Digital Point forums was an eye opener for me. I had been toiling away for what seemed like an eternity on Associated Content, Demand Studios, and other online writing sites. I was churning out a minimal living doing this, but I knew that something better had to be out there.

Then one day, I had the pleasure of visiting a blog that changed my outlook on things. The name of the blog is onlinewritingjobs.net and it is run by a man that changed things for me. Not only is the blog great, but good ole Robert is pretty great too.

On this blog and in Associated Content’s forums, Robert pointed out that you an actually market your own work directly on digital point’s forums to private clients. No strings attached, and no bull. You simply post what you have for sale, and you get real time offers and feedback from other members!

This was rather exciting to me, and it changed my writing career.

I headed right over there and started checking it out. When you first sign up, you have to participate in the forums for awhile, and post some comments,etc. After you go through that initial warm up, then you are allowed to post on the site’s “buy/sell” area.

The first day on digital point’s buy sell area I sold nearly one hundred dollars worth of content. From there it just grew more and more.

The best part of digital point was that it taught me to value my work more. I made several contacts, and now I am working directly with a gentleman in a full time gig. This job would never have come along if it had not been for digital point forums.

There are a few things to keep in mind when you sign up there:

-Always request at least half the payment upfront. Do not do work without payment upfront unless they have a very good itrader. itrader is like ebay feedback, and can be found under their user name.

- Be patient! Many people start dropping their prices if their content does not sell the same day. Be patient and the buyers will usually come and find you.

- Never ever bump your thread. You will get banned.

Outside of that, you should have no problems. If you would like to see some threads that actually work as far as how to format the thread, etc, feel free to let me know and I will gladly try to help you with how to put it together.

When your website is not exactly hopping with traffic and you are not sure how to change things, an article writing campaign can really jump start things. While reading a great post on article writing campaigns over at SiteproNews, I started to realize yet another reason that we are needed as article and content writers – for good quality content that is optimized for the web. Some website owners are more than capable of delivering their own content. Others have no chance whatsoever.

After careful consideration, I have come up with the top ten reasons that you might need an article writer. Here they are:

10. You do not know the difference between their and there.

9. You think keywording is naming your piano keys.

8. You have written articles and are still getting no traffic.

7. Your last article was around 1980.

6. You want dynamic and exciting content that can drive traffic to your site organicly.

5. You want tons of backlinks to your blog/website.

4. You are working in a niche that you are unfamiliar with on the whole. (not recommended)

3. You are short on time due to multiple ventures.

2. You want the best that the web has to offer.

1. Your website has grown stale.

If any of the above things apply to you, then you may want to look into hiring an article writer. A great content provider can make the difference in an good or a great website.

Niche article writing has always been a bit of burr in the side of most articles writers. It is inevitable if you are a freelance writer that you will come upon some subjects that you simply have no interest in. For those of you that find yourself in this situation, fear not. There are ways to embrace those article writing gigs that feature subjects that bore you to tears.

Niche article writing often means writing a series of articles on a particular subject or keywords. Niches may fall into broad or very narrow categories, and can be mind numbing after writing a tenth article on “bone marrow” or some similar subject. How do you get past that boredom and still turn out high quality, engaging articles?

The first step is to realize that every subject excites someone. If someone can be excited about a subject, then you can too. Dive into some information about the subject. Pretend that it is the next big thing, and ask yourself what you need to know about it. Ask yourself if you were being paid a million bucks to write about it, could you then become excited about it? Most often the answer is yes.

We have to trick our minds sometimes. I will sometimes pretend that I am an actor learning a role. In that role, I have to know all about ….. then I write the articles. For some reason, that switches my mindset and helps me to embrace the subject matter.

Another great trick to embracing niche writing is to realize that it will pass soon. No gig is everlasting in the world of freelance writing. Think of the money you are earning when you feel weary.

Finally, when all else fails, contact someone that is turned on by the subject mentally. If you are writing a group of niche articles about snakes, for example, you could visit the local zoo or pet store. You are likely to find plenty of people that can give you insight into why they like the subject. You may even find some common ground and generate some new article ideas. Visit some websites about your subject and read the comments. There you will often find the passionate few that embrace the niche’s subject matter.

Unfortunately, if we are to be successful in freelance writing, we are going to have some subjects that bore us. If we must write on these topics and niches, then it is always good to temporarily put on the shoes. If not, then you will simply stare at a blank screen, tap your foot, and never get a word typed. Give it a shot!

Titles are one often overlooked aspect of article writing. When you are dealing with the print market, the key is to come up with a catchy, intriguing title that will catch the reader’s eye. When it comes to article writing online, a great title is important as well, but it is more important that it will be SEO friendly.

What this means is that the title can be found when people search for the information you are providing. If you are writing an article about eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, for example, you would want to have that specific set of keywords in the title. Otherwise, you will get plenty of potential snake readers, but few that are looking for that particular type of snake.

The key is to get the keywords in, and to try to be as short and concise as possible. Keywords should also be placed as close to the front of the title as possible, so that the url will have it in optimum position.

The title with online articles should always include some foreshadowing of the information to come. You want the question that you are answering to be clear, and what the reader will expect to learn from the article.

Making a really creative and fun title is great as long as you are clear about what the article will give the reader, and it can be found. If you are not thoughtful of SEO and keywording, then you will never be found in the ocean of information on the Internet.

Spend some time on the Internet searching out information. Look at the difference in what titles come up on the front page of Google and Yahoo. You will quickly see that great titles on the web are not rocket science. They are clear answers to questions that people have.

Keep an eye out for future information about titling in future posts.

As the editor of several websites, it is part of my job to go through online writing applications on a semi-regular basis. These online writing applications are often by request, and they are supposed to include a few writing samples. Writing samples are supposed to be a snapshot of what the writer is capable of, and it will be the first impression that a potential client will have of you and your writing.

Unfortunately, most potential article writers give very little thought to the online writing samples that they provide. There are a number of tips about writing samples that I would like to pass along to those of you that apply to online writing sites. Hopefully, some of these might help you to secure more gigs, and make more money online.

Monkey's Rule (Except In Writing Samples)

1. Make sure that you send the writing samples as an attachment. Also do not pick some newfangled formats or funky files. A simple text file does rather nicely. If I have to download something to read your writing sample, that is a big fat no-no.

2. For goodness sakes, browse the website or company that you are applying to. For example, if the website is about the Dallas Cowboys, do not send over a writing sample titled, “The Washington Redskins Rule” please. You would be shocked. It happens. Know the niche you are applying for.

3. Another important note on visiting the website – Take a moment to read some of the content. Is the tone of the website bloggish, or is it more technical? This type of information is vital to your writing sample. Make sure your writing sample matches the website in form for the best results.

4. Make sure you send your best work. Do not send over a lackluster effort. If I read a writing sample and it is throwing out grammar issues in the first paragraph, I don’t bother to go on. The reason? If they do not care enough to proofread a writing sample while asking me for a job, they surely won’t once I am paying them.

5. Use a standard font when you submit article writing samples. No pink italics please. Also, I do not know Chinese, so do not send over that type of script unless the application asks for it. Straight English, 12 pt black – Times New Roman is perfect.

6. Do not send over custom writing samples. If people are requesting custom writing samples, then chances are they are scamming you. If they are willing to pay for them, then that is something else. I have seen jobs ask for a custom writing sample with no guarantee that you will be paid. That is very bad. An existing writing sample on the Internet is more than good enough to show if you fit the job. Watch out for the scammers folks.

Every once in a while in the world of online writing, you come across a kindred spirit. You meet someone that for whatever reason, spurs you on to bigger and better things. If you are really lucky, that person turns out to be a pretty fine human being to boot. My good buddy Randy over at Barefoot Scribbles is just such a dude. I dare say that it is hard to imagine how anyone could be unaware of his blog by now, but if you have not checked it out, click that pretty link above and give him a visit.

You can thank me later.

What is so cool about Barefoot Scribbles is that you can learn something about online writing while laughing your arse off. His writings are always chock full of great advice, while still entertaining as hell. He is what I aspire to be – A writer that keeps people coming back for more, if only to find out what he is up to.

On a personal note, this guy has always had an open door policy with me. From the first day I met him in Associated Content’s forums, he has made himself available to help. That is rare in the cynical world of web writing. I hope that I have been that same thing for others, and followed his honorable lead.

If you have a budding online writing career, I would highly suggest that you head on over and subscribe (after subscribing here of course) and dive into his huge amount of content. You will find more advice than you will ever need on virtually any subject you can think of where writing is concerned.

Thanks Randy for being a friend and mentor as well.

Many people make the decision to become a freelance writer because it seems like such an easy way to make money. All that you need to do is write articles, blog entries, and other forms of content. Simple. Easy. Right? Not necessarily. If you are not good at managing your time, freelance writing is probably not the best option for you. Here are some tips for managing your time as a freelance writer.

1. Set up a work station for yourself. It is a good idea to create an office in an extra room if you have one. If not, find an area where you can set up a little office for yourself in the corner of another room, such as a living room or guest bedroom. Doing work in an office or at a work station will help get you in the mood to work.

2. Come up with a daily work schedule. It doesn’t necessarily have to be from 9 to 5 o’clock every day. Some people prefer to work at night, while others do better working in the day. Try to figure out what works best for yourself before deciding what to do on a regular basis. The main key is to find a schedule that you can stick with.

3. Do not take phone calls during the work hours that you set for yourself. At a regular job, you would not talk on the phone throughout the whole entire day. It will prevent you from getting any work done. The only exception to this rule is business calls and emergencies. Make sure that friends and families understand that even though you work from home, you should not be contacted periodically throughout the workday.

4. Avoid checking your social networking websites during the day. Facebook and Myspace can be highly distracting if you spend a lot of time on it throughout the day. It is also a good idea to avoid checking your email more than once in the morning and once at night. A business email should be checked periodically throughout the day, so you will definitely want to set up a personal email account.

5. Make a list of your goals in the morning. Write down what exactly you are going to do during the day and cross off each item on the list as you go along. This will help ensure that you stay on track with all of the tasks that need to be done.

Time management is very important for any freelance writer. Getting distracted by friends and family is one of the easiest ways to get off task. Learning what works and what doesn’t work for you is one of the main keys to a successful work day.

Article writing is a very complicated way to make a living. Your money is limited by how many article ideas you can generate. There are a million ways to get article ideas, however. The thing is, most article ideas will never actually generate any page views. How do you generate article ideas while still making sure they are articles that will be viewed and generate income?

This article will help you figure that out. Here are a few ideas for how to generate money makers, based on my own experience and the advice of others greater than I:

1. Use Google Trends - Google Trends is a great resource to know what is hot. It is a list of the hottest search trends on Google. If it is hot on Google, you can be relatively sure it is hot everywhere. The thing about using Google trends is that it is often being used by thousands if not millions of other online writers. How do you bypass that?

Simply by finding your slant. Here is a tip. Find a hot Google Trends story. Now find another one on the list that is related. How can you mix the two together? For example:

Free Money is a hot trend. (always)

Playing Games is a hot trend. (always)

Why not do an article about how to get free money playing games? (yes, you can do that believe it or not)

Google Trends is valuable.

2. Sign Up at Wordtracker.com – This is one of the coolest little tools on the Internet. You put in a search term and it sends you back hot article titles. Honestly, this is the coolest thing ever and worth your time. Give it whirl. You will be glad you did. This tool is my favorite thing. Just punch in ideas and get free information. Free is always good.

3. Sign up for Problogger.com’s email updates – While you may or may not be a blogger, this guy always puts out information that can really help with article ideas. The email updates are very non-invasive, and they always are worthwhile. I take the time to read everything that comes from him, and it has made a huge difference.

4. Keep a journal of article ideas on your person 24 hours a day. Seriously. I have a pen and pad beside my bed. I never leave to even go to the store without it. If you do not write it down, you will never ever remember it tomorrow. Write it down!

5. Watch the local news – If you need ammunition, then the news will give you all the article ideas you can think of. Foodie writers have it made. They can simply turn on the Food Network or Emeril and have tons of ideas. Us writers that write on boring stuff have the same resources if we think in that way. Think outside the box and use those 5000 channels your satellite service provides.

I hope that this will at least get you juiced up and ready for some great writing. Be sure and subscribe to the blog, and I will see you tomorrow!

If you’re a freelance writer who is looking for some extra cash, you may have thought about www.examiner.com. The website is considered to be comparable to Associated Content. Is Examiner really worth all the hype though? Or is it nothing more than just a waste of time? Here’s one writer’s opinion on the Examiner.

How it Works

Examiner works a lot like Associated Content with its Display Only content option. Once you have been accepted to the website and have written your first article that requires approval, you will be able to publish whenever you want. You are required to publish 3-5 times per week. Keep in mind that the more you publish, the more you will have to show for in terms of your monthly earnings.

One of the main differences between this website and Associated Content is that you will not be allowed to write about just anything. You will need to write within the channel that you get accepted to. At this point, writers are able to have up to two channels. Another one of the differences is that Examiner requires you to apply either at the National level or at the Local level, which means that you may be writing for the Miami edition.

Payment

The Examiner does not pay any type of upfront offer for content that you submit. This means that you are only getting paid for website traffic. Does this mean that www.examiner.com is worse than www.associatedcontent.com in terms of money? Absolutely not. Associated Content pays up to $2.00 per 1,000 page views, depending on your performance as a member. The Examiner pays a flat rate of $10.00 per 1,000 page views. Payment is sent out on the 20th of the month following the month of your earnings.

The Pros

When you go to the “Publishing Tool” on Examiner, you will have a dropdown tool available to you. You will be able to select from “Today,” “Yesterday,” “Current Week Sunday to Saturday,” “Current Month,” “Last Month,” “Current Year,” and “Last Year.” If you click on one of these options, you will be able to see the amount of money that you earned during each time. This is great if you want to have a new way to keep up with your financial records, which can be challenging as a freelance writer.

Unlike certain websites, such as www.demandstudios, you will not be required to do a whole lot of research or follow a particular formatting structure on Examiner. It is recommended that you choose to write in a channel that you love or are a specialist in, so that you will not need to do too much research. There is not a set word limit, but you should try to keep your articles at about 250 words. This is nothing compared to the minimum word requirements at many websites.

The Cons

Unlike on Associated Content, you are not able to click on each article to see how well it is doing in terms of page views. It has been said that this is a function that Examiner is working on getting due to complaints, however.

The Examiner also often has a lot of technical problems, but what website doesn’t? The turnaround for getting them fixed does seem slightly quicker than other sites though.

Is Examiner Worth the Hype?

Yes, it is definitely is. As long as you choose the right channel to write for and consistently produce high quality pieces, it is likely that you will be quite pleased with your earnings on Examiner. This freelance writer highly recommends you to apply to write for this website if you haven’t already.

For years I wanted to have my very own blog, and was always unsure of doing so. Not because of content or information. I had oceans of that. The problem I had with starting my own blog stemmed from my dependence over the years on Blogger.com. I did not think I could actually get my own domain name, and start a “real” blog. I thought it took extensive knowledge in areas that I knew little about, and that my limited knowledge of html would be a huge problem.

Man, do I feel stupid now.

I wanted a wordpress blog, and briefly had a free one. I loved the simplicity of the blog, but I did not like that I could not put adsense on it. Again, I feel stupid now. Adsense is allowed if you get your own blog hosting and domain. I did not know that either.

Anyway, I finally took the plunge blindly, and went over to Bluehost.com. These guys set me up with hosting and domains, and simplescripts loaded up Wordpress services quick and painlessly. Now I have that blog that I have always wanted (three to be exact) – all with their own domains and complete control on my part.

Having finally done it, I would say that you need not worry about it. The process is simple as it can be, and you are up and running fast. I am new to the blogging world in this way, but my blogs are already doing better traffic wise than older ones I had on Blogger for months.

In other words, I am now converted. Never again will I have to take the route of free blogging on Blogger to monetize a blog. I am quite happy thus far. If you are considering getting your own blog with Wordpress, I can honestly say that you need to do so right away. The service is fantastic, and the interface is easy as pie.