Writing
Charlotte Rains Dixon  

Make Money Writing Online, Three–The Benefits of Internet Freelancing

Okay, class.  We’ve looked at the dream of freelancing and the reality.  We’ve decided traditional freelancing is not for us, because it is a pain in the rear, what with all that printing and SASEing, and standing in line at the post office, and all that fun stuff. 

So is there an alternative?  Of course there is, and that is why you are reading these posts that are soon to be a book.  The alternative is internet freelancing.   Writing for online markets gives you all the afore-mentioned benefits of freelancing and some that are peculiar to the field. 

So, drumroll please, here  (in no particular order, because I’m not that clever) is my list of the Top Ten Benefits of Internet Freelancing:

  1. The internet never sleeps.  You really can work at all hours of the day and night.
  2. Your can have clients all over the world.
  3. You often get paid immediately, or within a day or two.  (I see your eyes lighting up!)
  4. There’s a quick turnaround on most jobs.
  5. The internet is driven by content.  There’s always another job out there.
  6. Internet freelancing is open to newbies.
  7. You can create your own content–as in an Ebook or online class–and make more money than through traditional publishing channels.
  8. Blogging can be career making.
  9. You’ll write about fascinating topics and learn new things.
  10. You’ll learn how to write fast, and I do mean fast, while maintaining quality.
  11. It is an excellent way to improve your writing skills and gain writing experience.

Oops, apparently that’s eleven benefits.  Ah well, consider number eleven a bonus reason.  In truth, given a bit more time, I could come up with a lot more benefits.  And I’ll add them as I think of them in the coming days.  If any readers have more input on this, comment away.

Let’s take a look at a couple of these:

The Internet Never Sleeps

It really doesn’t.  Because when you’re asleep, people in other parts of the world are awake, working and blogging and writing and creating writing assignments for you.  This means you can awaken and find the job boards full of new jobs, or your inbox full of emails from prospective clients.   If you get an urge to communicate with and editor or client at a strange hour, odds are good he’ll be at his computer, too.  It truly is a 24 hour world and you can choose to work any of those hours you want.

You Can Have Clients All Over the World

This is related to the above reason, obviously.  I’ve worked with clients in Norway, New York City, LA, Idaho, and Italy, to name only a few, and currently I’m working with people in San Francisco, South Carolina, and Florida.  (And that does not include all my students in the beloved city of Nashville.  And one in Huntsville, when she’s not long-haul truck driving.)

You Often Get Paid Immediately

I am not kidding.  Some internet job companies will pay you as quickly as you turn the job in.  I’ve literally been paid within an hour.  Unfortunately, these companies are often relatively low on the pay scale.  However, if you need some quick cash, they are a Godsend.  Even companies that don’t pay quite so quickly often will pay you through Paypal, which, can I just say, is God’s gift to the world?  It is SO much better to have the money go directly into your Paypal account and have immediate access to it than to wait for the proverbial check to come in the mail.

There’s A Quick Turnaround on Most Jobs

This may not be a benefit, depending on your outlook.  But I like it.  I like to get a job, spend a few days learning everything about the topic and then batting it out.  Then, off it goes to its new home, and off I go to work on my novel or write some more on this blog.  Works for me.

There’s Always Another Job Out There

I worked for one company in Victoria, B.C., which had a spectacular rise and fall.  Strong start, lots of work, and then a stunning flame out when allegations starting coming in from writers who weren’t getting paid.  But for every company that dies before its really gotten going, there are 10 more.  And that’s not even mentioning all the small business owners who need copy written.  According to this article, there were nearly 30 billion web pages in existence as of February 2007.  That, my friends, is a lot of websites.  And what is the one thing they all have in common?  Words!  They are all full of words! So you might as well be one of the ones who writes some of them.

Okay, the thought of all those web pages has worn me out.  I’m going to finish going through this list tomorrow.  And after that, we’ll move on to examining more closely the types of internet writing opportunities that are available.  Here’s the links to the introduction and the first two chapters in this series:

Introduction

Chapter One–Freelancing: The Dream

Chapter Two–Freelancing: The Reality

12 thoughts on “Make Money Writing Online, Three–The Benefits of Internet Freelancing

  1. Don Williams

    I like this ‘get paid’ immediately thing! Long live the net!

  2. Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

    Hi, Charlotte. First off, let me applaud you for putting this all together in a book, e- or otherwise. Your information will benefit a lot of people.

    Secondly, can you give us your point of view on spacing between sentences. I was told early on that when writing for the Internet, you don’t space twice between sentences. David Meerman Scott posted about this on his blog WebInkNow.com, saying that he had to unlearn this double spacing habit when he submitted a book to find publishers. I notice here, however, you are double spacing. Since I had to go through the slightly difficult process of unlearning a typing habit, why haven’t you?

    I go through this discussion with my Blog Squad partner Denise Wakeman all the time. She double spaces, I go through and “correct” her double spacing.

    Obviously, you’re going to tell me she’s correct since you’re doing the same thing, but maybe you have some insight or have researched this issue? I can’t read text online anymore without wanting to correct the extra space!

    Am I nuts? Or is this actually true that you don’t need to do this when you are publishing for online media?

    Well, I’m not going to go back and change my habits again, but I thought I’d ask you if you knew anything about this, thanks!

  3. Smiler

    Very helpful article. Especially since, wouldn’t you know it, I am considering my options for a career change and writing is high on the list of possibilitie. Since blogging (and writing of course) are what I’m most passionate about, I keep thinking I may as well make a living out of it, right? Just wanted to thank you for inviting me to your discussion group and introducing me to Blog Catalog. I’ve signed up of course and my application is now pending approval.

  4. Jay Cam

    i havent seen alot of companies that pay you for freelance stuff…

    maybe im not working hard enough?

    oh wait. theres payperpost lol

  5. Charlotte

    Hi Patsi, Yes, your partner is correct, when writing copy for the internet one works in single spacing. It is good you brought this up because I probably would have forgotten to mention it, so thank you! It was very difficult to get used to at first. Most standard web page “articles” are 500 words, single spaced, or one page. I’m very good at guessing word count now without checking–but one must always check.

    As for why I double space on my blog, well, I’m embarrassed to admit this but I’ve never really thought about it before. I write up the posts on the Typepad page and bless their wonderful hearts, they publish them.

    So, no, you are not nuts, far from it. You have way too great of a blog to be nuts (or maybe all of us bloggers are slightly crazy, but its a good crazy.)

  6. Charlotte

    Oh Smiler, I’m so glad you’ve joined Blog Catalog! Come find me as soon as you are approved and I’ll make you a friend. Also feel free to ask me if you have any questions about it, it is a bit confusing at first, but you’ll get the hang of it. I think it is far and away the best blog networking site!

  7. Charlotte

    Jay, There really are companies that pay you for writing online. Honest. Trust me. Stay tuned, I’ll tell you all about them.

  8. Charlotte

    Don, The net rules, doesn’t it? I know, I could not believe it when I found out about these opportunities. Now, granted, they may not be paying you a lot. But, hey, if you’re in need of some quick bucks, what better way to earn it than to pound out some words?

  9. Lynda Lehmann

    Interesting and encouraging post. I’ll have to keep it in mind and tell my friends who want to write for the web, to read it!

    PS – I have subscribed to your blog!

  10. Charlotte

    Thanks, Lynda, I’m subscribed to you, too. And do tell your friends. There really are a lot of opportunities for writers on the web.

  11. Mark Dykeman

    Great series, Charlotte! I’m happy to be among the vanguard in reading it.

  12. Charlotte

    Thank you so much, Mark!

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