From JK Rowling to Salman Rushdie, there are plenty of examples to prove that writing and publishing are some of the highest-paying and most rewarding fields of all time.
From editorials to sales, marketing you can choose from a variety of disciplines as the publishing industry is so vast and brimming with job opportunities.
Of course, it depends on your area of expertise and interest.
You don’t always have to be a writer to be in the publishing business. There are so many processes that come into play to create a manuscript into a full-fledged book.
1. Book Editors
Book editors still make up the most important part of the publishing workforce. From finding new writers to reviewing their work and edit their books, the efforts of editors are indispensable to the publishing industry.
Strong writing skills and an eye for detail with a penchant for storytelling will help you with this field.
Copy editors are the ones who review and proofread content before it gets finalized for publishing.
From grammatical errors to contextual and political considerations, including or excluding certain points, the job requires a lot of precision, and you can work full time, part-time, or even freelance.
3. Literary Agents
With publishing houses being flooded with manuscripts every day, the presence of literary agents makes the job of finding literary talent easier.
The first step to getting your book published in today’s times is to find yourself a literary agent who can forward your manuscript to the publisher. They have the sense to make a marketable and attractive draft and are responsible for filtering out the good writers from the mediocre.
Literary scouts are involved in scanning books written and published by foreign authors or even films and documentaries for being adapted into books by publishing houses.
A lot of experience as an editor and also the ability to look for innovative and unique content is imperative.
5. Publicists
The importance of the brand building is undisputed for any organization today, be it a corporate firm or a publishing house. This is where publicists come into play.
From working towards garnering media attention for their books and authors to designing strategies for promoting books along with reviewers, critics, media houses, to name a few, good interpersonal skills and a way with people is required to make a good publicist. Also, crisis management is of utmost importance.
Many dream of the possibility that they will be able to create a career with National Geographic one day. Travel writing can give additional detailed information about destination and travel. The competitions are stiff for the top Travel Writers in the UK.
Working can be challenging, and sometimes money is not great unless you apply yourself. Travel writing appears in blogs that share people’s adventures and feature stories in magazines and guides like Lonely Planet.
How do I become a travel writer?
Travel Writing has become more demanded and popular with clients as a career. Aspiring newcomers often succeed after years of freelance writing. Travel writers use their schedules based on a system they work with. They always travel; full of ideas, and produce beautiful content to fill their wandering souls with meaning.
Once you become a travel writer, you won’t go back. You maybe get free rewards as compensation for your expertise! It happens unless you work in an agency with your boss. Here is a step-by-step process.
#1. Create your website
Your website is considered an online portfolio. Register your own identity, i.e., you need a website to put your work in it. Luckily today, it’s cheap and looks professional. Make a profile on the Twitter account where you should say you’re a travel writer.
And don’t stop there. Find yourself a Twitter page to check that you’re a travel journalist. If the client likes your work, it’s better to give them feedback to have your work see your website and your social media profiles.
#2. Register on travel writer websites
There are several travel websites which we recommend registered visitors to visit regularly. I’ve always heard Lonely Planet recommend Travel Writing. Some websites provide website travel information.
#3. Get on social media
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest are three websites of interest Travel writers should use. Being on social media is very important with travel writers. You create a community that values your work and is hungry for more. Praise the people who are now in your corner of the internet.
Engage them genuinely, and they’ll last loyal to you. Every popular social networking site has algorithms that you can learn about to make sure your audience sees your content. Don’t post destructive content with good photos or bad resumés if you’ve already written 10 short posts in one morning.
#4. Create a website and start a blog
With an idea and click, it is now possible to lock down your website domain and start blogging! No need to pay for someone to do it for you! Bluehost can host your website, or you can create beautiful blogs with WordPress or Squarespace.
Add a personalized website with facts about you, your story photos or video material, and your articles, and you have a professional online portfolio. Your website will serve as a link to people searching for your content on the internet and provide opportunities for potential employers to see a wide range of your fantastic work.
#5. Read constantly
The only good way to improve your writing skills is to learn to travel more from other writers. Pick up books by people like William Bryson, Paul Theroux, and Jack Kerouac and read them cover to cover. Read things that aren’t about travel, such as books written by the “Greats” and older writers.
This is a great way to learn new writing genres and figure out what makes each author so appealing. Yes! You now can fuse some of the skills of these artists into your artistic gifts to write good and unique story writing.
#6. Write constantly
Suppose you are going to become a travel writer, you have to practice writing. Think of an excellent encounter you made on the street. Relive memories when you think of those adventures that you did in childhood with the parents you knew. Get detailed.
#7. Develop the right mindset
Have faith in your ability to write, be a good story maker, and do everything to improve and refine your skills. Continuously learn and be better. Now more than ever, it’s much more challenging to get your name out here to get considered for any travel writing position.
Gather all the tools you want and come up with a game plan with the steps I’ve already mentioned, and plan on writing many storylines. Gather your materials and prepare on your own for travel writer work and make sure you have the right name for a job in the top food chain.
#8. Be able to travel
You can be a full-time worker with kids to care for. Even less of that will stop you from travelling. Keep the fact you don’t have to take an international holiday to get the “real” trip. Visit another municipality for an overnight trip by bike trip or a weekend getaway.
You’ll be amazed at the adventures you discover near you! If you want to write books for travellers and sell your writing, you’ll get what it takes to make it happen. Your specific obstacles demand particular trouble solving, and you should work them out.
#9. Take better photos and videos.
Online courses will help you be a better travelled and professional video photographer. These courses enable you to improve your pictures and videos, avoid editing them too much and polish your content as much as possible.
Some job sites for travelling and business writers use the video accompanying the work. However, you should learn to use a DSLR or a cellphone camera. Some courses have helped improve your travel photography or videography, such as skillshare.
#10. Network!
Go to travelling writing workshops or courses writing and share your peers’ contact information. Several different annual seminars are offered across the year at various locations. If you are particularly ambitious, make some business cards for your fellow travel writer.
#11. Pick a niche or don’t.
Niches are the kind of travel writing you want. Why should I focus on travelling with family or cheaply? Are you an expert in solo travelling or travelling in a couple?
In recent years picking a niche was less of a necessity for travel writers to stand out and more of an option. If you have good writing and strategy, you can always be heard. If your writer is good, chances are you’ll listen to the other way.
#12. Pitch your writing when you’re ready
Explore the papers you want to participate in and put yourself in the chair. Find these editors and use their names in your email pitch.
Keep it brief and sweet and packed with the intention and valuable content of your content. Use the names of editors in your email pitch to impress the editor and use them as references to the content you want to write for the publication.
#13. Email your favourite brands, bloggers, and travel writers about collaborating
Check out the contact page of your favourite travel gear manufacturer to get a possible product rating. Reach out via their company email and try to make an article in exchange for exposure from their website. If you want the company to help you with their vision or goals, get in touch, contact them as well!
In addition, if you’re working on a travel novel, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the author via their contact email.
#14. Decide what kind of writing you want to do
Do you like to write guides and hotel reviews, ebooks, and magazines? What if travel writing can be done solo? There is no one place like the Traveler for service items! If your idea is unique to your experience, have a strong voice, you stand out significantly higher than the sea of travel content. Create the content you’re proud to be of.
#15. Let your friends, teachers, and family critique your writing
If people have a good deal of poor communication skills, then they can always have someone read your work for them. You never know what minor slip-ups fresh eyes can catch or help you improve. Find support services that will help you become a travel writer.
How can I earn money from freelance travel writing?
Avoid cliches when writing
Try writing a feature as if you were speaking with your best friend (then leave them on and edit later). Start your story from the exciting and memorable part, then add context. Concentrate on how you felt when you travelled and what you experienced in your journey.
These are a quick way to create an exciting feature. The Matador Network – a travel resource site for modern adventurers – is an excellent source for writing tips.
Start a blog
Thousands of authors have blogged their work solely for their articles. Certain writers were in books. Some got printing gigs. Some recognize how the writing meant nothing to the random reader. Are you interested in starting?
Start exploring
Get out here and see as much of your local city as a tourist. Some think reading about the neighborhood itself is a good starting place. Those interested can find a way to view the world through writing and sharing about local food and nightlife areas and reading my tips on becoming a tourist in my home city: Food and nightlife hotspots in London, New York, Paris.
Put yourself out there.
Show some easy ways to gain more space or money within industries? Get out of the room! Start your travel blog or register in the community contribution network. Start a solid social media channel like Instagram and TikTok to share your travel story.
Learn something about our content maker community at 6-two by Six-two. Back to the pages, you came here: Share your travel pictures and stories with us on Twitter at 6-2. Return to MailOnline home to contact us at the bottom of the page. Contact 08415709090 or see [link] to get travel news.
Redefine the genre of travel writing.
Travel writing includes hotel reviews and hotel destination guidebooks. These can be found in books and magazines. But traveling books are more than writing services. As it relates to everything, everyone moves and settles in travel. And we so tell stories about this experience as being travel.
Even if some editors do not see the issue this way, it is simply journey-writing in the broader sense.
Make connections
Try reaching out by logging on to Twitter to follow your friends. Joining local, specialized Facebook groups can help too. Some communities also have yearly business groups and some events in this region that people can attend.
Release all your feelings on the road to have good connections to other people if you want the opportunity to earn more money as a travel writer and develop a network to get the work done on your books or your online site/site.
Edit your work
Sending sloppy code to a potential editor can be a simple way to keep things safe in your book. Read your story out loud to improve your reading capacity. If you cannot check your spelling or grammar, use a tool such as Grammarly.
Ask a family member to come by if they’ve gotten something from the book you’re not. For the next step in the job, you’ll have to be used to others seeing your work. Learn how to become a freelance travel writer from a person who has tried.
Pitch yourself
You don’t need any magic formula for becoming a travel writer, but as soon as you follow the following steps, you might have some things worth sharing with you. Not all listen to the pitches. Patience is good.
It’s essential too. Look at our 6-2 community writing network for great examples of inspiring and unforgettable travel writing from Contiki’s community authors.
Invest in yourself.
MatadorU teaches you business in this field. Travel writing photography training and film training teach travel writing businesses and their techniques.
Stop procrastinating and start writing
Mark Twain once said: write what you know and share that knowledge with others. This is a typical recommendation you receive in the media. Your first draft could be fantastic.
But it could be sucky. But it’ll be fine. You will refine, rewrite and find your voice’s unique tone and master your craft. Eventually, though, you get that voice from every single thing you’re written.
Learn when to break the rules of writing you’ve been taught.
Travel writing challenges can be especially tough to face as young travelers may have unprepared themselves for what they were taught at school. Don t be afraid of game form or breaking rules. Inflexible and nuanced, not narratives – the novelist says.
Always write in the third person and every tale should contain an introduction.
Don’t tell the reader what to think
Too often, traveling fiction is characterized by trying to tell the reader what to think or feel. The ways we experience ‘extra exotics’ and treat those as precious and the ways mainly we see persons shape dramatically the way we talk about them and the impression that our interpretations leave the reader.
Get a writing partner
Writing comes in a quiet phase sometimes. Having a co-author is invaluable. Participation in a writer’s group can be even more helpful in that it provides you with a strong writing community that is open to all writers and constructive feedback.
Look for stories everywhere.
Most exciting stories don’t await your discoveries far away somewhere. Instead, they are just below you on ground level.
Develop your online presence.
Use these social media platforms for communication and connection to your fellow writer, editor, and readers.
So, this is how you can become a travel writer and get paid for it. If you have the eye for writing, then get started. This job is incredible.
Looking for the answer to “what are the top Freelance writing jobs?”
Before knowing the top freelance writing jobs, it is essential to learn to freelance? The freelancing space is for those who wish to be self-employed. They are self-employed people who don’t work at a particular company but still work for several of them!
Companies often hire freelancers to do a specific task, work, or a job, after which they are paid for their jobs by their employers or company, after which they are on to their next job!
A freelancer does not need only to take one job at hand, and they can simultaneously take up multiple projects at any given point of time for the same client or others. Still, just like any other job, this requires a lot of commitment and a good time management system. Since freelancer has deadlines that they have to adhere to, they need to have a prepared timetable that gives them enough time to finish their projects comfortably.
Freelancing is a booming space mainly because of the advantage of working on projects for your clients from anywhere in the world! Remote work is a dream for all our fellow writers, obviously, secondly, being your own boss is another perk as well!
But as a freelancer, the location is seldom an issue as you can be in a beautiful forest working on your project for a client or be in the midst of the mountains as well!
As long as you have a stable internet connection and your resources (Laptop, mobile.), you are good! Freelance writers require only one tool that heavily aids them in their writing job, and that is their way with words. Top writing gigs can be yours if you keep upgrading your communication, language, and writing skills.
It is a widely misunderstood concept that people assume that to have a freelance writing career, one needs to be interested in academic writing or need some excellent writing skills; however, what makes a successful freelance writer is how well researched, and informative your article is!
So now that you know what freelance writing is and what freelance writers do, let’s see what are the top freelance writing jobs, and what we can do to get an amazing writing gig!
Upwork is one of the best freelance writing job platforms out of numerous sites globally that provide beginners and professional freelancers a chance to earn well and begin their journey in the freelance writing business.
As a freelance writer, you must discover your writing niche, which means what subject of writing are you interested in? It can be SEO writing, writing on social media platforms, copywriting jobs, or even technical writing! Upwork is an amazing way to find writing gigs and online writing jobs, especially for new freelance writers.
Paid freelance writing jobs might look intimidating when you begin since the first freelance writing job is always an uncertain experience. However, the more writing samples you put out there, you will get more writing jobs. Upwork pays writers well, due to which it is the go-to place for most freelance writers. It is the ideal marketplace for writing jobs from all areas.
The art of cold pitching ( The best way to get a freelance writing job)
The dream for all successful freelance writers is to have a recurring client who remembers you every time they need some article writing done! The best way is to land a client through the art of cold pitching directly.
There Is no doubt that freelance writing work can also be done through various sites, but when freelance writers now approach the client, such clients might build a long-term relationship with the freelance writers and trust them with many writing jobs.
How do we begin cold pitching?
To begin with, cold pitching is the first and foremost aspect of knowing your niche and the subject of writing that you are interested in. As I said earlier, it can be short stories, editing jobs, blogging jobs, search engine optimization, digital marketing, or more.
When you know your niche, you can then locate business, companies, and writer jobs related to that niche. The job search must be connected to your place. For example, If you are interested in writing about cosmetics, you can send a mail to a company like Nykaa or dove expressing how much you value their products and how you wish to start—writing for them!
Every company has job opportunities for enthusiastic writers. When you approach a company or a business, knowing about them, understanding their products, what they do is essential. Maybe they lack a blog post or, instead, job ads that you can assist them with. In this way, you can add value to their company. Having writing samples along with you is also of great help! It aids the employer in hiring writers after reviewing their writings.
When you present your pitch for any job postings, it is essential to mention how you heard of them or what caused you to show interest in their company. Most importantly, describe yourself in the least amount of words, but with as much precision as you can. Many freelance writers fail to introduce themselves correctly, which causes them to lose out on many freelance writing jobs online. Lastly, exactly what value can you add as a freelance writer to their company or business?
The last question is the most important, and I come back to my first point, your freelance writing niche must be given primary importance so that this question can be answered as professionally as possible.
The Power of LinkedIn (A way to begin a freelance writing business)
LinkedIn is one of the most underrated and unused writing opportunities that most content writing individuals miss. LinkedIn is a paradise for a freelance writer from a remote job to high-paying clients! Networking and connecting with potential clients on LinkedIn is a sure-shot way of building great relationships and, in turn, great-paying jobs.
The job section on LinkedIn can connect you to the companies you desire, and I know some companies or individuals might not require a freelance writer but try your luck! The company page on LinkedIn must have an email, so what are you waiting for? Please send an email to them expressing your wish to provide them with your freelance writing services.
No company in the world does not require the skill of writing, and this is the most significant opportunity for a freelance writer, the worst that can happen is that they might tell you that the job is not available, but at least one or a few of them will require your services! You have to keep going!
Journalismjobs.com (for freelance writers)
Journalismjobs.com is an innovative and helpful site that offers many remote job opportunities to hire freelance writers, both part-time and full-time jobs!
It provides freelance writers with all opportunities, ranging from content writing jobs to proofreading jobs, money writing, editing posts, and more.
It provides wiring work in different fields and has a diverse range of industries that you can work with and explore, ranging from the technology industry with several electronic products to the acting industry, where dialogues, scripts, and stories are discussed as well! This website will never run out of options!
Knowing the types of freelance writing niches
1. Technical content writing jobs
A good technical writer knows all the technical terms and ways about the product they are writing for! For those who opt for technical writing jobs, the scope for subjectivity is very minimal. Everything goes by facts and figures, money writing, for example, or writing about an instrument.
All the information that needs to be comprehended by your reader must be well put, for which your writing skills must be strong, and it will not be a problem since there are many online courses where you can master your writing skills.
Technical writing demands unbiased information about a particular topic or product, and if you are a freelance writer who is good at descriptive writing, then this is for you!
This is quite self-explanatory and is usually for those who wish to start freelance writing. A web content freelance writer writes for the internet and is open to all types of content work, such as a freelance copywriter, editor, and many such writing jobs! The freelance writing jobs online are limitless since the nature of the job is such where it can vary from product to product.
When a freelance writer writes on the web, he must do his research on the product he is writing about and, most importantly, the keywords he is using while writing about the product. Search results, search engine optimization, and many such concepts must be well-read by the writer.
Using relevant keywords can increase your reach on the Internet, and the primary motive of wiring online is to get maximum traffic to the page with your article.
3. Articles in newspapers or finding magazine writing jobs
As technology has advanced over the years, there are several offline and online jobs in media as well! Newspapers and magazines are now not only paperback but also online. Many writing jobs involve documenting and writing several events for digital newspapers from a completely unbiased perspective. However, several magazines talk about lifestyle, travel, food, fashion.
Such magazines are pretty informal and simply require a good command of your language and information on those particular topics that the freelance writers write about. Apart from magazines, many websites such as Kirkus media, Reedsy discovery, and book browse pay you to write book reviews!
P.S.: if you are a reader, this is just for you! It is a mistake to think that reading is a skill that you cannot monetize. For all the readers out there, your reviews on the books you read are precious and can be utilized by many individuals and companies worldwide!
4. Guest post
A guest post is essentially the art of writing for someone else’s website! Yes! There is a market for that too! For all those freelance writers who are skilled in SEO (search engine optimization) and have a way with words, a guest post is a great way to explore your talent.
A company hires freelance writers to write for their website in a way to gain more traffic, the freelance writers must know what keywords to use and how to attract traffic on the website.
Creating your blog
Many times when you approach a client or sign up for freelance writing jobs, the client or the company often wants to inquire about your style of writing, examples as to how and what you write about, and so it is essential to have sample writings of your own!
Some freelance writers choose to keep their sample writings in a document somewhere amid their other laptop files, but that exudes low confidence to the client, and so, whatsoever you write, make sure you post it online!
Many sites act as job boards such as BlogSpot, Wix, Weebly, medium that aid you in creating your blog! Having your blog shows that you have the confidence to publish your work online and take full accountability for it. As a freelance writer, you must exude trust and capability to your client, which is a small way!
Apart from the reason mentioned above, having a blog as a new freelance writer is a brilliant way to attract potential clients as they can easily visit your blog and assess your writing themselves! It is not necessary that you only write about particular subjects.
Your blog can mention any writing that you desire. As long as it is well articulated and you are confident of it, go for it!
So, based on what we have got over the internet, there are many freelance writing jobs that you can apply for. For every niche, there is a job. You can either be a freelance travel writer, food blog writer, entertainment writer, news writer, and so on.
Depending on your expertise you can choose which freelance writing jobs are for you. I hope this guide helps you a bit.
The best way to make money online just might be blogging. Of course, there are ample options out there to make money online. You have choices like creating your own youtube channel, test websites or do online surveys. You can also sell your own clothing line, food delivery service, and online tutoring.
However, blogging might be the best option for you. Creating your own blog is quite simple. Blogging is a full-time job for some people. However, if you are a college student, this is also the right place to start and earn money fast in your free time. All you need is a little creativity, consistency, and a lot of determination to keep going.
Why Choose Blogging And How Will It Prove To Be Useful?
Blogging at the start was used to pen down diary-style entries by users. Now blogs are used to upload not just write-ups but also photography, lifestyle, health, or any other topic that can be self-published. The blog also now helps grow businesses and make a reach to customers. Having your blog can be beneficial in a few ways like:
You get to connect with people with similar interests as you
You can get exposure for your existing business.
You can sell your own products
Make extra cash as a side income
Share with the world what you are passionate about
Improve your writing skills
Build your own identity and gain trust
You get to work your own hours
You might get invited to speak or write on other major platforms.
Now that we might have convinced you to start blogging, you might have the question, how to create a blog. Don’t stress creating a blog is easily manageable.
1. First, choose what you are passionate about and what you want to share with the world?
2. Let’s pick a name for your blog. Make it creative.
3. Next, get your blog up and registered.
4. Choose a creative layout for your blog.
5. Now, you are ready to publish your first post.
6. Be consistent in posting, have a schedule. Promote your blog post on social media.
7. And finally, you are ready to start making money with your blogs.
How Is Blogging The Best Way To Make Money Online?
Once you have a blog up and running with steady traffic, you can start making money. There are not one but many ways you can earn money by blogging, making it the best way to earn money online. Some methods to make money online include affiliate marketing, selling your products, teaching an online course, sponsored posts,s and much more.
Well, you might wonder how much money you can make and let me tell you, you can earn a lot using these methods. We describe in detail in the below-mentioned paragraphs these methods and many more. Let us see how you can make money by doing what you love.
1. Affiliate Marketing
In simple words, affiliate marketing is a type of digital marketing wherein when people buy online products referred by you, you earn a good commission.
To get started, first join an affiliate program. Next, pick a product you want to promote. Add the link to your blog post, and every time someone makes a purchase using your link, you get a commission.
For instance, you are writing a review post on your own website about a skincare product you used and loved. And if you have an affiliate link for the item, add it to your post. Now, you can earn some money.
If you didn’t know, even big companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon also have an affiliate program. These affiliate programs are free to join by anybody in the world.
2. Doing Freelance Jobs
Freelance services, as you might know, you get paid per task. It gives you the freedom to work on your own terms and especially your own hours. You get to have a flexible schedule, work from home, and have a better work-life balance.
You can sell your skills as a freelance service on your blog. Skills like writing, designing, photography, and so on. It is the easiest way to make money using your skills. Post about your skills on your own website, and you are available to freelance and have a form where clients can contact you. It is a way to make money almost instantly. Whereas other ways to earn money online can take a long time.
3. Ad Networks
An online advertising network is a company that will help advertisers connect to you if you want to put up advertisements on your blog posts. You might need a particular amount of views for some companies to hire
you out. They will display ads based on your content or ads based on users’ interests. Some ad network companies are Media.net and Google AdSense, offered by Google.
4. Direct Advertisements
Direct advertisement allows you to connect to the brand or its distributing agents. You will be able to display more ads relevant to your blog. Direct advertising does not necessarily add value to its add recommendation. It is mostly targeted to an audience who might be looking for that product or service. It is also a better option than ad networks.
We all use google for almost anything and everything in our daily lives. You can also use google for direct advertising. Use google to search for direct advertisements for your blog. You can search by using keywords that would be relevant to your blog. You can then approach these companies to ask for further details.
5. Writing Sponsored posts Or Review Post
You might not want to display ads on your blog post. There is also the fact that more and more people are using ad blocks, which will affect your earnings. You are doing all this writing. So, why not also get paid for it. You can write a paid review post for a product or service. You can also allow companies to sponsor you to write about their service or product on your blog.
If it is a product you are interested in, don’t wait for the company to approach you. Go to the market, buy it, and review it. Suppose a brand is offering you to do a review of a free version of the product. You can search if they have a paid premium version. If you review the premium version, don’t be afraid to ask to be paid for it as you will be providing your service for them.
6. Native Advertising Is The Best Way To Make Money Online?
Another method of generating revenue from your blog is native advertising. These ads don’t stand out from the other content on the page. So, as an advantage, they won’t put off your readers by the sudden appearance of an ad. Native advertising is a paid ad that does not disrupt your content and matches the look and feel of your content. They can be of three types:
1. Ads that are promoted in feed on social networking sites or apps like Facebook, Instagram.
2. Ads that are promoted first in your Google search results.
3. Another type is content recommendations. In these recommendations for related articles, appear below the articles you have written or just read.
You can incorporate these ads into your content for the blog and earn ad revenue. They won’t be off-putting, match the flow of your writing, and are still one of the best ways to make money.
7. Write And Sell Your eBooks
Combine all your articles in one place. And sell these as an ebook online. If you are good at writing poems, you can compile and sell that as an ebook. You can also choose a trending topic to write on and sell as an ebook. Another way is to combine all the photographs taken by you and sell them online. This is one of the best ways to earn passive income.
Passive income is earnings other than your actual income. You get paid from a business you don’t have to participate in regularly actively. An example of this is stocks, rental properties, or book royalties. These are good money-making ideas.
You can teach your skills in an online course. You can create online courses regarding your skills, experience, do’s and don’ts, tips, and advice on everything you have learned so far regarding your profession. You can charge and earn a good amount for your courses. You can make extra money by selling online courses.
One to two-hour-long video courses is exceptional. They help learn a new skill, and many people will be joining them to build up their skills. You can use different sites to create and sell your online courses. These sites are Teachable, LearnDash, New Kajabi, and many more.
If pre-recording an online course seems hectic, another alternative is to conduct webinars. These webinars can be conducted for small groups or one on one sessions. You can charge anywhere from a small amount to a large about based on your knowledge and experience.
To successfully conduct paid webinars, you need to know your content and professional field extremely well. Webinars are also extremely important to bring exposure to your content. One site to host your paid webinar is WordPress. WordPress can also promote your webinar and create forms for your users to sign up for the webinar.
10. Online Consultation Sessions
Along with above mentioned online webinars, you can also offer paid online consulting sessions. Unlike freelancing or online courses, here you can teach your clients strategies. Help them make a plan for their careers. You can guide and advise them through each step of their career path.
You can put a page on your blog where you promote your counseling session. Make a form on WordPress or Google form where clients can inquire more about this service or register for the consultation service.
11. Sell Merch Related To Your Content
We all love a personalized t-shirt or a t-shirt that contains a phrase we use often. If you have a talent for designing, you can sell t-shirts, customize mugs and sell accessories on your online store as well. If your blog is related to painting or drawing, you can make commission pieces or sell your own. We have definitely seen influencers sell merch, so can you on your own online store blog page.
There are companies out there that allow you to upload your design. They then print them for you. Some even ship it to the customers for you. This is a great way to express your creativity in your free time while earning some good money.
You can also do seasonal merch items. You can create a page on your blog for your online store and sell clothes online.
12. Charge For Sponsored Social Media Posts
When you start your blog, you tend to promote it on social media as well. Now, as your blog gains traffic, people will also visit your social media from the blog. Leading to an increase in your social media presence. Once you have a good following count on your social media, you are all set.
You can now post sponsored posts on your social media by brands. You can make a sponsored post related to your content or even different from your content. You earn a huge amount from these sponsored posts. It’s one of the best ways of making money online. You can earn per-post or re-post.
This is also one of the best ways to earn money. Combine this method with a sponsored post on your blog or native ads, and you are ready to be Richy rich.
13. Speaking Gigs
Speaking gigs make you a good amount of money. Now, you might be wondering how you can get invited to speak. Two reasons you can be invited to talk are if your blog takes off or if your blog has a big enough reach. Another reason you might be called to speak is due to your knowledge of a topic. It can be a trending topic as well. You will most probably be invited to speak at conferences and webinars.
So, it is necessary to keep yourself updated with current happenings. When you are invited, you will be asked to talk about your story. And about your experience in your field. This is a great way to build confidence. This is also an amazing way to reach out to people who don’t know much about your work.
14. Write Content For Other Online Business Or Blog
If you are particularly knowledgeable on a certain topic, a magazine or another major blog might ask you to write as a guest for them. Not only will this be good exposure for your blog it will also earn you extra cash.
For instance, you are good knowledge about interior decorating. For example, decorating on a budget or on how to decorate a small space. An interior design magazine can ask you to write a piece for them.
Or maybe you run a health and fitness blog. You could be asked by a magazine or other major blog or brand to write for them. On topics like five ways to remain fit this quarantine, Fruits that you should include in your healthy diet, and so on. This will help increase the traffic of your blog.
15. Paid Newsletter
Another way to earn cash on your blog is by having subscription-based newsletters. You get to build trust with a small closed group of people. You will mostly send out newsletters as emails every week or month, and you can charge accordingly. It will help you make more money.
These newsletters can contain extra content; you can answer questions asked by your readers. You can also give personal updates. Readers who buy the newsletter subscription can, along with the newsletter, view snippets of upcoming posts or merch.
16. Sell Websites
I know this might sound weird, but you can create and sell websites with a WordPress expert. And also an expert at designing websites this might be for you. Some companies prefer to buy already established websites. So, if you create a website that already has good traffic, you can sell it to a company. Now, you can make money off your hard work.
17. Build Your Blog With The Help Of An Agency
Some agencies will help promote you to big brands. Yes, blogging has become that popular. However, working with agencies can be tricky. Firstly, you will need to have a good online presence on your blog. So, this is definitely not for someone who has just started blogging.
Since agencies usually only work with big brands and companies, you might not promote smaller businesses that you love. On the other hand, working with an agency provides you with good security. You will also be earning more than you usually do due to working with big brands.
How To Create A Better Outreach For Your Blog
We have seen many different ways you can use blogging as a way to make money online. However, before you start making money off your online platforms, you need to have an audience. You will have to have a certain amount of reads, views, and traffic in general on your blog. When you start your blog, it might seem impossible. You might stress a lot about how you can be in the top search results. Well, it is not as hard as it seems. All you need to be is focused and consistent with your work. Let us see some steps we can take to increase the outreach of our blog.
1. Topic
The topic you choose for your blog is very important. It definitely needs to be a topic people are interested in. However, don’t choose the topic just people are talking about it. You need to be passionate about it, too, as you will be writing about it regularly. Don’t be afraid to venture out and find new and interesting topics. Find what’s right for you.
2. Layout/Design
Don’t make your blog post overly crowded. Your audience should not be put off by it. Choose a good layout for your blog. Minimal layouts are really everybody’s favorite right now. An aesthetically pleasing layout will not only attract more readers but will also motivate you to write more.
3. Keep Your Readers Coming Back For More
Make sure your posts are engaging. They should not be monotonous. It should be a two-way exchange of thoughts. Ask them to comment on their thoughts, interact with them in the comments. You also use your newsletters to interact with them.
Another thing is you can ask them what they want to see you write or work on more. Suggestions are always appreciated. Also, always remember and never be afraid to ask your post with friends and family.
4. Promote Your Blog On Social Media
You need to promote your blog on all social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on. This is necessary to bring exposure and increase traffic to your blog. It might seem like a big task to promote it on all social media platforms, but I can not stress enough that this is how most of your future readers will find your blog.
5. Venture Out
Don’t be afraid to go off-road once in a while. By this, I mean try out different topics. It may be something related to your topic or something completely different. Yes, it is a huge risk as your readers might like it or won’t. But, if they do, then it’s gonna be the best decision you have taken. You can get a new audience by doing this. Also, your constant readers might love reading something new and supporting you in this new venture.
6. Be Concentrated, Confident And Consistent
You can not start a blog and expect it to work out. You have to put in hard work. Make sure you are focused on your task. Concentrate on writing amazing articles and bringing exposure to your blog. Be confident in your work. Don’t let anybody put you down.
Being consistent is extremely necessary. You need to post regularly to create a community of constant readers for yourself. It will also help you increase traffic on your blog. Don’t let anything stop you. Put in the effort and watch the amazing results it displays.
As we have seen in this article, Blogging is definitely one of the best ways to make money online. Once you start blogging, there is no stopping you from creating a good income for yourself. Choose a topic you are passionate about and start blogging. And if you already blog, then what are you waiting for? Use the methods to earn yourself some cash. It might seem difficult at first, but with time you will be a pro at it.
Wix vs Squarespace: The Dilemma Of A Freelance Blogger
As a writer, I can vouch for the fact that writers have independent spirits. All writers are creators, and all creators like being independent. We do not really like being bound. So, the idea of being the sailor of one’s own ship may sound tempting to most of us. This, incidentally, is the very idea that lies at the heart of freelancing. These days many people are slowly moving towards becoming freelance bloggers. Now, newbies in the field of freelance blogging are probably aware of something called the “Wix vs Squarespace” tussle.
Before you start on your blogging journey, you’ll find yourself in a dilemma. The question of choosing a website builder will be difficult to deal with. How can it not? Choosing just one website builder from so many! That’s far from being easy. There is nothing called THE best website builder, after all.
We can delve deeper into this issue involving two of the arguably most user-friendly website builders- Wix and Squarespace. So, if you’re a blogger struggling with this inner battle about whether to choose Wix or Squarespace site, read on!
The Drift Towards Freelancing As A Career
In case you didn’t know, a lot of people are slowly gravitating towards freelancing nowadays. In 2020, when the pandemic had wreaked havoc worldwide, about 12% of the freelancers in the US made their foray into the freelance or the gig economy. Despite the uncertainties associated with freelancing, many people have begun to drift towards being their own employers in their respective fields.
Blogging is a highly creative profession. It has become a much sought-after profession these days. Since you’re here, you’re probably willing to dive into the world of freelance blogging, aren’t you? So, you probably know how blogging can turn out to be an immensely rewarding profession in the long run. Yes, there was a time when many people would be skeptical about what I said just now. But times have changed!
Wix vs Squarespace: Which Website Builder To Choose As A Freelance Blogger?
But how to go about it? Firstly, as a beginner, you need to build your own website. Website builders can help you with it!
Now, there are a lot of website builders to choose from. You may find yourself wondering- Which website builder should I choose?
Most people prefer WordPress and would recommend using it. However, as a beginner, you can choose either Wix or Squarespace.
Here begins the clash between two of the best website builders- Wix vs Squarespace. Who will be your partner in freelance blogging?
Choosing between Squarespace and Wix is nothing less than Herculean labor. I mean, both of them are currently the most popular and user-friendly website builders. So, if you are torn between the two, I cannot blame you.
If you wish to know more, you may watch this video.
Features That Both Wix And Squarespace Have In Common: What Are The Similarities Between Them?
There are some features that both Wix and Squarespace have in common. In fact, both are equally good if certain characteristics are taken into consideration. That is why the “Wix vs Squarespace” tussle arises, in the first place!
The following section discusses how these two site builders are similar to one another:
To Use Wix Or Squarespace, You Do NOT Have To Know Coding Or Possess Other Technical Knowledge.
You do not have to know anything about coding to use either of these. Yes! You do not necessarily have to be tech junkies to build your website or your freelancer portfolio if you choose either of them.
Both the Wix site and Squarespace site make use of SaaS. Also known as “software as a service,” tools like these allow beginners with little or zero knowledge about coding to build their own websites as if the task were a piece of cake!
Many users would admit that Wix is easier to use than Squarespace, especially when it comes to speedy website building.
Both Squarespace And Wix Will Give You Access To Ample Eye-Catching Templates!
Both Wix and Squarespace will offer you visually-appealing templates and exquisite designs. The templates Wix offers are no less appealing than those offered by Squarespace.
You Can Increase Your Website Traffic And Improve Your Rank On Search Engines.
You can follow SEO best practices with relative ease on Wix as well as on Squarespace. Both of them come with suggestions regarding the optimization of websites. If you are meticulous enough to follow them, your site will obtain a better rank.
Both Offer Attractive E-Commerce Features.
Neither Wix nor Squarespace is E-commerce oriented, but the E-commerce features that they provide are pretty impressive. Neither of them leaves any room for disappointment in this case. Wix’s features about E-commerce can be afforded by many compared to those that Squarespace offers.
Squarespace And Wix Have Amazing Customer Support.
Customer support and services are pretty much important for any beginner. Squarespace and Wix are excellent when it comes to their customer support system.
You can contact Wix’s Help Centre and read up their blogs if you meet with any difficulty. If you choose Squarespace, you can participate in the discussions on their forum or share your opinions, queries, and insights. Their blogs and FAQs would help you too.
So, it’s understandable if you are preoccupied with the “Wix vs Squarespace” tussle in your mind.
However, Squarespace and Wix differ along certain lines. Each of them has something to offer which the other cannot. Simply put, Wix offers certain perks which Squarespace doesn’t and vice versa.
Wix Site, Its Merits, And Demerits
With about 100 million users and more, Wix is probably one of the most widely known website builders. Apparently, it has a lot of attractive features and a lot of people are drawn to it.
Why Wix: The Benefits Of Using Wix
Let us find out why so many users all over the world find it so alluring. I have talked about its numerous merits in the following section:
Wix will win you over with its user-friendliness. You won’t have to think twice before saying- Website building with Wix isn’t a big deal!
You can easily use the Wix editor. It is equipped with a drag-and-drop feature which most people can use effortlessly.
Worried about losing your data? Wix’s Site History system is here to help!
Create your website without too much effort with the help of Wix ADI. What makes it even more agreeable to users is a feature called Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence). Wix Artificial Design Intelligence or Wix ADI is quite a marvel. Wix ADI makes website building a seamless experience.
There are myriads of Wix templates. You will find an array of beautiful designs and plenty of themes. I must also mention that Wix templates belong to diverse categories such as travel, beauty, and others. It also comes with more than 50 templates for blogging.
Wix has several great SEO tools too! As far as SEO (Search Engine Optimization) features are concerned, Wix offers several of them for all kinds of pages. These features include meta-description, page title, SSL encryption, and so on. Wix will, therefore, help you achieve a better rank on Google.
Wix has so many cool add-ons! There are many add-ons or extensions available on Wix. You can get all these add-ons from Wix’s app market. It’s a really cool feature. Don’t you think so too?
Oh, wait! Wix users can opt for a free plan! It’s Wix’s free plan that I’m talking about! Wix’s free plan is irresistible to many! After all, who can resist something free?
Why Not Wix: The Downsides Of Using Wix
Nothing is perfect, after all. But, Wix has several downsides too. So, let us take a look at why it may lose some ground in the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle:
Be very careful before choosing a template because you won’t ever be able to change it later! If you wish to change it, you might have to create your website all over again. That would be tedious.
Many of the templates on Wix aren’t responsive.
If you go for Wix, you have to create different versions of your website. This might not be good as far as search engine optimization is concerned. This is one of the chief areas where Wix may lose the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle.
Squarespace, Its Merits, And Demerits
Now that you know about the advantages and disadvantages of using Wix, you must be curious to know what Squarespace offers.
Why Squarespace: The Benefits Of Using Squarespace
So, let us find out why Squarespace may turn out to be the winner in the “Wix vs Squarespace” game. I have talked very briefly about the advantages of using Squarespace in the section that follows:
Squarespace is quite friendly towards its users. Squarespace is another website builder which many users prefer.
Squarespace brings a drag-and-drop page editor with it. The drag-and-drop editor for Squarespace is a section-based and structured page editor.
Squarespace offers about 100+ templates for website creation. It is equipped with many color schemes, fonts, audio, podcasts, and so on. All Squarespace templates are undoubtedly exquisite.
While choosing from the finely curated array of Squarespace templates, users will have to specify the category of their sites. Then they will be directed to specify the purpose of their respective websites, and based on these responses, templates will be suggested.
The SEO tools of Squarespace are quite good too. Squarespace comes with a host of excellent SEO tools. Concerning SEO, it is as good as Wix, if not better.
If you use Squarespace, you will be able to edit all source files. These include all CSS and HTML files.
Why Not Squarespace: The Disadvantages Of Using Squarespace
But there are a few aspects of Squarespace which may make Wix the winner in the “Wix vs Squarespace” fight. But what are they? The following section will give you a fair idea about the many failings of Squarespace:
Don’t expect to get your data back if you lose them by mistake. It does not have any backup and restore options.
If you choose Squarespace, you will get no free plan but just a 14-day free trial. Squarespace does not have any free plan to offer to its users.
Squarespace’s drag-and-drop editor is a little difficult to use.
Wix And Squarespace: So, Where Lies The Difference?
While it’s true that both Wix and Squarespace have some features in common, there are many differences between Wix and Squarespace too! I mean, you must’ve noticed that a Wix website looks different from a Squarespace website, haven’t you?
The section below ventures to explain the differences that both users of Wix and Squarespace are likely to notice:
Templates
Even though Wix has more templates than Squarespace, there is hardly one Squarespace template that you can turn a blind eye to. No wonder why Squarespace sites look so delightful!
You’ll indeed have a lot of options for your website template if you use Wix. Wix’s templates are available in abundance. But not all of these are responsive, especially on devices like mobile phones. You will have to create separate versions of your website like the desktop version, mobile version, and so on. It doesn’t sound convenient, does it?
But Squarespace templates win brownie points because they’re responsive, unlike Wix’s templates!
The Page Editor Of Wix And Squarespace
Wix editor is equipped with a drag-and-drop feature. I have already talked about that before. On the other hand, Squarespace offers a structured drag-and-drop editor.
Simply put, if you’re using Squarespace, you’ll drag elements across the page that will fit into particular rows and columns. You cannot alter the positioning of these columns and rows. This affects creative freedom to a certain extent which is not the case with Wix editor. Therefore, Wix offers more creative freedom than Squarespace.
Ecommerce Sites And Wix And Squarespace
The Ecommerce features and eCommerce tools that Wix offers differ from what Squarespace has in store. You can build a small or medium-sized online shop with the help of features that Wix offers. In comparison to Wix, Squarespace lacks a store of its own. So, if the online store feature isn’t a built-in feature, it cannot be put to use.
Squarespace Pricing And Wix Plan
Squarespace plans are four in number whereas, with Wix, there are eight. The cheapest among the four plans is the Personal plan. If you choose this Squarespace plan, you get a custom domain. Plus, you’ll get unlimited bandwidth and storage. You won’t be annoyed by ads, and you’ll have to pay $12 every month.
Unlike Squarespace, Wix offers no custom domain to users who opt for Wix Connect. Wix Connect is Wix’s most basic plan. This plan comes with 500 MB storage and 1 GB bandwidth. You have to pay a recurring charge of $4.50 and that too every month, and you’ll have to tolerate annoying Wix ads.
But, we must remember that Wix offers a free plan in addition to paid plans. Wix’s free plan is one of its striking features. The paid plans offered by Wix are of two types. If you are looking for a website builder to build a website for professional purposes, you can go for this Wix plan. For business purposes, you can go for Ecommerce plans.
Both Wix and Squarespace offer plans that are costlier than the basic ones. Apart from Squarespace’s Personal plan, the pricing plan includes options like business, basic commerce, and advanced commerce options. Also, all Squarespace plans offer unlimited bandwidth.
Extensions, Add-Ons, Third-Party Apps, And Integrations: Wix vs Squarespace
If you remember clearly, I’ve already talked a bit about Wix App Market, which is a feature that makes Wix a cool website builder.
The apps you can find in Wix App Market are not just third-party apps. There are Wix’s own apps too! These apps come with a lot of cool features as well! With the help of these features, you can enrich and enhance the quality of your website. You can find apps like Wix’s email marketing tools, Wix events app, notification tools, calendars, and so on in Wix App Market.
On the other hand, the add-on features and extensions that come with Squarespace are mostly Ecommerce oriented. Hopefully, they may diversify them. But, in contrast to Wix, Squarespace doesn’t offer apps. You can enable certain features via third-party integration. There’s no app market like Wix’s App Market. These tools and extensions include Squarespace’s marketing tools, extensions related to sales, products, inventory, and other Squarespace integrations.
At present, Wix seems to be the winner of the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle regarding the number of extensions and add-ons that both Squarespace and Wix offer. But quality-wise, Squarespace remains unbeaten.
Wix vs Squarespace: Let’s See Which Website Builder Has The Best Blogging Feature
Many users favor Wix, mainly because it’s easy to use and offers a free plan. But when it comes to blogging, the scenario might turn out to be different. Are you curious as to why I said so? Then keep reading!
In several cases, Wix would become the winner in the “Wix vs Squarespace” scuffle. But all the tables turn when the blogging tools of both website builders are taken into account. That’s because Wix’s blogging feature is not as good as that of Squarespace.
And The Winner Is… Squarespace!
As a freelance blogger, you are likely to favor Squarespace over Wix. The blogging feature of Squarespace is very flexible if we compare it to Wix’s blogging feature. Wix comes with very basic in-built blogging tools, but Squarespace comes with some advanced features.
What Makes Squarespace One Of The Best Website Builders When It Comes To Blogging?
With Squarespace, you can add tags, URLs, audio, and visuals, maps, and whatnot.
Its WYSIWYG blog editor is something that many bloggers would prefer to use.
It is also geared with Google AMP functionality.
Furthermore, it supports multiple author management and has a great workflow feature.
Most importantly, you will connect with your readers or audience and get to know their opinions. That is what a blogger aims for, right?
Squarespace’s Members Area Feature Is A Plus
Let me tell you why you want to use Squarespace and not Wix at the beginning of your career as a freelance blogger. Squarespace has added a Members Area feature. This feature is a new one. What makes it interesting is that its chief goal is to monetize the content on your website. That includes your blog posts as well.
Why Wix May Lose The Game In The Case Of The Blogging Feature?
Wix will probably not become a favorite with bloggers. Its blogging features are somewhat inferior to Squarespace’s blogging features. So, let’s find out why Wix may lose the “Wix vs Squarespace” game to Squarespace.
Wix comes with a feature known as the Wix Blog app. With this free Wix Blog app, you’ll be able to schedule your blog posts and do other things. You need to integrate it on your website, though.
There will also be ads on your blogging site if you choose Wix. You cannot do away with the ads, no matter how annoying they might seem.
Besides, getting a blog on Wix with a domain of your own will cost you money.
Thus, when freelance bloggers appear on the scene, Squarespace will win the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle. About blogging, Squarespace can beat Wix.
You may check out this video to know more about Squarespace’s blogging feature. Hopefully, it will give you a fair idea.
Tired Of All The Talk On The “Wix vs Squarespace” Battle? Let’s Talk About Their Alternatives Then
Enough on the “Wix vs Squarespace” battle! Let us take a look at some other website builders other than Wix and Squarespace.
So, here’s a list of some website building tools other than Wix and Squarespace:
If you are fond of simplicity, you may consider choosing Weebly. It offers a lot of good blogging features.
Medium will be a good option for you if you want your voice to be heard by many people.
These days LinkedIn is gaining popularity among many professionals even though it’s not exactly a site builder per se.
Apart from all these, there are other lesser-known platforms or site builders. They include Jimdo, Ghost, SITE123, and so on.
Now, if you wish to choose either Wix or Squarespace to put an end to the “Wix vs Squarespace” tussle, you may. Or, you may choose any of the other alternatives. It’s totally up to you.
I hope I could offer some useful insight to you on this entire “Wix vs Squarespace” issue. When blogging is considered, before Squarespace, Wix seems not so bright, even though it offers a free plan!
Writing is by no means an easy profession. But for lovers of words, it’s hard not to take up the pen (or the keyboard in today’s world) to make a living. Since you’re reading this, I presume you are a freelance writer or wish to become one. I have great news for you! You can take up online transcription jobs to earn well while doing what you love to do the most, that is, writing.
The Growing Popularity Of Freelancing
Research suggests that one-third of these freelancers are involved with jobs that require creativity. Plus, about 17% of these freelancers are writers or content creators. Yes! Freelancing is gradually gaining steady ground on a global scale.
Why Freelance Writers Should Consider Taking Up Online Transcription Jobs
I have already told you that you might consider taking up transcription work if you are a freelance writer. Choosing to be a transcriptionist comes with a host of benefits. So, what are they?
Firstly, online transcription jobs will help you make money from the comfort of your home. Apparently, 25% of freelancers prefer working from home. With social distancing slowly becoming a norm, working from home naturally seems viable to many.
Secondly, you will have the opportunity to choose your own work hours. There are certain companies, however, that have stipulated work hours. But, otherwise, you are free to choose when you can complete your assignments and projects. What is more attractive than flexible work hours?
Thirdly, freelance transcriptionists can choose who they want to work with. Needless to say, that is the central idea behind freelancing. You are not bound to a particular company or client. You have the freedom to work with a client or multiple clients of your choice.
Finally, if you wish to take up transcription as a profession, you need not possess any special skills. Yes, you read that right! Plus, you need no prior work experience. To take up online transcription jobs, you don’t require excellent educational qualifications either.
But, to excel as a transcriptionist, you need to put in the best of your efforts.
So, aren’t you eager to know what transcribing is all about? I have explained to you the various benefits of working as a transcriptionist. But what exactly do you need to do in transcription jobs?
To put it simply, you will have to translate audio and/or video into words as a part of this job. First of all, you need to listen carefully to what is said in the audio or visual document. Then, you just have to write, or rather type, what you heard.
In these kinds of jobs, you are allowed to work from home. You will get paid based on transcription done per audio hour or a minute or on similar parameters.
If you are involved in freelance transcription, you will have to edit and proofread your works very carefully before sending them to your client.
For your information, a professional transcriptionist may earn up to about $45,000 per annum.
Sounds easy? Sorry, but it isn’t as easy as it sounds. That is exactly why you need a lot of practice. Only then can you succeed in a transcription job.
Some Basic Requirements Before You Begin Working As A Transcriptionist
Although you need no special skill to take up online transcription jobs, you need to possess certain things or equipment. These are your basic requirements. Wondering what they are? You may want to take a look at the list below, in that case:
A Computer
First of all, you must have a computer if you wish to get started as a transcriptionist. It can be either a laptop or a desktop, as per your preference.
High-Speed Internet Connection
Having a computer isn’t enough. It’s also extremely important to have access to a high-speed internet connection for online transcription jobs. A stable internet connection is an absolute imperative.
Headphones
The most important part of being a transcriptionist is to listen carefully and attentively to the audio or video files sent to you.
Sometimes, you might be given audio files that are of dismal quality.
There might be occasions when you face difficulty in understanding what is being said. That may happen if the speakers use strong accents. It may also happen if there are unwanted sounds or noise in the background.
There might be some kind of disturbance in your immediate surroundings as well.
So, if you invest in good-quality headphones, you will be able to do away with all these troubles.
Foot Pedal
Do you know that if you use a foot pedal while transcribing, you will be able to complete your assignments really fast? Investing in a foot pedal will definitely benefit you in your transcription work.
An Ergonomic Keyboard
It is needless to say that you will have to type for several hours at a stretch if you choose to take up online transcription jobs. Your fingers might hurt in that process.
So, if you choose to get an ergonomic keyboard for yourself, it will certainly not be a bad investment.
An Ergonomic Mouse
It is also very important to invest in an ergonomic mouse to make transcribing easy for you.
Points To Remember Before You Begin Transcribing
The above appliances are very basic requirements. Apart from all these devices and gadgets, you must keep the following things in mind:
Transcription Requires Plenty Of Patience
To be successful in transcription, you must have a lot of patience. Without patience, this job might become very difficult for you.
As I have already said, sometimes you may be given audio files of bad quality. So, you need to be a very patient listener. If you’re too impatient, online transcription jobs are not for you.
Transcription Is Not An Easy Job
I have already talked about it before. If you believe that online transcription jobs are easy, then you must not make a foray into this field. You need to practice hard to improve your transcription skills.
You Need To Be An Excellent Listener
To become a transcriptionist, you must be an excellent listener. You need to notice every detail while listening to what the speaker is talking about.
Sometimes, your employer might instruct you to note down expressions like “hmm,” “ugh,” “umm,” and so on.
So, if you are a good listener, you can excel in this job.
You Must Be Very Accurate While Typing
Accuracy in typing is a skill that gets better with practice. If you take transcription seriously, you will be able to transcribe with great accuracy in a short period of time.
Be Wary Of Fraudsters
There is no dearth of fraudsters in this world. They are there everywhere. So, even before you apply for online transcription jobs, make sure that you don’t get duped in the process.
Firstly, a business venture or any other enterprise or individual will never ask you to pay them something before you begin working for them.
Yes, some companies deal with very sensitive information. Only some of these companies may ask you to pay a nominal amount. So, be careful if you haven’t applied for a job in any such company.
Secondly, it’s normal to expect clear guidelines from your recruiter or recruiting agency regarding your work. If they fail to provide you with this basic information, they are not worth your time.
Lastly, be very particular about the payment packages. It will be good to talk to your employer very clearly before you begin working on their projects.
Some recruiters will pay you only after you have successfully finished the projects assigned to you. Just talk about your payment very openly to avoid being deceived later.
Fields In Which Transcriptionists Are Much Sought After
Transcribing is of considerable importance in a lot of fields. I have mentioned some of these fields in the list that follows:
Some educational institutions often avail of transcription services. Transcription of certain research projects is carried out in these institutions.
In several business enterprises, transcriptionists are hired to transcribe recordings of virtual conferences, webinars, conference calls, etc.
Market researchers may often hire people offering transcription services to transcribe research lectures.
Journalists may work closely with those involved in transcription too.
Apart from those that I mentioned above, a transcriptionist is needed in a host of other fields.
The Various Kinds Of Transcription Jobs
Transcription can be of different types. In case you are not aware of them, you may read the list given below:
1. General Transcription
For wannabe freelance transcriptionists, general transcription seems to be the most suitable option. That’s because general transcription is the most basic variety of transcription and you need not possess any specialized knowledge for this. Most importantly, it’s easier than other varieties of transcription.
2. Technical Transcription
Technical transcription will be ideal for you if you hail from an engineering background. You will be given audio and/or video files where the speakers might be using many technical terms. So, it’s meant for those with a degree in engineering or those pursuing engineering.
3. Medical Transcription
You can make more money than others involved with transcription jobs if you take up medical transcription. But the catch is that it’s quite a difficult task. In addition, this form of transcription demands a very high level of accuracy.
4. Legal Transcription
As the name suggests, legal transcription entails transcribing recordings of court proceedings, hearings, verdicts, and so on. Long story short, it involves everything that is associated with the law and judiciary. Also, your work has to be very accurate in this case.
5. Financial Transcription
People hailing from the Commerce stream can choose to apply for financial transcription jobs. You will have to transcribe audio consisting of data like a company’s finances, sales, yearly reports, and other such documents.
6. Verbatim Transcription
To transcribe something verbatim means transcribing each word and non-verbal expression in a particular speech, podcast, or audio recording. This implies that you’ll have to include expressions like “umm,” “ahem,” and so on. This form of transcription requires a lot of patience, and it’s quite time-consuming as well.
10 Websites Offering Online Transcription Jobs For Beginners And Transcription Jobs From Home
So, you are now aware of the fundamentals of online transcription jobs. But where can you find such jobs? Is there any particular platform that offers transcription jobs for beginners?
Well, there is not just one online platform. In fact, many websites offer transcription jobs to beginners.
I have prepared a list of some of the sites that provide transcription jobs for beginners. The list is given in the following section:
1. GoTranscript
GoTranscript is probably one of the best websites offering transcription jobs to beginners.
Even if you are inexperienced, you can easily secure a job from this website. You can live in any corner of the globe and yet get a job on GoTranscript. You are free to choose your working hours as well.
Want to know what’s more interesting? The payout options they provide are quite secure. You will be paid close to $0.60 per video minute. The payments are made through PayPal or Payoneer and are processed every week.
Just sign up, answer a couple of questions, and translate the test audio files given to you into words. You will be notified regarding your selection within a week.
2. Verbal Ink
For US citizens looking for online transcription jobs, Verbal Ink is an excellent platform. It is one of the best sites for wannabe transcriptionists. Here you can choose your working hours. Plus, Verbal Ink offers a good sum as compared to other platforms.
Beginners can earn around $8 to $10. All payments are made through PayPal.
But, there is a catch. You have to sit for a test which is quite difficult. Only if you clear the test can you get a job on Verbal Ink. If you get selected, you can start working immediately.
3. CastingWords
You may be a beginner or an experienced transcriptionist. On CastingWords, it hardly matters. This website provides equal opportunities to all. That’s why it’s unique in comparison to other websites.
CastingWords is quite user-friendly and has a clean interface. You will have to provide some personal information when you open an account on this website. This information might be your email ID or something similar. If you manage to secure a job on CastingWords, you’ll be notified. After that, you can take a look at the jobs that are available on the site.
Besides, there is one feature that makes CastingWords all the more unique. The site ranks its users based on their performance in every task they finish. Those who score really high get the chance to bag well-paid jobs!
4. SpeechPad
SpeechPad, which was known as Speechlink before, is a platform that recruits people from all over the globe. This site presents a whole range of transcription jobs for beginners as well as for experienced transcriptionists.
But before you go and quickly open an account on SpeechPad, just listen to me. Unless you can type 40 words per minute (wpm), there is no point in signing up.
Now, if you can type 40 words per minute, you can sign up, after which your listening and typing skills will be put to the test.
On this site, beginners can earn as much as $0.25 per minute. On the other hand, the experienced ones can earn $1 per minute. They process the payments via PayPal.
5. Rev
Among all the websites offering transcription job opportunities, Rev enjoys a lot of popularity. Here both wannabe transcriptionists and professional ones can look for work opportunities.
Before you open an account and sign up on Rev, you’ll have to appear for a test. If you can clear it, you will be notified about the same within two days.
6. GMR Transcription
Freelance transcriptionists must flock to GMR Transcription if they wish to make a lot of money. Undoubtedly, the amount of money you earn on this site depends upon your qualifications, skills, and the difficulty level of the tasks assigned to you. Every month, you can earn as much as $1000 to $3000.
People from all countries can bag job opportunities on GMR Transcription. The company provides legal transcription, transcription for educational purposes, and similar services.
Here you will have to submit your CV at the very beginning of the process of signing up. Then, you’ll be notified about the test that you have to take. This is done via email.
If you end up being selected, you will receive an intimation regarding the same. It will, however, take nearly two weeks for you to receive the intimation.
There’s one more thing that I need to tell you about GMR Transcription. Here you will be on probation. It will last until you learn to transcribe for a minimum of two audio or video hours.
Those experienced in transcription will enjoy a lot of perks here.
7. Scribie
For beginners in the field of transcription, Scribie is an excellent choice. The audio files that they provide are not very hard to work with, and these mainly consist of interviews, speeches, and so on.
The jobs available on Scribie are known for their flexibility. Besides, you get to decide how long you’re going to work. Plus, Scribie lets you work from home.
Even on Scribie, you’ll have to pass an eligibility test. Only then can you get a job.
But, Scribie has a few downsides. First and foremost, you cannot earn much money on Scribie. In fact, the payments they make are quite low as compared to those made by other platforms. Also, Scribie has a turnaround time of two hours for every audio and/or video file.
You will be paid an amount ranging from $5 to $50 per audio hour. The payment will, however, depend on how fast you can complete and hand in your assignments. It also depends on the difficulty level of the files provided to you. Here, you get paid via PayPal only.
8. SpeakWrite
This company has been there since 1997, and it attracts clients from a variety of sectors like law, for instance. You’ll have to pass a test here as well to prove your eligibility.
Beginners in search of transcription jobs on SpeakWrite must satisfy a couple of requirements. The applicants must be able to type out 60 words per minute. They must be proficient in English and must be very accurate in terms of grammar. In addition to these requirements, they must possess some knowledge about MS Word.
SpeakWrite pays its transcriptionists via cheque only. No payment is made via PayPal or by other means.
9. TranscribeMe
Do you know what makes TranscribeMe stand out? Well, it offers a hefty sum of money as payments to professionals hailing from a medical or legal background.
There’s more! The payment you get over here is higher than what is offered by many other platforms. On TranscribeMe, for an audio hour, you’ll be paid a sum ranging from $15 to $25. They will pay you for your work via PayPal.
10. QuickTate
QuickTate is associated with behemoths like Ford, CocaCola, and the likes of them. On this website, you will be asked to work with voice memos, phone call recordings, speeches, and so on. If you manage to get a transcription job here, you’ll receive between $5 to $10 per audio hour.
Apart from the websites that I have discussed in the list above, there are many other websites where beginners can easily find remote transcription jobs. I must mention names among these sites like Happyscribe, Daily Transcription, Appen, Tigerfish, and more. On these platforms, you will find jobs that will involve transcription of YouTube videos, webinars, documentaries, and whatnot.
Now that you have a fair idea about online transcription jobs, you may want to get started in this field. Think about all the perks that online transcription jobs offer.
You can work from home with clients of your choice. You’ll be able to offer your services to global enterprises or companies while you work from home and make money.
You can work as much as you want and take a week or more to complete your work. Nobody will say anything to you.
You don’t have to worry about which field you are from. You may hail from a medical or legal background and still be a transcriptionist. You won’t require a lot to get started. You’ll just need a computer, stable internet, and a couple of other things to make money to your heart’s content. Also, you’ll get paid by most companies every week or per month.
Being a freelance writer, you always need continuous improvement to be successful. A freelance writer is a full-time professional writer who works as a contractor for various clients.
As a freelance writer, you are your own boss and not a staff writer for some company.
In this profession, you may have to work across different genres while writing for a topic assigned by a client.
Your Journey to Become a Freelance Writer
Freelance writers are not restricted to a single type of writing, they have to work upon different kind of write-ups. Some of them are Short stories, creative writing journals, news articles, magazine articles, and editorials. You can even work as a content writer or copywriter for your clients.
Freelance writing: How does it benefit you?
A freelance writer has proven to be such an excellent profession for someone who is a passionate writer. Nowadays, many people are using freelance writing instead of writing a full-time job for a particular company.
If we have a look at freelance writing in contrast with other professions, it has many advantages and benefits.
When you work as a freelance writer, you are not supposed to work under anyone or listen to anyone. You are free to decide your hours of work and can fix your schedule and timetable accordingly. You’ve even got a chance of working from home if you please.
But along with having all those advantages, freelance writing requires hard work, and one must be good at time management. You must be energetic and ready to find new customers and clients, as needed by you.
Although it requires much effort to be a good freelance writer, every profession seems difficult at the beginning. You need to establish a steady and consistent customer base, and you’ll notice that it’s a good career choice.
The returns you receive from this kind of writing can be useful, you just have to become familiar with this field. It is essential to focus on various things for your continuous improvement in the field of freelance writing.
Freelance Writing: Guidelines for Continuous Improvement
1. Opt for your area of focus
You decide the topics that you want to try writing about as per your appropriate expertise. Picking the right niche throughout your freelance career as a writer makes things easier for you, and could indeed prove to be appropriate for your continuous improvement
You should not just write about everything that comes in front of you, instead, it is advisable to dive into some particular writing type or field. Selecting an area of focus makes writing effortless for you.
Once you have begun your career in freelance writing, try writing about multiple subjects and fields in order to understand which one suits you the most.
Try to recognize if you are into medical writing, technical writing or something else and then sharpen your skills for that kind of writing.
When you opt for your area of focus, it improves your writing and makes you feel at ease. This is because you are writing for identical clients or audience every time.
When you master a genre, it prompts the clients to choose you over others.
2. Associate with others in your field
Another recommended way for your continuous improvement as a freelance writer is to associate with others in your field. No matter the field; it is always a good idea to learn from those who have mastered the art.
Though it might appear as if you are communicating with your competitor, it’s necessary for your success.
Whether you get information about the rates in the market or the clients, it always helps to grasp knowledge from those who already know everything. It develops you personally and professionally.
Connecting with others provides you with updates about the recent information and news. Moreover, it helps you be successful as a writer.
If you are looking for freelancer writers to network with, you can search on social networking sites and other freelancing websites.
Getting in touch with other writers helps in the continuous improvement of your reputation.
3. Editing
Good editing skills are complementary when you talk about writing. When there is a writing agency or company, they have a special team of editors.
While working as a freelance writer, it becomes your duty to edit the write-ups yourself because you don’t have any other person to do that.
When we talk about the basic skills one must-have for freelance writing, editing tops the list. A well-edited and error-free article becomes more powerful and helps in the continuous improvement.
Following the right pattern makes your editing more impactful.
a) Editing the composition: The first thing you should do is to check whether your article or content is correctly formed or not. Ensure that the writing scheme and arrangements are correct, and all the sections are coherent.
You write up should be divided into three major parts- introduction, main structure, and an appropriate end.
b) Edit the way of writing: You must look deeper into the style of sentence formation in your write up. Your paragraphs should also be in a good shape.
Change all the incorrect compositions in your written work.Moreover, it’s also necessary for you to follow the client’s desired writing style.
c) Edit the grammatical mistakes: Checking for all the grammatical mistakes in your article is very important as it showcases your fluency and proficiency in the language and field.
4. Generate ideas and ask questions
No matter if you are engaged with some clients presently, you must keep thinking of new concepts daily as it helps in keeping the brain cells running.
You must keep writing as per your field of interest; in this way, you can save your writings for future use.
If you keep generating ideas, you’ll be having better opportunities to find clients. Moreover, you might not generate the same ideas, that you are getting now, in future.
You are not just expected to generate ideas. You should also keep communicating and asking questions from the client, as it contributes to your continuous improvement as well.
Once you start working for someone, you must clear all your doubts related to the kind of written work they ask from you.
In freelance writing, the primary objective is to write according to your client’s expectations as only then you can get a good reputation.
If your content is appropriate, you will become your client’s first choice, and they’ll keep in touch with you even after your assignment is completed.
5. Start Blogging
Blogging is another brilliant way for your continuous improvement in this field, as it is a creative activity that sharpens your skills.
An interesting way to encourage yourself to start blogging is to writing blogs on things or activities you are passionate about (be it cooking, travelling, skiing, or something else).
There are various pros of writing blogs:
Online presence- In the present generation, the internet is a powerful medium, and writing blogs gives you an online presence. SEO strategies can be used so that various clients can reach you.
Improvement in way of writing- “Practice makes a man perfect.” You must have heard this saying, and writing blogs is like practice when it comes to freelance writing.
Writing regularly organises your style of writing in a better way. Moreover, there won’t be any grammatical mistakes and spelling errors.
Helps in reaching the customers and clients- When people will read your blog, they might get hired if they like it. In the field of freelance writing, getting more clients is an important thing, and writing blogs helps you with that.
6. Write good pitches consistently
As a freelance writer, you should keep writing well-crafted pitches on a regular basis. Even if you get to work for one or two clients, in the beginning, you still need to keep pitching because clients will not come to you all at once on their own as it takes time.
It is necessary for you to write pitches, so, think of the customers or clients, newspapers or journals for whom you are interested to write.
You are expected to set your aim for that and try to achieve them, as it is essential for your continuous improvement.
You should search for various sites such as Mediabistro to look for companies and clients to write pitches for, in case there are no clients in your mind.
After you find a suitable client, it’s your responsibility to prepare a good proposal to make them hire you.
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea to write pitches, but it surely is important in order to hone your writing skills, as it lets you get customers to write for.
It is used as a kind of proposal, based on which a client decides whether he should hire you or not.
7. Keep Writing to Improve Your Odds
When you do something on repeat, you soon become a pro in that particular activity, which leads to your continuous improvement. It is almost similar in freelance writing as well.
When you write constantly, you gain more expertise in writing. This is why freelance writers with a regular writing routine are more successful as it is excellent for continuous improvement.
You must not make it look as if writing is your hobby by writing occasionally or whenever you please, you must instead, take writing as a profession. You must hone your writing skills in order to attract more clients.
Keep writing about various topics even if you are out of work. It’ll build a healthy writing habit in you that’ll make you more productive and efficient.
8. Time management and keeping the due date in mind
Ability to manage your time efficiently is a key requirement to be competent in the field of freelance writing. When you learn how to handle time, it helps you improve continuously.
Some clients might assign you a week to write a short article, while some might ask you to write a 3000-word article in just two days. You have to monitor your time according to your client’s expectations.
The key to managing your time is to decide how much time you spend on different steps. You must attempt to manage how much time you spend while searching for new opportunities, performing research on the current assignment, and writing your content.
Remember that versatility is a very important feature in the field of freelance writing that contributes to your continuous improvement. Not only that, you must also be good at organising.
You should always be aware of your work deadlines, as late submissions create a bad image and reputation for your clients.
To avoid overloading work, you can start making plans and schedules to complete your tasks and work on that basis.
9. Change in Workspace
The mind of each person functions differently. No matter what sort of job you do, the world around you changes tremendously, and it sometimes needs to improve constantly.
You get the advantage of selecting your working area as per your will and needs while you work as a freelance writer.
It’s pretty cool if you are allowed to work from anywhere. Be mindful that your productivity is enriched by a good workspace.
As a freelance writer, you have to know what the atmosphere is for you, whether you like to work in silence, or at a place with some noise.You should take your time and learn what sort of workspace makes you more profitable.
Find your comfort level, but bear in mind that you should continuously change your workplace as at times environmental change helps produce more innovative ideas.
One day in a busy cafe, another day in a park, you might write fluently. Some days in your own home, sitting alone, you can be more imaginative.
Only pick your workspace and suggest changing your workspace if you can’t compose in a particular setting effectively.
10. Improving Productivity
Time is a precious commodity we all know. It must be one of your key purposes when you are a freelance writer to complete your tasks in time to maximise your productivity.
You can’t just carry on writing a short article of 600 words during the day. You are slowing down by doing so.
It is your responsibility to balance the time you offer to a particular project. Devote more time to the comparatively longer articles.
Ideally, you should split your time by writing and editing to maximise your productivity. As an independent writer, you must be mindful that writing and editing are two entirely distinct processes, so you never attempt to slow down the pace at the same time.
Another important method of increasing efficiency is the Pomodoro technique. It also helps in your continuous improvement.
According to some researches, it makes you more effective and productive if you take strategic breaks or intervals. In accordance with this Pomodoro method, the role must be divided into diverse intervals and short breaks.
11. Develop an impactful writing voice
You must build an effective writing voice to be a good freelance writer, as it helps in your continuous improvement.
Your writing style allows your work to be remembered. Your work would be better if you have a special and sincere writing style.
You might think that an effective written voice is difficult to create, but it is not. You have to write in the voice of your reader, and it is interesting to write.
Your words and phrases affect your speech greatly.You have to write in a manner that it seems as though you speak to the readers directly.
As a career, freelance writing is quite interesting. You absolutely need to know how to develop your skills in freelance writing.
You must use these ideas to be successful in the field of freelance writing if you are a freelance writer grappling to better yourself in the industry. These measures will definitely help in your continuous improvement.
Almost every occupation has ways to perform a particular job more efficiently. This guide will contribute to your continuous improvement, and allows you to achieve freelance writing success.
As you become more efficient and know the right ways to work, you become the first choice for your customers. Not just this, you will get more projects.
