If you are trying to find a business you can do from your home (or the neighborhood Starbucks) and you have a way with words, content writing might be for you. If you have a computer, an internet connection, and have reasonable writing skills, especially when it comes to writing “how to” do something and making technical information friendly, you can make money writing content. Content can consist of eBooks, eReports, blog posts, articles, white papers, and other online technical writing.
Create a Website
Your first order of business if you want to be a content writer is to start your business off with a great website. You can use something like self-hosted WordPress to create a dynamic website with a blog to help you show off your writing skills. Your website should describe your services, give examples of your work, and give your potential customers a way to contact you for work. In addition, establish your rates. It’s a good idea to find out what some of the content mills are charging and charge private clients more than that.
Promote Yourself
Once you have a website, it’s important to promote yourself. Use social media, message boards, and any groups you’re part of to tell people what you do. Even if you do not have a single client yet, start writing content in the niches you want to write about to showcase your expertise. You can put these examples on various article marketing sites such as EzineArticles.com, LadyPens.com, Buzzle.com, or even get a position with BellaOnline.com or Examiner.com.
Get Experience
The sites mentioned above will help you get experience writing. BellaOnline.com in particular does not offer payment to writers but they do offer extensive training in how to write focused content for the internet. The Examiner offers page views and possible payment, but also offers some training on writing focused, unique web content. Both will give you an opportunity to point to content that you have written for potential future clients. It’s a place to start, get some experience, and move on from as you build a client list.
Find Work
To find work as a content writer you can sign up for various so called “content mills” such as Textbroker.com, Associated Content (voices.yahoo.com), or Demand Media. There are also opportunities to write for various individuals such as Alice Seba and Annette Elton through AllCustomContent.com. Even WAHM.com (https://www.ibpublishing.com/apply/wahm) offers jobs to content writers.
As you become more accustomed to this niche, you’ll find even more potential jobs writing content. First, establish some experience through the means above, then apply at as many places as you can so that you can have multiple streams of income and not rely on just one place to provide work. Through a combination of writing for companies and marketing yourself, you’ll soon have a good mix of clients.
Finally, whether you have clients or not, it’s important that you establish yourself as a content writer even if it’s writing for free. It will pay off in the long run if you keep writing and keep promoting yourself as a content writer. There is more than enough work to go around. With just a little effort, you’re sure to find the perfect writing niche for you and make good money. You can make as little or as much as you want in the area of content writing.