High Paying vs Low Paying Freelance Writing Markets

There are plenty of high paying writing markets out there- but there are infinitely more low-paying markets around too.

I've already posted about Finding High Paying Markets here:
http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2008/08/where-to-sell-your-writing.html

I try to do a combination of both high and low paying for several reasons. Let's take a look at both options.

High Paying Markets

High paying markets are the goal. Unfortunately they aren't as frequent as they should be. They're also becoming more difficult to find and the competition is fierce. When you get to know an editor, keep in contact. Offer ideas for other articles. Submit queries about other angles. Editors tend to stick to the same few freelancers they like and already know.

The high paying markets that pay really well deserve my time, my research and my best efforts. These pay anywhere from $200-$1,000 per article. Obviously I'll spend a whole day working on one of these to get it just right because clients like these are important.


Things to Remember When Writing for High Paying Markets

• Be sure to edit every word carefully.


• Research your information carefully.


• Present your work professionally.


• Stick to the deadline you've been given.


• Structure your sentences and paragraphs carefully.


• Do anything it takes to keep these high paying clients happy and returning time after time.

The down-side of the high paying markets is they're labor-intensive and can afford to be picky when they're paying rates like that. Often editors will request re-edits and additions that take time and energy.

Low Paying Markets

High paying markets might be the goal - but they're not always available. What happens to your freelance writing business if you don't get any assignments for two weeks?

If you expect your freelance business to survive, then expect low paying markets to become a constant sideline income. They keep money coming into my freelance business, which keeps me working at home longer.

Low paying articles are generally around 200-500 word long and pay anywhere between $6-10 per article. Not great but handy if you're quick.

With low paying markets it's possible to churn out up to 10 of these little pieces in under 2 hours. This can be very handy if you can do several of these very quickly at the end of a work day.

Things To Remember When Writing for Low Paying Markets

• Learn to type really fast (accurately).


• Use a voice-recognition software to dictate your article if you can't type fast.


• Keep your word-count meter going and don't go over what they're paying for.


• Keep your spell-check activated while you type.


• NEVER waste time going back to edit. Learn to edit as you write.


• Say what you need to say as quickly as you can and get that work out.


• Move on to the next.


• Repeat until you have a few done, then move back over to the high paying markets.

The benefit of the low paying market is the speed. You churn them out - you get paid. They provide a sideline income that can keep a freelance business alive until your next high-paying assignment arrives. That's about it really. After all - the client is getting what he paid for - quick, easy and cheap.

The main idea here is to keep an eye on your total freelance business income from all sources.

Just writing low-paying articles will not earn you enough money to go full-time and just waiting for the next high-paying article won't keep you writing enough to go full-time either.

Work at creating a balance between the two and see what happens to your own writing income.