clear why it is so popular with article writers.

It also gives you the opportunity to reach a lot of people with your writing. It doesn’t matter what your passion is; there is a place for you on this platform.

Your magazine can be about anything from cats to basketball, so there are no boundaries.

If you are a photographer who wants to share your multimedia with the world, you might find that Yudo is for you.

On this platform, you can mix your writing, videos, photographs, and audio.

Who wouldn’t like to read a digital magazine that offers all of these features?

It makes for a more exciting read, so it could be worth a shot.

All you need to have is a passion and start working hard at it.

7. ArticleSeen

ArticleSeen  prefers original content. But that is what you should do when posting your articles online.

If you want free exposure for your writing, this is a good site to help you on your way.

There is a good choice of categories, which means you are sure to find one that suits your writing topic.

8. PUB HTML5

PUB HTML5 is free of charge, so you can see if it is the right digital publishing tool for you.

The design is sleek and simple, which is what you want as a beginner.

You don’t want websites that are confusing to use.

But the great thing about this platform is that your publications will appear professional on all devices.

It can be a computer or a mobile device. The results are the same.

You can publish interactive elements in magazines, catalogs, and brochures and create rich-media flipping books.

If you are trying to get your name out there as an influential writer, you might want to give this website a try.

With over 500,000 publishers using this website, you can understand why I included Joomag  in this list.

You can manage your subscribers on this platform and add more when you please.

It gives you full control over your publications.

Use a good grammar checker to help you write flawless articles. Then, you can launch your own campaign.

You can use your mailing list to notify all of your subscribers when you publish a new article.

As a plus, you can send emails that you write for your subscribers to make them feel part of the team.

It is an easy way to promote your work.

10. ArticleBiz

ArticleBiz offers you the chance to get your articles picked up by online publishers.

It’s very easy to submit your articles.

When you do, you will also complete a resource box. It is a short bio about yourself. You can include your email and website address information.

You can choose from a huge range of categories for your articles.

It has an Alexa ranking of 210,908. So it certainly gets a lot of traffic and readers.

If you are new to article writing, it is a great site to make a start with your online publishing.

11. Substack

For writers open to a different approach in publishing, Substack is well worth investigating.

It’s a free platform you can join to post your articles. But the big focus with Substack is on getting readers to subscribe to your writing.

Your articles will certainly be available online. But if your sole aim is to get your articles to rank high on search engines, Medium might be a better option.

However, if you want to build a loyal readership, there’s no better way than to attract email subscribers.

You can start by offering your articles for free. But if you can build some traction and your mailing list, there is an option to monetize your writing later.

Many high-profile writers are already earning money from paid subscribers, but some new writers are also succeeding.

If you only want to publish one or two, it’s not the platform for you.

But if you want to make writing your passion and publish regular articles on your topic, Substack might be precisely the right publishing option for you.

12. Google Sites

When you want to have more control over your articles, you might consider using Google Sites .

It’s a simple website builder from Google. The two big advantages are that it’s free and very easy to use.

All you need is your Google account to log in and get started.

You can set up your new site in only a few minutes. Just make sure you make it available online.

Once you start adding your articles, you then have a chance of them being indexed by Google.

Like other website platforms, you can add gadgets to create interest. But they are basic.

Submitting your articles to a lot of different sites can be time-consuming and difficult to track.

But with your own site, you are in control of all your content.

Google Sites is a great option when all you want is a free, simple, and easy way to publish your articles in one place.

When you see the choices you have, there are no limits today on interactive content creation and digital publishing.

Anyone can learn to publish articles once they decide to start. All you need to do is find new topic ideas .

With all these fantastic platforms available to you, all you have to do is get to work and start writing.

Many have native apps for iOS, Android, and Google Play. Check your App stores.

Before you know it, you are going to be writing for free article submission sites .

All you need is to use your drive and passion to get you heading toward your goals.

Give one of these websites a try, and you will be publishing your fantastic articles in no time at all.

Related reading: Where To Publish Short Stories Online

About The Author

Derek Haines

More articles.

The Best 11 Free Article Submission Sites For New Writers

Where You Can Publish Short Stories Online Easily And For Free

Peeked, Peaked, Or Piqued My Interest? Are You Curious?

52 thoughts on “12 free platforms for writers to publish articles online”.

I am a retired man with a technical background. I have written many articles on varied subjects but have never published. The subject matter includes science, religion, political and current events. The articles vary in length from one page to 20 pages. Have you ane suggestions for an appropriate posting site?

You cover a lot of topics, and different lengths, Phil.

It might be difficult to find one platform for them all.

Perhaps setting up a free blog, such as with Blogger or WordPress, might be a better move.

Thanks, I’ll look into that.

I have written quite a few articles, most of them being inspirational. Some are in the form of messages learnt from incidents in everyday life. I also feel that as a citizen on this planet, it is my duty to share the good things I have learnt, so others can benefit too. Am wondering where would be a good place to begin publishing. Thanks.

Derek, I am a decent lady, not available for romance, but just want you to know that I like your way; I just like your website & the way you make your comments and respond to questions. There’s just something about you. I like you.

Thank you. I’m happy to hear that you enjoy the content of the site.

I think writing story’s and publishing them and seeing how people comment, will help me when i get older and see what I want to be. I haven’t chosen yet I’ve always wanted to be a journalist or a media worker, honestly, I don’t yet…

I notice that as a new writer, I have strong passion to publish. But I believe there is the need to learn to make my writing ‘clean’, mistake-free and perfect for my readers before publishing. What writing training apps would you recommend to help me ‘sanitize’ my writing?

I would suggest Prowritingaid for a new writer. It’s got everything you need to edit and improve your writing.

Will be paid for publishing articles on this platform listed above?

Will try this

I’m seventy-two and have been writing for a long time. I have a folder full of articles and I also have a folder full of science fiction stories. I have poetry and comics. I need a platform that allows me to publish as I please.

I’m an unpublished writer with several manuscripts. Do these platforms here publish novels?

No, Samuel. These sites are only suitable for publishing articles.

If you want to publish novels, try Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) or Draft2Digital.

Hello Derek, I’m new to writing articles, but I wasn’t to write articles focusing on Young People and their struggles. I would like to build some readership for my article. What site do you recommend? Thank you.

You can use any site, Paul. But before you do, make sure your writing is perfect. In your comment, I’m sure you meant, wanted to write, and not wasn’t to write. You can’t expect to find readers if you make errors like this. Always, always check your writing before you hit the button.

Dear Derek, I would like to write articles about personal awareness and development. I am a new writer and I would like to reach a large odience eventually .. which platform would you recommend, please?

The best platform is always the one that you feel will work for you, Paoletta. But if you are looking at building a readership, Medium and Substack are two you might consider.

I’m really grateful to have stumbled on this site which I believe will greatly help me in publishing my articles. I do news articles that focus much more on culture. But I sort of publish stuff that is newsworthy so I also write on crisis in Africa.

Be aware that on Medium your articles and you as an author won’t be searchable until you get a critical mass of readers and followers/claps. Which means that you need to actively promote your writing, for strangers to find your page on any given day (except the few first hours of the publication). Very disappointed.

Medium is no different from any other form of publishing articles. You need a certain amount of traction before it can rank in Google Search.

For a blog post, you need backlinks. On Medium, you need followers and claps.

It’s pretty standard stuff, but not disappointing if you know how to promote what you post.

There are no free rides at getting articles to rank. You still need to work on it to be successful.

i need to publish my story about chronic kidney disease and kidney transplants, the need for kidney donors and how this need is affected by the Covid pandemic.; and my personal need for a transplant to save my life. Where is the best place to submit my article?

Use any of the sites listed in this article. But I would try Medium first.

I need to publish my article which are explain about lidar technology. Where can I publish my article?

Dear sir I need to publish my paper which concerns on climate. so how can I publish it?

Really grateful to get these platforms to publish my article. Thanks to you for gifting us such information for these platforms.

how I can publish the article ??

Good information but why did you not include Substack?

this is great where do i publish my scholarly articles and class modules

Hi Derek, Impressive Collection shared on Free Publishing Articles. Would like to know where we can share technical content.

Ok how can I publish

Hey this is Simeone here. I already participate in the Medium corporative community, it is a good platform for publishing your stories online. I only have a technical problems with the platform. I’m hoping to enjoy my writing of articles with these other platforms.

According to me the best usage of time is writing. It makes an individual to think widely on every aspect. Writing enable person to do brainstorming over the topic. This improves the writing work of writer.

Thank you very much! I spent about 2-3 hours and looked at these sites. Medium appears to be educational and very helpful for beginning writers! I will use it and promote it! See where I am with it by the end of the year! Thank you again! Edina Back, Executive Establishment Officer, Personnel Efficiency Foundation

Good morning. Please I am a prolific writer. I write on a broad range of topics and areas ranging from Marriage, Relationship, Politics, amongst others. How do I publish my articles please?

Fine, thank you.

I want to publish my poetries. Where I can get it published?

I have 200 pages of musings and poetry in RHYMING format. Deep thoughts and shallow—-should it be published? C R Petty Col USMC Ret.

I’m looking for free publishing platform. I want to publish an article I wrote while I was in college. This an academic article for educators (teaching profession). What is the appropriate website for that.

Hlo sir/mam, we are the students of masters. Sir we want to publish our research article in your site. So sir please give us the details regarding publication criteria or fees. We shall be thankful to you for this kind of purpose.

As they say always seek knowledge I would like to seek knowledge and become one of the best poets ever in history by explaining to people about what’s love

Kindly please keep providing me the work related to writing . Iam hard working and dedicated.

“Life is my teacher and living is my lesson.” I believe everyday you live, you learn alot from life. When you stop living is when the lessons stop. Article is informative and useful. Reading it has set me in motion. I now know how to proceed. The lessons are a step forward in the right direction.

Very valuable information. Lot of secrets, thank you.

Hello Lisa, Great article. Thanks for bringing these tools on one platform for the world. Keep up the good work. Regards

Hello we are publishing house based in Rwanda Africa, we would like to get in touch with you for more information on the on how we can work with you in publishing working in have books for kids both fiction and non fiction kindly tell me how we can work together. Waiting from you soonest Best Regards Andrew.

Please use our site contact form if you wish to get in touch with us.

I want to publish a book. What is the process ? Can I contact you ?Nearest office ?

We only offer advice articles on our site, Abraham. Sorry, but we do not offer personal support or coaching.

Is it possible to publish a small article regarding medical science

Frankly speaking, and as human beings, we always learn from one another. You may good in x and I’m good at y, for that reason I may need your help and you may need my help. It’s a mutual learning.

Hi Derek Haines, I would like to publish my short gospel articles, Where do I start?

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20 Best Freelance Writing Sites for Serious Writers

• 16 min read

Tips to Land Writing Gigs on Freelance Websites

• best freelance writing sites in 2023

As a freelance writer, finding the right platform to showcase your skills and connect with potential clients can be a daunting task. With so many options available, it’s important to know which sites are worth your time and effort.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your client base, we’ve rounded up the 20 best freelance writing sites for serious writers. From job boards to content marketplaces, these platforms offer a range of opportunities for writers to find high-quality, paying gigs. So, grab your laptop and get ready to take your writing career to the next level!

Certain platforms will be easier than others to jump into and begin making money, as some are more competitive than others or have a more rigorous vetting process for freelancers. Here are some tips to help you land writing gigs as you get started:

• Create a strong profile. Your profile is often the first thing potential clients will see, so make sure it showcases your skills and experience. Include a clear and concise bio, relevant writing samples, and any relevant certifications or education.
• Be selective with the freelance jobs you apply for. It’s important to apply for gigs that align with your skills and interests. Don’t waste your time on low-paying or irrelevant jobs. Instead, focus on applying for gigs that you're qualified for and genuinely interested in.
• Customize your proposals. Don't send the same generic proposal to every job. Take the time to read the job description and tailor your proposal to the specific project and client. Show that you’ve done your research and understand what the client needs.
• Highlight your unique selling points. What sets you apart from other writers? Maybe you specialize in a specific niche, have extensive experience in a certain industry, or have won writing awards. Whatever it is, make sure to highlight it in your proposals and on your profile.
• Follow up. Don't be afraid to follow up on proposals or applications. A polite email or message can show that you’re serious about the job and can help you stand out from other candidates.
• Deliver quality work. Once you land a gig, make sure to deliver high-quality work that meets or exceeds the client’s expectations. This can lead to repeat business and positive reviews, which can help you land more gigs in the future.

By following these tips, you can increase your chances of landing high-quality writing gigs on the best freelance writing sites. Remember to stay patient and persistent, and don't be afraid to put yourself out there!

20 best freelance writing sites in 2023

It’s possible to create a full-time income with freelance writing if you’re dedicated to creating high-quality work and willing to put in some upfront work. Our advice is to get started with one or two platforms to feel out which ones will work best for you, and don’t get discouraged if any particular platform or project doesn’t work out.

Here are our picks for the best freelance writing sites in 2023:

Upwork is a marketplace that connects freelancers with companies and individuals looking for freelance talent. From writing and translation to design and creative, there are many types of jobs available for hire. You simply bid on the jobs you’re interested in working on, complete with a proposal where you describe why you’re the best person for the job and set your desired rate. If you’re selected, you then complete the work according to the client’s specifications and get paid through the platform.

To get started on Upwork, create a profile where you highlight your skills, your portfolio of work, and your ideal pay rate. Search for jobs in the Talent Marketplace, submit proposals, get a contract on winning bids, and check off the steps to complete the work. Clients may choose to pay you for reaching certain milestones during the course of the project, or they pay you when the job is done. They can also submit feedback, which helps you secure future jobs and build lasting relationships with new clients. A word of advice as you get started: Get your feet wet with a few simple jobs where you earn positive feedback before demanding higher rates, as Upwork is a highly competitive platform with thousands of skilled writers and other professionals.

• Pricing: It’s free to join Upwork, build a profile, search for work, and post your own projects. Upwork charges a service fee based on your earnings, with a sliding scale that rewards long-term client relationships. The Freelancer Plus upgrade gives you more advanced tools to market your services and submit attention-grabbing proposals.

2. Best Writing

A relatively new platform, Best Writing got its start in 2020 when two friends decided writers needed a better way to find great work. Subscribe to the Best Writing newsletter, and you’ll receive weekly emails packed with hand-picked writing opportunities. The site aggregates writing jobs from online job portals, social media, newsletters, and selected partners, serving up everything from remote freelance gigs to full-time positions.

Best Writing is also a talent marketplace; for a small fee, you can gain access to a daily newsletter with the latest writing jobs and create a public writer profile. If you’re looking to be more proactive and make sure you don’t miss out on an opportunity, the Writer Membership might be the way to go. Because Best Writing is a newer platform, there may be less competition, although that could change as the platform grows — so get in while the getting’s good.

• Pricing: Free to subscribe to the weekly newsletter, browse jobs, and apply on external sites; Writer Membership is $9 per month or $90 annually.

3. Superpath Jobs

Another larger platform with thousands of writers, Superpath Jobs is an online jobs aggregator that caters to content strategists, creators, editors, and freelance writers. Browse jobs by category, location, company, and more — and apply externally to any positions of interest.

While Superpath may look like just another job site, there’s more to it: Not only are you only seeing jobs in your desired field, but the platform also has a Slack community to which writers can apply to join. Once approved, you can connect with other like-minded creators, share tips and tricks, and support one another on your writing journeys. Additional tools like a blog, a podcast, and a regularly updated salary report keep you in the know.

• Pricing: Free to create a profile and post your resume. You decide whether to make your profile visible to employers.

Draft offers clients quality content writers on demand; for you as a freelancer, it offers you unlimited work that matches your interests, availability, and skills. Once you’re approved to write for Draft, you can view available projects on your dashboard, claim anything you want to work on, complete the work, and upload it onto the project portal. Clients can then submit feedback or request revisions, as well as set people as preferred writers if they like their work (this is what you want, so you can get first dibs on projects).

To get started as a writer, you’ll need to apply on the Draft site and complete a test writing project. If you pass, you’ll have access to the project dashboard, where you can not only claim projects but also track any projects you’ve claimed and completed. Writers get paid weekly via direct deposit and can track their payments through the platform.

• Pricing: Free to join as a writer once you’re approved; Draft charges a small payment processing fee that gets subtracted from your weekly payment.

5. ProBlogger

Over 300,000 bloggers rely on ProBlogger as their go-to resource for blogging education and resources, from blog posts and podcasts to courses in blog creation and growth. Blogger Darren Rowse launched the site after turning his blogging hobby into a paying profession, and now he’s paying it forward in an effort to help other bloggers make money doing what they love.

If you’re serious about starting a blog and turning it into a money maker, ProBlogger is the place to go for blogging advice, trends, and in-depth tutorials. There’s also a Facebook community where you can connect with fellow bloggers. To get started with ProBlogger, add your email to their subscriber list to receive blogging hacks right in your inbox.

• Pricing: Free to join; only pay for additional courses and other resources you want.

6. Textbroker

Like Draft, Textbroker provides quality, SEO-driven content of all kinds, including blog articles, product descriptions, advertising copy, translation services, and more. Clients include small businesses, e-commerce websites, publishing houses, publicly traded companies, and more. As a writer, you’ll be part of an established community connecting authors and clients where you can showcase your talents and expertise in your niche. You choose when and how much to write based on your interests and needs.

It’s free to register as an author on Textbroker, and you can earn more on projects based on the quality of your work, and the helpful Textbroker team provides feedback to help you hone your skills. Weekly payouts make it easy to access your earnings. To get started, complete your author registration and activate your account; you will then need to submit a short writing sample and connect your payment method.

• Pricing: Free to register

Contena is an invite-only online program and a suite of job-search tools aimed at helping budding writers land freelance writing and remote work. The site says that its self-paced program has helped its members earn millions from remote writing. Yes, it’s a membership, so the program isn’t free; pricing isn’t readily available on the site, but this review — based on the writer’s experience in trying out the onboarding process — states that membership costs $497 for one year or $997 for two years.

While there are many positive reviews of Contena, the same writer above states these reviews are driven by affiliate income. However, the site offers a 30-day guarantee that should put your mind at ease, and the online course could be worthwhile if you’re just getting started with freelance writing. Our best advice? Do some thorough vetting before shelling out any money, but don’t be afraid to invest in your education if the material is worthwhile.

• Pricing: Reportedly $497 per year

8. LinkedIn

You may be familiar with LinkedIn as a place to create a professional profile and connect with colleagues in your industry. However, it’s also a job marketplace where you can upload your resume and browse job listings. As you apply to roles of interest, LinkedIn may recommend adding certain skills to your profile, such as search engine optimization or WordPress. You can also take quizzes to have skills badges added to your profile, helping you stand out from the crowd.

Having your resume ready to send can be helpful when you’re applying to multiple jobs at once; jobs marked as “EasyApply” let you apply directly on the platform. Be sure to build out your LinkedIn profile to highlight your achievements, request recommendations from people you know, and showcase your best professional self.

• Pricing: Free; Premium membership starts at $29.99 per month, with access to more advanced career tools.

9. Writer Access

More than 40,000 brands use Writer Access to connect with freelancers and scale their content marketing. That means as a writer, you have access to a vast array of companies looking for quality content of all kinds, from technical writing to presentations and white papers.

When you apply to write for Writer Access, expect a thorough vetting, as the site hand-reviews your work and experience and only invites the best freelancers to move through the screening process. Once you’re approved, you’ll go through an onboarding program in which you’ll develop your CV and profile alongside the Writer Access team. From there, you can start taking advantage of cool perks like free stock images, portfolio promotion, content marketing tools, and a ticket to their annual content marketing conference.

• Pricing: Free to apply

10. FlexJobs

FlexJobs is a jobs marketplace aimed at helping people find flexible work that aligns with their lives. If you’re seeking a work-from-home role, flexible working hours, or the ability to dictate your own schedule, this site can help you find such jobs and apply. You can also utilize skills tests, expert content, checklists, and courses to uplevel your search.

While there are many job sites out there, FlexJobs appears to be one of the most helpful as far as weeding out any scams. The site offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and helpful customer support reps, ensuring you’ll have a great user experience. Be sure to check out the career coaching services, webinars, and other resources to put your best foot forward with potential employers.

• Pricing: $9.95 for a week; $59.95 for a year.

11. Compose.ly

Compose.ly touts itself as being one of the highest-paying platforms in the market, with writers averaging 10 to 14 cents per word. With no membership fees, a sleek user interface, consistent payments, and a supportive writer community at your fingertips, Compose.ly can be a great source of regular income. Work as much or as little as you like, and only choose projects that sound like a great fit.

Compose.ly’s rigorous selection process could mean you will have less competition for jobs. However, you’ll need to pass the application process, which includes a brief assessment, to begin accepting jobs on the platform. Compose.ly pays bimonthly, so while not as regular as some of the other platforms on our list, it’s still a great source of income. To get started, create an account and apply to be a writer.

• Pricing: Free

12. Scribly

Founded by ex-copywriters, Scribly is a content marketing agency whose team knows what it’s like to work as freelancers. That’s why they’ve created a platform designed to empower freelancers to do the work they love while getting paid fairly and on time. Clients pay a monthly fee to tap into content creation, content strategy, and social media management services from a pool of quality, native-English writers.

To get started as a writer, you’ll need to send a message to the Scribly team telling them a little about yourself. Once you take that step, you’ll get a message letting you know they’ve received your message — so you may not have the instant gratification of knowing where you stand with Scribly. However, should you make it through the initial hiring steps, you’ll have access to flexible, scalable income you can earn whenever and wherever you want.

• Pricing: No pricing information is listed but appears to be free for freelancers.

13. Blogging Pro

Blogging Pro features a job board that’s updated daily with new blogging jobs, freelance writing jobs, and other writing positions. You can also subscribe to the newsletter to get jobs delivered to your inbox weekly. In a nutshell, Blogging Pro does the heavy lifting to locate hand-picked writing opportunities that let you work how and where you want. Search for remote, freelance, part-time, full-time, and contract opportunities, and apply externally to any jobs of interest.

If you’re looking for aggregated job opportunities with a side of blogging tips and advice, Blogging Pro could be a useful resource. The site has been around since 2006, making it one of the longest-standing resources for bloggers. The site also has an array of educational articles to help you get up and running as a blogger and hone your craft.

14. The Urban Writers

The Urban Writers platform connects authors with high-quality writers and editors capable of working on a variety of writing projects, including e-books, fiction and nonfiction books, SEO articles, content translation, and more. There’s something for every kind of writer, editor, illustrator, and designer on the platform, making it one of the most versatile freelance opportunities on our list.

You can apply to be a writer or editor on the platform, and should you make it through the selection process, you will then complete an assessment to determine if you’re a good fit. The Urban Writers then allows approved creatives to submit proposals on posted jobs. If you’re new to the platform, it could be more challenging to get assignments; however, the platform is supportive and includes a Slack community where you can pick up tips and advice from seasoned writers.

15. Crowd Content

If you’re a native English speaker from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, you can create an account on Crowd Content and seek out a variety of writing and editing roles. Clients seek content marketing at all skill levels, so whether you’re a full-time freelancer looking for more work or a novice getting started, you’re likely to find roles that are a good fit. You choose the jobs you want and work at your own pace on a variety of assignments.

As you work with clients, you have a chance to earn feedback and get added to their list of favorite writers, leading to more future assignments. Easy access to the Crowd Content staff and a user forum ensures you always can get answers to your questions and tap into additional resources like coaching and exposure to managed services clients. To get started, create a Crowd Content account, pass the writing assessment, start applying for jobs, and do great work to access higher-paying projects. Payments go out twice a week.

16. iWriter

Clients pay iWriter for quality content at different tiers, from AI-driven to expert-level content with native-English writers. Once approved as a writer, you can earn up to $40 per 500 words as you produce high-quality work and promote up the ranks. You can write as much or as little as you want, build a client base, and choose the topics that best fit your background and interests.

To get started on iWriter, complete the writer application, which includes writing prompts that ask you to write a brief writing assignment. If you pass the assessment, you’ll get an email with next steps within five to seven business days. As with any similar platforms, patience, persistence, and attention to detail will get you far.

17. Freelancer

Freelancer aggregates a wide range of writing jobs, including content writing, brand development, copywriting, and script writing. The platform allows writers to bid on jobs that clients post and set their rates, giving them control over how much they earn. It also has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to create a writer profile and navigate and find jobs that match your skills and interests.

Freelancer.com offers a secure payment system that ensures writers get paid for their work, providing peace of mind and financial security. Overall, Freelancer.com is a great option for freelance writers looking for a flexible and reliable platform to find writing jobs at the rates you want. To get started, create a freelancer account, set up your profile, and start bidding away. As with Upwork, keep in mind that you may find a hefty amount of competition; stick with it and try to get those first few jobs under your belt.

18. People Per Hour

Over 1 million businesses worldwide use People Per Hour to access freelancers in a variety of categories, including content writing, SEO, website development, and more. Clients can build relationships with trusted, expert-level freelancers who deliver quality work on demand. As a freelancer, you can create a profile and set your rates and areas of expertise, then work with the clients that best match your requirements.

Once you create an account, you can browse jobs and submit proposals. Take your time as you create proposals to make yourself stand out and start accessing the work you want to do, whenever you want. People Per Hour handles the logistics like payment processing and managing communications, so you can focus on doing what you do best: creating great content.

Similar to People Per Hour and some of the other platforms on our list, Fiverr connects clients with freelancers in all different disciplines. You can create a writer profile, set your rates, and start selling your services and bidding on writing jobs. With work ranging from blog posts to product descriptions, you’re able to find work that best matches your skills and interests. The platform is easy to use and allows writers to set their own rates, work on their own terms, and get paid as soon as you complete a job.

Fiverr.com provides a secure payment system that ensures writers get paid for their work. It’s a large and active community, providing opportunities for writers to network, collaborate, and develop their skills. The more projects you complete and great feedback you earn, the easier it is to get new jobs.

20. Writers Work

Writers Work connects writers with the companies that need them the most, with thousands of writing jobs available on the platform. You can also access training, tools, and support to help you land the writing jobs you want, set your own hours, and work remotely on your schedule. From general content such as website content to copywriting and blog writing, there’s something for everyone on the platform.

The Writers Work platform is designed to help freelancers succeed, with built-in writing tools that check your documents for grammar and spelling. Even writers with no experience can join, as Writers Work will train you via live support, video training, and course. Earn $20 to $65 per hour, and continue building your skills to earn money as a writer. To get started, create an account and get up and running within 30 minutes.

• Pricing: Free to create an account

As you can see, there are numerous freelance writing websites available for serious writers to find high-quality and lucrative gigs — and we think the 20 freelance writing sites above are an excellent place to get started. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your client base, these platforms offer a range of opportunities for writers to showcase their skills and connect with potential clients. Remember to create a strong profile, be selective with the jobs you apply for, customize your proposals, highlight your unique selling points, follow up, and deliver quality work.

With these tips in mind, you can maximize your chances of landing great writing gigs and building a successful freelance writing career. As you get up and running, be sure to create a Copilot account to access all the tools you need to run your business like a pro, complete with a professional-looking client portal to manage tickets, messages, payment processing, and more. It’s free for 14 days, with paid plans starting at just $29 per month. The platform grows with you, so as you scale, you can access even more advanced tools and dedicated expertise.

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Sell a Literature Essay

Would you like to be published online? Work as a freelance writer? Or just make some money off of old essays which are still sitting in your computer? GradeSaver will pay $5 for excellent essays pertaining to our literature titles. If you have written an essay on a classic book, regardless of whether the title appears on our site yet, feel free to send it to us. GradeSaver editors will take a look at your essay, and, if they consider it good enough, will pay you $5 for it.

Essays that we agree to purchase become the sole property of GradeSaver, and may not be resold or otherwise used commercially without GradeSaver’s permission. GradeSaver considers essays NOT purchased by GradeSaver to be and remain the sole property of the person who submits the essays, and such essays will not be used by GradeSaver in any way, shape or form. If your essay or document is purchased and subsequently published online by GradeSaver, you may receive credit as the author of the essay. GradeSaver reserves the right to make any changes we feel are necessary.

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• Where to Sell Short Stories: 7 Places That Pay

Jackie Pearce

Why You Should Sell Your Short Stories

Building a writing resume, networking opportunities, exposure to a greater audience, testing the market, how much you can make with your short stories, how to submit your short stories, where to sell short stories, 1. amazon kdp, 2. the threepenny review, 3. poets & writers, 4. one story, 5. clarkesworld magazine, 6. east of the web, 7. flash fiction online, what to do next.

If you are a writer trying to grow your career or start to make money from your craft, you most likely have wondered where to sell short stories.

Venturing into the realm of selling short stories not only broadens your audience but also propels your writing career to new heights.

This guide will walk you through why you should consider selling your short stories in the first place, some tips to submission, and then dive into actual places to submit your short stories.

If you are trying to make it as a writer, or at least trying to make some side income from it, you should consider selling your short stories.

Most likely, if you already have been writing them for some time, there are people who would pay to read them. It is simply a matter of finding platforms and publications that will pay for your stories.

Some other reasons you might want to consider selling your short stories:

For any writer who wants to get paid for their writing or eventually become a full-time author , you will want to have some published pieces in your portfolio. It is a way to show people that you are a serious writer and it can prove that other people should invest in your art, too.

You never know who will read your short story and want to work with you. You might even be hired for things like ghostwriting or other writing opportunities.

Most writers have a small following online, but when you are published in new marketplaces, you have the chance of reaching even more readers.

Ideally, you will choose places to publish your writing that have the greatest reach to new audiences, but in the beginning you might not be able to be as picky as you will later on.

If you are considering writing a longer book, selling and testing how a short story does can help confirm whether it’s a good path to pursue or not.

Many successful books (and even movies) have started as a short story that became popular.

Generally, it’s not incredibly easy to make money with short stories. Do not expect to become rich overnight.

However, with a practical mindset and a determined attitude, you can often start to make some money and get the word out about your work.

You could make anywhere from a few bucks to a thousand dollars. Generally “pro” rates start at $0.08 per word, if that gives you any context into how much you can make.

Yes, it’s more common that you will find opportunities for less money, but also almost every famous author out there started by selling their short stories. It is more about what you do with your growing audience and your stories that can have a huge impact on your career down the line.

Some writing contests, anthologies, or publications may have specific submission guidelines or themes that writers find interesting or challenging. Selling a short story to meet these requirements can be a way to participate in such opportunities.

One thing you will want to particularly note is that most websites have rules about whether they will accept stories published in other publications before or not. Some publications want the first rights to your story, and some will accept stories you have published before. That is something you will want to take seriously and keep an eye out for.

You will want to double-check (and even triple-check any submission guidelines before entering so you are not automatically disqualified from consideration. Some publications have rigid rules, and some have looser rules, so do your research before submission.

The Amazon KDP program is a great place for writers to put their short stories and get paid.

As a book seller, you can earn up to 70% of royalties, depending on the publishing option you choose from them. This program also offers publishing option for a wide variety of genres, which is not something you will always find from various publishers.

For example, some magazines will only publish particular kinds of genres and stories.

Amazon also has the biggest book market in the world, but you will still have to work hard to get your short story to stand out.

The Threepenny Review is a literary magazine that generally publishes essays, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoirs and more.

They have various word count preferences for each of the type of stories they choose to publish, but they do pay for pieces they publish.

On the higher end, they can pay $400 pier piece, and for shorter ones (such as poems) $200.

Poets & Writers have a few various ways to help writers make money .

One option is to pitch directly to the magazine, which you can do through their submission guidelines page.

After that, they also have a subscription you can join to keep on top of various short shorty contests and other opportunities for other paid writing gigs.

If you are looking to publish a short story, you have probably come across One Story as an option.

They only have a short window of time where they accept submissions, but they do pay $500 for 25 contributors copies.

Check out their submission page to stay on top of when the next opening is happening.

Clarkesworld Magazine mainly focuses on publishing short stories in the science fiction and fantasy world, but they also consider art, non-fiction, and other types of short stories, as well.

They currently pay $0.12/word, which is on the higher end of platforms that pay for short stories.

Following the science fiction genre, East of the Web is currently accepting short stories that are at least 7.000 words. They currently have over 100,000 mobile devices that have their short story app installed, which can be good for your story to help reach a wider audience.

At the time of writing this, they are currently paying $0.05 per word to publish stories, but they are open to submissions of previously published stories, which not all places do.

If you love writing short stories that are between 500-1000 words, you will want to check out the Flash Fiction Online submission guidelines.

With Flash Fiction Online, you can expect to make $60 per accepted story.

Struggling to make money with your writing and want to make your career recession-proof?

You won’t want to miss out on our Recession-Proof Writing Guide! This will give you the steps you need to make sure you are building a writing career that can handle any economic situation.

Sign up below and get your guide today!

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If you want to write for magazines, and have limited experience, these are great places to get some clips, and earn some money, but it shouldn’t be your last stop.

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Buying College Essays Is Now Easier Than Ever. But Buyer Beware

Tovia Smith

Concern is growing about a burgeoning online market for essays that students can buy and turn in as their own work. And schools are trying new tools to catch it. Angela Hsieh/NPR hide caption

Concern is growing about a burgeoning online market for essays that students can buy and turn in as their own work. And schools are trying new tools to catch it.

As the recent college admissions scandal is shedding light on how parents are cheating and bribing their children's way into college, schools are also focusing on how some students may be cheating their way through college. Concern is growing about a burgeoning online market that makes it easier than ever for students to buy essays written by others to turn in as their own work. And schools are trying new tools to catch it.

It's not hard to understand the temptation for students. The pressure is enormous, the stakes are high and, for some, writing at a college level is a huge leap.

"We didn't really have a format to follow, so I was kind of lost on what to do," says one college freshman, who struggled recently with an English assignment. One night, when she was feeling particularly overwhelmed, she tweeted her frustration.

"It was like, 'Someone, please help me write my essay!' " she recalls. She ended her tweet with a crying emoji. Within a few minutes, she had a half-dozen offers of help.

"I can write it for you," they tweeted back. "Send us the prompt!"

The student, who asked that her name not be used for fear of repercussions at school, chose one that asked for $10 per page, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"For me, it was just that the work was piling up," she explains. "As soon as I finish some big assignment, I get assigned more things, more homework for math, more homework for English. Some papers have to be six or 10 pages long. ... And even though I do my best to manage, the deadlines come closer and closer, and it's just ... the pressure."

In the cat-and-mouse game of academic cheating, students these days know that if they plagiarize, they're likely to get caught by computer programs that automatically compare essays against a massive database of other writings. So now, buying an original essay can seem like a good workaround.

"Technically, I don't think it's cheating," the student says. "Because you're paying someone to write an essay, which they don't plagiarize, and they write everything on their own."

Her logic, of course, ignores the question of whether she's plagiarizing. When pressed, she begins to stammer.

"That's just a difficult question to answer," she says. "I don't know how to feel about that. It's kind of like a gray area. It's maybe on the edge, kind of?"

Besides she adds, she probably won't use all of it.

Other students justify essay buying as the only way to keep up. They figure that everyone is doing it one way or another — whether they're purchasing help online or getting it from family or friends.

"Oh yeah, collaboration at its finest," cracks Boston University freshman Grace Saathoff. While she says she would never do it herself, she's not really fazed by others doing it. She agrees with her friends that it has pretty much become socially acceptable.

"I have a friend who writes essays and sells them," says Danielle Delafuente, another Boston University freshman. "And my other friend buys them. He's just like, 'I can't handle it. I have five papers at once. I need her to do two of them, and I'll do the other three.' It's a time management thing."

The war on contract cheating

"It breaks my heart that this is where we're at," sighs Ashley Finley, senior adviser to the president for the Association of American Colleges and Universities. She says campuses are abuzz about how to curb the rise in what they call contract cheating. Obviously, students buying essays is not new, but Finley says that what used to be mostly limited to small-scale side hustles has mushroomed on the internet to become a global industry of so-called essay mills. Hard numbers are difficult to come by, but research suggests that up to 16 percent of students have paid someone to do their work and that the number is rising.

"Definitely, this is really getting more and more serious," Finley says. "It's part of the brave new world for sure."

The essay mills market aggressively online, with slickly produced videos inviting students to "Get instant help with your assignment" and imploring them: "Don't lag behind," "Join the majority" and "Don't worry, be happy."

"They're very crafty," says Tricia Bertram Gallant, director of the Academic Integrity Office at the University of California in San Diego and a board member of the International Center for Academic Integrity.

The companies are equally brazen offline — leafleting on campuses, posting flyers in toilet stalls and flying banners over Florida beaches during spring break. Companies have also been known to bait students with emails that look like they're from official college help centers. And they pay social media influencers to sing the praises of their services, and they post testimonials from people they say are happy customers.

"I hired a service to write my paper and I got a 90 on it!" gloats one. "Save your time, and have extra time to party!" advises another.

"It's very much a seduction," says Bertram Gallant. "So you can maybe see why students could get drawn into the contract cheating world."

YouTube has been cracking down on essay mills; it says it has pulled thousands of videos that violate its policies against promoting dishonest behavior.

But new videos constantly pop up, and their hard sell flies in the face of their small-print warnings that their essays should be used only as a guide, not a final product.

Several essay mills declined or didn't respond to requests to be interviewed by NPR. But one answered questions by email and offered up one of its writers to explain her role in the company, called EduBirdie.

"Yes, just like the little birdie that's there to help you in your education," explains April Short, a former grade school teacher from Australia who's now based in Philadelphia. She has been writing for a year and a half for the company, which bills itself as a "professional essay writing service for students who can't even."

Some students just want some "foundational research" to get started or a little "polish" to finish up, Short says. But the idea that many others may be taking a paper written completely by her and turning it in as their own doesn't keep her up at night.

"These kids are so time poor," she says, and they're "missing out on opportunities of travel and internships because they're studying and writing papers." Relieving students of some of that burden, she figures, allows them to become more "well-rounded."

"I don't necessarily think that being able to create an essay is going to be a defining factor in a very long career, so it's not something that bothers me," says Short. Indeed, she thinks students who hire writers are demonstrating resourcefulness and creativity. "I actually applaud students that look for options to get the job done and get it done well," she says.

"This just shows you the extent of our ability to rationalize all kinds of bad things we do," sighs Dan Ariely, professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. The rise in contract cheating is especially worrisome, he says, because when it comes to dishonest behavior, more begets more. As he puts it, it's not just about "a few bad apples."

Felicity Huffman And 12 Other Parents To Plead Guilty In College Cheating Scandal

"Instead, what we have is a lot ... of blemished apples, and we take our cues for our behavior from the social world around us," he says. "We know officially what is right and what's wrong. But really what's driving our behavior is what we see others around us doing" or, Ariely adds, what we perceive them to be doing. So even the proliferation of advertising for essays mills can have a pernicious effect, he says, by fueling the perception that "everyone's doing it."

A few nations have recently proposed or passed laws outlawing essay mills, and more than a dozen U.S. states have laws on the books against them. But prosecuting essay mills, which are often based overseas in Pakistan, Kenya and Ukraine, for example, is complicated. And most educators are loath to criminalize students' behavior.

"Yes, they're serious mistakes. They're egregious mistakes," says Cath Ellis, an associate dean and integrity officer at the University of New South Wales, where students were among the hundreds alleged to have bought essays in a massive scandal in Australia in 2014.

"But we're educational institutions," she adds. "We've got to give students the opportunity to learn from these mistakes. That's our responsibility. And that's better in our hands than in the hands of the police and the courts."

Staying one step ahead

In the war on contract cheating, some schools see new technology as their best weapon and their best shot to stay one step ahead of unscrupulous students. The company that makes the Turnitin plagiarism detection software has just upped its game with a new program called Authorship Investigate.

The software first inspects a document's metadata, like when it was created, by whom it was created and how many times it was reopened and re-edited. Turnitin's vice president for product management, Bill Loller, says sometimes it's as simple as looking at the document's name. Essay mills typically name their documents something like "Order Number 123," and students have been known to actually submit it that way. "You would be amazed at how frequently that happens," says Loller.

Using cutting-edge linguistic forensics, the software also evaluates the level of writing and its style.

"Think of it as a writing fingerprint," Loller says. The software looks at hundreds of telltale characteristics of an essay, like whether the author double spaces after a period or writes with Oxford commas or semicolons. It all gets instantly compared against a student's other work, and, Loller says, suspicions can be confirmed — or alleviated — in minutes.

"At the end of the day, you get to a really good determination on whether the student wrote what they submitted or not," he says, "and you get it really quickly."

Coventry University in the U.K. has been testing out a beta version of the software, and Irene Glendinning, the school's academic manager for student experience, agrees that the software has the potential to give schools a leg up on cheating students. After the software is officially adopted, "we'll see a spike in the number of cases we find, and we'll have a very hard few years," she says. "But then the message will get through to students that we've got the tools now to find these things out." Then, Glendinning hopes, students might consider contract cheating to be as risky as plagiarizing.

In the meantime, schools are trying to spread the word that buying essays is risky in other ways as well.

Professor Ariely says that when he posed as a student and ordered papers from several companies, much of it was "gibberish" and about a third of it was actually plagiarized.

Even worse, when he complained to the company and demanded his money back, they resorted to blackmail. Still believing him to be a student, the company threatened to tell his school he was cheating. Others say companies have also attempted to shake down students for more money, threatening to rat them out if they didn't pay up.

The lesson, Ariely says, is "buyer beware."

But ultimately, experts say, many desperate students may not be deterred by the risks — whether from shady businesses or from new technology.

Bertram Gallant, of UC San Diego, says the right way to dissuade students from buying essays is to remind them why it's wrong.

"If we engage in a technological arms race with the students, we won't win," she says. "What are we going to do when Google glasses start to look like regular glasses and a student wears them into an exam? Are we going to tell them they can't wear their glasses because we're afraid they might be sending the exam out to someone else who is sending them back the answers?"

The solution, Bertram Gallant says, has to be about "creating a culture where integrity and ethics matter" and where education is valued more than grades. Only then will students believe that cheating on essays is only cheating themselves.

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Win At Business And Life In An AI World

Get Paid to Write Articles: 21 Amazing Sites That Will Pay You $100+ Per Article [2023 Update]

Whether you’re a writer looking for established outlets to spread your word or you’re a guest blogger looking to promote your brand and get traffic , you can get paid to write articles.

Many sites will pay you to contribute content , while still allowing you to have a bio and retain a link to your site – but very few sites will pay you really well .

Tip:  Jeff uses BuzzSumo to generate content ideas, create high-performing content, monitor its performance, and identify influencers.

Listed below are 20 sites that will pay you at least $100 per article, upon acceptance or publication, and most will allow a bio with a link back to your site.

Here we go:

BONUS: Want to use your writing skills to earn a side income? Join the Side Hustle Strategies Membership Community to get the inspiration, resources, and community to start and grow your side hustle. 

Sites where you can get paid to write articles:

Fiverr is a freelance marketplace where you can get paid to write articles by creating a “Gig” and becoming a seller.

A gig is purchased every 4 seconds on Fiverr, with freelancers and experts making anywhere from $5 to $15,000+ per project.

The best writers on Fiverr easily make more than $100 per article, so if that’s what you’re after, it’s a great place to start.

2. Greatist

Niche : Mental Health/Relationships/Getting Healthier

Amount : $125+

Payment Method : Unspecified

Greatist is a blog focused on relationships, mental health, and life as it affects 20- and 30-somethings.

They are looking for articles about mental health, relationships, and getting healthier. Greatist also accepts career-related articles (especially when it comes to achieving work/life balance and being more productive), struggles with substance abuse, and social media/technology.

They expect articles to be between 1,000 – 1,500 words and pay at least $125 for each article they accept.

3. Longreads

Niche : Anything

Amount : $250 – $1,500+

Longreads is looking for well-written, well-told, and easy to follow stories that illustrate relatable human experience that their readers can identify with.

They want blog posts, reading lists, short interviews, personal essays, memoirs, critical essays, book reviews, investigative projects, and long-form journalism.

Depending on what category your submission falls into, it can be between 800 to 6,000 words. They pay a minimum of $250 and up to $1,500+ per article.

4. Listverse

Niche : General

Amount : $100

Payment Method : Paypal

Listverse is possibly the foremost authority when it comes to lists online, and they boast an audience of over 15 million readers a month.

They are looking for unique lists of 10 items, usually at least 1,500 words, and they pay $100 upon acceptance of your list.

5. Copyhackers

Niche : Copywriting/Startups/Marketing/Freelancing

Amount : $325

Copyhackers is interested in practical content for startups, marketers, freelancers , and designers.

They are looking for articles that discuss topics that include launching and growing a business, freelancing for lifestyle/money, conversion copywriting, UX and A/B testing, product design, persuasion, and psychology, etc.

Copyhackers expect articles to be in-depth and thoroughly researched. They rarely accept articles less than 2,000 words and want articles to feature a first-person story/account.

They pay $325 per article.

6. Photoshop Tutorials

Niche : Photoshop/Design

Amount : $25 – $300

They are looking for tutorials related to Photoshop, and they pay anything from $50 to $300 per accepted article depending on whether you submit a “quick tip” or a full tutorial.

7. Informed Comment

Niche : Policy/Foreign Policy

Informed Comment is a leading publication about policy and foreign policy. They are looking for articles that can contribute to policy decisions and foreign policy.

Informed Comment is particularly interested in content focused on US foreign policy as well as Middle Eastern and South Asian politics. They also want content that addresses religion, human rights, women’s rights, workers’ rights, religious discrimination, energy, and climate change.

They expect pieces to be between 800 – 1,000 words and pay $100 per accepted piece.

8. The Travel Writer’s Life

Niche : Travel

Amount : $50 – $200

They are looking for articles about the business of getting paid to travel, whether this is through writing, photography, tours or other means.

They pay $50 – $200 per article depending on the type of article.

9. Bitch Media

Niche : Feminism

Amount : $150 – $1,000

Bitch Media is looking for feminism pieces that are well-researched and backed up with evidence and statistics.

They want articles to be discussion-provoking and to make a connection between the writer’s personal experience and larger social forces; they want articles to be a feminist response to pop culture. Articles can be around 1,200 – 3,000 words.

They pay between $150 to $1,000 per article depending on what category your article falls into.

10. UX Booth

Niche : User Experience

UX Booth is an authority when it comes to User Experience, and they are looking for research-backed articles on how to create better user experience.

They prefer articles to be in the 1,200 – 1,800 words range.

11. Cracked

Niche : General/Humor

Cracked is looking for funny and clever articles, mainly in list format, and they pay $50 – $200 per article depending on the type of article.

12. Tuts+ Code

Niche : Web Development

Amount : $100 – $250

They are looking for articles on anything related to web development; this could be PHP, HTML5, CSS3 or anything in between.

They pay $100 for a “quick tip” tutorial and $250 for a regular tutorial.

13. Smashing Magazine

Niche : Design/Coding/User Experience

Smashing Magazine is looking for articles related to web design, graphics design, UX design, WordPress or mobile, and they pay $50 – $200 per article.

14. A List Apart

Niche : Internet

Amount : $200

They accept articles about coding, design, content strategy , user experience and basically internet industry/business.

They prefer articles to be between 1,500 to 2,000 words and they pay $200 per article within a month of publication.

Niche : Web Design/Web Development

Amount : $150

Scotch is looking for articles about web design and development. Articles can be about React, JavaScript, Node, Laravel, Angular, Python, Vue, CSS, and other web development related topics.

They pay $150 per article.

16. Metro Parent

Niche : Parenting

Amount : $35 – $350

Payment Method : Check

Metro Parent is a leading parenting publication looking for parenting articles. They pay $35 – $350 per article and they want features to be within 1,000 – 2,500 words.

Metro Parent has a preference for articles from local freelance writers in the following communities: Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne Counties.

They pay via Check upon publication of your article, within the first week of the month of publication.

17. International Living

Niche : Living Overseas

Amount : $250 – $400

Payment Method :

International Living is a publication focusing on living and retiring overseas, and they are looking for articles about living and retiring overseas.

They pay $250 for 840 words, and $400 for 1,400 words. They also pay $50 for one-tine use of your photographs, and they pay upon publication of your article.

18. Sitepoint

Amount : $150 – $200

Sitepoint is an authority when it comes to web development, and they are looking for in-depth articles about HTML, CSS and SASS.

They pay $150 for articles and $200 for tutorials, and they often pay more for articles that are more comprehensive and that they feel will do well traffic-wise.

19. Digital Ocean

Niche : Linux

Digital Ocean is looking for beautifully-written tutorials about Linux and FreeBSD cloud hosting and, besides potentially gaining exposure to their millions of readers, you can also make up to $200 per article.

Your article can come in form of Updates, Simple Tutorials and In-Depth Tutorials, and you can earn $50, $100 or $200 respectively depending on what category it falls into.

20. Tuts+ Vector

Niche : Vector

Tuts+ Vector is looking for articles related to Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, CorelDRAW and other vector-related tutorials.

They pay $50 – $200 depending on the nature of your contribution.

21. The Penny Hoarder

Niche : Finance

Amount : Up to $75

The Penny Hoarder is a leading personal finance publication, and they are looking for articles mostly based on personal experience. Especially ones containing detailed numbers, strategies and advice about saving or earning money.

They prefer articles to be 700 – 900 words, and they pay up to $75 per article depending on a lot of factors; you might need to reach out to their editor first to discuss payment.

Bonus: 50 Websites that Pay You to Write [PDF]

Do you love the above list? Awesome. There’s more where it came from.

As a bonus to Jeff Bullas’ readers, you can also get my report featuring a total of 50 websites that pay writers, most of which pay more than $50 per article, for free.

The report features websites in more than a dozen categories and contains all the information you need to pitch these sites and get paid to write articles for them. If you’re a writer looking to get paid for your content, this list is invaluable.

Get paid to write articles by downloading the PDF below:

Download the PDF List

Faqs about freelance writing

How much do freelance writers get paid per word.

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Wondering what the average rate is for a freelance writer? According to our sources, 28.9% of writers charge between 21 cents and 30 cents per word. Not bad if you ask us!

How much do freelance writers make per month?

If you’re thinking about kickstarting a career in freelance writing, you might be wondering how much freelance writers get paid per month on average. According to the data we found, the majority (42%) of writers make between $2000 and $5000 per month, with an impressive 21% making between $5000 and $10,000 per month.

How much do pro bloggers pay per article?

How much can you expect to charge per article? The majority of pro bloggers are willing to pay $50 to $100 per article. Not too shabby!

How many clients do freelance writers have?

Lots of writers prefer to work with clients long-term rather than having to go out and find new work every month. According to this data we found, almost half of the writers surveyed work with three clients at any one time.

Guest author:   Bamidele Onibalusi is a world-renowned blogger and freelance writer. Huffington Post calls him an “ultimate business success story” and he’s been featured in Forbes and Digital Journal amongst others. He blogs at Writers in Charge .

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