Skip to content
Home ยป How to Get Paid to Write for About.com

How to Get Paid to Write for About.com

If you’re reading this, I assume you’re either writing or editing content for a living and wondering how you can make money online. Chances are, you’ve been hearing about the lucrative world of freelance writing, and how much money you can make if you can convince some publications to pay you to write. That is, if you can get published at all. You’re in luck because we’re going to tell you exactly how to get paid to write for a living.

How to Get Published For Real

We all want to make money online and don’t want to have to wait for people to discover our content. That is, unless you’re willing to do unpaid gigs for novices who don’t know how to write for publications yet. Even worse, many of these publications don’t even have the decency to tell you that your work will never be accepted and that your only option is to keep waiting.

Fortunately, there is a better way. Through trusted networks and strong writing samples, you can get published in media outlets across the globe. This approach to freelance writing allows you to build a portfolio of work that you can use to secure employment.

The Benefits Of Working For A Smaller Publisher

If you’re looking to get published, you’ll soon learn that most of the big guns in the industry don’t want to touch a piece of content that they haven’t helped to create. Fortunately, there are smaller publishers out there who are willing to give it a go. While the pay isn’t great, the benefits are that you’ll get to work closely with a skilled editor who knows exactly what they’re doing and can help you build a brand for yourself.

Working for a smaller publisher gives you the opportunity to try out new things. More importantly, it keeps your work independent from larger corporations who might step in and take over. In order to secure a contract with a bigger publisher, you’ll need to prove that you’re capable of producing high-quality work on a regular basis. Working for a smaller publisher gives you the opportunity to do this.

Where To Look For Work

If you’re looking to get paid to write, the first thing you’ll need to do is figure out where you can find work. You have two options here: either go through an agent or find a publisher directly. Let’s examine the differences between the two.

An agent can be a great starting point for finding freelance writing opportunities. When you negotiate with an agent, make sure that you’re aware of all the different genres that they represent. For example, if you’re a financial journalist, you might end up in the hands of an agent who specializes in legal or financial content. While this might be great if you’re interested in writing about those specific subjects, you could potentially end up in the wrong hands if you don’t do your research first.

With a publisher, you’re going to be placing your content in front of a lot of people who might be interested in your work. Your content might get lost in the cracks if you don’t promote it properly. When you find a publisher, make sure that the terms of the contract are laid out clearly and that you’re not being cheated by anyone. Most importantly, take your time to learn your editor’s voice so that you can produce high-quality work for them. If you can’t find a publisher who is willing to commit to quality content without some tweaks, then find an agent who handles content for larger publishers. At least, you’ll have the option to get paid properly for your work.

Get A Pro-Pectual Agent

If you decide to go the agent route, you might want to consider getting a personal agent. An agent’s job is to look for work that they believe that their clients are capable of. An agent will try to find you work that is either directly affiliated with a brand or provides some sort of value to the brand. Most importantly, make sure that you’re not jumping from one agency to another. An agent’s job is to get you work, not find you a soulmate. If you’re looking to get started, the following steps will help you choose the right personal agent for you.

The first step is to figure out the size of agency that you want to work with. Not all agents are created equal. Some agencies might be better suited for a sports journalist than a personal assistant. Do some research and find out what kind of production you’ll need to make to be able to successfully negotiate with the agent. Remember: you’re paying for their services, so make sure that they’re providing value. If they’re not, then it’s time to shop for a new agent.

Sign A Freelance Writing Contract

Once you’ve found the perfect agent to represent you, it’s time to negotiate the terms of the contract. When you negotiate with an agent, make sure that you’re aware of all the different things that they can and can’t negotiate on your behalf. Remember: you’re the expert. They’re just trying to help you get the most out of this arrangement by placing your best foot forward. As the expert, it’s your responsibility to set the rules of engagement. Even if you feel that they’re not representing your interests properly, you have the power to fix things. However, setting up a clear understanding of the terms and conditions of your contract, first and foremost, will ultimately serve you better in the long run.

The first step in the contract negotiation process is to secure the rights to your work. This involves getting the legal documents in order so that you can prove that you’re the original author. Make sure that you’re protecting your work legally and that you aren’t being tricked by anyone. Although this might not seem like a crucial step, it could potentially save you from financial ruin. When you secure the rights to your work, you’ll also be able to get it published or licensed for commercial use. Getting these documents in order will also allow you to leverage your work for future financial gain. For example, if you’re a freelance writer for About.com and they decide to sell the content that you’ve written to another company, your contract will allow you to get paid for this. This can be a handy thing to secure in any case where you’re not sure about the terms and conditions of your contract.

How Much Should You Be Paid?

The next step is to determine how much you should be paid for the work that you’ve done. This is something that you need to discuss with your agent beforehand. In general, you should be paid per article or per piece of content that you’ve produced. Make sure that you’re not being cheated by anyone and, if possible, negotiate a higher rate for big projects. Remember, the more you produce, the higher your rate will be. However, make sure that you don’t take on too much work because then you won’t be able to afford to eat or pay your rent. This is something that you need to keep in mind when negotiating with your agent or when you initial contract with the publisher. If you’ve been paying your bills on time, then this shouldn’t be a problem. Just be sure to budget enough to cover your expenses and try not to get too absorbed in the process. Remember, it won’t be over until you approve the final draft and give them the go-ahead to print. During this time, you can make changes and ask for additional compensation if necessary.

What Should Your Portfolio Contain?

One of the most crucial steps in securing your finances is to have a clear idea of what your personal portfolio should contain. Your portfolio is essentially your sales pitch to a potential employer. Even if you’re not looking for a formal relationship, having a clear idea of what your portfolio contains will give you a good sense of what kind of work you can produce for commercial gain. Your portfolio should contain samples of your work. This doesn’t mean that you need to have a complete published piece to include in your portfolio. Maybe you’ve got a few blog posts that you’ve published or maybe you’ve even got some short stories that you’ve written for fun. Whatever it might be, make sure that you’ve got a good mix of content in there. The more variety that you have, the better. This way, it’ll be much easier for your potential employer to see what you’re capable of. Be sure to include any relevant samples, qualifications, and, most importantly, connect to the key words and phrases that they’re looking for. When they read your portfolio, they should instantly understand what you’re capable of and how you can help them. Make sure to include any relevant links to your social media accounts, blog, or website. This will also help you stand out from the crowd. If you’re worried that your content isn’t that great, then don’t beat yourself up about it. Instead, use this as a learning experience and keep producing high-quality content. As long as you continue to produce good content, someone out there will eventually notice you and come knocking at your door.