Writing for the Web is probably the best opportunity out there for the freelance writer with limited to no experience. The demand is strong, growing even.
So, where do you go to find available freelance Web writing jobs and assignments… and for free?
Two that consistently deliver a regular flow of these freelance Web writing opps come to mind.
The first is eLance. Last I checked, to get started as an eLance freelance job seeker, you only needed to “deposit” something negligible ($10 I think) from your Paypal account, which eLance holds for a short period (a month or something like that) and then returns to you.
You will, however, often be competing against off-shore lowballers for a lot of assignemnts. And when I say lowball, I mean lowball. I’ve seen $5 bids for 1K word articles! Let them have it if the client gets taken in by that idiocy (and some do). Not to worry… not all prospective clients on eLance are morons. Bid, move on to the next one. Some will bite.
The other consistent source is good old craigslist. Monitor the Jobs category of course (writing/editing and web/info design subcats) and Gigs (writing). You’ll also want to venture out beyond your own local craigslist. You may plan to hit the CL’s in major cities/regions first and work your way down to the teenier markets if you’ve got the time (and I’m betting you won’t have enough of that to even cover the majors).
Popularity: 54% [?]
May 18th, 2008 at 10:51 am
“I think” is too vague, if you don’t know you should not write about the site. I am very nervous of sites where I have to pay a small amount of money. Have been taken for a ride before with my credit card abused as a result. Why should one have to pay for them to read/buy your work? If they want freelance writers, they should be prepared to pay YOU and not the other way around. Paying any amount smacks at a scam to me and I would not even bother. Who wants to waste their time for $5 anyway? There are lots of good paying markets in the printed press, so there must be good markets on the Internet too, if you knew where to find them. Does any one know of any genuine ones?
July 10th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Celia, my “I think”’s are more reliable than most other’s “Absolutely, postively great! Do it! Click here!” Having said that, EXTERNAL sites/services/products are beyond my control and can CHANGE without notice. At the end of the day, you have to always be careful and do your research before giving anyone your CC, regardless of who’s been doing the recommending. Be safe.