Are you interested in making money writing articles? You may have read online that is a relatively easy way to make money from home. Yes, this is true, but there is more to writing articles for money. If you want to be a successful article writer, on all fronts, please continue reading on for a few helpful tips.
What It Takes To Write Articles
If you work for a client, you are usually referred to as a contractor. This means that the individual or company in question does not legally employ you. Instead, you complete a little bit of work for them, on an as needed basis. Since you will likely not receive health benefits, you need to closely examine your situation. If you are looking to replace your current job with article writing, examine health insurance and your need for it.
If you want to earn money writing articles for others, you may actively search for projects online. Online bidding websites, classified ads, and job boards are great places to find article writing projects. With that said, there are online scams that focus on freelance writing. The most popular of these scams is writing articles for a client and not having that client pay you. Use your best judgment when working with a new client. Ask for references or request to receive a small portion of the payment upfront or once the project reaches the halfway point. This way you wont lose all of your work.
Also, know that you can write for yourself. To get started, find a third party content website. They allow you to post your articles on their website. For giving them usage rights, you may be paid. Popular forms of payment include an upfront payment or a page view bonus. There are also third party websites where you can list your articles for sale.
Articles can also be used to create a content filled website or blog. These articles make money through website advertisements. Depending on your personal preferences, you can apply for programs where you are paid for each click or paid a percentage of each sale that you help to generate.
What You Need
Regardless of whether you write for yourself or a client, you will want to signup for a PayPal account. PayPal is a safe way to receive payments online. Instead of issuing checks, many paying clients and third party revenue sharing websites prefer sending payments through PayPal. An account is free to have. In fact, if most of your clients pay you through PayPal, you can request a debit card, which will give you easy access to your money.
Also, regardless of who you write for, you need to report your earnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). You will be subject to the self-employment tax. This is important as many new writers are left trying to come up with the needed cash at the last minute. When you are self-employed, even just part-time, you not only need to pay your income tax, but the self-employment tax too. You are encouraged to start saving money for payment throughout the year.
As for writing your articles with ease, are you using Microsoft Word? If not, you will want to purchase a copy. If you opt to acquire paying clients online, many require articles to be formatted with Microsoft Word. It also has helpful spell check and grammar check tools. Although this software can be expensive to purchase, you will easily recoup the costs in no time at all. In addition, save your receipts as all business related purchases can be recorded as a business expense.
The above mentioned tips are just a few of the basics that you need to understand to start making money as an article writer. To help increase your chances of making money, you will want to familiarize yourself with internet marketing, search engine optimization, and keyword articles. Doing so will allow you to increase your profits, no matter who you are writing for.