Fixed Price vs. Hourly Jobs – Which Ones Pay the Most?

In the world of freelance writing, you have the option of getting paid by the hour or by the article. There are pros and cons to both options, so you have to figure out what the best one is for you specifically. I tend to make more money working by the article than I do by the hour, but that is because I can work quickly. Some other people would lose a ton of money in the day if they got paid by the article. Let's take a look at both of these options more closely so you can determine how you want to get paid in the future.

The Pros and Cons of Hourly Pay

The best part about getting paid by the hour is that you will earn the same money no matter how long it takes you to write an article. If you have to research one article extensively, you will be paid for your research time. With fixed price work, you don't have that opportunity. You just have to eat up the time and hope you can make up for it with other work.

The reason I don't like hourly pay rates is because I get a lot more done in an hour than most other writers do. Thus I am working my buns off without getting compensated for it. It takes me 15 to 20 minutes to write a 600 word article, including research time. It takes some people an hour or more to do the same thing. Thus I am actually losing money by getting paid hourly, and I have no motivation to get through my work quickly. Because of all of that, I just prefer to work by the article.

The Pros and Cons of Fixed Price Jobs

The best part about fixed price work is knowing what you will be paid from the start. You have a certain word count to abide by and a certain pay rate per word. If you get paid $.02/word and you have to write a 600 word article, you know you will be paid roughly $12 for your article – no matter how quickly you get it done. If you get three or four of those articles done an hour like I do, you can quickly see where the profits come from.

The problem with fixed price work is that it doesn't take into account the time you spend outside of writing. Some articles only take a couple of minutes to research, but others may take a half hour or more. In those situations, I usually charge a higher rate per word or ask the client if I can get paid some form of compensation for my efforts. Most people are willing to work around that to make sure I get paid for my time.

Choosing the Right Jobs for You

Only you know what sort of pay you should be getting for your work. If you are a quick writer who has a firm grasp on writing for the web, you may want to look into fixed price work. If you are more of a slow and steady kind of writer, you might fare better with an hourly paying job. As long as you find good clients to work with, you should be able to secure the pay you need no matter what. Do a little calculating to find out where you are going to make the most money, and then you can adjust your work plans to make the most money possible in freelance writing.

Do You Need a College Degree to Make Money as a Freelancer?

Whenever I tell people that I make money writing online, most of them ask if I have a degree in English, journalism, or something along those lines. I actually don't have a college degree at all, even though I make more money a year than most people that have college degrees. That is just because I'm dedicated to my job, and quite frankly, I'm good at what I do. Nevertheless, it seems that most people assume that you have to have a degree in order to work in this kind of profession. That couldn't be further from the truth.

You don't need to have a college degree to make money as a freelancer. In fact, freelance writing is a great way to supplement your scholarships and grants so that you can get through school without having to worry about finding a job. Let's take a look at how that balance works so you can figure out how to potentially use this career path to make money without a college degree.

Most Job Postings Ask for College Degrees

If you like to look for jobs on Craigslist, you have probably seen a ton of employers asking for at least a bachelor's degree in a certain subject for applicants to be considered for a job. While it is nice to have a degree to apply for those positions, you should not be discouraged by the fact that you don't have one. I usually write something at the very beginning of my cover letter that says…

"I realize that I do not meet the degree requirements that you outlined in your job posting, but I have been writing online for three years now. I have a significant amount of experience to back my application, and I would like to be considered for this position."

It doesn't always sound just like that, but you get the idea. I let employers know that I have read the posting and that I am aware of the requirements they have set forth. Then I explain what makes me a worthy candidate despite the fact that I do not meet all the requirements. If you do the same, you may be able to woo someone to see past your lack of a degree.

You Can Make a Lot of Money without a Degree

When you work online, you aren't limited to the employers in a certain area. I have had clients from literally all parts of the world – Australia, Germany, South Africa, India, Bangladesh, Canada, Mexico, and the good old USA. Because of this trait about freelance writing online, you can make more money than you may be able to make in your home town. I live in the Midwest, which is known for having low standards of living. My clients in California pay twice as much for my services as other clients do, just because that is what they expect to pay in their area. You don't have to have a degree to get connected with this kind of money. You just have to have access to the internet.

You Can Pay for Your Degree While You Freelance

You can make a ton of money as a freelance writer just in your spare time, and then you can use that money to pay for your college degree. I actually started this career because I was going to school for an architecture degree. I was in studio for roughly 40 hours a week, and I was still able to make a couple grand a month working part time. If you go to school online, you may be able to schedule your work and your education to all come from your computer. That will give you the most flexible schedule possible, and it could lead to quite an exciting life if you develop the right plan. Check out your career and college options and you should be able to find a good balance of the two.

Using Autocorrect to Speed Up Your Work

The term "autocorrect" is most often associated with the iPhone, and it is known for producing funny messages like these…

Those are courtesy of DamnYouAutocorrect.com, which is one of my favorite sites to go to when I need a good laugh. For this post though, I'm not going to be talking about autocorrect on an iPhone. I'm going to refer to the autocorrect on Microsoft Word, which I encourage every freelance writer to get familiar with. It can greatly speed up your writing time, which will improve your freelance writing pay rates and reduce the amount of work you have to do in a day. Here are some tips to help you use autocorrect effectively in your work.

What Is Autocorrect?

Autocorrect is a program in Microsoft Word that will automatically correct a word that you type incorrectly into a document. When I type the word "dificult" into a Word document, it is autocorrected to say "difficult" when I put a space after it. A lot of words are already built into the autocorrect system, but you will have to input others as you go. In time, you can customize your autocorrect to fix most of your typos for you.

How to Add Words to Autocorrect

Every person has a different set of typos that he or she makes on a regular basis. I tend to type the word "the" as "teh" or "hte," so I have my autocorrects set to fix those mistakes as I type. You are going to have to add words to your autocorrect database so your MS Word will correct your specific typos. Here are two ways to add words to autocorrect:

• Right-click mistyped words: One of the easiest ways to add words to autocorrect is to click on them as you type. If you see a word underlined in red, you can right click on it and go to "Autocorrect." Then you can click on the word that you want to replace it with in the future. I do this all the time, and I rarely have mistyped words now.
• Manually add words: The right click option doesn't always work if MS Word doesn't have a word suggested for your typo. In that case, you will have to manually add the word to the database. Click the "File" tab and go down to "Options." Then go to the "Proofing" section and select "Autocorrect Options." That will display a bar that you can enter the typo and correction into. Save your changes, and you won't have to worry about that specific typo in the future. You can also find this in the right click option at the bottom of the list of suggested words, if a list comes up.

Try to add as many words to your autocorrect system as possible, even if you think you will never come across them again. You never know when you may get a new client that needs you to write about the same information in the future.

Be Careful about What You Add

Think about an autocorrect word before you set it up because there may be two different autocorrect options that you would use on a regular basis. For instance, the autocorrect suggestions for "situatin" are "situation" and "situating." If you use both options on a regular basis, you need to make sure you avoid autocorrecting a word incorrectly. Just watch what you type and you should be able to get a custom autocorrect dictionary that is perfect to your style of typing.

20 Keyboard Shortcuts Every Freelancer Needs

Freelance writing is one of those jobs that usually pays by the amount of work you can get done, not the amount of hours you work. Thus you have to be able to do as much as you can to cut down your work time if you want to do really well in this business. That is where keyboard shortcuts come into play. These simply little devices can shave a ton of time off your typing, and they can help you work as effectively as possible. You will inevitably use some of the same commands over and over while you write. These just give you an easier way to go about executing them. Every second you save is just more money in your pocket. Here are 20 keyboard shortcuts every freelancer should know about:

• Ctrl+C: Copy
• Ctrl+V: Paste
• Ctrl+S: Save (works for documents, emails, and more)
• Ctrl+A: Select all (highlights everything on a page)
• Ctrl+F: Find (works on MS Word, Notepad, and most web browsers)
• Ctrl+H: Replace (works on MS Word and Notepad)
• Ctrl+B: Bold (turns to "bookmark" in web browsers)
• Ctrl+I: Italicize
• Ctrl+U: Underline
• Ctrl+T: New tab in web browser
• Ctrl+N: New page (works in text editors and web browsers)
• Ctrl+Z: Undo (probably my favorite command)
• Ctrl+X: Cut
• Ctrl+Enter: Page break
• Shift+Enter: Single line break
• Shift+F7: Thesaurus (only in MS Word)
• Tab: Next section of a form on a web browser
• Backspace: "Go back" on web browsers
• Ctrl+Alt+Delete: Shuts down computer or pulls up task bar
• F5: Refresh a page on a web browser

There are tons of other keyboard shortcuts you may find use out of. Those are just the ones that I us on a fairly regular basis. Here are a few links to give you an idea of the sheer magnitude of shortcuts out there: Microsoft Word keyboard shortcuts, Internet Explorer keyboard shortcuts, and Firefox keyboard shortcuts.

How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Using keyboard shortcuts is fairly simple, depending on what you are doing at the time. If you are trying to copy, paste, or do something along those lines, you will need to first highlight whatever it is you want to use the command on. Then you can just hit your shortcut to execute the command. Example:

If I want to copy the word "awesome" in this sentence, I would first highlight awesome and then hit Ctrl+C. Then if I want to paste it, I would hit Ctrl+V to produce: awesome. Try it yourself and see what you think.

For keyboard shortcuts related to web browsers, you need to make sure you have clicked somewhere on the page to be able to execute the command. If your mouse is stationed in your address bar, hitting backspace will only cause you to get rid of a letter in the bar. If you hit backspace after clicking somewhere generic on a page, you will be taken back to the page you were at right before.

Play around with keyboard shortcuts in your online college courses so you get used to them. Once you make them a habit, you will be able to write much faster. I probably save two minutes an article or more just in using shortcuts. That may not sound like much, but it is when I'm writing 30+ articles a day. I literally get an extra hour of work in a day just by using shortcuts. Believe me when I say they are truly beneficial for this kind of work.

How to Format an Article for the Web

Writing for the web is a lot different than writing for a college course or an essay scholarship. With internet writing, you have to keep the search engines and the readers in mind at the same time. While there is no set formula you have to abide by, there are some things you can do to structure an effective article online. I have developed a rhythm to my writing over the years that makes constructing articles incredibly easy. If you develop a similar rhythm, you may find yourself pumping out articles much quicker than you used to. Here is a guide to help you properly format an article for the web.

Introduction

Every good article has some sort of introduction. It allows the reader to get prepared for the information that is about to come, rather than getting slammed with it right away. A lot of writers try to throw facts, steps, or other information like that in the intro of their articles, but that doesn't allow for a good flow in their writing. Try to come up with a way to lead into the body of your article without spending a ton of time introducing it. Define a term, ask a question, or do something else to bring up the topics you are about to discuss. Then you can bring on the facts in the body of the article.

I usually make my introductions about 100 words, depending on the size of the article itself. If there is a keyword that my clients want me to use in my article, I try to put it in the first sentence or the thesis sentence of my introduction. That is something I've learned from just about every internet marketer I've worked with, so there's obviously a positive SEO effect from that.

Finally, I conclude my intro with some sort of summary of what is to come in an article. "Here is a look at…" "Listed below are…" "The guide below will…" All of those little sentences make my articles easier to read. Check out my previous posts and you'll see that I do this almost every time. You probably didn't even notice it.

Body

I'm a huge fan of subheadings, so I try to use them in everything I write. I had one client long ago that actually wouldn't allow me to use subheadings, and it drove me nuts. If you have the chance to use subheadings in the body of your articles, do so. This makes the articles easier to read. If you have a keyword for the article, use it in at least one of the subheadings. If you're writing a how to guide, make sure you write "Step 1 - Bla Bla…" or something along those lines. Just break down the article in a way that it will be easiest to glance through on the reading end.

I typically make my body paragraphs 75 to 125 words a piece, depending on the content I need to cover in them. If you see yourself getting to that 160-ish word count, you may want to consider breaking the paragraph in two. Try to incorporate your keyword at least once in the body of the article, preferably toward the middle. Then you will be able to move on to the conclusion.

Conclusion

Not every web article needs a conclusion, but it is nice to throw one at the end to sum everything up. Insert your keyword one more time, and leave the reader with a farewell message to keep in mind. This will probably only take about 50 words, but you can make it up to 100. Then read over your writing to make sure everything flows well. If you structured your article correctly, you should have a reader- and internet-friendly piece of work that your clients can immediately post on the web.

How to Use oDesk to Find Work

oDesk is a great site to use if you plan to pursue a career in freelance writing. It is a place where contractors and clients can come together to conduct work and process payments. I got my start on oDesk, and I have used it to find many of my best paying clients. It wasn't until recently though that I learned how to truly use it to my advantage. I you are going to try finding work through oDesk, you need to maximize your efforts on there. Here is a look at some of the many things you can do to gain clients through oDesk.

Create an Account

Before you can do much of anything, you are going to need to create an account. This doesn't take long to do, but you will be asked a lot of personal information along the way. That is because the money that you make on oDesk is going to have to be reported on your taxes at the end of the year. oDesk needs a lot of information, like your social security number, to make that happen. You just have to trust that this is a secure site and do what it takes to create an account.

Take Some Tests

Before you can actually apply for a job, you will need to take the oDesk Readiness Test. This is a simple test that just makes sure you know how to use oDesk correctly. If you don't pass the first time, you will have a chance to take it again. All of the answers are given to you on the test though, so you should have no trouble passing it the first time.

Once you get through that test, you will have a chance to take other tests as well. You should take a few tests related to writing so you can show employers your skills. This is something I actually need to do more of because I only took one or two tests when I started this three years ago. The spelling tests and vocabulary tests are fairly easy, but you can look for others that you may do well with. The more tests you take and pass, the more applications you will be able to fill out. Doing this will also enhance your chances of getting hired for work later on.

Complete Your Profile

Try to fill out as much of your profile as possible so employers will be able to find you easier. Upload some of your past work if you have any, and fill out your resume based on your experiences. If you have a degree from Ashworth University or a similar college, put that in your resume. Try to input your skills as much as possible as that will be a way for employers to come find you. The last several jobs I received on oDesk all came from employers who found me in the system. I didn't have to apply for anything. If you have a complete enough profile, you may have a similar experience in the future.

Apply for Jobs

When you have everything in place for work, you can actually go about finding jobs on oDesk. Go to the "Find Work" tab and see which options show up on your home page. If you want to look for more, select one of the categories on the left of the page. Then you can look over jobs that were recently posted and apply for ones you like. Look at the expected pay for the job so you don't bid on something that pays too low for you. You can narrow your options based on the kinds of work you want to do, and then you will have a small list of jobs to apply to. If you look around enough, you should have no issue finding work on this site.

5 Sites Every Freelancer Should Know about

As a freelancer, there are certain sites you are going to come across many many times throughout your career. I actually didn't start making money until I came across a few of these sites, so I thought I would save you the trial and error by revealing them here. The five websites listed below may help you jump start your career in freelance writing. At the very least, they may prove to be vital bookmarks in your web browser. Here are five sites that every freelancer should know about.

1 - oDesk

oDesk is a free website that allows you to bid on freelance work and potentially pick up new clients for steady employment. My very first writing job came from oDesk, and that led to literally thousands of others from my past and present. While I don't exclusively use Desk to find work anymore, I do still use it as a starting ground for finding new employers. My three main clients right now actually came from oDesk at one point in time. I didn't even have to apply for work with them. They came to me asking for my services. If you build up a good reputation on there, you can easily find enough work to pay the bills.

Note that you can find more than just writing jobs on there. There are tons of customer service and administrative assistant jobs that you may like as well. You just have to look around at the job postings and see what you may qualify for.

2 - Copyscape

Copyscape is a site that you can go to when you need to check an article for plagiarism. This may seem silly to use if you know you don't plagiarize your work, but it is still nice to know about. Most likely all of your clients are going to use Copyscape on your work, so you may as well be familiar with how it works. I actually use Copyscape to check my own work if I am asked to rewire an article because it helps me see if I have accidentally used the same wording that someone else has. If something comes back copied, I can fix it before my clients see it.

You will have to pay $.05 per run on Copyscape, but that is money you can write off your taxes at the end of the year. It is a business expense after all. You will have to buy 100 runs to start, so just plan to have $5.00 if you want to use the site.

3 - PayPal

PayPal is the safest way to manage money on the web, and it is a place you will definitely need to know about if you work online. If you work on oDesk, you can use PayPal to transfer your oDesk money from your account to your bank. You could also get paid directly through PayPal if you wanted to. That is what I do with all of my clients because it's fast, convenient, and even free in some cases. It just depends on the way a client sends me money. It won't cost you anything to setup a PayPal account, and you won't regret it the second you do so. I guarantee it.

4 - Dropbox

Dropbox is a file transfer program that you can use to send large files to your clients. I use to have a client that I made a ton of YouTube videos for, and they were simply too large for me to send to him in an email. We just passed everything through Dropbox, and it saved everyone a lot of stress in the end. All you have to do is download the Dropbox on your computer, and then you can drop and drag files to it whenever you need to transfer them. You can share different folders with different people, but you can manage it all from one giant folder. There are free and paid versions of this, so just look at your different options to see what works for you.

5 - Skype

Skype is a free internet communication platform that allows you to call people directly on the web as opposed to using the phone. Skype also has instant messaging and video chat built in, so you can speak to people however you need to. Every client I have ever had used Skype to speak with people in one way or another. In fact, one of my primary clients at the moment manages all of his writers on there. Since it is free to use, you might as well have it on your computer.

I actually don't like using Skype, just because it distracts me from work. Nevertheless, I can't deny the convenience of it. Check this out, along with the other sites above, and you should be on your way to a successful career as a freelance writer.