I know a lot of you are writers. You could care less about the technical part of blogging, you just want to write!
A blog with ads is not the only way to make money online. There are definitely ways to make money writing.
I don't consider myself a freelance writer by any stretch of the imagination, but I've bookmarked some articles on the subject that I thought I'd share with you.
If you are a writer and would like to make freelance writing one of your income streams, I hope these tips and resources will get you started.
1. Get a website.
As I said, you've gotta have a place people can find you online. Even if you don't blog, get a website. WordPress is an excellent way to create a site and manage your content (here's how).
If you don't want your home page to be a blog, after setting up your WordPress site, simply configure the settings on your Dashboard –> Reading so your front page is static (i.e. doesn't change). An example of a static site is my site, AmyLynnAndrews.com.
2. What to include on your site.
Create pages containing the information someone might want to know about you as a freelance writer. Here's what I would consider including:
- Contact information (this is a must obviously)
- About page
- Samples of your writing or links to your writing
- Services
- Pricing
- Testimonials or references
3. Read up!
Find places to write. These articles should get you started…
- 19 Ways to Get Paid for Your Writing (copyblogger.com) – Outstanding ideas here for both online and offline opportunities.
- How to Make Money Online Through Blogging and Writing (kikolani.com) – Solid, helpful and trustworthy information here.
- Myths About Freelance Writing for the Web (angengland.com) – Angela speaks from her own experience.
- 26 Sites That Pay You To Blog (hongkiat.com) – I can't vouch for the vast majority of these, but if you're willing to do a little research and/or ask around, you might find some here that could turn out to be good to work for.
- Tripping Over Dollars to Pick Up Pennies (ghostwriterdad.com) – Some good points about pricing. Good blog to follow in general.
- 113 Things You Can Do to Grow Your Freelance Writing Income — Now (makealivingwriting.com) – Some action steps.
- HARO (Help a Reporter Out) – If you've not heard of it, basically it's a place where you can connect with reporters. Reporters are always looking for expertise for articles they are writing. Maybe you are the expert they are looking for. Sure, maybe it's not exactly a paid writing gig at the beginning, but who knows what it could turn into, right?
- 8 Ways to Make Money Online (my own post) – See #3 on the list.
- How to Write an Ebook (my own series) - Don't overlook self-publishing. It's an excellent opportunity and very doable on your own. I did it (here's why I turned down a traditional book deal in favor of self-publishing) and my ebook sales continue to be a major chunk of my monthly income.
- Read all my posts about passion & writing.
Are you a freelance writer? What should I add?
Photo by Luigi Crespo Photography.
Here at BloggingWithAmy you'll find tips, tools & tutorials about blogging and websites. In plain English. Want to 
Great article! I'm bookmarking several of the links!
such a great post Amy!
btw, did you mean to attach that Flikr set of images with your post (email)? Women in lingerie??? weird I thought – even for you (LOL)
No! That was totally not my doing. It was automatically pulled into the email via FeedBurner. I am SO SORRY! Argh.
Wow! Amy, you're amazing. Seriously. Thank you so much for giving so much back to bloggers and writers. i'm currently getting paid for 2 gigs, along with my full-time job, but am always looking for more work as I'd like to make the transition to writing full-time (or at least when my husband goes back to work and I stay at home, which would of course be ideal). I can't wait to dive into this list of links!
I hope you find some good stuff, Jen!
Amy this is off the topic of writing but I was wondering if you could give us newbies some tips on using Twitter. I see lots of Twitter chats going on and I am not sure how to join in on the fun.
I also wanted to add that Odesk was a great place for me when I started working online as a freelance writer.
These twitter tips should get you started, Kristi. Thanks for the Odesk recommendation!
Thanks so much! What an info-packed article!
Just wanted to say that your "how to write an ebook" series was invaluable to me when I was in the beginning stages of writing my eBook and even though it is directed at a relatively small niche of people, it is getting great reviews and selling steadily and the sales have added a bit of income, which of course has been a big blessing to our family. I am grateful that you were willing to share so much.
Congrats, Sharla! Awesome!
Great tips about having a web site and how to set it up, that is still one thing I have to get working on myself. I'll have to check out your other links when I get a second. If you have a second maybe you can check out this piece I wrote on earning a passive income from writing http://dragnhaze.hubpages.com/_bloglnks/hub/Make-Money-Online-Earn-Passive-Income-Residual-Income-Writing-Career-Make-Money-While-You-Sleep
Thank you, Amy! Can't wait to get into these sites!
Great tips…love your blog! I do have one question. How do I determine prices, and can these fees be changed as I become more experienced and (hopefully) more published? Thanks!