How To Make Big Money Writing Online

How To Increase Exposure To Your Blog with Blog Carnivals

2012-09-04T06:56:00.001-07:00

What Is a Blog Carnival?

A blog carnival is essentially a collection of blog posts that share a common theme. These "ezines" come out on a regular basis: weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or annually.

How Does It Work?

It takes a lot of people to create a successful carnival.

First, an organizer creates the carnival by choosing a specific topic, selecting a date, finding bloggers to write articles on that topic, reviewing submissions, and promoting the carnival.
Then a host volunteers to host the carnival on his website. Sometimes this is done by the organizer and other times rotates among frequent bloggers. The host may also make comments in reference to the articles.
Bloggers submit article links (permalinks) to the organizer and advertise the upcoming carnival on their blog.
The audience gets access to a list of blog articles on a specific topic of interest.

How Much Does It Cost?

Blog carnivals are free to join. Simply submit your article link to an appropriate carnival theme and enjoy a targeted audience. By submitting articles to several different carnivals, you will increase your readership and allow interested readers to follow your blog.

How Do I Locate Blog Carnivals?

The easiest way is to conduct a Google search for "blog carnival". Then narrow your list according to a theme you wish to write about.

Another way is to read a variety of blogs regarding your subject of interest and see if any of them are conducting blog carnivals.

You might even consider hosting one of your own blog carnivals and potentially increase traffic to your website.

How to Write a Profitable eBook

2012-08-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

With the growing popularity of eReaders, eBooks are becoming more profitable than ever.

What should you write about?

Make a list of things you are passionate about.
Narrow down your list to 3 things that you are most knowledgeable about.
Finally, choose the subject that you're most excited about. Passion is what sets apart a good book from an extraordinary one.

What format should I write use?
The most common formats are ePub, HTML, and Word.

What software can I use to convert my eBook?
Most of the epublishers listed below offer a free conversion tool which will convert most standard formats to ePub. If these aren't suitable for you, try the free software offered by Open Office.

What ePublishers are available?

Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing
Cost: FREE
Royalties: 35% (.99-$2.98)
                 70% ($2.99-$9.99)
                 35% ($10 or more)
Formats: Word, HTML, MOBI, ePub, Plain Text, Rich Text Format, Adobe PDF
ISBN: Optional, not required
Royalties are paid automatically by electronic funds transfer (once earnings reach $10) or by check (once earnings reach $100) approximately 60 days following sale.

Barnes & Noble's Pubit!
Cost: FREE
Royalties: 40% (.99-$2.98)
                 65% ($2.99-$9.99)
                 40% ($10 or more)
Formats: ePub, Word, RTF, HTML, TXT
ISBN: Not required
Royalties are paid approximately 60 days post sale.

Kobo
Cost: FREE
Royalties: 70% ($1.99-$12.99)
                 45% (all other price points)
Formats: ePub, Word, HTML, OPF, MOBI
ISBN: Required
Royalties paid monthly via electronic transfer of funds once earnings reach $100; otherwise, payment will be at least once every 6 months.

Lulu
Cost: FREE
Royalties 90% (all price points)
Formats: ePub, Word, RTF
ISBN: Required-you can provide your own or receive one thru Lulu for FREE
Royalties paid monthly by Paypal (if over $5) or quarterly by check (if over $20).

Smashwords
Cost: FREE
Royalties: 60% from major ebook retailers or
                 85% from Smashwords
Format: Word
ISBN: Required-you can provide you own or receive one thru Smashwords for FREE
Royalties paid quarterly by check (if over $75) or Paypal (if over $10).

Apple's iBookstore
Cost: FREE
Royalties: 70% for all price points
Formats: ePub, Multi-Touch
ISBN: Required unless book is only being offered for free.
Payment of royalties varies by region.

How much should I charge?
While each book is different, it seems the current sweet spot is right around $2.99.

Don't forget to include the following:

Cover image - Be sure to catch your reader's attention!
Title page
Copyright/disclaimer
Introduction
Table of contents
Chapters/content
Conclusion
About the author
Index (optional, but helpful)
Glossary (may be helpful depending on the subject)
Promotional page (include contact information such as email or website)

Writing an eBook couldn't get any easier than this. And just imagine how much you could earn in royalties!

How to Create a Profitable Blog

2012-08-22T22:35:00.002-07:00

So what exactly is a blog?

A web site that allows an author to write about whatever they are passionate and knowledgeable about: gardening, home interior design, vacation get-a-ways, or playing pool. You name it, I'll bet there's a blog about it. So why should you write yet another gardening blog when there are already hundreds of them out there? Because each writer has a unique voice. Combine this with an unusual angle and readers will be hooked. Maybe this garden writer wants to share his experiences with roof-top gardening or organic gardening methods or maybe even water-less gardening.

Where do I start?

If you're new to blogging, you most likely will want to try a free blogging site. This will allow you to gain experience and see if it's something you're really interested in doing. There are several free sites available: BLOGGER, BLOGSTER, and WORDPRESS.COM (please note that Wordpress.com is the free blog site and Wordpress.org is the professional site). Follow the hosting site's instructions for creating a new blog. You'll need to name your blog and you'll also need to see if the name you want to use is available.

What do I write about?

Anything you want. Think of something you're good at, something you're passionate about, something you know a lot about, or something you want to know so bad that you're willing to dig up all the information you can find. Whatever you're writing about, remember to stay focused. If your blog is about weight loss, don't write a post about computers.

How do I make my blog profitable?

There are several ways:

place affiliate links or banners on your site
sell merchandise related to your blog
sell ad space

How do I obtain readers for my blog?

Place advertisements on search engines such as Google and Yahoo. You can also purchase ads on other sites such as Facebook.
Utilize social media. Create a page on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Submit your blog to various blog directories. To find these, simply type "blog listings" or "blog directories" in your search engine. Many are free, but some also offer better "placement" if you purchase an ad.
Participate in a blog carnival.

How do I get readers to keep coming back?

The best way to turn a "visitor" into a "repeat guest" is to write posts on a regular, consistent basis. Readers are continually seeking out new information. By keeping a well-maintained blog with up-to-date information, these readers will keep coming back.

Do I need a domain name?

Only if you want one. By purchasing a domain name, you get to label your URL anything you want as long as the name is available. This is helpful if you want your URL to read yourwebsite.com rather than yourwebsite.blogspot.com. Domain names are purchased for a specific amount of time and generally cost about $10 a year. Just a few domain name registrars are GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Hostgator domains.

What about hosting providers?

The free blog sites above offer free hosting; however, there are other hosting providers available should your needs change. Some hosting providers worth checking out are Hostgator, Bluehost, and Fat Cow.

Add blog to our blog directory.

Affiliate Marketing Simplified

2012-08-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

Bloggers often utilize affiliate marketing in order to make the big bucks. Affiliate marketing is simply when a website owner (aka affiliate) places online ads for merchants. Merchants reward the affiliate for each potential customer or sale referred to them as a result of their ads. This happens one of three ways: through pay per click, pay per sale, or pay per lead.

Pay Per Click
Affiliates are paid each time a potential customer clicks one of their ads. These don't pay much, but they convert well.

Pay Per Sale
Affiliates are paid when a customer purchases an item or service. This can be a percentage of the sale or a flat rate commission. These don't convert as often, but if you pick the right product for your website, it often pays well.

Pay Per Lead
Affiliates are paid when customers click the ad and fill out a form. Some lead forms require only an email address while others may require an address and credit card number. Long lead forms obviously pay more than short ones, but the shorter ones convert more often. The pay per lead model is often used for things like free trials.

Here is just a sampling of some of the major affiliate networks available:

Linkshare is free to join and pays monthly. This is a large network and includes many well-known merchants such as: AT&T, Nutrisystem, Macy's, McAfee, Omaha Steaks, Barnes & Noble, Chase, and Walmart.
Neverblue is also free to join and pays monthly by check. Each affiliate is assigned their own affiliate manager. This is a global network and specializes in mobile campaigns.
Commission Junction was acquired by ValueClick and is free to join. Current clients include Lord & Taylor, Audiobooks.com, VTech Toys, and Allstate Motor Club.
Clickbank specializes in digital downloads. Pays weekly and direct deposit is available. Tens of thousands of products are available with earnings up to 75%. Clickbank is free to join as an affiliate. If you wish to sell your own products, there is a one-time fee of $49.95 and then a commission fee of 7.5%.
The eBay Partner Network offers generous commissions. It is free to join and pays monthly through direct deposit or Paypal. EBay is such a well-known company that referring customers is easy provided you advertise the right products for you site.
Amazon Associates is the network for Amazon's online store. Pays up to 15% of its advertising fees on qualifying purchases, not just the products advertised. Amazon also allows affiliates to set up a professional online store on their own website.
Google's Adsense network pays affiliates to display relevant and engaging ads on their websites. Earnings vary based on the type of ads displayed, the pricing of the ads, and the quantity of Adsense products used. Pays monthly.
MaxBounty is a CPA network that pays weekly. Features clients such a Columbia House, CreditReport.com, and Publisher's Clearing House. This network does require a phone interview.

Be sure to research each network you intend to use to make sure it fits your individual needs. Like I said, this is just a sampling of networks that I happen to be most familiar with. Feel free to share your own experiences in the comment section below.

How to Navigate Online Job Boards

2012-08-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

Navigating the multitude of online job boards can be overwhelming. Which ones are free? Are they easy to use? These online platforms connect freelance writers and employers. But which one should you choose?

Elance

Freelance Writing

Guru

Freelancer

Craigslist

ELANCE.COM

Elance's motto is to provide "Instant Access to Great Talent." In addition to writers, this job board is open to programmers, designers, administrators, marketers, consultants, accountants, mobile developers. Members have profiles which include a picture, job history, portfolio, skills, resume, and contact info. Elance also offers skills tests and gives you the option of listing these scores on your profile.

How Elance works

Clients post job offers for free.
Writers submit bids and proposals to the client.
The client reviews these proposals and awards the job to a writer of his choice.
Once both parties agree to the terms, the client funds his Elance Escrow.
Writer completes the work.
Client approves work.
Elance deducts 6.75%-8.75% from the contractor's fee. Keep this in mind when submitting bids.
Writer gets paid.

FREELANCEWRITING.COM

Freelance Writing's goal is "Helping freelance writers to succeed since 1997." This job board offers job listings for freelance writing jobs as well as articles for freelance writers.

This site posts original job offers as well as job offers from multiple other job platforms such as Elance, Craigslist, and Guru. Most of these listings tell writers upfront how much the pay is and asks that you reply by email with attached resume and writing samples.

GURU.COM

Guru is a global job platform that matches writers with employers based on their qualifications. Guru Recommended is a tool that recommends projects to writers based on their qualifications

Guru utilizes SafePay which guarantees payment protection. Employers pay Guru upfront before work begins.

"As certain milestones are reached or upon completion of the job, the Employer approves the work and we pay you for the value of the work completed. We also offer Dispute Resolution Services in case a misunderstanding arises." -Guru.com

FREELANCER.COM

Freelancer claims to be "the world's largest outsourcing and crowdsourcing marketplace for small business." They have connected over 4 million employers and freelancers globally from over 234 countries and regions. This is one of those boards where writers view job listings and submit bids on projects. There are 4 different plans available

Free, 10% fee on jobs, 10 bids a month, and list 20 skills
Basic 4.95 a month (free 30-day trial), 10% fee on jobs, 50 bids a month, 50 skills
Standard, $24.95 a month, 5% fee on jobs, 150 bids, 100 skills
Premium, $49.95 a month, 3% job fee, 500 bids, 250 skills

CRAIGSLIST.COM

I found this to be the most unconventional way of finding writing opportunities, but it does exist. Craigslist is free for both the client and the writer. It offers no guarantees though so be cautious when researching these postings.

Discover the Expert In You With eHow

2012-08-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

Earn money writing articles for eHow. The eHow website offers free access to over 30 categories of how-to articles and tutorials. eHow boasts that it is:

"your one-stop online resource for life's challenges."

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Demand Studios currently owns eHow and pays freelance authors and experts for quality content. eHow first went online back in 1999 and in 2007 it introduced video tutorials as well.

According to Demand Studios, eHow's traffic exceeds 60 million unique users worldwide. The audience is well split between men (47%) and women (53%). The core age of readers is 18-49 years old.

*********************************************************************************

eHow's goal is

"connecting visitors with trustworthy information, helpful people, and useful online tools."

________________________________________________________________________________

The pay varies between $15-$25 per article depending on length and topic.

_________________________________________________________

For those of you interested in writing for eHow, you must submit an application at www.demandstudios.com along with a writing sample of at least 300 words, and a resume. Document only work and experiences that are relevant to the role for which you are applying.

5 Easy Ways to Earn Money Writing Online

2012-08-07T16:32:00.000-07:00

There are so many new and exciting ways to earn big money by writing online. There's blogging, affiliate marketing, writing reviews, writing articles, self-publishing, freelance writing jobs. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Write Reviews

Write reviews for your favorite products and get paid eroyalties at EPINIONS .  Reviews must be unique and unbiased. Each time a customer utilizes your review to make a purchase (or not), you earn royalties. The pay is very small, but adds up over time. The more thorough the review, the better the pay.

2. Freelance Job Boards

Look for freelance writing jobs at ELANCE, FREELANCE WRITING.COM, GURU, FREELANCER, WRITING BIDS. Browse listings of job opportunities on these online employment platforms.

3. Start a Blog

Utilize free blogging sites such at BLOGGER, BLOGSTER, or WORDPRESS.  Use your blog to write about your favorite hobby or something that you're passionate about. Once you've established a following, you can advertise using affiliate marketing to rake in the big bucks.

4. Write Articles

Write informative articles for sites such as EHOW or HUBPAGES. EHow publishes mostly how-to articles with step-by-step instructions. HubPages publishes a wide variety of articles.

5. Write an E-book

Self publish an e-book. Non-fiction books tend to be higher in demand than fiction. With the prevalance of e-readers, this could be a very profitable option.  Here is a short list of e-book publishers: LULU, SMASHWORDS, BARNES AND NOBLE'S PUB IT, and AMAZON.

**Be sure to check the archives for more in-depth information on each of these topics**