Where Can I Write And Get Paid Quickly?
We all know that Hollywood cliché of the artist down on his luck, out of a job and dealing with an endless queue of problems just lining up behind that one. Sadly, that on-screen stereotype isn’t too far from the truth.
Pursuing a career as a writer, especially at the start, is no easy task. It’s hard enough landing a gig as a freelancer, let alone securing a full-time job that’s a steady source of income. But hey, if you’re anything like me, that’s a sacrifice you’d be willing to make – working from home, flexible work hours and most importantly, doing what you love.
Still, passion won’t fill up your fridge or pay the bills. So, when your latest job application gets turned down and that project on the freelance marketplace you applied to doesn’t pan out either, what to do? Well, there’s no sugar-coating it, there are both good and bad news. The good thing is that yes, there are sites that will accept submissions and compensate adequately in a relatively short amount of time. On the other hand, whether your submission will be accepted by such a site is a shot in the dark. You must keep in mind that such sites get tons of submissions on a daily basis – everyone wants a piece of that cake, so the competition is fierce.
To help make a fellow writer’s life a bit easier, I have constructed the following list of where you can write and get paid quickly. I made sure only to include the most reliable sites which fulfill all of the following criteria:
- They accept submissions from anyone
- They pay for submissions adequately and in a relatively short time span of about two to three weeks
- They deal with topics easily accessible to the average writer (meaning no programming tutorials and the like)
You must be eager to find out about these great opportunities, so without further ado, we begin with number 6:
6. Listverse
Listverse is a very popular site where you can find intriguing and educative ‘Top 10’ lists. They publish at least three articles each day, focusing mostly on the lesser-known trivia. The best thing of all is, these lists can be written and submitted by anyone. The choice of topic is entirely up to you, with the exception of lists about sports, self-help, personal stories or gaming. Ultimately, the more unusual and interesting your list is, the more likely it is to be published.
Topics: Top 10 lists on almost anything
Payment: $100 per article
Payment time and method: Within two weeks after submission via PayPal
There are a few requirements that must be met in order for your article to be eligible for publishing: your list needs to be original (with references to reputable sources) and to have a minimum of 10 entries, with one or two paragraphs each. After you submit your article, it will be reviewed and, if they find it satisfactory, you will be paid within two weeks via PayPal. One downside to ListVerse is that it’s extremely popular, resulting in over a hundred people submitting their work each day, thus making it much more difficult to get published.
5. Cultures and Cuisines
Cultures and Cuisines is a website founded by two writers and passionate travel enthusiasts interested in presenting original stories on the very topic the site name implies – travel and food. They encourage writers without any publication history to submit their work, and are always looking for informative and engaging content that didn’t have an opportunity to appear in other media. To top it all off, they even publish articles in languages other than English.
Topics: Food and travel
Payment: $200 per article
Payment time and method: From 2 weeks to one month upon submission
They provide detailed guidelines on what kind of topics they’re interested in (e.g. The Afro-Latin Kitchen or Eating in the Midst of War), but also accept essays about holidays, festivals, along with other lesser known food-related traditions. Whether you share the founders’ enthusiasm or simply wish to take some time and present your own culture on their site, Cultures and Cuisines is an excellent opportunity to get published and make a good buck doing it!
4. Bitch Media
Bitch Media is a non-profit feminist organization that runs a quarterly publication titled Bitch, along with publishing articles daily on their website. Their focus is on mainstream media and pop culture as seen through a feminist lens. Every year, they provide a three-month paid fellowship for emerging writers who are interested in the subjects that they cover.
Topics: Feminist views on pop culture
Payment: Between $700 and $1000 for features (2,200-2,500 words), $350 for dispatches (1,200 words), and between $250 and $700 for culture stories (no word count specified).
Payment time and method: From 2 weeks to one month upon submission
There are separate print and online guides on their website, and the submission process occurs directly through their online manager. They accept interviews, critical essays, music, film and book reviews. This is an exceptional opportunity for all writers interested in feminist topics and activism to earn money and be part of this reputable community.
3. The Establishment
The Establishment is a company run by women that is open to writers from all backgrounds. Its goal is to provide a platform for all the stories and experiences marginalized in the mainstream media, as well as to encourage respectful discussion. Their focus on a variety of content – from humor pieces to long-form investigative journalism – allows writers immense freedom in choosing what subject they wish to write about.
Topics: Culture in the broadest sense of the word
Payment: $125 for feature stories, op-eds, essays (800–1,500 words), $500 for investigative pieces (3,000 words) and for previously published pieces, rates vary
Payment time and method: From 2 weeks to one month upon submission
The submission process is described in great detail on their website: you can either send them a pitch or a whole article, and you will be notified within two weeks whether your work will be published. Combine the wide variety of topics and genres that the site covers with their reputation and the good rates which they offer, and it becomes clear just why trying to get published on The Establishment is a good idea.
2. Paste Magazine
Paste Magazine is dedicated to everything contemporary and geeky. They publish articles on music, movies, TV, videogames, comedy, books, design, tech, travel and food. They are expecting features, essays, trend stories along with reviews written in an engaging style, based on argument-backed personal opinions.
Topics: Numerous
Payment: Negotiable
Payment time and method: Three weeks upon submission
They expect each proposal to clearly define a subject, estimated length of the piece along with samples of any previous work. They offer assistance in obtaining interviews, attending events and providing materials (such as CDs) as needed. Given the diversity of topics they cover, this is a great spot where any writer can share their thoughts.
1. Funds for Writers
Funds for Writers is a website dealing with everything related to writing. Whereas other similar sites focus on how to write, Funds for Writers deals with the perhaps more important question every writer needs answered – how to make money writing. It consists of a regularly updated blog, as well as detailed lists of contests, freelance marketplaces and grants that might be of interest to a writer.
Topics: Making money writing
Payment: $60 for unpublished articles, $20 for reprints
Payment time and method: Within 1 week after submission via PayPal
The site has an easily accessible ‘submissions’ page which offers detailed explanations on what particular type of topics they are looking for. As mentioned before, they do not look for articles on “how to write” but “how to make money writing”. The broad choice of topics that most writers would be familiar with, as well as swift review of submissions and subsequent payment all place FFW at the 1st spot on the list.
If you would like to get paid on a daily basis, we have another list in store for you that covers such sites. Feel free to check it out here.