Tired of writing for pennies (or peanuts or whichever cliche for crappy pay you prefer) and ready to learn how to make money online for real?

We&#;re tired of it, too. That&#;s why Carol started paying for posts a few years back — and why she upped her rates to $75+ last fall. And it&#;s why we update our list of sites that pay on a regular basis.

Below is the new-and-improved, early edition of Make a Living Writing&#;s list of websites that pay at least $50 per post.

What&#;s included — and not

Rather than linking to the list we published last fall, we&#;re posting a comprehensive and updated new list. We&#;ve added new markets we learned of in the past 6 months and removed sites that have categories of posts that are below $ That&#;s our minimum.

In some cases, these sites keep it on the Q.T. exactly what they pay. We&#;re including markets where freelance writers in our network report they pay more than $50, in order to bring you the widest variety of paying markets possible.

We also removed sites that are not currently accepting pitches, which knocked a good portion of the writing-focused sites off. Sites where you only have a shot at earning $50 writing on spec, or based on traffic or ad clicks, are NOT included. This is a list of markets offering guaranteed pay only!

The list runs the gamut of topics, from parenting and knitting to business and writing, so there should be something here for everyone.

And don&#;t forget, if you&#;re really ready to supercharge your freelance writing career, the Freelance Writers Den has over hours of on-demand bootcamp trainings you can access 24/7 plus an exclusive community of 1,+ members sharing valuable advice day in and day out. There&#;s also a members-only job board with new opportunities to make money writing posted regularly. Get on the waiting list now so you can take your career to the next level.

As always, we appreciate any corrections or additions — please post them in the comments. Here&#;s the list:

Business, Career, and Finance

1. B. Michelle Pippin pays $$ for business-related articles.
2. Coaches Training Blog is looking for articles about coaching &#; business, life, career, and other kinds. Pay based on assignment.
3. Copyhackers pays $ for articles about copywriting, branding, running a business, and more. Read the submission guidelines carefully to pitch.
4. CEO Hangout will pay $50 if you pre-arrange it with the editor — send a pitch and negotiate payment before writing the article. They run posts about the CEO lifestyle, success stories, interviews, and other reported features of interest to business leaders.
5. DailyWorth pays $ for articles about women and money. They list a blackhole editorial@ email address, but I recently tweeted them about how to submit a pitch, and they suggested hitting up the managing editor, Koa Beck.
6. Doctor of Credit pays $50 for personal finance articles that focus specifically on credit.
7. eCommerce Insiders pays $$ for articles about online retailing.
8. FreelanceMom pays $$ for posts about running a business as a busy parent.
9. FreshBooks (yup, that same freelancer invoicing site we recommend) pays $ a post and up. Be prepared to negotiate to get a better rate.
10. Acorns has a new online pub called Grow Magazine that pays $50+ for finance writing geared toward millennials. They don&#;t have guidelines posted, but they told me to submit to grow@www.oldyorkcellars.com with the word STORY in your subject line. We don&#;t normally recommend those generic emails, but because the pub is still new, it might not be a huge black hole yet.
11. IncomeDiary pays $$ for articles about making money online, including SEO, affiliate sales, and traffic generation.
12. Mirasee pays $ for 1,,word posts on marketing, business productivity, and growth topics. [NOTE: Mirasee is currently paying only for posts they commission. Unsolicited posts are unpaid.]
13. Modern Farmer reportedly pays around $ for articles.
14. Penny Hoarder shares money-saving ideas. You’ll need to negotiate pay with the editors during the pitching process — and be willing to forego a link back to your site.
15. Priceonomics The catch? Articles must be submitted on spec. They occasionally post requests for articles on specific topics, which might get you closer to that big paycheck. [NOTE: This pub&#;s writer&#;s guidelines now say they pay $50/article. Be prepared to verify/negotiate payment.]
16. RankPay pays $50 for articles about SEO, content marketing, and social media.
17. LiisBeth is all about feminist entrepreneurs. Study the guidelines, read past articles, and look at the About page and LiisBeth manifesto to get a feel for the audience. Pay depends on assignment.

Essays

1. Aish accepts first-person accounts on the positive influence of Orthodox Jewish beliefs on everyday life — and they pay $ on publication. Know the frum life to succeed here, and email ebraverman@www.oldyorkcellars.com
2. www.oldyorkcellars.com pays $ for essays about college. They’re also using this essay submission as a way to find writers for assignments.
3. Dame reportedly pays $ for essays. They do accept reported features and other article types, and pay rates may vary for those.
4. Brain, Child publishes long-form essays on a wide range of topics. Send your pitch to editor and publisher Marcelle Soviero. Pays $ for 1, to 4,word essays.
5. The Establishment pays $ and up for reported stories and essays.
6. Eureka Street is an Australian site that pays $ for analysis or commentary on politics, religion, popular culture or current events in Australia and the world. They also pay $50 for poetry (check out our full guide to poetry jobs), which seems to be a rarity these days. [NOTE: This publication is closed to submissions from December 13, to January 10, Anything submitted during this time will not be read &#; please verify they&#;re back open before you submit.]
7. Guideposts pays $ for Christian faith-based essays.
8. LightHouse pays $ for uplifting essays by blind or visually impaired writers.
9. Narratively pays $ for &#; word essays on specific topics. Check their guidelines for a list of current needs.
10. The New York Times Modern Love column reportedly pays as much as $ for essays on any topic that could be classified as modern love.
11. Skirt pays $ for essays about women&#;s issues.
12. The Bold Italic might be a great fit if you&#;re from San Francisco or have a connection to the city. Past essay topics have included the gig economy, online dating, mental illness, and more. Pay is $50 per essay.
13. Vox First Person reportedly pays in the $ range for personal essays of about 1, words. Pitch firstperson@www.oldyorkcellars.com
14. Buzzfeed has an estimated million unique visitors every month, and they publish a wide variety of topics to keep those visitors entertained and informed. Pays $ to $ per word.

Family and Parenting

1. Babble pays $$ for posts on parenting, entertainment, pregnancy, beauty, style, food, and travel. (NOTE: Babble&#;s writer&#;s guidelines are no longer easily found. You may have to do some sleuthing to find contact info for an editor.)
2. Just Parents is a UK-based site that focuses on pregnancy and parenting. They pay $60 per post.
3. www.oldyorkcellars.com posts non-snarky articles about parenting and family issues. Pay starts at $
4. Fatherly is looking for parenting advice and funny experiences with kids from a dad&#;s perspective. Pay based on assignment.
5. Stork Guide focuses on pregnancy and parenting of newborns and toddlers. They pay $50+ per post.
6. Well Family (the New York Times’ parenting blog) pays $ Pitch the editor.

Health

1. The Anxiety Foundation pays $50 for mental health articles.
2. The Atlantic’s online health section reportedly pays $
3. PsychCentral covers mental health. They don’t list a pay rate on their site, and they didn’t respond to my query about pay, but a reader on last year’s list reported they are a paying market. [UPDATE 12/ The website says they don&#;t pay, but exceptions are made if you discuss payment BEFORE submitting.]

Lifestyle and General Interest

1. BBC Britain doesn&#;t publish their pay rate, but I&#;ve seen reports of $$1, for various BBC sites. Pitch stories with a British slant for an international audience.
2. Bitch Magazine’s website pays for pop culture features. Pay is variable, so negotiate to get your desired rate.
3. BookBrowse pays for book reviews! Writers accepted into their stable of reviewers will earn $50 for a word review.
4. Adoptive Family accepts pitches on all aspects of the adoption process. Pay based on assignment.
5. The Daily Beast reportedly pays $ and up. Their submission guidelines have a black-hole editorial@ email address, so you’ll want to do a little digging to find the right person to pitch.
6. Backpacker is all about wilderness hiking. Pay based on assignment.
7. getAbstract reportedly pays $ for longer (2,, word) book summaries.
8. Gothamist pays $$ for reported pieces about New York.
9. Backstage is a resource for performing artists. Pays $/word &#; pitch Briana Rodriguez, Editor-in-Chief, on LinkedIn.
10. The International Wine Accessories blog pays $50 and up for articles.
11. Knitty raised their rates to $$ for articles about knitting and knitting patterns. They also have a sister site —Knittyspin — for knitters who like to use handspun yarn.
12. Lifezette pays $$ for articles on parenting, politics, faith, health, and pop culture. Contact the appropriate editor with your idea.
13. Listverse pays $ for long (1, word) lists on various topics.
14. New York Observer pays $ on posts about politics and culture for &#;sophisticated readership of metropolitan professionals.&#;
15. OZY does pay freelancers, but rates vary.
16. Paste pays $50+ for submissions in many different areas.
17. . NOTE: Playboy has removed their editorial contact page.
18. Pretty Designs covers fashion and beauty. You’ll need to negotiate per-post pay.
19. Refinery29 reportedly pays $75 and up for slideshows, articles, and essays on various topics. They also post their needs for specific columns on their guidelines page.
20. Salon pays $$ for essays and reported features, even very long ones.
21. Smithsonian Magazine Online reportedly pays established freelancers up to $ for reported articles.
22. The Tablet pays for articles on Jewish news, ideas, and culture. Pay varies, so be prepared to negotiate. I saw a report of $1, for a heavily reported 2,+ word feature.
23. TwoPlusTwo Magazine pays $ for original posts about poker. They post articles for six months, after which time the rights revert to the writer, so you can sell reprint rights or post it on your own blog.
24. Upworthy pays $$ for word posts.
25. Vice&#;s pay rate varies, so you will need to negotiate if you&#;d like to write about food, technology, music, fashion, and other lifestyle topics.
26. YourTango pays $50 for posts on love, sex, travel, mental health, and just about anything else that affects your relationships.

Tech

1. A List Apart covers web design. They pay $ per article.
2. Compose pays $ and $ in Compose database credits for articles about databases.
3. . NOTE: This site has removed its submission guidelines page, and it&#;s not clear whether they still take guest posts.
4. Indeni pays $$ for posts that cover Check Point firewalls, F5 load balancers or Palo Alto Networks firewalls.
5. Linode pays $ for articles about Linux, www.oldyorkcellars.com, NoSQL databases, game servers, Open Change, and Web RTC.
6. Devilish about web development? SitePoint pays $$ for articles on HTML, CSS, Ruby, PHP, and more.
7. SlickWP pays $ for posts about WordPress and the Genesis Theme framework.
8. Tuts+ pays $ and up for tutorials on various technologies, including Web design and Flash. Tuts once ran a network of 16 different blogs, including Freelance Switch, but it&#;s all together on a single site now that encompasses design, gaming, photography, writing, and more.
9. WordCandy pays cents a word for ghostwritten pieces about WordPress — these will appear on some of the larger WordPress blogs, such as wpmudev.
10. WPHub pays $$ for posts on web design trends, coding best practices, and other WordPress-related topics.

Travel and Food

1. Big Grey Horse page $$ for posts about Texas — photos must be included. Texas-based writers are preferred, because the site requires in-person visits.
2. . NOTE: This site is now gone.
3. Desert Times pays $$ for stories about the deserts of North America and the culture and lifestyle of the people who live there. They prefer writers to also submit photos.
4. Expatics serves U.S. expatriates. This is another site where you’ll need to negotiate pay before you write your article.
5. Fund Your Life Overseas pays $75 for articles about business ideas that provide enough income for U.S. ex-pats.
6. The International Wine Accessories blog pays $50 and up for articles.
7. Saveur starts at $ for &#;amazing stories about food and travel.&#;
8. The Salt (NPR&#;s food blog) reportedly pays $+.

Writing

1. ClearVoice is a platform to connect bloggers with brands in various niches, as well as commissioning posts for its own blog. Pay is variable but ranges as high as $$ (from what we&#;ve seen so far). When you apply, you set the rates you&#;re willing to accept; then, the platform emails you when appropriate opportunities arise. It&#;s not a bid site — fees are preset. But gigs are presented to multiple writers, and then the client chooses who they&#;ll work with. Luckily, there&#;s no elaborate application process, once your profile is set &#; you simply reply that you&#;re interested, and they let you know if you win the gig.
2. Contently pays about 35 cents a word for their freelancer-focused online magazine. Download their pitching guidelines here.
3. Freedom with Writing pays $50+ for lists of paying publishers. They also pay for short ebooks, so there is an option for longer-form content, too.
4. Make a Living Writing. That&#;s right, this-here blog pays $$ for guest posts, depending on complexity and research needed. Be sure to read our guidelines thorougly, especially our list of the topics we&#;re actively looking for guest posts on right now. Pitching one of those will seriously improve your odds!
5. WOW! Women on Writing pays $$
6. The Write Life pays for some posts — you’ll need to negotiate your rate.

Tips for successful pitching

Before you pitch any of these sites, read the guidelines carefully and study the posts they’ve already run. Make sure you either have a fresh topic or a new way of exploring an issue they’ve covered before.

Paying markets are more competitive than posting on free sites. And the more bad pitches a site receives, the likelier they will reconsider whether they even accept guest posts, let alone pay for them. (Believe me, this happens, and it is the reason some sites we&#;ve listed before are no longer accepting pitches.)

Need help learning how to pitch a paying guest post? See this post, and this one. And make sure to check out our tips for effective freelancer invoicing so you get paid for your work.

Have you written for any of these markets? Found others that pay well? Tell us in the comments below.

Jennifer Roland is a freelance education, financial institution, and technology writer — and the guest-blog editor here at Make a Living Writing. Her latest book, 10 Takes: Pacific Northwest Writers, was published by Gladeye Press.

Find more tips on how to make money writing.

What if you could nurture your passion for writing and also get paid for it? It&#;s like having the cake and eating it too. This is indeed possible if you were to explore opportunities for paid freelance writing jobs. Not only can you give expression to your creative thoughts; these jobs will also fetch you a handsome payment every month.

Why are freelancer writing jobs on the rise?

People choose freelancing jobs for a variety of reasons; it could be to pay their monthly bills or to seek more rewarding avenues for professional development. Whatever the reason, the prospect of being able tomakemoneyonline is far too enticing to ignore. Just like digital nomad lifestyle trends are on the rise, so are freelance resources.

While you will find plenty of sites out there offering paid freelance jobs, you may or may not end up getting high-paying gigs. Simply signing up for a job on a popular freelance writing platform may not be enough; you need to make your mark by creating a stunning portfolio. You may even need to prove your caliber by taking tests that showcase your skills to the employers.

An important point to remember is that as a freelance writer you may not get the same volume of work every month. So, it is advisable not to put your eggs in one basket. You should write for more than one site so that your income stays consistent.

Here are some of the most popular paid freelance writing job platforms where you can get satisfying work and appropriate remuneration:

1. Fiverr

This is a highly popular website for freelancers. Getting started with them is easy and you can register with your email address and name. Fiverr sends a verification mail which you must answer in order to get started. It is advisable to take some time to browse through the entire site before you start jumping at offers.

The Fiverr dashboard is very user-friendly and mastering it is not a problem. The “To-Do” tab will have a list of the gigs that you need to complete while the “Sales” tab assists you in managing the gigs. The “Revenue” tab gives you the different payment options. The “Inbox” tab is meant for emails that will inform you when the gigs sell.

Posting a gig here is easy too; you can simply answer some basic questions and then post a logo or photo that represents your writing. You have to post briefly about what you can offer, and, once submitted, it goes live at once. Once posted, you get access to all the published requests from people. You need to decide quickly as there are hundreds of others viewing these too. You should specify the number of words you are ready to write for $5. Alternately, you can work harder and move from level one to level two to make more money. The site can then promote you further if it so wishes.

2. Constant-Content

This article marketplace is one of the leading in the field and caters to serious freelance writers. Here, writers are free to demand a lot of money for their articles because the editorial process is very stringent. You can register as a freelancer on this site and choose from various categories for writing custom content.

During registration, you must highlight your skills and then take part in a quiz. If you pass this, your account gets approved. To qualify, you will also need to write a brief write-up on a topic. The applications that are selected must conform to the site’s guidelines and be error-free.

Constant Content scores high on popularity amongst freelancers because you can expect to get a steady workload. You are also likely to get projects that match your interests and expertise. The best part is you can set your own rates, and it is possible to earn as much as $90, annually. You can choose to work solo or as part of a team. This site helps you to establish long-standing relationships with customers. And as far as customer support goes, you can trust them to attend to you right away.

3. Writers Work LLC

This is an online freelance writing service which acts like a one-stop shop for writers. You can get access to writing jobs, writing tools, and training materials which help writers manage their work better. You will find a curated live list of all writing jobs from a variety of online sources.

You can have a personal project management structure that will help you organize writing tasks and jobs. You can have an online portfolio for sharing with your customers. There is a web-based editor which offers readability analysis that can make your work quality better. Besides, you will find many features for tracking work like statistical analysis and time-logging.

You may subscribe to the site by paying for lifetime subscription or choose to pay a monthly fee. It is beneficial to choose this site because it will make the task of finding work easier; you do not have to waste hours looking for new gigs. There are interesting filters which make job searches quicker. You can save these search filters and even opt for daily and weekly notifications. If you can get notified of a freelance job right away, it is a huge advantage.

4. Upwork

This is one of the prime contenders for freelancer jobs. Like www.oldyorkcellars.com, Upwork can offer you a wide variety of freelancing jobs to choose from. While the pay is not very attractive, the sheer volume of work is reason enough to approach them.

This site was earlier known as Odesk, and today it works like a perfect place to find different types of writing jobs. Whatever your field of interest, you are likely to find a job for yourself here. You need to place your bid or the payment rate for your services and you must mention the skill sets you possess. The requester then reviews your bid and, if satisfied, he may ask you for an interview. Projects are bid for at various levels like entry, intermediate, and expert. When you are just staring out as a freelance writer, you may initially find it challenging to make a lot of money due to the bidding system.

5. Freelancer

This is by far one of the most widely used and popular sites for getting freelance writing jobs. You can sign up easily and even post projects free of cost. Freelancer appeals to writers because the account setting up process is very easy. You may not have previous writing experience but you have the right to bid for jobs.

You can choose freelancing jobs of various kinds, such as writing, IT, programming, and designing, provided you have the necessary skills. Beginners are advised to join Freelancer as you can get hold of many writing jobs, with some even asking for more than articles to be done.

You have to first look for jobs that match your skills, apply for these, and then wait to get hired. It is also possible to register through your Facebook account. The employers are likely to choose the best bidder who is someone that can guarantee the best work quality at the least price.

Freelancer connects as many as million professionals across the globe, allowing employers to recruit freelancers for article writing, ghost writing, copywriting, etc. Reports suggest that the UK and the US are the largest outsourcing nations and Australia, Canada, and India are next in line.

6. iWriter

Many freelance writers have acclaimed this website as a wonderful option for those looking for freelance writing projects of their choice. iWriter is the right choice for newbie writers as well as accomplished ones. New writing projects of almost every type and size can be found on iWriter giving you a much broader range of options to choose from. Also, the frequency of job postings is very high. If you move fast and make some smart choices, you can grab some amazing projects and make a steady income from your freelance writing efforts.

Creating an account with iWriter is easy and simple even if you are a novice in this field.  New entrants can start with basic writing tasks and hone their skills as they move along gradually to the next level of writing. If you want to know how freelance writing actually works at the ground level, then iWriter is the right place to make a start.

7. The Write Life

This is undoubtedly one of the top resources for freelance writers who want to put their writing skills to use and generate some monetary benefits from the same. The site is reputed for its practical tips that can be used by freelancers to achieve their monetary and recognition goals. If your goal is to deliver the best efforts and make money from your writing skills, The Write Life is the right place to make the best start to your freelance writing efforts.

The growing popularity of The Write Life can be attributed to the site’s burgeoning list of successful writers, some of whom have been earning a six-figure income consistently.  The portal is committed to grooming freelancers and has helped many novice writers become experts. They feature publishing and freelancing experts and even literary agents to guide freelancers and help them make the right moves. Freelancers can count on this site to get that vital and invaluable support right through their journey from a basic writer to an established one.

8. Guru

This is the best platform for freelance writers of any skill level to connect and collaborate with their clients. Guru is a platform that offers high security and flexibility. With over 3,, members from all over the globe connected with the site, there is no doubt that Guru has become one of the preferred destinations for freelance writers of all types and experience levels.

Guru follows a milestones payment system. They act as vital checkpoints along various stages of a project and protect the interests of the clients as well as the freelance writers. You can also opt for the Pay by Task and Pay by the Hour features offered by Guru.

Creating an account for freelance writers is easy on Guru and can be completed in minutes.  All you have to do is create a powerful and detailed profile and submit quotes for jobs that are open for grabs. Interested clients will communicate with the freelancers directly and create an agreement, customized to meet the requirements of each project and the writer.

9. The Writer Finder

Freelance writers looking to make money from their writing skills can make their dream come true by signing up with The Writer Finder. They have over writers registered with them. As a freelancer, you just have to browse through the various writing projects posted on the site by clients. The Writer Finder will introduce you to the client so that you can both connect and collaborate together on the platform and deliver the desired results.

The Writer Finder is a Growth Machine company where more than 70 articles are created every week across 15 plus blogs. They have a viewership of more than 3,, readers every month, making it a great platform for new freelance writers to get incredible exposure. The Writer Finder platform provides writing opportunities for both new and seasoned writers. They can write on a variety of subjects based on their niche expertise.

Textbroker

If you have great writing talent, you can make money from it with Textbroker. This is the place where your writing skills can pay off and quite well too. As a freelance writer, you can find thousands of freelance writing projects that can help you earn a steady income for as long as you wish. Thousands of freelance writers with a passion to monetize their skills have found precisely what they are looking for at Textbroker.

This platform is the leading one for clients looking for fresh, unique and informative content on various topics. According to the website, they deliver more than , content orders every month. So, if you are willing to try hard and deliver great writing stuff, there is money waiting for you at Textbroker. You can easily access multiple writing opportunities on topics that appeal to you. Frankly, if you have the skills, there is no real limit on how much you can earn on Textbroker.

These above-mentioned five freelancer writing platforms are highly recommended for those who are serious about making money online. You can start off with any of these and you have ample freedom to move up the ladder.

As you enter into any one of these, you get the confidence and exposure to expand into the others too. The trick to doing well on these sites is to make sure you have created a complete and impressive profile. You need to then add it to the sites so that you appear to be a thorough professional. You can also resort to cold pitching to find such sites online and write to them directly for jobs.

Marketing yourself aggressively can actually help you land good jobs at these marketplaces. You may even try guest posting on high authority sites. These are websites with high rankings on Google or are very popular. If you can post on any of these sites, your doors to other freelance clients will open up automatically. You may even choose to guest post on the niche blogs. These may not be read by masses but they are typically related to the freelancing writing niche. So, your credibility improves and you begin to be acknowledged as an expert in the field.

Writers write for many reasons. Writers &#; both seasoned and green &#; come to the Himalayan Writing Retreat Workshops with dreams in their eyes. Everyone wants to be a better writer. Some dream of fame. Some have a deeply personal story to share. Some simply have to get something out of their system.  Some seek riches through their writing. Everyone is driven by these forces, or some combination thereof.  And a few want to earn money from their writing, which is a natural outcome of all of the above. They want to make their hobby of writing into their career and earn from writing. They want to become professional writers. “Is there any way we can make a living from writing and earn money through writing online?”

 Professional writers come in many shapes and forms in India. Choosing the right avatar is a critical first step to make it work.

Many people ask us if they should quit their jobs and switch to writing as their career? They dream of a job where they only write books, short stories and poems and earn money through writing. “No!” we always tell them. Writing is a great hobby, but it can be a tough profession to earn money from. Besides, you must be exceptionally good at writing to make a living from it.

However, if you really enjoy writing, are determined to earn money online through writing and make it your career, there is a midway path. Writers get better by writing a lot. So instead of going for “full-time author” straight off the bat, pick a job or work as a writer in other shapes and forms. Let&#;s call this commercial writing. With your commercial writing you can pay the bills, while you also get better and can consider making your writing hobby into a full-time career.

Below is a list of possible roles you can look at as a commercial writer in India. Most of them are writing jobs while some are administrative in nature within the publishing industry. Please note, we have also highlighted the risk quotient in each of these roles along with a broad pay category one can expect from these roles. By risk, we purely mean the predictability of earning an income. In a proper job, the risk is low and with freelancing opportunities, it is medium to high.

Know more about our writing courses!

Since this is India-specific, the &#;www.oldyorkcellars.com Index&#; indicates the number of jobs available on www.oldyorkcellars.com for the particular profile. The scale for this index is 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest (most jobs on offer) and 1 is the lowest (no jobs on offer).  The jobs which can also be called  &#;work from home&#; are tagged as remote in a location where you can earn money writing from home.

Hours have been segregated as fixed and flexi as a lot of these opportunities are contractual and/or freelancing in nature which have number of hours fixed on a daily/ weekly basis. In some cases, you are given the tasks with a deadline which can be done at your pace. As long as you meet the deadline with the correct deliverables, what time and for how long you work on it doesn&#;t matter. Such jobs are tagged flexi in nature while ones that have fixed timings (e.g. 9 a.m.- 5, p.m. or 10 a.m.- 6) p.m. are tagged fixed.

Table of Contents

1. Literary Magazine

2. Creative Writer / Contributor to magazines  / Content Creation Websites 

3.  Content Writer

4.  Publishing House 

5. Create your own blog and monetize it

6. Author Assistant

7. Writer-in-making

1. Literary Magazine

​​There are many literary magazines and e-zines in India. These consist of a team of editors, readers (who choose which submissions will be accepted), content designers and social media managers. Working with a literary magazine helps one in understanding the minute nuances of writing, understanding the art of literary criticism and also learning through it. Apart from working with them at the backend, you could also write for them.

Some of the magazines also pay for the write-ups which include essays (Trending news and various topics), book reviews and other important topics which need coverage. As they say, a pen is mightier than the sword. By writing op-ed, you can actually write about things you truly care for &#; try to be the change you want to see in the world.

We have another blog where we have shared a list of India’s top Literary Magazines to submit short-stories, non-fiction and poetry. Some of these pay for the write-ups.

• Monthly earning from writing: (Range) Rs. Rs. /-
• Hours (fixed Vs Flexi) : hours/ week (Flexi)
• Location : Remote
• Risk level : Low
• Where to start: Start by identifying your niches. Is it literary criticism, writing book reviews, author interviews or writing in general? Basis that, try creating a portfolio. Start by writing for smaller magazines or websites and add to your portfolio. Gradually start looking for active jobs in LinkedIn, on Twitter (#Litmag , #LiteraryMagazines ) or even Times Jobs. Facebook Groups are also a great place for networking amongst literary circles and working with literary magazines. Some of the groups recommended by us are:

• www.oldyorkcellars.com Index : 6
• Size / Competitiveness: The writing needs to be on literature though the topics can always be of your choice. From listicle to recommended reads, the topics that one can write on are many. The competitiveness is relatively high, so building a strong profile in your niche will help you stand out.

2. Creative Writer / Contributor to magazines  / Content Creation Websites

This is one way to write articles and earn money in India. This also helps you build credibility as a writer because when you finally pitch your work to a publisher, you will have lots of writing visible online with your name on it.

Due to the recent surge in online reading apps, the content preferences of audiences have also seen a shift from the usual news to the unusual news articles.  Online platforms like LBB, BPB, What’s up Life, Buzzfeed, Scroll, Huffington Post etc. have a huge demand for write ups on current topics which are not only about the trending news items but also other things like a latest movie, a new bestseller or a controversy that erupted on Twitter or other social media platforms. Entertaining and engaging content is always in demand in various forms.  Gradually you can identify a niche and build a portfolio on it too. If your goal is to be a non-fiction writer whose books are based on a specific area of expertise, then this portfolio can also help you bag that much-coveted publishing deal. The next question in your mind is how to find online article writing jobs for beginners in India.

A lot of magazines and online portals share their call for pitches online with the appropriate pay that can be expected. This work is possible for Indian as well as international platforms. Here’s a curated list of Twitter handles and newsletters which keep sharing such opportunities on a regular basis.

1. 1. 1. Meher Mirza

      2.  Joanna

      3. It’s all write ( This is a newsletter by Joanna where she shares writing opportunities apart from tips from leading industry experts. It has both paid and free options. And I say this from my own experience &#; the paid option is worth every penny you spend on it!)

      4. Job Opportunities &#; Started by noted journalist Rituparna Chatterjee as a sisterhood thread to share more opportunities for women, this thread is open for all and has some extremely interesting freelancing opportunities as well for content writers and creators.

      5. Call for pitches  &#; A curated list by a well-respected journalist who shares various freelancing writing opportunities from time to time.

      6. Opportunities of the Week &#; Started in by Sonia Weiser, a freelancer herself, she shares the latest call for pitches every week on this newsletter which is priced at $3.

• Monthly earning from writing : (Range) Rs. ,/-
• Hours (fixed Vs Flexi) : hours / week -Flexi
• Location : Remote
• Risk: Medium
• Where to start: For any content writing job, a portfolio is a must. So the first priority should be to work on it. If not a portfolio, create a simple WordPress website where you can host some of your writing samples. Remember to highlight write-ups on a range of topics so that when you apply for assignments you do not come across as someone who can write only on one topic. Social media continues to be an effective tool in finding such job opportunities. There are a lot of Facebook groups which are extremely active in terms of sharing job openings. These groups  not only help in finding a job but also in making contacts. Below we’ve shared a list of some of the Facebook Groups we solemnly swear by:

• www.oldyorkcellars.com Index : 4
• Size / Competitiveness: The content writing jobs are high in demand but at the same time, there is enough requirement owing to the amount of content being generated on a daily basis across various platforms. The competition is medium. If you develop a niche, you can cut through the competition very effectively.

3.  Content Writer

This is different from Point 2 above, but is another way to write articles and make money in India. In this you write, but your writing may not get published in your name. It’s a great way to learn, but a Google search of your name may not throw up a ton of results. So while this maybe a good place to start, try to get at least a few pieces out on a regular basis as you get better.

To be a Freelance content writer all you need is a good internet connection, a laptop or a desktop and a decent command on English language which reflects in your writing.

If you are still confused about the difference between a creative writer and content writer, then let’s decipher that first.

A creative writer for magazines or online portals, usually the writer is credited and given a byline. The articles are on topics of your choice and you are expected to send a pitch before sending the full article. In most cases, you can also demand a price for the articles. While in pure content writing, you cannot choose the topic or the pay. And there are chances you might not be even credited as the writer of these write-ups. However, as long as you have strong research skills, a basic understanding of SEO (Search Engine Optimization, which is like the God of the internet), and are able to write on any topic basis that research, you can be a good content writer and earn money by writing articles.

In this line of work, your borders go beyond India, and if you are comfortable writing for, say, the American or the European market, you can even earn in dollars / Euros.

Know more!

There are dedicated sites (shared below) with various job listings shared for short-term projects ranging from translation, transcription, typing, drafting emails to writing articles, research reports, and listicles. The topics also vary from programming and marketing to business and finance. On some platforms like Problogger, Freelancer, and Freelance Writing, you also get ghostwriting projects for novels. You can bid for any project that interests you and if your bid is the best, the project is yours.

• Monthly earning from writing: (Range)  Newbie Rs,/-

                                                                                                Experienced Rs. ,/-

• Hours: Flexi
• Location: Remote
• Risk level: Medium
• Where to start: Start with websites where you can apply for freelancing projects. Some options of such International sites are:

Some options of such Indian sites are:

You can also start from Twitter (Search for Hashtag #CallforPitches to find relevant results), www.oldyorkcellars.com, Times Jobs, and Facebook groups. Topping the list of recommended FB groups is the Indian Copyeditors Forum. This group has a lot of freelance editors and copy editors as the name suggests, along with content writers and aspiring writers. This group is very well managed and they regularly conduct online workshops to train the members apart from sharing regular job openings, tips, and tricks on how to do it better and effectively, etc. Before COVID, they were conducting regular meet-ups in different cities too. The following groups share only job opportunities. Alternatively, you could also post your resume and seek projects:

• www.oldyorkcellars.com Index: 9
• Size / Competitiveness: High. As mentioned before, all one needs to do this job is a good command of English, a decent internet connection and a laptop/computer. It is imperative that one creates a niche to demand exclusivity in both work and payment.

Join the Book Club!

4.  Publishing House

Publishing house is made up of many people. There are editors, sub-editors, cover designers, marketing and PR team, acquisition team etc. Each one of these departments have an important role to play in the making of a book. Depending upon your area of interest, you could consider working for any of these departments in a publishing house. A job in publishing can be a great learning experience.

I started my career working at a hybrid publishing house briefly.  For a writer, the rejections, or the silence or ‘no reply’ from a publishing house might seem excruciating. But it is only when you work at a publishing house that you realise the reason behind it all.  Working with this Indian publisher, I learned the meaning of the slush piles (Industry Jargon for manuscripts submitted by first-time authors which have to be read), and why some manuscripts may not get more than ten minutes. I understood the importance of editing, designing, layout and most importantly of marketing a book. Writing a great book isn’t enough today. One has to ensure all the other departments do their share to make the book reach the readers.

There are many editors of leading publishing houses of India who are also published authors today like Siddhesh Inamdar (The Story of a long-distance marriage, ) and Anant (Play with me, ) to quote a few. Interestingly, Toni Morrison also began her publishing career as an editor at Random House’s textbook division in Syracuse while Margaret Atwood briefly worked with a Canadian publishing house, Anansi, as an editor.

The tips and tricks of the trade that you will learn while doing so, can also be helpful when your book is ready. You can then finally turn your dream of being a published author into reality and utilize all this information by practically applying it all.

• Monthly earning from writing : (Range) Newbie Rs. ,/-

                                                                           Experienced Rs. ,/-

• Hours: Fixed
• Location: Office
• Risk level: Low
• Where to start: An ideal candidate would be someone with a literature background who holds relevant qualifications too. However, if you are in the beginner&#;s category, you can always explore this possibility given that your language skills are par excellence along with a keen interest in literature. The best place to start with will be the official sites of these publishing houses which have a Work with us segment where they keep posting regular job openings in their organizations. Apart from that you can also try looking up Twitter (#JobsinPublishing).

• www.oldyorkcellars.com Index : 3
• Size / Competitiveness: From being an assistant editor to being the acquisition editors, the roles one can play in a publishing house are many. The competitiveness is medium.

5. Create your own blog and monetize it

Are you &#; or do you want to be recognized as &#; a subject matter expert in a niche area? Then blogging could be a great place to start with while you work on your book. This is a third way to write articles and earn money in India.

Say for example, you are working on a book based on the different forms of storytelling in India since ancient times. While your blog could talk about adapting storytelling as an important form of communication in various walks of life, you could also consider hosting workshops on storytelling.

Such blogs add value to your brand as an author as become a place to display your expertise on the subject and hence helps you create a loyal reader base which can help push book sales as and when you publish. Bloggers can earn good money and choose specific markets: they may focus on India, or look at non-Indian markets.

Also, blogging goes beyond just writing . Bloggers need to understand how pages rank on google, how to ensure your blog is in a strong niche so that it will rank and be able to make money. It is more like running a small business with writing as one of the operational components. In fact many bloggers land up outsourcing the writing bit.

Brazen Self Plugin: Himalayan Writing Retreat offers a Blogging Workshop with Sumit Bansal which covers all the aspects of how to make money from blogging and creating a passive income through it. Sumit Bansal leads the Blogging workshop at the Himalayan Writing Retreat. Sumit has been blogging since , and went full-time into it in The first blog that Sumit started was about Excel Spreadsheets.

Trumpexcel has become amongst the best Excel blogs in the world and enabled Sumit to quit his full-time job at IBM and live a life of freedom he always wanted. Sumit&#;s fascinating story was covered by Problogger podcast, IndieHacker, Ideamensch, Side Hustle School Podcast, and many other sites and publications.  In , CEO Magazine featured Trumpexcel as one of the “50 Emerging Startups to Watch in ”.

• Monthly earning from blogging : Zero &#; multi-lakhs.
• Hours: Flexi
• Location : WFH
• Risk level : High

Professional Blogging is entrepreneurship. It has all the risk that comes with a start-up. Even if you are driven and really at the top of your game, there is the chance of failing because of systemic things &#; like Google changing its algorithm, or Amazon reducing it’s affiliate fees etc. Besides, if you get into this full time, you may not have the time to write the book you dreamed of.

A blog can take years to make money, and even that comes with a question mark. Whichever niche you choose, you will need to master the skill, invest in tools (which can often be priced in US dollars) and put in a lot of time and effort. Take this &#; the Himalayan Writing Retreat blog &#; for example. We’ve been working consistently at it and it’s taken years of work for us to become strong enough on Google that you found us.

• Where to start : Study professional blogging and understand it from Google Uncle. Sumit Bansal’s website www.oldyorkcellars.com is also a great place to start. Of course, you can attend the course we have so subtly marketed above. Details of the next workshop are at www.oldyorkcellars.com .
• www.oldyorkcellars.com Index :  0
• Size / competitiveness : You can blog about a lot of things. People blog and make money about bizarre things like Aquarium accessories and balcony gardens, so you can choose a niche but it takes a lot of skill and perseverance. It is a highly competitive space.

6. Author Assistant

As we know, writing is a lonely profession. However, as you grow as a writer, there are many other jobs apart from writing that need your attention. These include research, responding to emails, handling social media accounts, coordination for administrative jobs like printouts, sourcing books for research, transcription of notes etc. And this is exactly why an author needs an assistant: to handle all of these things. With a competent assistant, an author can do what they love the most- write. Working as an author’s assistant has its own perks – you not only get to closely watch the publishing world, you also get to make your own contacts along with a list of tried and tested dos and don’ts. This is one job which has many perks to offer even after you quit it.

Having been a virtual assistant to quite a few authors &#; both from India and abroad &#;  since , I can say this from my experience that this is one job without a single dull moment every single day at work. This job allows you to witness the making of a book as a closely as possible and as a bonus, you get to be a part of the post-release process too.

• Monthly earning from writing: Rs. ,/-
• Hours: Fixed and Flexi (Depending on job role)
• Location : Office and remote (Both are possible, depending on author&#;s requirements)
• Risk level : Low
• Where to start: You can always start with well known authors whose work you admire and it falls in the line of work you intend to do. Say you wish to be a mythology writer, it makes sense to work with a renowned mythology writer to gain experience. You can write to them directly expressing your interest to work with them or get in touch through social media. If you are following them on social media already, chances are you will see their requirements for assistants from time to time.
• www.oldyorkcellars.com Index : 0
• Size / Competitiveness: Very few openings, highly competitive.

7. Writer-in-making

Last but not the least, you can try and make it as a writer. In all of the above you’ll have to write what other people want but if you want to make a living off your writing, then you can consider what some aspiring authors have done.

For starters move to a smaller city or town, which drastically brings down your cost of living. Thereafter, consider offering your services part-time in a manner that you earn a sustainable income while using the other half of the day in writing and research. Your services could include taking writing workshops, tutoring students and aspiring writers, writing literary thought-pieces for prominent websites, using your skills as a writer to provide critique to budding writers’ manuscripts and mentoring young and aspiring writers.

In the words of an aspiring writer who has been practicing this since the last five years, “It is advisable only if you are willing to become a minimalist in every aspect of your life. From socializing to spending habits, everything needs to be realigned to match your goal which is to write.&#;

• Monthly earning from writing: Rs. /- (for most except Ashwin, Amish & Co)
• Hours: Flexi
• Location : WFH
• Risk level : High

Click HERE to know more!

Some of the most prominent authors in India are not full-time career writers. Twinkle Khanna is a successful interior designer apart from being a best-selling writer. Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee and Elif Shafak teach creative writing at leading universities while continuing to conjure heart-warming stories. Sudha Murthy is an engineering teacher along with being the chairperson for Infosys Foundation.

Kiran Manral was a journalist previously and is now an independent research and media consultant. While Anita Desai is the Emerita John E. Burchard Professor of Humanities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, another prominent author who shares her name, Anita Nair, hosts an annual writing workshop at the famous “Anita’s Attic” in Bengaluru. See our list of writing workshops in India to know more.

Ravi Subramaniam is a banker who writes. Ravinder Singh has a publishing house of his own, apart from mentoring entrepreneurs and start-ups. On the other hand, we also have authors like Chetan Bhagat, Durjoy Dutta and Sudeep Nagarkar who have managed to make a career out of writing and earn decently well.

While Chetan Bhagat needs no introduction, bestselling author Durjoy Dutta is also a screenplay writer with many critically acclaimed television shows and series to his credit, apart from of course, his best-selling titles. A software engineer by qualification, Sudeep Nagarkar has recently made the shift to being a full-time writer and is currently working on his next book along with some screenplays in the pipeline. Internationally acclaimed award-winning authors like Neel Mukherjee and Amit Chaudhuri opted for academia while continuing to write on the side.

So choosing writing as a career and being a full-time author is a tough proposition. Let me share some simple math about how writers (don’t) make money.

1. Books published traditionally

Traditional Publishers give a royalty of 8% to a writer. Let&#;s assume that you write a book, and a publisher like Penguin Random-House or some such gives you a book deal. That itself is a big deal if you’re a first timer, as the industry has a rejection rate of 95% for manuscripts.

But let&#;s assume your manuscript is accepted. Further, let&#;s assume your book sells copies (which is higher than the industry average of ) and is priced at rupees.

So you make 8% of = 20 rupees per book. You sell copies, which gets you X20= , rupees for your book. Now if your book took about a year to write and publish (most take longer), that works out to a monthly salary of ,/12 = approximately / month. This puts you in the same income category of your building security guard. In today&#;s India he may hold a PhD, but let’s not change the subject.

If you are thinking of the advances given to authors for their books, then here’s a perspective on that as well.

Meena Kandaswamy is the author of When I hit you (Shortlisted for the Women&#;s Prize for Fiction). Exquisite Cadavers is her second book.

Preti Taneja is the award winning author of We are that young

You can try looking up the hashtag #PublishingPaidMe  on Twitter to get an idea about how publishing works. Though the trend was started for Black authors, the numbers and confessions which have come up in this trend are a harsh reality check for every author, irrespective of whether they are published or still waiting to be published. And this penurious state of authors is true in most parts of the globe.

Yes, there are those few famous names above who make crores from writing, but we’re talking average here. If you’re convinced you’re exceptional, the above math doesn’t apply to you.  Go for it.

2. Film and web-series rights

This is a big area where writers can cash in. Film rights, or even selling the Option to your book can earn hefty incomes. Take the example of Karan Bajaj. Karan is a successful published author whose books have been published in both India and the US, and have sold over 1,80, Yet, 58% of his income from books has come through Film Contracts. (Source : Karan Bajaj’s blog).

Despite making money from writing books, he argues against quitting your full time job. “The muse doesn’t follow a yearly schedule!” he says. Quite unlike the security of the monthly paycheque. That means there is always an element of risk in trying to be a full time author.

3. Professional speaking

A few writers who go aggressively after the professional speaking space can make money from writing in that way. This comes with fame, or with developing a niche in which to speak. Chetan Bhagat is reputed to charge anywhere between Rs. 5 & 10 Lakhs for a one hour talk, while Devdutt Patnaik and others are in the same league. Our co-founder Chetan Mahajan has also done some professional speaking, and his very first (and discounted) speaking gig earned him more money than all the royalty from his book “The Bad Boys of Bokaro Jail” (Penguin, ).

We spoke to Kiruba Shankar, the founder and President of the Professional Speakers Association of India (PSAI). He is a highly paid speaker himself and the author of five books. “Both writing and speaking are strongly correlated.” Kiruba says, “Both are ways to express ideas and thoughts. Speaking gives you an extra platform to spread the word about writing and gives you an extra audience. Also, speaking is certainly a good source of income. That&#;s what we specialise at the Professional Speakers Association of India.&#;

We further asked Kiruba if writing a book had any impact on a speaker’s fees. “Huge impact. Authoring a book on a topic immediately conveys one&#;s authority and keenness on the subject. When conference organizers look for professional speakers they always look for a speaker who has authored a book on that subject. The book lends so much credibility to the speaker.” And while this might largely be true for non-fiction, it can also be relevant for some fiction genres.

Kiruba also talked to us about how picking a niche area of expertise, and positioning yourself as a speaker-writer with expertise in that specific field helps getting speaking gigs. We will publish an article on speaking as a source of income for writers soon.

4. Become a KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) Author

In the last few years, Kindle publishing has been a preferred mode of publishing by a lot of debut authors looking to earn money in India. There are many reasons for it &#; one is of course the ease of access, second is the ‘instant publication’ it offers. Login into KDP, upload a cover with the manuscript, enter a few basic details and at the click of a button, your book is now available across the world. Isn’t that simply wonderful? In a world where everything from our food to messaging apps are instant, such a publishing option is definitely a hot favourite. The best part is, KDP offers a royalty of upto 70% to an author which is directly credited to your bank account every month.

KPD authors tend to be very prolific, and you need an endless supply of ideas/storylines along with a good editor, cover designer and a strong marketing plan. Popular authors on KDP in India include Sundari Venkatraman,  Aarti V Raman, Laxmi Hariharan, Saravana Kumar Murugan etc. who publish a new book every months and earn a decent income from their royalty. The key to their success is consistency. They have been consistent in everything &#; from writing to marketing. They are now career writers, thanks to Kindle.

Do watch this informative video by Sundari Venkataraman done in collaboration with KDP where she talks about the ‘art of self-publishing’.

Even popular author Preeti Shenoy who brings out one book a year, keeps releasing short novellas in between her books on Kindle. According to her, it helps her stay on a reader’s mind for long. Traditional publishing can take time and sometimes, if the book gets delayed the gap between one book and another can make a reader forget you quickly and move on to the next popular author. It is imperative for an author to stay on a reader’s mind as long as possible, either through regular book releases or through social media posts.

On the other hand, we also have Indian authors like Savi Sharma, Neil D’Silva and Pankaj Giri who have managed to bag traditional deals after making a debut on Kindle.

It is also a good choice if your chosen genre is extremely unique and risky for traditional publishing. Like author Neil D’silva says, &#;I opted for KDP because I did not want to go through the long pitching process that traditional publishing entails. Amazon KDP looked very promising to me as it was an instant publication. Also, my first book was horror and the content was quite hard-hitting. I was almost sure that no traditional publisher would publish such bold content. Ten books later, I am published with major traditional houses such as Penguin, Rupa, and Hachette, but I still publish a few books with Amazon KDP just because I love the experience.”

Apart from the instant gratification it brings to authors, KDP also gives a lot of freedom and control to authors. D’silva further adds, ”Amazon KDP gives the author full control over copyrights and you can keep tweaking your pricing and marketing strategies, which can be a great learning ground for new authors as well as established authors who want to keep the control of their books with themselves.“

Good writing seldom goes unnoticed. It is just a matter of time that a good publishing house notices your ability to write stories and sell them to readers, before offering a traditional deal to you. The word that needs to be noticed here is “sell”. These authors managed to sell their books on Kindle, which is important to be noticed by publishers. Savi Sharma managed to sell ebooks of her debut novel on Kindle before getting traditional publishing offers from a lot of leading publishing houses. She finally chose to go with Westland and has been consistently delivering one bestseller after another till date for them.

As you can see, the information here is deep and rich. This has taken some very thorough research and deep insight. Much of this information is from deep personal struggle and discovery. It was a big decision to put all this out there, but we decided we really want to give the newbie writer a leg up.

This list is as permanent as our fickle world &#; we will update it from time to time. Currently, we have listed here some of the things which have been tried successfully by quite a few writers. The money it brings along might not be huge to begin with, but is enough for a decent survival. Although you may need to scale down your lifestyle a bit, hopefully it won&#;t be for too long. As you get better you will be able to earn more over time as you move from “Novice” to “Experienced” categories.

Of course, there must also be many other ways to earn as a writer, waiting to be explored. If you know of any other ways through which a writer can earn in India while continuing to chase their dream of publishing a book, do share with us in the comments below and we will add them to this list.

Disclaimer: The above is our opinion based on our worldview. It could be completely accurate or complete bunkum. Please do not base any career decisions solely on this, but treat this as one of many sources. We take no legal responsibility if you don&#;t make it as a writer. Too many writers are discovered and celebrated only late in life, or not celebrated in their lifetimes at all. On that happy note, cheerio!

Click HERE to know more!

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