Are you a freelance writer, or aspiring to be one? Are you frustrated with the constant pitching efforts and having a hard time finding sites that pay good money?
Getting new freelance writing jobs can be difficult if you don’t know what to do. And competing for them on job boards or other market sites can feel like you’re fighting for the last $199 TV on Black Friday.
There is one solution that can help you not only get some great writing samples for your portfolio but can also earn you some quick cash in the process.
It’s called paid guest blogging.
Lots of websites accept and pay for guest posts for their blogs, but sometimes it takes a little digging to find their guidelines and payment structure.
We’ve taken the legwork out of it for you and compiled a list of some of the top-paying sites.
The key is to make sure you read the guidelines in their entirety. Sending in a 600-word post when the guidelines specifically ask for 1,000-word posts will get your work tossed out faster than yesterday’s newspaper.
So check these five websites out, read the guidelines, and give it a shot. You might just find this to be your new favorite way to land writing jobs!
1. The Layout
Pays up to $150 for 700 – 1200 word articles.
The Layout is a WordPress design publication, which serves as the blog and information pages for a web-hosting service called Flywheel.
They accept articles in the WordPress design niche and even give you a list of topics they are actively seeking in case you are having trouble coming up with your own topic.
This site is great if you’re strapped for cash since they claim to pay within 48 hours of final edits.
2. MoneyPantry
Pays up to $150 for 700 – 2,000-word articles.
MoneyPantry is a personal finance blog that likes detailed articles with a friendly and informal style.
They ask that you send in unique articles with practical and useful tips. Personal stories are best, and pay is based on the quality and length of the article.
You will receive payment once the post goes live.
3. WOW! – Women on Writing
Pays up to $150 for up to 3,000-word articles.
WOW! is a writer’s website geared toward women that offer inspiration, instruction and online workshops.
The pay varies according to the following categories:
- Twenty Questions: $50
- How 2 (1,500 – 2,000 Words): $75
- Inspiration (1,500 – 2,000 Words): $75
- Feature Interviews (up to 3,000 Words): $75
- Feature Articles (up to 3,000 Words): $150
You can either send them a query or submit an article in its entirety, but they do not accept attachments, so make sure to put your text in the body of the email.
4. Thriving Families
Pay starts at $.25 per word for 1,200 – 1,500 word articles.
Thriving Families is a Focus on the Family publication that centers on all types of family topics such as stages, media, faith and living.
They always take unsolicited queries but also offer information for their most recent calls for submission, which tells you exactly what they are looking for at the moment.
Their guidelines (PDF) are very specific so don’t skim over the details!
Over to You
There you have it – five great sites that will pay you $100 (or more) for your articles. I just know that if you look them over, you will find one perfectly suited to your expertise!
Have you found other sites that pay big bucks for articles? We’d love to hear about it.
P.S. – Are you interested in becoming a professional freelance and setting your own rates?
Elna Cain is a stay at home mom who started her writing business from scratch and is now well-paid and successful, receiving $100 and more per article from clients.
Elna has also created an eCourse, Write Your Way to $1K, based on her own experiences and the strategies and steps she took to become successful.
There are 41 lessons and 7 modules in the course, and it’s designed to take up to 7 weeks to finish and earn your first $1,000 from your writing business. With three pricing tiers, it’s also designed to be very affordable. There is a 100 percent 30-day money-back guarantee if you take the course and find it doesn’t work for you.
About the Author
Elna Cain is a freelance writer and coach. She writes for Blogging Wizard, PageWiz, WPKube and more. She loves to help new freelance writers avoid mistakes and show them how they can have a successful freelance writing business.