One way to step into the world of writing is engaging in freelance work. Through freelance writing, you can not only gain more experience but also be given opportunities to promote your own blog. Many online media sites have pay-per-article systems in place, meaning you pitch article ideas to the editorial staff. After getting in contact with the staff and submitting your material, you wait for the response.
If your submission gets accepted, you get paid for that article. Simple.
The best part is that many of these sites don't require experience for submitting your pitch. Here are some great platforms to get started on:
1) Cracked
Cracked is an entertainment site that's always looking for Freelance Writers to submit their ideas. Their articles are typically list style, and all you need to do is sign up for the forum. You work directly with the editing staff so you won't receive form-letter rejections.
2) CollegeHumor
CollegeHumor is another entertainment site that accepts submissions. It's geared towards Young Adults so if you think you can appeal to an audience of mainly college students, email your pitch. The guidelines for submitting ideas are listed on the website.
The compensation for published articles can range from $35- $50 depending on the length.
Also, don't be discouraged if you don't receive a response right away. This website gets a large volume of submissions so it could take a while for them to even read yours. It has nothing to do with your writing ability.
3) Dorkly
This is an entertainment site that focuses on comics, gaming, and animation. If you're a huge fan of any of these genres, you're in luck. Dorkly is in need of freelance writers, and all the guidelines for submissions are listed on the website. When you email your pitch, make sure to demonstrate the knowledge you have about the topic. Fans typically do well on this platform because they know the material inside and out.
The articles are list style. For example, "12 Best Anime Cosplays" or "10 Times Pokemon Made You Cry" would be popular articles on this site.
4) Listverse
This website focuses solely on list style articles. It's geared towards topics like science, mysteries, history, conspiracies, and so on. Instead of emailing a pitch for an article idea, you'd have to go on the website submission form. On the form, you'd write out a list you want to publish, meaning you have to actually submit the entire article.
Each item needs to be about one to two paragraphs. Sources must be reputable and cited at the end of the article. Due to the subject matter, Listverse does emphasize fact-checking articles before submitting them.
If Listverse ends up accepting your article, you'll get paid. The site also allows you to promote your blog link.
5) The Sun
This political and personal magazine accepts online submissions. However, you can also mail submissions to the postal address listed on the website. The site has a similar online submission process to Listverse. You don't email your pitch. Instead, you fill out the submission form. The Sun strongly encourages submitting personal essays, however, it also accepts poetry and fiction. Additionally, it encourages provocative writing or writing that takes a stand.
It's recommended to look through the published material on the website to get an idea of what editors are looking for.
While there's a maximum length for submissions, there's no minimum. This helps if you're submitting poetry. The pay varies based on the genre of the submission.
6) Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan is a women's lifestyle magazine that covers #topics like dating, #fashion, beauty, etc. The site has an online submission form for freelance writers to fill out. They typically look for personal essays about college experiences. These experiences can include parties, work, school, friends, and so on.
Basically, the site is looking for memorable stories to share with other people. Young adults who aren't in school are encouraged to write essays about what they do instead, why they chose not to enroll in a college, etc. Published essays are compensated for $100, and submissions have a maximum length of 800 words.
Did you find a site you're interested in? How have you branched out into freelance writing?