Getting your freelance writing career off the ground can be challenging. Especially if you’re completely new to the role and aren’t sure how to start sourcing paid work. Alongside setting up your professional portfolio, finding paid gigs isn’t easy. Luckily, there are websites that pay you to write, provided you can pitch something they want.
Figuring out which sites are reputable and which aren’t can be equally difficult. Rates for articles can vary wildly. Short-form content, long-form content, listicles, features, technical documentation; the internet is awash with opportunity. It’s also awash with AI-generated nonsense, which is why it’s more important than ever for freelance writers to find jobs that pay what they’re worth.
This post shares a few starting points for freelance writers. These are just a few websites that pay you to write, and as always, it’s key to do your homework.
Websites that pay you to write
You’ll find a few sites listed here that you can submit ideas and pitches to in exchange for payment. As an aside, I haven’t worked with any of these sites myself, but if they are within your particular writing remit, then they seem like a good place to start.
Most importantly, they offer decent remuneration, which isn’t as easy to find these days as you might think.
Linode
If you’re a skilled technical writer or have deep insight into technology and software, Linode could be a great source of paid work. This tech-focused tutorial site pays a minimum of $400 for original guides on key topics.
This website’s readership is focused on some pretty specific content. Hot topics include programming languages, DevOps, Linux, cloud storage and server infrastructure. Linode pays handsomely for high-quality guides, how-to articles, troubleshooting, overview and tutorial posts around these subjects.
If you have the relevant knowledge and a flair for clear and concise technical writing, check out Linode’s guidelines here.
Listverse
Good at collating lists on topics people can’t get enough of? Listverse is a solid place to start racking up some cash in exchange for your list posts. You’ll be paid $100 per list post you submit, provided it meets their site guidelines.
To be published, your list post must contain a list of a minimum of 10 items, with each one having a paragraph or two of written information alongside it. Your work must be entirely your own (obviously) and cannot be a reblogged or repurposed piece of work.
You’ll need to ensure you link to reputable sources within your post and have something interesting or engaging to say about your chosen topic.
They’re looking for novel and offbeat ideas that their readership will find fascinating. Sports, gaming, self-help and other lists probably considered ‘lifestyle content’ most likely won’t apply here. So, if you have something niche and thought-provoking to share knowledge and information about, you could make yourself $100 per list post. If they like it, of course.
Listverse pays contributors via PayPal, so you must have a PayPal account to be considered for publication. Check out Listverse’s full details for pitching lists here.
Problogger
This free job board can be a goldmine for finding paid writing gigs if you’re prepared to do a bit of research. It’s a bulletin board of available jobs that’s worth checking each week, as there are often writing opportunities in a variety of niches.
While it’s more of a jobs database than a specific type of writing website, the gigs posted are usually high quality and well paid, so it’s worth keeping on your weekly rotation.
Check out what’s currently up for grabs here.
Income Diary
If you’ve got a good handle on all things financial, you can put that to good use on this site. Income Diary accepts pitches on personal finance, starting your own business, freelancing, websites, SEO and more.
They have a budget of up to $200 per post on average, although they ask for a quote of no higher than $300. For the top end of the payment scale, you’ll need to have excellent subject knowledge and a great writing style. You’ll also need to submit your pitch and agree upon a rate before proceeding, so do some preparation.
Check out Income Diary’s guidelines for article pitching here.
Lonely Planet
If travelling is your thing, you’ll have heard of Lonely Planet. What you might not know is that they often open up their pitching calendar for writers and contributors. Keep an eye on their contributor section, where you can share your travel writing skills with millions of globetrotters across the world.
Lonely Planet accepts pitches from writers who have a strong and current insight into world destinations. If you’re able to put together a concise story or feature about a destination, you can pitch it to them online for both their digital and print presences.
Rates vary, but at approximately $400 a piece for digital posts of around 1000 words, it’s potentially a great source of paid work, if you can pitch something that fits their guidelines. For in-depth narratives and longer digital features, their rate is $0.60 a word. Which, as any copywriter will tell you, is a very good rate indeed.
Find out more on the Lonely Planet contributor section here.
Writers Hub
This is another site that shares high-quality writing jobs. Writers Hub is a good way to establish yourself and find your feet as a freelance professional writer. You need to apply and register, but can then browse a range of paid writing assignments from readily-sourced clients. Gigs are shared with both a payment rate and expected turnaround time, so you can plan effectively for the work you’d like to take on.
Check out more about the process here.
Things to remember about websites that pay you to write
Always remember to keep things positive and professional, and ensure you have done your research about how and when you’ll get paid. Set up a professional invoice process beforehand. Some websites prefer you to invoice them, whereas others are happy with PayPal or an internet transfer service.
Make sure you establish what your ground rules and payment rates are, and stick to them. It can be tempting to lowball yourself just to get your words out there, but you don’t need to do that. The good thing about these sites is that they’re transparent about their payment terms. With others, it can be less clear, and you’ll have to do some negotiating. Just be sure to do that and only agree to rates and turnaround times before you commit to doing any work.
Research is your friend when it comes to finding reputable and reliable sources of paid work for online writing. These websites are a good starting point, but take the time to source gigs and opportunities that will be worth the time and effort you put into your work.
