Writing for the internet can be a really engaging and exciting career for the avid author. It offers a way to make a living and get your thoughts and feelings out into the world. This is something that was difficult for a writer to do, even a decade ago. While content for the internet is what makes the market go around, freelance writers are often underrated and disrespected. Below I will discuss why experienced writers should refuse to write for low paying gigs.

Two Things An Online Business Needs:

We all know that everyone doing business online needs two things – a website and content. They need content for their website or blog, and then they need to promote it. As well, they need to update their website with new information continually. It’s a never-ending cycle.

Outsource Writing Tasks?:

They can do both themselves, or they can outsource these tasks. A lot of people end up having to outsource them because of lack of time or inability to write themselves. So a lot of website owners and bloggers are crying for writers. Especially since Google and other search engines, have dramatically raised the bar on webpage content. The problem seems to be that a lot of people expect freelance writers to write their hearts out for nothing.

I realize there are many people who do appreciate what freelance writers do for their website and page rank. These bloggers are excellent to write for, and make the profession worthwhile. This article is directed to the people that don’t, and the experienced writers who write for them.

Why Do People Expect To Pay A Buck Or Two For Five Hundred Words?:

• Perhaps it’s because they don’t have room in their budget to pay for this service. This is something though that they should consider before going into business on the internet.
• Maybe it’s because they are still of the belief that quantity is the key, and not quality. Google’s Matt Cutts has made content expectations very clear, with respect to the new algorithm updates. One well-written article full of information, tips, or tutorials is better than ten posts that only touch the surface of a topic.
• Alternatively, they think that writers are a dime a dozen, so they can group them all under a McJob (low paying) umbrella. The reality is that good ones aren’t so easy to come by.

New Writers:

To gain experience, I suggest writing for auction-style freelance websites that have hundreds of clients, but pay next to nothing. Whenever you begin a new career, you have to learn the ropes, so to speak. You can go to University and become an Engineer, but you will never really know what the job entails until you actually work in the field. It is the same for writers. It takes a while to learn the ups and downs of how providing this type of service works, and dealing with different types of clients.

With freelance websites, you have the opportunity to write for hundreds of people, in hundreds of industries and niches. You can get a quick education on how the process works. As well, you can see if writing is a career is for you. It may turn out that you hate to write all day.

Eventually, you can tell whether it is a career you enjoy. You will also be able to judge your writing ability by the feedback you receive from the freelance websites. If it turns out it is a profession that you like, then you should start looking for writing gigs that pay what your services are worth. All jobs have pay increases with experience, even McDonald’s.

You can get lucky and find clients on these freelance websites that are worth your while. Someone with whom you can develop a mutually respectful relationship. However, chances are higher that they will expect to continue underpaying you. In fact, some will think they deserve to get their content even quicker after a while.

Professional Experienced Freelance Writers:

The only way things can change is if we, as writers, take steps to change them. If you are a high-quality writer, please refrain from writing for people who don’t want to pay you what you’re worth. If you stay in this cycle of writing top-notch articles for next to nothing, you will find yourself trapped in a rut.

If you spend all of your time writing for a couple of dollars, you won’t have the mental energy to find the writing gigs that pay well. You have heard the saying, “seek, and you will find.” If you put your standards too low, you will miss the good opportunities.

Clients Hiring Freelance Writers:

When you hire a writer, and they provide you with high-quality articles, you should pay them appropriately. Don’t lump them in with the writers who write articles with poor spelling and grammar, that you have to spend a lot of time editing.

We all know how important it is to have high-quality unique content. We also know that creating educational, informational, and engaging content takes time and skill. It is a professional service and as such writers need respect, and to be paid a proper fee. To find out how much, I have compiled a list of rates and fees of what freelance writers should be paid on my website listed below.