Freelance writing is a wonderful way for moms to earn a full time income from home and keep flexible hours so they can be there when their kids need them. I meet many moms who would like to work as a freelance writer but they think that it is out of their reach because they do not have an English Degree. While having an English Degree does open some doors, it is very rarely required for freelance writing. If you have a passion for something, are knowledgeable about a topic, or know how to research, you are qualified to be a freelance writer and work from home.

Places to Get First Freelance Writing Clips

Most freelance writing jobs require some sort of previous writing clips. Some moms may have this from life B.C. (before children) but others may need to start from scratch. There are many places that moms can get some entry level freelance writing experience. Many of these don’t pay much but they will get you the experience you need to find hire paying freelance writing jobs.

Associated Content will give you some basic writing clips for some pay but depending on which direction you take your freelance writing, some companies look down on AC writing clips.

Bella Online is a great resource for women. They often take writers with no previous experience or with experience from Associated Content, however they do not pay. Writers can sometimes earn money on affiliate links as they build up traffic but some topics have hire affiliate earning potential than others.

Type-A Mom is a great website owned by Kelby Carr that allows moms to share their experience with other moms in exchange for a share of the advertising revenue. The site has a wonderful collection of mom writers with all types of experience.

Busy Mommy Media – Don’t forget that Busy Mommy Media has open writing positions for moms who have experience in one of our open topics. Training is provided for moms who don’t have previous writing experience. While the only payment currently offered is revenue share, affiliate commission, and free promotional products to review, there are plans for regular payments to writers in the future.

Content Writing for Moms

Content writing is fairly easy to get into if you have experience in a particular subject matter. While the above sites are content sites, they are possible to do without previous writing experience. Once you have a few writing clips under your belt, these content writing sites offer more money and more prestige.

About.com is one of the few content writing sites that offers guaranteed income to writers. They now have guide positions and contributing writer positions. If you find a topic that you have experience in (and About.com does require extensive experience in the topic and previous writing experience) you can start going through the application process. You will need a relevant writing sample to submit with your application. If your application is chosen, you go through About.com’s prep process with several other writers and one writer will be chosen for the topic at the end of the prep period.

Suite101.com is a Canadian site but has writers from all over the world. They offer feature writer and contributing writer positions for a share of the revenue. I spent several years working as the Infants and Toddlers feature writer and even though I am no longer writing for the site, I still earn a fairly stable income from my articles posted there. Writers retain copyright to their work and are able to repost articles elsewhere on the web after a period of 1 year.

Examiner.com is similar to Suite101.com. Writers choose a topic, including topics specific to your local area, and write in exchange for a portion of the ad revenue. While I have never written for Examiner.com, I have heard good things from people who enjoy it. Examiner.com does not require as much previous writing experience as some of the other content sites so it may be a good option for moms trying to break into freelance writing.

Demand Studios.com – Demand Studios is a great place for moms who have a few previous writing clips to earn a stable income. Most articles pay between $15-20 an article but if you are a fast writer and knowledgeable about the subject matter you can easily write 2-3 articles an hour for an average of $30-$45 an hour. Demand Studios works with several websites to provide content so there are a variety of topics to write on. I rarely have a problem claiming as many articles as I want (except for a few weeks before Christmas when everyone wants to earn some extra money) and Demand Studios pays weekly via Pay Pal. For regular writers, Demand Studios now offers opportunities for health insurance and grant money for other projects.

Professional Blogging

Professional blogging is a field that has grown dramatically in the past few years and requires a post of its own. Mom’s who are interested in working as a freelance writer can start their own blog to develop freelance writing clips, just be sure that each post is your best work if you plan to use your blog as a professional reference. Many sites hire professional bloggers. I will touch on this subject more in a future post.

Freelance Magazine Writing

Magazine writing, whether online or offline (they are all starting to blur together these days) generally pays more than content writing or professional blogging but takes more prep work and generally does not pay until several months after the magazine issue is published.

Online magazines often come and go so you need to constantly be looking for new places to write.

Print magazines are a bit harder to get into and require extensive previous writing experience or extensive experience on the topic you plan to write about. Many magazines have writers guidelines posted on their website but some require you to write in for them. If you are serious about earning a stable income writing for print magazines (and many online markets) you will need a current issue of Writer’s Market. This book is a wonderful reference for freelance writers and will help you find publications that fit your experience.

Where to Find Freelance Writing Jobs

Searching for freelance writing jobs is a constant chore if you plan to make a regular income out of freelance writing. A little bit of time each day (or each week if you need a part time income) should be spent looking for new jobs. Even if you have a stable freelance contract, companies frequently close on no notice and you never know when a better job will become available.

The Freelance Writing Jobs Network not only provides daily freelance job listings, but it is an excellent source of information for new freelance writers and writers who have been around the block a few times and need to learn some new tricks.

Craigslist.org frequently has postings for freelance writers, although you do want to be careful there to avoid scams and extremely low paying jobs.

Indeed.com searches all the major job search engines and puts all the job listings in one place. Do a search for “writer” or “freelance writer” and see what comes up in your area. Many local web development companies hire freelance writers to write text for websites that they create. Many companies need writers and generally they don’t want to provide office space so they like to hire writers to work from home.

Do you know of any freelance writing markets for writers that I missed?

Are you starting a freelance writing career this year to work from home?

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1. Real Work at Home Jobs for Moms
2. Five Companies for Freelancers Writers
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Freelance writing online has exploded over the past few years. As more companies use the Internet to reach a global audience and more people use the Internet as their sole storefront, people are willing to pay for information to fill their websites. Finding work as a freelancer with a reputable company can be tough, however. While I’m not endorsing these companies for any specific writer, they are some of the top sites out there for freelance writers.

Love To Know

This site uses a Wiki-based approach to depth content. Wiki (think: Wikipedia) is a specific language with tags and idiosyncrasies all its own. Writers for Love To Know write for specific topics, called “channels” in Love To Know vernacular, and new writers get anywhere from 10-20 articles per month. Pay right now is $20 per article plus a possible $2 for picture usage. Topics are assigned. To apply, visit their writer’s link. There is a 2-part interview process that can take up to 2 weeks. Love To Know pays monthly.

About.com

Often considered the Holy Grail for web writers, About.com, a New York Times-owned company, is a compilation of “guide sites,” or specific sub-domains on niche topics. About.com’s hiring process is complex, time-consuming, and controversial. Writers apply for a variety of available topics with a sample and their expertise. Selected candidates compete in a process called prep, a 17-day intensive period in which up to 5 writers vie for the job. At the end of prep, editors determine which, if any, candidate should get the job offer. Pay for About.com is $725 per month, guaranteed for the first year, with page-view bonuses.

Consumer Search

This site, also a NYT subsidy, works similarly to Consumer Reports magazine. Editors assign writers a certain product and brands, and the writer reads up on, tries out, and puts together a report on the relative merits of each brand. Pay starts at $350 per article and increases with the writer’s reputation at the company. The application process forConsumer Search consists of writing a sample report, which can take up to 12 hours, and submitting it for editors to review.

Associated Content

A content clearinghouse, Associated Content provides low-level content on a wide range of topics. Writers can sign up through the website; there is no interview process. Then the writers submit articles either for upfront pay plus a revenue-sharing bonus or just for the revenue-sharing bonus. Associated Content’s pay definitely falls far below the other sites covered here, but the barrier to entry is very low for new writers. Pay is through PayPal as articles are accepted.

Demand Studios

This company owns or is a partner in more than 60 websites. Demand Studios hires both writers and filmmakers. Writers complete a basic application, which asks for a resume and writing samples, and then are accepted or rejected by the editorial committee. Acceptance usually takes one week or less. Demand Studios’ pay depends on the project but tends to start around $15 for a 400-word article. Pay is weekly through PayPal.

By Brandi Rhoades

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