How to Boost Your Income with Article Writing

When money is too tight to mention, it is always worth remembering that every little helps. You could cut back on everything, cancel Sky Sports and live on super noodles for a month, but that’s about as much fun as, well, eating super noodles. So rather than endure a miserable existence, start earning a bit of extra money writing articles and web content for online entrepreneurs.

What Do I Need to Start Writing Articles?

There are only three things you need to start writing articles for websites and blogs:

• A computer with word processing software – Shakespeare did some great work using ink and paper, but these days, writers tend to use a word processing programme instead. So go with the times and keep your A4 pad for notes.
• A decent grasp of English – it is fair to say that an awful lot of web content is barely readable, but just because other people can earn a living from writing complete and utter gibberish, it doesn’t mean you have to. Instead it is a good idea to try and write better quality articles if you want to earn more than peanuts for your work.
• An internet connection – most freelance writers conduct their business online. At the very least you will also need the internet for research purposes, unless you are an oracle of all knowledge on even the most obscure subjects.

Fitting in a Part-Time Writing Career around a Full-Time Job

This can be a bit tricky at times and success is very much dependent on what your full time job actually is. For example, if you are a plastic surgeon, you probably won’t have the time or the inclination to start writing articles about Viagra and web marketing after fifteen hours spent performing a full body lift, boob job and liposuction on a 55-year-old woman. Besides, if you are a plastic surgeon, it is highly unlikely that you would need the extra cash anyway?

Effective Time Management

The best way to fit in a part-time career as a writer around a full-time job is if you are lucky enough to have a fairly undemanding day job. For example, if you work in an office and you have a lot of down time, it is pretty easy to fit in a couple of hours of writing here and there. The only thing you need to be careful of is a vigilant boss or a nosy colleague—it will doubtless be hard to explain why you are writing a document entitled “What are the Pros and Cons of Taking Viagra?” when you are supposed to be doing the monthly invoices.

Can I Earn a Fortune?

Most part-time writers do not earn a huge amount of money, but as long as you are willing to work hard and spend a great deal of your spare time working, it is possible to earn a fairly decent part-time income from writing articles and web content. The trick is to build a reliable client base. If you find a client who pays decent wages and pays on time, stick with them and do your best to meet their work demands. One good client is worth ten bad ones—not all clients pay their invoices on time and some never pay at all.

Things to Watch Out For

• Beware of unknown clients who ask you to complete large work orders upfront—wait until you get to know how a client operates before you take on a lot of work without payment up front.
• The Tax Man – it is a good idea to declare your part-time income unless you want to run the risk of a tax investigation further down the line.