How To Earn Money Writing Blog Content

Some writers earn ALL their income from writing blog content, while others use blog content for marketing their books or as a way of earning extra income from their writing.

And all of these are extremely advantageous because the income can be quite substantial.

How Do You Make Money Writing Blog Posts?

I’ve spent years making money from writing articles for my websites and blogs. I’ve even had websites that were simply for nothing else except revenue that I earned from writing articles for them.

And the following is how I did it.

Monetising Blog Posts and Articles

The two simplest ways I found to make money (and there were many) was through advertisements and promoting affiliate products.

I distinguish between blog posts and articles because posts are short and fast to write (300 to 500 words) whereas articles are longer and take more time to write (500 to 3,000 words). 

But both can be used to make money.

Finding Keywords to Write About

When I’m only writing blog posts and articles to generate revenue from advertising and affiliate sales, it’s important to get as many people as possible to read them.

This is where keywords are important.

I have a free Google AdWords account that I use to find keywords and key phrases to use.

I try and include them in the title, first paragraph and at least one sub head.

I choose keywords with low competition and low searches to help get my pages indexed on the first page of Google search results.

How to Write Articles Quickly

Time really is critical when working this way so the more articles I can write, the better.

To write quickly I often use my fast article writing system and write an opening paragraph, an ending (conclusion) and at least three points in between that I want to cover.

This is akin to the well-known writing maxim of:

• Say what you’re going to say (beginning)
• Say it (three points to cover)
• Say what you’ve said (conclusion)

This makes article writing so much faster AND easier.

Two Important Points to Remember

Before you write anything at all, there are two things that you need to do.

First, know exactly who you’re writing to. Be able to picture your target market and write directly to them.

Others will visit your site but they are not who you’re writing for so ignore them.

Secondly, make sure that your articles and blog posts contain great information.

Readers should feel like they’ve learned something so make sure that your posts and articles contain at least one great tip.

And that about wraps it up.

Done correctly, you can earn quite a decent income from writing your own blog posts and online articles.

Just make sure that everything you sell (affiliate products) are quality items that  you truly recommend because if someone comes to your site and buys junk, they’ll never trust  you again.

So provide quality both in products you sell and your writing.

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How I Earned Over $4,000 Writing Articles
In Just One Day

I did it using my simple 15 Minute Article Writing System which Includes Research, Writing and Proof Reading.

Nine Short Story Markets

Today I have a list that I've put together of nine (I somehow just couldn't crack ten) writing markets for short fiction.

Each one in the list has dozens of fiction writing markets and one is a list of short fiction writing opportunities that pay $1,000 or more.

So if you start working through this list and write and submit stories to all the suitable markets for  your work, you could earn six-figures from your fiction writing.

It's food for thought, isn't it?

Where to Submit Short Stories: 25 Magazines and Websites That Want Your Work
http://thewritelife.com/where-to-submit-short-stories/

46 Literary Magazines To Submit To
http://letswriteashortstory.com/literary-magazines/

Short Story Submission Guidelines
The following guidelines are for general submission for publication in our anthology series.
http://www.thefictiondesk.com/submissions/short-story-submission-guidelines.php

Narrative Magazine
WE WELCOME SUBMISSIONS of previously unpublished manuscripts of all lengths, ranging from short short stories to complete book-length works for serialization.
http://www.narrativemagazine.com/submit-your-work

Short Story Magazines
This page contains details of short story magazines that accept unsolicited submissions and regularly publish fiction.
http://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-tips-and-writing-advice/short-story-magazines.php

Top 50 Literary Magazines
Our criteria for this list has changed and we feel the literary magazines on this list are much better ranked than our previous list.
http://www.everywritersresource.com/topliterarymagazines.html

Show Me the $$$! Literary Magazines That Pay
Here is a list of some of the paying lit mag markets. All information is taken from the journals’ websites.
http://thereviewreview.net/publishing-tips/show-me-literary-magazines-pay

MorgEn Bailey's Creative Writing Blog
Selling short stories to women’s magazines is big (although has depleted in recent years) business here in the UK and below are some of the details…
https://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/submission-information/submissions-flash-fiction-short-stories/submissions-womens-magazines/

12 Short Story Publishers that Pay $1,000 or More
The following is a list of publishers that pay $1,000 for short stories. Included in this list is a variety of types of publications, including literary journals, magazines, and eBook publishers.
http://www.freedomwithwriting.com/freedom/uncategorized/8-short-story-publishers-that-pay-1000-or-more/

How Much I'm Enjoying Writing Fiction & What I've Been Doing

A couple of weeks ago I told you about my epiphany when I realised that I wanted to start writing fiction more than non fiction.

I've always enjoyed fiction writing but I've spent most of my career writing non-fiction.

When I realised that my writing output (and enthusiasm) had slowed a lot, I eventually realised that it was because I was no longer enjoying what I was writing and that I'd rather write fiction.

So I stopped writing to my other sites and instead concentrated on what I'd rather be doing.

My Fiction Writing Progress

I thought that I'd be able to jump straight into writing fiction, but first I had to figure out what I was going to write and how I was going to earn money from my writing.

So I got out all my fiction writing ideas notebooks, some of which I hadn't looked at in years.

I sat for 2 full days reading through it all and taking notes about what I was going to start work on first.

In the end I decided to start with short fiction and submit it to magazines.

So I wrote up three short story ideas (the longest of them was 4,000 words) and submitted them to three different magazines.

And I still have dozens of story ideas left.

I've also started work on my next novel which is currently in the outlining stages.

I had hoped to have more done by now but unfortunately I came down with a virus (or maybe a bit of flu?) just after my epiphany and then last week one of our dogs got sick and after 3 trips to the vet it seems that her kidneys are failing.

She is an old-ish dog, nine years, and has been ill since we got her 2 years ago (she's an ex-racing, ex-breeding greyhound), but it's still breaking my heart. For now though, it's a 'wait & see' situation with her.

And in the meantime, now that I'm feeling well again, I'll sit and write every day with my dogs by my side which is where they always want to be.

If you have goals for your writing I'd love to hear about them as well as your successes.

Does Writing By Hand Make You More Creative?

One debate that modern writers always talk about is whether it’s better to write by hand or straight to the computer.

For speed it’s better to write straight to the computer.

Or is it?

Some argue that while typing is faster than handwriting, it slows the brain’s creative process and so it’s quicker to write with pen and paper.

But handwriting also means having to type everything up later.

Personally, I prefer to do all my first drafts by hand. When I type my work up later, I use it as a first edit, because I can type pretty fast.

I also like to hand write things first because when I only have a pad and pen to work with, there are far less electronic distractions. I can’t waste time idly surfing the net or checking emails or Facebook.
My phone isn’t set up for receiving emails and although I do have FaceBook on it, I’m not a big user and I have notifications disabled.

My pad and pen can also go anywhere with no need for internet or electricity.

I also write less critically while writing by hand. Working on a lit screen feels too clinical and so what I produce electronically is different to what I write by hand.

My writing seems to flow better too, for reasons I do not know. Maybe it’s because writing in a notebook feels more private and  personal. It’s all too easy for others to read what I write on a computer screen, but they are usually reluctant to look over my shoulder and try and read my scrawl and scribblings on paper.

And it’s not just me who prefers writing by hand.

I recently read an article about other well-known writers who also prefer handwriting their first drafts including J K Rowling and Joe Hills (Stephen King’s oldest son).

And because I earn my living from my writing, my daily word count is important so I need to hand write at between ten and twenty pages a day, more than that if possible. I also need time to type it up too.

But even though writing by hand is slower, it’s faster overall because I find it easier to sit and write with a pen (or pencil) but I’m more reluctant to sit down and write straight to the computer.

Which makes me more likely to write every day if I’m going to do it longhand because I find it far more enjoyable, so it’s easier to sit down and get to work.

Whereas, working on the computer causes me to not only procrastinate and waste time instead of sitting down to work, and because I’m more critical when I’m using a keyboard, writing takes longer.

I just enjoy writing by hand which makes me more motivated to write, my writing flows better, plus I get more done in a day.

And that’s what really counts.

So if you’re struggling to sit down at your computer and write every day, try handwriting your first drafts instead.

It works for me and it might help you too.

The Hardest Thing About Writing Is Showing Up For Work Every Day

As a writer, people often think I write all day every day.

But it's not true at all.

I usually work for between 3 and 4 hours a day, 4 days a week (sometimes 5 days, but mostly 4).

The reason for this is that it's difficult (at least for me) to be creative for a full day. Not only that but I also have other admin things to take care of every day too.

And I also have a life.

Years ago I thought that working such short hours made me lazy. But it turns out that most writers only write an hour or two or three every day.

It seems that we are all plagued by the same problems:

• Lack of creative thinking for too long.
• Showing up for "work" every day.

Indeed, showing up for work every day is the hardest because before I can do any creative work at all, I need to be sitting at my desk.

I don't always write at the same desk every day, but I have to sit down at one of them.

Some days I sit in my home study, or at a table out on our big deck (with great views), or a picnic table at a park, or a table in the local library.

I've even been known, on occasion, to sit in my car, under a shady tree and write there, which sometimes happens if I'm out and it starts raining or there are no tables available at the park.

It's easy to get to work every day when you have a "day job" and a boss who'll fire you if you don't turn up.

But it's completely different when you only have yourself to tell you when it's time to work and when it's time to stop for the day.

In his book "On Writing," horror author Stephen King said that your muse doesn't show up for work until you do. And that is so true.

I'm rarely dying to sit down and write every day, but once I sit down and get to work, my muse does indeed show up and I can keep going for ages.

But that initial sitting down is usually the hardest.

And next comes the struggle of being able to keep writing for too long.

There are some writers, although not many, who can sit and write all day every day, but these kind of writers are few and far between. Isaac Asimov, the sci-fi writer, was one such author who would just sit and write all day from early morning till late evening.

Today I was listening to a podcast of writer Geoff Goins who was interviewing another writer Austin Kleon. Austin was talking about this very subject of how difficult it is for most writers to actually sit down and write every day.

He also made the point that even once we sit down to write, after just a few hours, it's hard to keep going.

Even well-known authors like Stephen King admit that they only write for 1 to 3 hours a day and then they're finished.

And like me, they find it easier to write early in the day rather than later. Although, sometimes, if I'm in the middle of a big project and I want to keep working on it, I will sit down in the evening and work for a couple more hours if I can.

So while I do love being a writer and wouldn't want to do anything else, I find it easier to work for a few hours every day than to sit and write for one full day.

There are people who tell me that they don't have time to write because they have a full time job, but even if they didn't, they wouldn't spend all that time writing. None of us do.

And it's probably a good thing too because I find that my best ideas come when I'm away from my computer. Usually when I'm doing what I call "busy-hands-empt-mind" jobs like weeding, showering, cleaning, sweeping, walking. Those jobs where you're physically busy but you've done them so many times you don't have to think about what you're doing any more.

So don't let a day job hold you back from your writing because you don't need all day to write.

You just need an hour or two a day.

This is one of my favourite "how to write a novel" books because it's a complete step-by-step workbook.

Brilliant!

Click the image above to learn more.

This book will definitely help you to sit down every day and write.

Thinking and Thinking Then Changing What I Write About

Thinking Hard

The last few weeks I've been doing a lot of thinking about all the writing I do.

And thinking that much is SOOOO hard for me.

The reason for all the thinking is that I'm really not enjoying writing anymore.

Shock! Horror!

But how could that be? I just couldn't work it out.

I'm a writer.

I do a lot of writing.

So why wasn't I loving it anymore?

And then the reason came to me.

I'm not doing the kind of writing I like to do.

I'm bored with blogging and article writing which is what I do mostly because I have other websites in different subjects.

So I made an executive decision.

I'm closing down all my websites except this blog, writeaholics.net and my publishing website Cheriton House Publishing.

Everything else just has to go and some has already gone.

And I feel elated.

But...what am I going to do instead?

Well, I also thought about that a lot too and I finally realised that the kind of writing I enjoy the most is fiction writing.

So, apart from my two writing sites, I'm only going to be writing fiction.

I know that this is what I want to do because it makes me so happy to think about it.

I've been wondering what has been wrong with me for a while now (although some would say the there is plenty wrong with me) and I just couldn't understand why writing had become such a chore.

It was getting harder and harder to sit down and write every day, and I don't usually feel that way, but the last year or two (or longer if I'm honest), writing hasn't been my favourite occupation.

Then I had my Aha! moment and realised that I don't like blogging and writing articles all the time.

What I really want to do is write and publish fiction books and short fiction, which includes submitting stories to magazines.

I think that my epiphany came a couple of weeks ago when I had borrowed some magazines from the library and I was plotting and planning sending in article proposals to them all. I also created a list of fiction markets for this blog without even realising why I must have unconsciously done it.

And that's when it hit me.

I used to enjoy submitting to magazines but I was mostly sending in short stories (and getting them published) and it was all more fun then.

So that is what I'm going to be doing now, as well as writing novels.

So I will keep you updated as I go along and let you know what I'm doing and what is working for me and what isn't and hopefully I'll have more hits than misses with my new fiction writing career, and all my successes will inspire you to write more as well.

And if you fancy becoming a fiction writer too, here are a few places online where I've been looking  for fiction markets today:

JBWB Fiction Markets
http://www.jbwb.co.uk/markets.html

Show Me the $$$! Literary Magazines That Pay
http://thereviewreview.net/publishing-tips/show-me-literary-magazines-pay

esthernewtonblog. Markets For Freelancers
https://esthernewtonblog.wordpress.com/markets-for-freelancers/

that's life! Fast Fiction Guidelines
http://www.thatslife.com.au/fastfictionguidelines

The People’s Friend Guidelines
https://www.thepeoplesfriend.co.uk/guidelines/