What Are Some Other Writing Sites and Why Did I Not Choose Them?

There were many other websites that offered services similar to Squidoo, Helium and Bukisa and paid to write online. Here are some of them

Associated Content
Article Alley
Xomba

There are also many more that were mentioned on this blog ,
The Freelance Home Writer


For the most of them, the reason I didnt choose them are one of these

1. I had no time. I had already signed into too many websites and may not be able to juggle them all.

2. They were not in my topic of expertise. For example, if one was talking ONLY about travel, then I probably didn't take that. I could write a few articles on travel and local but considering that I barely have had a vacation in like three years, I couldnt possibly produce a countless number of travel articles. So I wont take a membership in those.

3. I read bad reviews about them.

Another site that I never wrote for is Content Current. I did try out but after a very very long wait, they declined my application. Well I suppose everything happens for the best as I found Break Studio after that (Which is a great site by the way..)More about them next time.

So essentially, please do your research and see if the topic is right for you and the sites is the right thing for you too before signing in. But still don't be afraid to try out something just to see if the site is right for you. If I didn't try these websites, I wouldnt have expanded as an online writer this much.

Image Credit: Disney at Zazzle

Introducing Squidoo

I came to realize that there were many many platforms that we could use to establish ourselves as an online writer. One great avenue, and I can truly say one that changed it for me, for the better ofcourse and one that I almost could credit for making me the writer I am today is Squidoo. Before I talk about how that happened, let me first talk about what attracted me to Squidoo and some other nitty gritty details.

Squidoo was different...why? Because we do not just create articles..we create something that looks like mini-websites or what is called "lenses". These make our articles jump out to life with pictures, videos, musics and many more widgets that Squidoo offers. The pages honestly looked more appealing and more fun not only to read,but also to create.

Squidoo is also great for marketing purposes, business promotions and for those who aren't too apt at creating a full blown website. What makes them different from other articles is that there are more than words and this certainly keeps the audience engaged for a longer time.

To start off at Squidoo, you don't quite need HTML/CSS knowledge..but there are many resources within Squidoo that could get anybody started off.

And yes Squidoo does pay a little, you can earn some ad revenue income here and there and also donate that to charity. But mostly, Squidoo has been an eye opening experience for me.... almost solely because of this group called the Fresh Wonders. More about them in the next post...but before I go...

If at all you are interested in writing at Squidoo, and are truly serious to learn and excel, you should visit the Fresh Squid Headquarters after registering and find out how to join this amazing group and start your Squidoo days on the right foot.

How did they create my turning point? Stay tuned to find out more....

Looking for a good avenue to write? Start at Squidoo
Click on the icon above to take a look at some of my works at Squidoo.

A Great Reference that would help create mindblowing Squidoo Lenses

Writing at Helium

There are indeed many great writing sites for beginners to start their writing career, publish their work to the public, create a portfolio, and even earn some money through it. These sites are easy to use, and would show you how easy it is to start writing online and pursue a career in writing.

What I really liked about it is the fact that others could read my articles and and let me know where it stands. It also gives you the opportunity to read the articles from writers all over the world, learn more and also gain an insight on many writing styles and learn which is more suitable than others.

One such site is Helium. Helium is a article submission directory that gives people the chance to write articles on a wide range of topics. Each article is expected to be 400 words or above. Another great feature on Helium is their rating segment. Writers are not only encouraged to submit articles but also to anonymously rate the articles written by fellow Helium members. This way, not only did I learn alot about many other topics, I also got to see what are the different qualities expected in a good article.

So how do we get paid on Helium? Well part of the income comes from adshare revenue when visitors view your article. They follow the rating star system to determine how much you earn. The more active you are in the rating section, the more stars you get, the more your views earn.

For the written article, the amount you earn is determined by the number of writing stars you have earned. Helium is a community that wants to encourage good writing. Thus the ratings on your article earn you stars. When you get one-star or more, it shows that your article stand in high ranking. This would be an excellent assessment on where your article stands.

If you are looking for another avenue to write, or would like to explore this to start writing, click on this icon and check out Helium.com

Me?? Writing??

Now writing was an option that I used to consider and hesitate. I mean me?? write?? Why did I reconsider
1. I am no English scholarly writer. I mean my English was fairly good..but I am no Shakespeare or any famous novelist.
2. I won't even write my own personal diary

But then I liked the idea of exploring topics, finding out more, learning new things in the name of research. And it can be done online! So I did some search and came across hiring websites like Demand Studios and asked myself "Why would they hire me?"

I am yet to build a portfolio. I do not have a degree in the English language or Journalism ( I do have a degree though). Then why?

So then I started thinkin "How do I get hired as a writer eventually?" Answer: Create a portfolio!
But it didnt make sense for me to write random articles and file them at home. I needed to be out there. In the World Wide Web.. So I did some searches.

And lo and behold, I was amazed to find that there were websites that would let you publish your articles, and some even paid you a little for them. The money was almost close to nothing. But, I just found the perfect platform to build a portfolio.

So then I started trying out these websites.

Helium
Associated Content
Bukisa

There were a whole bunch of others I tried, but didn't quite like. Some were too spammy and others just didn't work...

So how did these sites help me build the portfolio and what happened next?.....



Image Credit: Shocked Classic Mickey by Disney @ Zazzle