by Doreen Martel

Created on: November 18, 2009   Last Updated: August 24, 2010

Men and women, especially the younger generations born in the mid 1970s and after, are attracted to the idea of working online (particularly from home) and getting paid for it. After being scammed, or searching for days without finding anything legitimate, most give up and return to a conventional nine-to-five job. For a dedicated few, the search finally pays off and the job seeker finds either supplemental income or an online career. However, there is much hype around online writing jobs, and little truth to be found on the matter.

Myth #1: It's easy to earn thousands per month with online writing jobs

This is absolutely ridiculous, and anyone who would believe that an entry-level position could net that much income deserves to buy waterfront property in Arizona that is currently for sale. While the potential to earn a substantial amount per project or per hour becomes plausible with experience and time, it is highly unlikely that someone fresh to online writing jobs will come close to that. On average, an online writing job pays only a few hundred per week at best, for full-time work.

Myth #2: The recession that is seen in much of the United States does not exist for online writing jobs

False! In fact, online writing jobs have felt the burn more than most other job fields. When a buyer or business cannot afford to keep all of the staff, writers are often some of the first to go. After all, it is much easier to pay four writers full-time wages and increase their workloads than it is to simply pay eight people for a comfortable amount of work. In addition, remember that many (most) online writing jobs do not offer benefits of any kind, whether insurance or retirement-related.

Myth #3: Most online writing jobs can be done by anyone, with or without a degree or high school education

While it can be said that a few online writing jobs can be done by anyone, regardless of education, it would make sense to remember that quality work means more pay. Who would want to pay for sub-standard work when premium content could be delivered for just a little more money? Much the same as any other career, experience counts tremendously. Someone who is new to an online writing job cannot expect to earn as much as someone who has been doing this type of job for years.

Wading through the hype to get to the truth about online writing jobs can make the difference between landing a dream job where one can reasonably stay home, thereby saving money, and having to head back into a nearly dead job market. Recognizing what is plausible among what is entirely fiction is essential if you hope to succeed.

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