It is possible to make a lot money from writing, but the truth is not everyone can make money writing online. Some people think anyone can write website content and start making money, others think there is easy money to be made with a blog, but many fail to earn as much as they had hoped, or make no money at all.
Making money writing online is often a challenge, even for experienced writers, but it is possible for inexperienced writers to start making money writing online. There is much more money to be made when writers know how to present their writing online, when they understand the need to use search engines optimization, and when they write standard English.
Learning how to write good web content is not difficult. The problem lies with people who want to stick to the way they like to write, rather than adapt and learn how to gain more readers online. A web page is not the same as a printed page, they are two entirely different media. Even trained print journalists and professional writers need to acquire new skills, and change the way they write, to make money writing online.
* Creative writing.
Writing short stories and poetry is not the best way of making money writing online. People use the Internet to find information. Search engine users type phrases into search boxes to find articles, and other web content, relevant to what they want to know.
Realistically, few people are going to use a search engine to find a short story about vampires, or to look for a poem describing personal anguish and despair. Even if they do, a search for "vampires" or "depression" will show online articles in the results, rather than poems or stories, simply because article writers can use keywords more effectively.
* Blogging.
Making money writing blog posts is only possible with a blog that is more than a few months old, and has plenty of original content already posted on it. The blog must get regular visitors and traffic from search engines. Each blog post needs a good title, and tags, featuring keywords which appear in the content of the post.
Blogging is a long time commitment which requires regular posting of informative or entertaining articles. Bloggers must be enthusiastic and participate actively in the wider blogging community, and at social sites, to gain a following. Then they can make money from ads and affiliate programs, or by writing paid reviews and sponsored blog posts.
* Writing sites.
Money can be made from ad revenue or payment for page views at writing sites. Some paid-to-write sites offer additional upfront payments and bonuses. At most writing sites high earnings only come after gaining writing stars, or by building a reputation based on comments, votes or a rating system.
One or two articles at a writing site are not going to make money online. It is necessary to submit and publish regular articles over a long period of time to gain a good writing income from page views at writing sites. Productive and proficient writers make more money when they write effective articles that get noticed.
Promoting articles through social networking, blogging, link sharing and participating in forums will increase the amount of money made from online articles. New writers earn more ad revenue from page views when people find their articles through a shared link or a recommendation on a social site.
* Freelance writing.
Business clients use freelance job sites to find skilled writers, so they can pay those writers to blog, to post in forums or to write good website articles. They will only pay a writer with proven knowledge and success in writing online. A freelance writer needs to provide samples or to have a strong portfolio of online articles, reviews or blog posts.
Beginners can build up a good portfolio at writing sites, on blogs and even in forums, but they do need to make their writing search engine friendly and easy to read on a screen.
Experienced writers who are productive can make plenty of upfront payments, and will find clients willing to pay them to write web content, but a passion for creative writing is not enough to start making money online. Those who are used to writing have a better chance of making money writing articles online when they are willing to develop new skills and adapt their writing style. Writers who refuse to change the way they write find it much more difficult to make money writing online.