10 Sites That Pay Writers $50 to $1000 Per Article
Some as short as 500 words
It’s the dream for many of us. Writing from home. And not just writing, but getting real pay. Here’s a list of sites that pay freelance writers. All are currently taking submissions. I checked for you.
Before you submit to any of these sites…
Submitting your writing to paid outlets is not like posting on free sites like Quora, LinkedIn or Medium. There are 2 things you must know…
Careless submissions kill opportunity for everyone…
Many sites that used to take submissions no longer do. The more bad pitches and shoddy submissions a site receives, the less likely they are to accept posts from writers in the wild, much less offer to pay decent rates.
One of the sites listed below mentioned that they no longer send rejection letters because of the high volume of submissions that aren’t even about the topics they’re looking for. That’s just not okay. You know?
Read the guidelines carefully….
In every case, I’ve linked to the writer guidelines. Please — read them. But even more so — read the articles they’ve accepted. It will give you a feel for the tone and publication. Tone and feel is more important than you’d realize.
10 Websites That Pay Writers $50-$1000 Per Article
If you’ve never written for paid sites before, I suggest starting with the lower paying jobs. As you find success in those, then look for higher paying jobs.
It hurts much more to get rejected from a $500 or $1000 gig because of lack of experience. So don’t start there. Start smaller and work up. Making a name for yourself is a process. You know?
1. Money Pantry
Rate: $30 — $150 Length: Not less than 700 words. Preferably 1000–2000 words
Write about anything to do with earning or saving money, especially unusual ideas and strategies everyday people can use. If you’ve ever earned or saved money in an unusual way, they want to hear from you.
Here’s the fun part. Write as often as you want. They welcome all writers, whether you want to write daily, weekly, monthly, or one-time.
Please note — The quality of your writing and usefulness of your ideas will determine your pay rate. Read the submission guide. Twice.
Submission Guide: https://moneypantry.com/contribute/
2. Funds for Writers
Rate: $50 for unpublished original articles; $15 for reprints Length: 550–650 words
FFW is looking for articles related to earning a living as a writer. For example, unique ways you’ve earned income, unique markets, writing contests, seasonal opportunities for writers or pretty much anything to help writers earn a little more income slinging words.
What they don’t want — writing tips, plot tips, or any theoretical ideas that aren’t backed up by experience, examples or resources.
Please note — they have a list of what “not” to do, like no text-speak, don’t use all-caps, etc. The vast majority of rejections are because people didn’t bother to read the submission guide.
Submission Guide: https://fundsforwriters.com/submissions/
3. Just Parents
Rate: $50 per post Length: 700–1,500
If you can write about parenting in an engaging way, Just Parents accepts informational pieces on pregnancy or parenting, or a light-hearted opinion pieces on an aspect of parenthood.
Lifestyle/opinion pieces should contain personal stories that connect with the reader. Think “knowledgeable friend giving advice” or sharing fun stories.
Please note — While they have global readership, they are a UK publication and prefer UK spellings. (ie colour/color)
Submission Guide: https://www.justparents.co.uk/write-for-justparents/
4. The Change Agent
Rate: $50 per article Length: 200–1000 words
The Change Agent is a biannual magazine for adult educators and learners. It was created as a low-cost teaching resource to help adult educators include social justice and awareness in their teaching programs.
Twice per year, they put out a new “topic” for submissions. For example, the current topic is mental health. On Nov. 2, the topic will change and they’ll accept submissions on the new topic until May.
Please note — When you get there, also read the call for submissions guide. This is essentially a resource guide for adult-ed teachers who want to be more culturally aware. To be blasé about this one would be so disrespectful.
Submission Guide: https://changeagent.nelrc.org/write-for-us/
5. B. Michelle Pippin
Rate: $50 — $150 per accepted piece Length: Not specified, written or video
Are you an expert in something business-related? Do you know a time, profit or marketing “hack” that will help business owners and entrepreneurs increase their income, impact or influence?
Have you mastered something most business owners struggle with? Have you come up with productivity tips that work for you? If so, this might be a great opportunity for you to get paid for sharing what you’ve learned.
Please note — Don’t submit finished articles. They want you to reach out with an idea. Also, they request “first rights” for 90 days before you can publish the piece anywhere else. They also pay for video posts.
Submission Guide: https://www.bmichellepippin.com/get-paid-to-share-your-expertise-with-us/
6. Insteading
Rate: $50 per accepted article Length: 1,000–2,000 words
Insteading readers are active gardeners, beekeepers, environmentalists, and many other things. They range from newbies looking to plant their first raised garden to advanced homesteaders.
Their core topics are gardening, animals, wildlife, building, homesteading and sustainable energy. It’s a fascinating span of topics.
Please note — They have room for ongoing writers they pay on a monthly basis. Those spots are for writers they’ve worked with a number of times. There is a writer guideline at the bottom of the link below. Do read it. :)
Submission Guide: https://insteading.com/write-for-us/
7. Writers Weekly
Rate: $60 per article for first rights ($30 U.S. for reprints) Length: 600 words
WW focuses on selling the written word. They’re also interested in other forms of home-based business and self-employment that result from writing, such as self-publishing, corporate writing, etc.
All ideas that help writers support themselves performing the work they love are welcomed, provided they haven’t covered the topic on the past 2 years.
Other topics of interest include writing for markets of a specific genre, unique book marketing ideas, and anything that isn’t already done-to-death
Please note — They have a long list of things not to submit, and are very clear that if writers can’t be bothered to read their guide, they can’t be bothered to respond. Getting paid to write is a mutual endeavor.
Submission Guide: https://writersweekly.com/writersweekly-com-writers-guidelines
8. GoDaddy Garage
Rate: starts at $100 per article average, but can vary Length: Varies
Do you own a small business and think others would enjoy hearing your story or learning from your experience? Are you a designer or developer with writing chops? Are you a freelance writer interested in exploring topics of interest to our readers? If so, you can write for GoDaddy’s blog.
They are looking for both freelance writers and guest contributors. They seek writers who speak in a strong voice with a tone that’s fun and conversational. Or, as they put it — people who can write with authority while keeping it real.
Your article can be about website design, working with clients, growing a business, managing a business, and a lot more. They provide a very long list of topic suggestions. You’ll also get a byline in addition to getting paid.
Please note — Read the submission guide and follow their instructions.
Submission Guide: https://www.godaddy.com/garage/contribute/
9. Copyhackers
Rate: $325 starting rate Length: 2000+ words preferred, but they accept shorter
For most people, this sit is not a starting point. This is a site you submit to when you’re sure of your writing chops. If they accept you, they promise you’ll get a tons of FB shares, tweets, backlinks, and signups to your list.
Copyhackers is an entire site devoted to copywriting and freelance writing. There is a very (very!) long list of topics they are looking for, from writing to headlines to open rates and UX and tons more. Tons more.
Click the “topics you know a sh*t-ton about” tab to see the full list.
Please note — They accept roughly 1 in 50 pitches. Most submissions are garbage from people who didn’t read the submission guide. Read their submission guide very thoroughly. More than once. They pay too well to mess this one up.
Submission Guide: https://copyhackers.com/write-for-us-2/
10. Bitch Media
Rate: $150 — $1000 Length: xx
Bitch media is looking for submissions that offer a feminist analysis of culture. They define “culture” very broadly, including cultural attitudes and myths, social trends as well as movies, TV shows, web series, books, internet subcultures, and the like.
It also includes politics, science, health, life, food, parenting, chronic illness, relationships, religion, activism, education, climate change, and more. So basically, a feminist perspective on pretty much everything.
They publish a quarterly print magazine and online content 5 days a week. They accept content for both magazine and online, as well as illustration.
Please note — On the submission page, you’ll find separate guidelines for online and magazine submissions. Read them. Any submissions that don’t follow their guides will be automatically rejected and you won’t receive a response.
Submission Guide: https://www.bitchmedia.org/writers-guidelines
A few notes in closing…
Getting paid for your writing is a wonderful feeling. But it’s important to know that paying markets are far more competitive than posting on free sites where anyone can post.
Typing and writing are not the same. Anyone with a keyboard can type. If you’ve never written for paying sites before, it’s possible that your writing might need some work.
There are gifted writers who just seem to kick butt naturally. That’s not most of us. Most of us need to learn to write.
The first time I wrote for a magazine, it was only by the grace of God and a kind editor who saw potential in me that I didn’t get rejected outright. I needed to learn to be more concise.
You might need to learn to structure story. You might need practice at writing in the “feel” of the publication. Those are all learnable.
When you do submit pieces, make sure you bring a fresh topic or a fresh perspective and a strong voice. You’ll increase your odds of being accepted.
You can do it. Happy writing!
“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.” — Stephen King
