4 Things to Avoid in Your Article Content - Writing for Pay As a Home Based Business

There are four very important things to avoid when writing articles especially those you are writing for pay as your home based business. These are very simple or basic things but also very important to keep in mind when creating quality content.

1. Simple grammar mistakes:
Writing of any type needs to be well proofed before it is submitted to be sure all the words are used and spelled correctly, the grammar is correct and most importantly the ideas are presented in a logical progression so that the article flows. Write as if you were having a conversation with a friend and you cannot go wrong. The only exception to this is if the buyer specifically requests that the article content be technical and written more as a manual than an article. This seldom happens because if the article you write is not easy to read and understand you will lose the interest of the reader quickly and no buyer wants this type of article.

2. College level words:
Using huge words does not impress the reader but will only send them in search of information that is easier to understand. For instance I could have said, "The utilization of colossal lexis accomplishes little in the aspect of electrifying the punter of the written word." This sentence says the same thing as, "Using huge words does not impress the reader." Which sentence would you rather read?

3. Unnecessarily lengthy articles:
Article length can be 300 words to over 700 words but keeping the article between 450 and 550 will be more attractive to readers. If your article runs over the 700 word mark you can easily divide it into two smaller and more appealing articles.  Sometimes a buyer requests a lengthy article so you need to do what your buyer wants.  Always strive to make your buyer happy.  Usually they will have perimeters for your article submission which will include the length they want.

4. Run-on sentence structure:
Avoid run-on sentences! These will make your article very hard to read and understand. For instance I could have said, "Avoid run-on sentences as these will make your article very hard to read and understand and if you fall into this trap of writing sentences that are way too long you will find that your reader will lose interest because they cannot understand your sentences." When you proof your article content look for these types of mistakes and simply break up the long sentence into two or three easy to read ideas. One sentence should equal one idea.

As you can see, these four things to avoid are very simple and basic but will kill the credibility of the content you produce. Do your best to avoid these little pitfalls. Writing quality content is really not difficult. Read your content carefully once your article is finished and make any necessary adjustments before you make your submission.

How to Start Earning Money Writing Online

Writing for Pay 

Here is my story:*Hi, My name is Penny Lee and this is me today in rehab recovering from a left broken arm (3 places) and a right dislocated shoulder (2 times).  This is the result of a fall in the bathroom.  Please be careful in your bathroom!  But, my story is not about my fall but about how I began making some extra income writing for pay using Online Buyers.  Writers write so even with two badly wounded arms I can still use my fingers to type so I continue to write!

Retirement came early for me, not because it was planned but because my doctor got in my face and said, "I cannot help you unless you quit your stressful job. If you continue on this way you will have a stroke which will probably not kill you but will leave you disabled!" I had no choice at age 61 but to retire way too early from my very stressful 8 to 5 JOB that I purely hated. Fortunately for me I found I was eligible for survivor benefits from my deceased ex-husband. Who knew?  As it turned out, the money was just $200 short of my income after taxes from the job that was literally killing me.

Needing a way to make some supplemental income and having no desire to attempt another 9-5 JOB even if I could find one, I began searching the Internet for options. There are tons of 'get rich quick' opportunities that cost you your hard earned money or savings as it were my case. I tried several but made nothing for my efforts. 

Step #1 Make a Decision to Write for Pay
Then I discovered a real way to earn extra income from home.  I am a creative person and had taken little correspondence courses over the years about fiction writing. This is not really my forte as it were. However, there are many, many different avenues you can take to create extra income writing for pay. What I enjoy is learning new things and doing online research to find answers. I found I have a knack for explaining things in a simple to understand way no matter how technical. 'How to' type of content suited me very well and I found writing these type of things very enjoyable.

At this point I had determined that writing would be my 'extra income' option for working in the comfort of my own home at my own pace. The next step was to find individuals (buyers) who would pay me to do 'my thing'. First I needed an opportunity and second I needed practice.

Step #2  Practice by Blogging
The first thing I did was pay for a course that would certify me as a blogger. Later I discovered that this is completely unnecessary and a waste of money. To be a blogger you can simply begin writing about things that interest you. Just like a 'writer writes', a 'blogger blogs'. Using a free program like Word Press which is now the most popular or other free programs like Blogger.com you can add lovely details like pertinent pictures or videos or charts as needed. You can also add optimization which is also free and can bring you some income.

  What is Blogging?
Blogging means you have written an interesting article or some kind of content that offers valuable information and then with an affiliate link or adsense or both added you have an opportunity to make a little money if your reader clicks on your link. In the next article I will explain how to optimize for your pertinent keywords or keyword phrases and how to choose the best words.

Step #3  Find an Online Buyer
My first writing for pay experience was through a website called, Freelancer. This is a free website that offers job postings. You just look through available projects until you find one you think you would like to work on and you place a bid. The same goes for many, many other websites similar to this one. These are all free. They may offer an option to become a paid member but this is not necessary. If it has a fee for bidding on available projects you should not get involved. Paying for a job is not necessary until you are granted a bid. Then the website will charge you and the buyer a small percentage or fee of the completed project. This is the way they make their income and is understandable but do not pay for a membership.

The jobs you will find in Freelancer and others like it will not pay much money. What you bid is up to you but if you bid too high you will not be chosen and if you bid too low you will be working for less money than is worth your time and effort. AS in all things in life, the more experience you have, the greater your reputation as a writer will become and the more you will be able to ask for any project (writing job).

Guru.com is another website offering job postings for writers as well as other types of at home jobs. They offer jobs for data entry (basically spreadsheet posting), web design, programming, technical writing, transcription, translating and more. Job posts in Guru are usually higher paying opportunities and probably for the more experienced writer. The website I use the most and swear by for many reasons is Elance. Yes, this is an affiliate link for me but when I go after a new project I go to Elance first. Elance also offers a large variety of job opportunities for all kinds of writing.

So, from learning how to make decent extra income writing for pay using websites like Elance, I have also learned how to optimize blogs and create optimized websites. In case you are wondering, this is not huge wads of cash but rather decent amounts of steady extra income.

Please 'stay tuned' for my next blogs that will explain how to optimize, how to bid, and how to build a strong reputation as a writer or blogger, where to post your articles and more.  BTW, the money I made from the project I was working on when I had my accident paid my medical bills.  Even though it takes a lot of work and time to get rolling as an online writer until you do build up your reputation, it is really worth it if you do enjoy the process.

To your success,
Penny (pennywrites)