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17 Online Writing Sites to Get Paid for Freelance Writing

Online writing sites offer a ton of freelance writing opportunities, but some are better than others. 

Whether you’re just starting a new online writing side hustle or you’ve been writing for some time, having a list of the best freelance writing websites always comes in handy. 

In this article, we’re laying out 17 of the best online writing sites plus our best tips for increasing your earning potential as a freelance writer

Type of Online Writing Sites

There are a couple different types of online writing sites that you’ll find on this list and on the internet in general. 

The first, and most popular, type of online writing site is an online job board. Some online job boards feature jobs in every industry imaginable, and others are dedicated specifically to writing jobs

Online Job Boards

Online writing job boards function similarly to any online job board that you might already be familiar with like Indeed, Monster, and more. These boards list writing jobs from a variety of clients and give you the opportunity to work directly with the client through the platform. 

With most online writing job boards, you have the ability to create a profile, upload work samples, browse open jobs and submit pitches or proposals. 

Content Mills

The other type of online writing sites are content writing services, or content mills. 

Content mills are widely talked down upon in the freelance writing community because many low-quality content mills are notorious for low pay rates. 

Content services operate with an agency-type business model. These companies hire freelancers to produce content for their clients. In return, the content service pays the freelancer a portion of the total price they charge to clients. This rate varies, and some content services pay more than others. 

While some freelancers hate this type of business model, certain content mills can be a great place for both new and experienced content writers

17 Best Online Writing Sites To Get Paid for Freelance Writing

This list of the best online writing sites includes general job boards, writing-specific job boards, and content writingservices

1. Contena

Contena homepage: online writing sites for freelancers

Contena is a freelance writing job board that’s membership-based. This online writing site is membership based because it’s much more than just a job board. Contena’s goal is to help freelance writers not only find work, but learn and become better writers in the process.

This job board requires an application and membership fee to sign up, and writers have access to educational materials as well as the Contena job board

Contena writing job pay rates vary depending on client, niche, and experience level. 

Visit Contena

2. FlexJobs

flexjobs homepage

FlexJobs is one of the number one online job boards today. This membership-based job board features hand-picked and vetted jobs in almost every industry imaginable, including writing

If you want a job board that weeds out the scams and low-quality writing jobs, FlexJobs is a great choice. 

Use keywords “writing“, “writer“, “blogging”, “blogger”, and “article” to search for the best writing gigs on FlexJobs.

FlexJobs writing jobs pay rates vary widely based on client, industry, and experience level. 

Visit FlexJobs

3. UpWork

upwork homepage

UpWork is another one of the top gig websites online today, trusted by thousands of clients worldwide. 

UpWork has jobs and gigs in just about every niche and industry you can imagine, and writers are in high-demand. 

It’s free to create an UpWork profile, upload your samples and experience, and start browsing for work. 

UpWork features online writing jobs with a variety of pay rates.

Visit UpWork

4. Freelance Writing Job Board

freelancewriting.com job board

The Freelance Writing job board aggregates freelance writing jobs from all over the internet into one easy-to-use board. 

This job board is one of the most trusted online writing sites, featuring writing jobs from entry level to advanced. 

This online writing site updates daily, so be sure to check it often for new writing gigs

Since this job board aggregates writing jobs from all over, pay rates vary widely. 

Visit FreelanceWriting.Com

5. The Morning Coffee Newsletter

morning coffee newsletter homepage for freelance writing jobs

The Morning Coffee Newsletter is a daily morning email newsletter sent out by the folks at FreelanceWriting.com. This daily newsletter sends the freshest and best freelance writing gigs straight to your inbox every morning: perfect for looking over with a cup of coffee or tea. 

These jobs come straight from the Freelance Writing job board, but can save you some time in the mornings while you’re looking for work. 

Visit Morning Coffee

6. Textbroker

online writing site textbroker's homepage

Textbroker is a content writing service that hires freelance writers to write articles for a multitude of clients

This platform is a good online writing site for all writers, from beginners to professionals. 

As a Textbroker writer, you get access to a steady stream of work from clients in a variety of niches. You can set your own hours and work as much or as little as you want. 

Pay rate on Textbroker ranges from $0.007 cents per word to $0.05 cents per word based on content quality and experience. Although this is a content mill, you have the ability to earn around $0.05 cents per word after you proove your writing skill.

Visit TextBroker

7. Contently

contently logo

Contently is an online writing site for writers that works more as a discovery network than a job board

This platform is a great place to create a writer portfolio to house your best pieces of content. Editors are able to see your Contently portfolio and can contact you to inquire about their clients‘ needs. 

Contently is a great writer portfolio tool and can help you land gigs with big brand-name clients

Visit Contently

8. ProBlogger

problogger logo

If you’re a freelance writer looking for work, the ProBlogger Job Board should be at the top of your online writing siteslist. This job board aggregates the best freelance writing jobs around and updates several times a day. 

ProBlogger jobs and clients span a variety of industries, experience levels, and pay rates. Pay ranges from $0.01 cent per word to $0.20 cents or more, depending on the client. 

Visit ProBlogger

9. Freelancer.com

freelancer.com logo

Freelancer.com is an online job platform for freelancers in many industries, including freelance writing and blogging. 

Creating a profile on Freelancer.com is free. As a freelancer on this job board, you can bid for jobs based on the price you’d accept to complete the work. 

This is a good online writing site for beginners looking to build experience and a portfolio. Since most clients hire freelancers based on the lowest bid, this might not be a good long-term option. 

Visit Freelancer

10. MediaBistro

media bistro homepage for professional online writers

MediaBistro is an online writing site for writers looking to work with media publishers. This platform is best for experienced and professional writers and journalists. 

The MediaBistro job board features high-paying jobs for writers with media companies like Fox, NBC Universal, Penguin Random House, and much more. 

If you’re a professional writer or journalist with an established portfolio and resume, MediaBistro is where you want to be.

Visit MediaBistro 

11. Constant Content

constant content logo

Constant Content is another content writing service similar to Textbroker. This writing service hires freelance writers to write for multiple clients in a variety of industries. 

You can set your own hours and decide how much you work with Constant Content

Pay ranges based on client and your own experience, and writers have the ability to form long-term relationships with clients. On their website, Constant Content states that their highest-earning freelancers earn an average of $90k per year. 

Visit Constant Content

12. Guru

Guru logo

Guru is an online job board for freelancers and freelance writers in many different industries including sales and marketing, tech, design, business and finance, and much more. 

This job board is similar to UpWork in that you will create a profile, browse jobs, and submit bids to writing jobs that you’re interested in. 

Prices vary widely, and freelancers can submit a quote for the work to be performed. Guru keeps 9% of revenue billed through the platform.

Visit Guru

13. Writer Access

writer access logo

WritersAccess is a content writing marketplace for freelance writers and clients to come together and create great content

WriterAccess allows you to create a portfolio and uses AI to match you with clients that are the best fit for your skills. 

This platform has an application process that includes a writing test. After your writing test, you’ll be assigned a star rating. This star rating determines what projects you can work on and how much you can earn on the platform. Pay rates range from $0.02 cents per word all the way up to $2 per word. 

Visit Writer Access

14. Blogging Pro

blogging pro logo

If you’re looking for great paid blogging jobs, the Blogging Pro Job Board is a great place to start. 

This online writing site is updated daily with freelance writing jobs from a variety of clients and publishers around the web. 

Jobs on the Blogging Pro Job Board vary from contract, freelance, part-time, and full-time. 

Freelance writers of all varieties can find work on this job board from news columns, copywriting, editing, blog writing, and more.

Pay ranges widely based on type of content, client, and experience. 

Visit Blogging Pro

15. Freelance Writing Jobs 

freelance writing gigs

Freelance Writing Jobs aka Freelance Writing Gigs is one of the top online writing sites with daily job postings for freelance writers. 

This website is much more than just a freelance writing job board, though, you can find writing resources, freelancing tips, and so much more on this website. 

This freelance writing job board should be at the top of your list of writing sites to check daily for the freshest online writing jobs. Pay rates vary depending on client, project type, and experience. 

Visit Freelance Writing Gigs

16. Journalism Jobs

Journalism Jobs scaled

If you’re a journalist or professional writer, you don’t want to miss Journalism Jobs

This website is similar to MediaBistro in that they compile jobs for media companies like news channels, newspapers, and other media groups. 

Brands include NewsWeek, PBS, Hearst Media, and many more. 

This job board is for experienced reporters, journalists, writers, and editors. 

Visit Journalism Jobs

17. Craigslist

Craigslist Emblem

Believer it or not, your local Craigslist is actually a pretty legit place to search for online writing jobs

Many local companies in need of web content post jobs on Craigslist. Search the job section and also be sure to look under “gigs”. 

If your local Craigslist doesn’t yield any fruitful results, check out the local Craigslist for other cities. 

Use your intuition and research each job posting on Craigslist for validity before even reaching out. And of course never agree to any job listing or client that asks you for money.

How to Write a Great Pitch for Jobs on Online Writing Sites

Landing jobs with online writing sites is about so much more than just sending over your sample pieces or portfolio. You have to write a great pitch or proposal, too. 

  • Read the job listing thoroughly. In your pitch, demonstrate that you have full understanding of the project at hand. And ask any relevant questions if you have any! Some clients will want a secret question or keyword included in your pitch to ensure you read the entire description, too. 
  • Do client research if possible. If the client’s name or company is readily visible, do research on them to better understand their content type and needs. Demonstrate your familiarity in your pitch by sharing your own relevant content, complimenting something in their business, etc. 
  • Share any relevant samples, qualifications, or even hobbies. If you’re submitting a pitch for a niche you are passionate about but don’t have published pieces in yet, you still have a chance! Talk about your passion and real-world experience in your pitch or proposal. 
  • Keep it short, sweet, and spaced out. Nobody wants to read a novel of a job application, and nobody wants to read a huge wall of text. Keep it as short as it can be while also providing all the relevant information. And break up your paragraphs, too. 

Tips to Become a High-Paid Freelance Writer

When you’re just getting started as a freelance writer, it might seem impossible to turn it into a lucrative career. 

Luckily, increasing your income as a freelance writer isn’t hard to do and it can actually happen pretty quickly if you follow these tips. 

Browse for New Work Daily

When using online writing sites like the ones listed here in this article, you’ll notice that most of the jobs are one-off projects. 

It’s not impossible to find long-term freelance writing clients on job boards, but they’re not as easy to find as one-time projects. 

Because of this, you need to browse for new work daily. Complete more projects, gain more experience, and make more happy client connections. 

As you gain experience and build a stronger portfolio, you’ll have a better chance at scoring the higher paying gigs and long-term clients

Create a Stellar Portfolio

Freelance writers have a unique upper-hand when it comes to getting clients without any experience. 

A writers portfolio is a crucial part of your freelance writing toolkit, and you don’t have to have any previous clients to create a stellar portfolio. 

You should write several sample pieces in your desired niche(s) to use as proof of the quality of your work to win new clients

You can house your portfolio on a platform like Contently, Medium, or LinkedIn, but creating your own blog and website is even better. 

When you have a website with several published pieces, you automatically look more credible and professional to potential clients. This factor alone can enable you to charge higher rates for your work. 

The best way to create a client-winning freelance writing portfolio is to start your own blog. You can publish niche-related content to position yourself as an expert, have an email newsletter, a contact form for potential clients, and more. 

Learn How to Start a Blog Here

Niche Down for Higher Paying Jobs

“The riches are in the niches” rings true even for freelance writers. 

Sure, you can make a decent writing income online as a generalist freelance writer

But if you really want to earn the big bucks, you need to niche down. 

Choosing your niche means choosing a niche or industry like tech, marketing, relationships, wellness, etc. 

But, choosing a niche also includes niching down what kind of writer you want to be. 

Do you want to focus on SEO content for blogs? 

Or would you rather be a copywriter? If you decide on copywriting, what kind of copy will you write? Sales page copy, email marketing copy, etc?

The more specific and niched down you become, the more you can earn. Potential clients are much more likely to pay premium prices for a specialist over a generalist. 

Raise Your Rates With Experience

You can’t write for content mills or take the lowest paying jobs on UpWork forever. At some point, every freelance writer has to raise their rates. And you deserve it! 

Consider your experience, your published pieces, your sample work, and your niche when determining what to charge as a freelance writer

Branch Out 

Online writing sites are a great place to get started as a freelance writer. And you can make some great connections and long-term client relationships through them, too! 

As you gain experience, consider branching out into other methods of prospective client acquisition like cold pitching. 

If there’s a dream-brand or company that you’d love to work with but they don’t have any job listings, send a cold pitch! 

Cold pitching can help you land high-paying freelance writing jobs and even earn you the chance to form a long-term relationship with your dream clients.  

Freelance Writing FAQ

Freelance writing is one of the easiest side hustles to get started with. You don’t have to have money or experience to start! Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions about writing

How Do I Start Freelance Writing With No Experience?

Freelance writing is a great side hustle to start for someone with no experience. Here’s what you need to do. 

  • Choose a niche or a few that you can hone down later.
  • Create sample articles in your niche(s) for your portfolio and publish them on Medium, LinkedIn, or your own website.
  • Sign up for any of the online writing sites in this article and start sending bids and proposals for freelance writingjobs.
  • Browse the online writing sites and send job pitches every day!

How Do Online Writers Get Paid?

Online writers are paid in different ways depending on your country, the clients, and what type of job board you work through, if any.

Freelance writers are either paid per word, per project, and sometimes hourly or per month. 

If you work through a job board like UpWork or Guru, the platform keeps a small percentage of your earnings and pays you via the payment method you select when you sign up. 

How Do I Find My Niche in Content Writing?

The easiest way to find your niche in content writing is to start with what you already know. 

Choose a niche or industry that you either have relevant experience in or a deep passion and/or knowledge. 

As a beginner, it’s okay to choose a few niches and hone down later once you have some experience under your belt. 

There are unlimited freelance writing niches from parenting, gaming, travel, to marketing and tech and much more. You’re only limited by your imagination here. 

Online Writing Sites Wrap Up

Working as an online writer can be an incredibly lucrative career choice, and it can also be a great side hustle to earn a little extra income. 

The key to having success with online writing sites is to choose your niche, write and publish some sample pieces in your niche, and start pitching. 

As you gain experience and confidence, raise your rates and keep pitching!

As a freelance writer, your work speaks for itself. So if you have great sample pieces, it’s easy to get started even if you don’t have any experience. 

Creating your own blog is a great way to display your sample pieces and show off your expertise. Learn how to start a blog here.

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