Young Writers Society

I'm looking to get work online as a freelance writer, but where should I go? I've seen many sites, but how do I know which ones are legitimate?

A few tips:

1- Transparency. This isn't a be all, end all, but the more information is given up front (pay and method of payment, company name and affiliation, frequency of jobs, ect), the more legitimate the company is. Now, that's not to say any of this information is accurate. But it helps cut out some of the shadier scams that lure in with vague prospects but don't actually have concretes.

1.5- Make sure any information they put on the site is actually accurate, especially when it comes to listing what actually gets published. Look up said publications/writers and see if they exist outside of that site.

2- Google. Once you've found a company, google it. See what results come in. You can also google "[company name] scam" to narrow your results. If nothing comes up, there are two possibilities: the company is reputable, or it's so new there hasn't been a chance to catch scams yet.

3- Find watchdog sites. These are sites that make it their mission to list all places to avoid like the plague. A quick search for "Freelance scams" reveals a few.

4- It looks too good. When you start off in freelance, you start pretty close to the bottom. Those that promise a bit too much, and seem a bit too good to be true, you should look into the most thoroughly.

5- Drill them with questions. If they seem interesting, then contact them but have a list of questions that make sure everything's crystal clear. If they don't answer your questions, or don't answer clearly (instead being overly wordy to murk up the answer), then 99% chance they're trying to pull the wool over your eyes. Reputable places will be transparent about how the process will work.

6- If you can wrangle it, find a reputable freelancer (not an organization, a person who has their name published repeatedly) for some tips on going in the right direction, what to avoid, and generally pick their brain on what they've learned over the years. This can be honestly invaluable.

Yes! All of the things in Rosey's list should be considered if you're trying to find a good website or professional blog that pays at least the minumum wage. If you're having a hard time finding the best site for you to work with, then maybe you could do some sort of part-time job and write for the trusted websites below:

Yahoo is a trusted website known around the world. You can earn a few bucks by writing random articles if you're in the US.

Helium is another famous site which accepts intellectual contributions from wandering authors. They have high standards, but I'm sure you can do it!

Squidoo and some other sites of the same function like Zynga accepts articles about ANY topic under the sun, and as long as you add links, embed videos, insert pictures and just decorate your post, you'll garner a good sum.

Also, why not start a blog? If you want to be more creative and independent as a writer, just have a sturdy capital and you can start a blog and earn from ads. Just suggestions!