Do you love to write?
Do you love to make money?
Are you a newbie?
Then what you need is a good list of freelance writing websites for beginners so that you can get started right away--making money writing online.
Luckily for you my friend--this is exactly what I'll be providing you with. I've scoured the web and did all the hard work of finding the best opportunities for you.
There are lots perks to freelance writing. Some of the more notable include...
- Being able to work when you want--which you can do around any sort of schedule
- Being able bring in a full-time income if necessary or just a supplemental income if that's how you want it
- Being able to work from anywhere with internet--just about anywhere
... pretty much any benefit that comes along with having a flexible job--these are the benefits of being a freelance writer and freelancer in general.
But becoming a freelance writer can be difficult if you don't know where to look.
You might have ran into an awesome job but when you went to apply it looked something like this...
Ouuuchh.
Your dreams may have been crushed--and crushed hard.
But guess what? You didn't give up. I know this because you are on my site now and I'm about to provide you with the ultimate list of websites where newbie or aspiring freelance writers can land paying jobs.
The good news--you don't need a lick of experience freelance writing. Everyone has to start somewhere, right? Now it's time to get your start.
Ready? Let's get to it...
33 Freelance Writing Sites That Require NO Experience
One of the easiest ways to land some freelance writing jobs as a complete beginner is by joining a 'content mill', which is basically a place that connects clients who need content to a pool of writers looking to make money online. They are a middleman platform--clients order content and writers that work for them write that content.
These types of places usually aren't the greatest as far as pay is concerned, but some people do go on to turn them into full-time jobs.
They usually get a pretty bad rap in the freelance writing world, but I believe that they have their place and don't discourage people from joining--especially when just starting out.
They are extremely easy to get work with and give you access to lots of opportunities.
Content Mill Jobs..
1. Textbroker - This is easily one of the most trusted and reputable 'content mills' out there. The pay isn't great (I'll talk about it in a second) but you can trust them and they do have a good amount of work available.
2. Writer Access - Another great content mill for newbs.
3. ClearVoice - This is yet another good choice. Everything is simple, including finding writing jobs you are interested in--you can easily filter through the available projects in a number of ways.
These sites pay on a per word basis. For example: Textbroker pays anywhere from 0.7 - 5 cents per word (for their open marketplace) and with Writer Access you can earn 3 - 8 cents per word.
But don't get too caught up on the amount you can make per word. Sure, it's a big deal, but sometimes you can actually make more money with lesser paying content writing jobs--since they often require less research, have less picky clients, etc.
4. Writer Bay - Writer Bay doesn't require any writing experience but you does require that you have a college degree or experience in at least one of about 30+ fields. All you have to do is 1) Fill out an application, 2) Pass a grammar test, 3) Write a short prompt and upload a sample writing, and 4) Upload your higher education certificate.
5. Verblio (formerly BlogMutt--what a bad name) I always had a bad opinion of this place but I guess maybe I was judging it somewhat on the horrible name it used to go by, BlogMutt. They start out paying at $10.50 for a 300-400 word article which isn't too bad.
6. Constant Content - They allow you to set your own prices and claim their top earners make $90k a year. This might be true but I'm sure it is a very small percentage of people--but overall they are a good place.
7. iWriter - Provides the potential to earn up to $80 per 500 word article--but definitely don't count on making anywhere near this much anytime soon. You have to climb the ranks and get your reputation up first.
As a writer in the pool of writers at these different 'content mills', you will have access to all the different content orders coming in.
You will be able to pick and choose what you want to write and when you want to write, and can write as long as you meet the minimum quality rating. Most sites use a star rating system--a higher rating reflects a higher quality of work and gives you access to more content orders as well as better paying orders.
Some content mill sites, like Textbroker for example, allow clients to see who their writers are and send orders directly to them if they so choose, which is way to get paid much more than you normally would--for those working full-time here these types of orders usually makes up a large portion of their income.
Writing Job Board Sites..
These are the types of websites that post writing job opportunities of all kinds.
You might find a long term writing position, a short term position, part-time, full-time, contract, freelance, a quick writing gig, etc. Nothing is really off-limits.
As you can imagine since the types of writing jobs can vary greatly, so does the pay. One job might be a fixed position where you can make $6k/mo where another is for a short gig for $50.
Many of the different positions available will require experience, but don't count out these sites too soon. There are places looking for new writers that aren't seasoned veterans--for one reason or another--so they still might be worth taking a look at.
Note: These sites simply list various writing jobs. You will have to apply to them through the companies offering them. Application processes will vary greatly.
You are going to want to have at least somewhat of a portfolio put together before applying to jobs you find here (Contenly is a good platform to put together a portfolio).
8. Contena - The nice thing about Contena is that they are more than just a job board. As a member you will also get access to training that will help you launch your freelance writing career, which can be a big help early on.
9. Problogger - This place has a good job search engine. You can filter your results easily to find writing jobs that you like...
10. BloggerPro - Another good job board site for freelance writers--very similar to Problogger.
11. FreelanceWriting.com - They have a free newsletter called 'Morning Coffee eNewsletter' that provides a weekly digest of the 8 best new writing jobs for freelancers--Highly recommended that you sign up for it.
I would recommend using these job search boards in conjunction with each other.
With these different sites you will sometimes come across the same job postings but you will also come across many different.
So if you do want to take the route of using a job board, use more than one to better your chances of finding a good paying writing job that you meet the requirements for and that you will like.
12. JournalismJobs.com - Mostly what you will find here are journalism jobs that require a good deal of experience, which I'm guessing won't be worth looking at for you. However, they do sometimes have job postings for bloggers and freelance writers--yet another tool at your disposal.
13. FreelanceWritingGigs.com - This place lists a bunch of different opportunities on an on-going basis. Technical writing jobs, general writing jobs, blogging jobs, content writing jobs, you name it.
14. All Freelance Writing - They don't provide all that many job listings, HOWEVER, they do seem to post a fair amount of positions that require no experience--perfect for you.
General Job Board Sites..
Job boards like..
15. MediaBistro
..and..
.. are worth taking a look at as well. They are very different and don't post only freelance writing jobs, but there is the chance you can find some there.
MediaBistro posts jobs dealing with online business and media--things like marketing jobs, social media jobs, news and journalism jobs, writing and editing, etc.
Work at Home Adventures keeps and updated list of work at home jobs of all types, which often include writing jobs. This site isn't the type of site you might think of when you think 'job board', but it's still good.
I'll actually add Work from Home Happiness to the list too. This site is kept up to date on a weekly basis with new work at home opportunities--again, some of which might be freelance writing.
Then you have your more popular and well known job board sites like...
18. Indeed
..and...
19. SimplyHired
... both of which are absolute behemoths when it comes to job boards.
You will definitely have to heavily filter your results here because of the large amounts of opportunities they post.
You can find all sorts of freelance positions on these sites, although definitely not limited to them.
Example: As I'm writing this I searched on SimplyHired for 'freelance writing' and found a freelance resume writer job in my area that pays $3,500/mo--although it does require experience--just an example though.
Freelance Marketplaces..
Freelance marketplaces are platforms that connect clients and freelancers of all sorts. There are plenty of clients looking to pay people to write blog posts, product descriptions, white papers, ebooks, 'how to's etc.
Unlike job boards that simply provide you with a list of companies that are hiring, freelance marketplaces play more of a role in the process, which is good and bad.
The good part is that it makes things a bit easier to find work and there is a sense of safety since the transactions are performed on the platform. The bad part is that they act as a middleman and take a cut of what the client pays you. You could say they are similar to 'content mills' in a way, because they are both middlemen, but freelance websites offer much more freedom and generally speaking you can make more money here (also harder to start out at).
How it usually works is the clients will post their jobs, which will include descriptions of what exactly needs to be done, when it needs to be done, the pay, etc. and then the freelancers can bid for the job--the client then picks who they want.
There is also the potential for a client to search through the freelancers and reach out directly to you for a job, but this is more rare.
20. Upwork
21. Freelancer.com
22. Guru.com
23. PeoplePerHour
All four of those listed above are great freelance sites. Upwork, Guru, and Freelancer are more popular and have more opportunities, but PeoplePerHour isn't far behind.
24. Fiverr - Fiverr is one heck of a great site if you are looking for freelance work of any kind, and is very popular--but it's a bit different from others.
The way people use Fiverr is by filtering through the different freelancers and picking one to do the job they need, rather than a bunch of freelancers applying to job postings.
Articles, blog posts, resumes, cover letters, technical writing, translation, research papers, press releases, creative writing, and more--are some of the things people pay freelancers on Fiverr to do.
25. CloudPeeps - It's not the biggest or most well-known freelance site by any means, but they have had big-name clients like AirBNB, Zappos, lyft and more--who knows... you could find some hidden gems here.
Freelance Essay Writing Sites:
There are so many freelance essay writing sites out there that cater to the need of lazy students that this deserves its own little subsection.
Sure, you can find clients submitting orders to have their essays written on normal freelance sites, but what I'm talking about here are sites that are specifically for writing essays.
Is writing essays for students a moral dilemma? Personally I do have a problem with this, but it is still a way to make money as a freelance writer which is the reason I am mentioning it.
When students are behind on work, or are just too darn lazy to do the work themselves, they go to websites like those listed below and pay freelancers to do it...
27. EssayShark
Those listed above are your pretty typical freelance essay writing services. When a student submits an order it then goes into the database where freelancers can bid on it. Just as a normal freelance site, the client (student) then picks who they want to write their paper.
28. Ultius - This place differs from most of the others out there. It isn't a free-for-all when it comes to applying for jobs. When a student submits an order they input exactly what they need (writer level, subject, document type, etc.) and then Ultius selects a suitable freelance writer for them.
*A bachelor's degree is required in order to become a freelancer on these sites, but there is no writing experience needed.
Submission Opportunities..
Another way to make money as a freelance writer just starting out is to find websites that accept submissions and pitch them your ideas and/or submit articles.
You can find websites that you can do this for by searching "your niche + write for us" in Google. For example, you could search for "dogs + write for us" if you like dogs and that is the topic you would like to write about. The results will be a bunch of dog-related websites that accept submissions.
The downside to searching around for sites to submit articles to like this is that a lot of them don't pay you--but could still be worth it because guest posting like this can help grow your portfolio and give you experience (create a free portfolio at Contently to keep track of your work).
Sites that Accept Submissions & Pay:
Some sites that will pay you if you write for them if they publish your articles include the following...
29. CollegeHumor - If you are into crude humor, jokes and the likes, then this site might be worth a go. They pay anywhere from $25-$50 per article and you have the chance of getting a $50 bonus if your articles reaches 100k views. You can start by emailing the editorial team at articles@collegehumor.com your idea.
*Check the link for CollegeHumor first. Last I checked the 'write for us' page didn't exist--so they might not be accepting articles at this time.
30. Wow Women on Writing - This one is just for the women out there--sorry guys. They pay from $50 - $100 per article and possibly even $150. It's an option on the table, but maybe not a very good one since the focus of this site is providing content to help writers improve their freelance abilities--which you don't have much experience with yet.
31. Cracked.com - This is another humor focused website that you can write for. If your work is good, they'll accept it--no experience needed. They look for people who are funny, smart, and creative. You can start out earning $100 per article.
32. Money Pantry - This site is all about earning and saving money. If you have a good story related to this or some helpful tips then they would love to hear from you. You can make anywhere from $30 - $150 per submission.
33. Cosmopolitan - Your submission has to be at least 800 words and they will pay you $100 if it is accepted.
These are just some of the many sites out there that will pay people to submit their work and don't care about experience.
The big downside to submitting articles on sites like this however is that you might not make any money. Your articles are not guaranteed to be accepted and published, which means you might waste your time.
For this reason it is best not to focus solely on opportunities such as these. Maybe dedicate a small amount of time to these sorts of submission sites on a regular basis, but also focus on ways that you know will make you money as a freelance writer.
What You NEED to Do Before Applying
1. You'll Need PayPal
A PayPal account--go create one if you don't already have one. Most companies pay through them and this is awesome, because it is trusted, fast, and secure.
2. Set Aside Some Time In Your Schedule
It's true that with freelance work you can do what you want when you want, but a schedule is pretty important if you want to be successful.
So set some time aside--or at least figure out when you are able to work when you land a freelance writing position.
If you don't have any assignments to work on you can always use the time set aside to look for other opportunities.
3. Figure Out What Type of Writer You Are
Get an idea of what you would be good at writing. What do you like and what would you like to write about?
Writing about certain things you have interest and/or knowledge in can make freelance writing a lot more enjoyable and easy.
How Much Money Can You Make as a Beginner?
I know this is a question that just about everyone is going to be wondering, but unfortunately it is incredibly difficult to answer.
Results will vary--a lot.
How good you are as a writer will make a big difference. A better quality writer will have a higher rating if they write for content mills; they will get more articles accepted and published if they submit to the many sites that pay for submissions out there; they will have better freelance opportunities--all of which will lead to more money.
That said--it definitely wouldn't be advisable to put all your eggs in one basket. Start out with the focus of making freelance writing a supplemental income and go from there. Don't expect to turn this into a full-time job right from the start--if that is your goal.
This Might Be Better Than Freelancing
If you like writing that much--have you ever considered creating a blog?
Think about it--most of the places out there hiring freelance writers are paying them to write blog posts, articles, etc. for their websites--which means that they must be making more money from the content the freelancers create than they are paying them to create it.
It's simple business really. Clients wouldn't be paying people to write blog posts if they were losing money.
So why not create your own blog?
The reason I bring this up isn't just because it can be a more rewarding path to take, and also because this is what I do for a living (you are on my site LegendaryWallet.com right now :)).
There are many ways to monetize a blog (such as affiliate marketing for example), but what it all comes down to is writing--and since you obviously are looking to make money writing it seems this would be right up your alley.
There are some downsides, such as...
- It takes time to get a blog to be profitable (Not great for someone who needs immediate income)
- Working for yourself requires more self discipline
.. but overall it is a great choice--and an incredibly affordable choice (you can get a domain and hosting for less than $5/mo).
The Wealthy Affiliate training course is excellent for newbies looking to start their own blog. They actually provide you with a free website + hosting so that you don't need a penny to get started. This is where I got started back in the day and I'm still a proud member of the community.
Full review of Wealthy Affiliate here
Comments or questions? Leave them below and I'll get back to you soon 🙂