Clickworker is a crowdsourcing site that I have only just discovered. The site offers jobs that pay anywhere from 10 cents to a few dollars each and require you to find information on various businesses, write short articles, edit short articles and any number of other internet-related odd jobs.
I registered with Clickworker this morning. The process was free and, because payment is through Paypal, limited personal information is asked. They do not ask for your Social Security Number. Once your account is setup you have to qualify for the different tasks by taking and passing "assessments." There are "base assessments" such as tests for writing and editing and more specialized "project assessments" that can qualify you for assignments like analyzing videos.
I took the writing test and passed (which felt good.) The test was graded within an hour and I was able to start claiming jobs. While I haven't actually done work for them yet, I'm excited to start. Their instructions are clear, well-written and easy to understand.
Judging by the pay offered for the jobs, Clickworker won't give me a really substantial income but the tasks are simple and interesting so it's something to try during downtime. I'll report back when I have more to say.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Introductions: How to Start Working from Home & Freelance Writing
I've been writing at various freelance gigs since high school: a content mill here, some ghost-writing there, a bit of blogging (check out my fitness blog, The Walking Encyclopedia) and so on and so forth. I'm even writing a serialized novel at Big World Network. But, it was always something I did on the side. It wasn't until recently that my wife and I decided that I should devote myself to it.
And it is hard.
Although I won't claim to be an expert, I do have about 4 years cumulative experience at freelance writing and working from home and as I stumble forward I hope that this blog will serve as a guide to others.
First Things First
Be realistic about what you're trying to do. By beginning a career in freelancing, you are essentially starting your own business because you will not be an employee of anyone you work for. You will be an independent contractor, and this is true for most "work-at-home" opportunities that are available online. You will not have the security of a job and will be responsible for both doing the work and looking for work. Expect periods of downtime when you have little to no work and, before you quit your day job to immerse yourself in this make sure you have the savings to buffer you.
Blog
Blogs are a great way to start out but don't expect instant pay-off. It takes months, sometimes years before you will see substantial income from your blog. From what I've seen, blogging success boils down to three key steps.
Content Mills
Content Mills are websites that enlist mass quantities of writers to churn out articles for various websites, sometimes on commission. These websites generally have lower pay than other employers and are sometimes looked down on by professional writers. I don't think they should be. Content mills provide great experience for new writers and many will hire you regardless of experience, after you prove yourself with a writing sample or test. I'll discuss specific sites in future posts so stay tuned.
Microjobs
Microjob services are a relatively new phenomenon that goes by any number of names, including crowdsourcing, but the basics remain the same: You do a small job, you get paid a small amount of money. The jobs generally including writing articles, editing articles, coding or translating. I even saw one guy offering $20 for pictures of an adult wearing diapers. The internet is a strange place. You won't get rich with microjobs but they're a fun way to make a little extra money. Again, specifics will follow.
There are many ways to make money online while being your own boss. While this blog will tend to cater more to the writer, I will likely wander over into other work-at-home gigs and offer my opinions and experiences.
And it is hard.
Although I won't claim to be an expert, I do have about 4 years cumulative experience at freelance writing and working from home and as I stumble forward I hope that this blog will serve as a guide to others.
First Things First
Be realistic about what you're trying to do. By beginning a career in freelancing, you are essentially starting your own business because you will not be an employee of anyone you work for. You will be an independent contractor, and this is true for most "work-at-home" opportunities that are available online. You will not have the security of a job and will be responsible for both doing the work and looking for work. Expect periods of downtime when you have little to no work and, before you quit your day job to immerse yourself in this make sure you have the savings to buffer you.
Blog
Blogs are a great way to start out but don't expect instant pay-off. It takes months, sometimes years before you will see substantial income from your blog. From what I've seen, blogging success boils down to three key steps.
- Pick Your Niche: Write about what you know. Obviously, there will likely be thousands of other blogs about your topic but try to provide a fresh perspective.
- Write Well: This seems like it should go without saying but there are myriads of poorly written blogs out there that people are just plain sick of. A well-written, informative, entertaining blog will stand out.
- Write Often: The more you write, the more the search-engines will find you, the more readers you'll get. It's as simple as that... sorta. But we won't get into the technical mumbo-jumbo here, this is an overview after all.
Content Mills
Content Mills are websites that enlist mass quantities of writers to churn out articles for various websites, sometimes on commission. These websites generally have lower pay than other employers and are sometimes looked down on by professional writers. I don't think they should be. Content mills provide great experience for new writers and many will hire you regardless of experience, after you prove yourself with a writing sample or test. I'll discuss specific sites in future posts so stay tuned.
Microjobs
Microjob services are a relatively new phenomenon that goes by any number of names, including crowdsourcing, but the basics remain the same: You do a small job, you get paid a small amount of money. The jobs generally including writing articles, editing articles, coding or translating. I even saw one guy offering $20 for pictures of an adult wearing diapers. The internet is a strange place. You won't get rich with microjobs but they're a fun way to make a little extra money. Again, specifics will follow.
There are many ways to make money online while being your own boss. While this blog will tend to cater more to the writer, I will likely wander over into other work-at-home gigs and offer my opinions and experiences.
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