Some websites will list articles that clients want written, some offer writers a place to post their articles for sale, and still others offer both options to authors.
Writing articles for money and selling them for money are two different things.
Writing Articles Requires Skill
Writing articles requires language skills, excellent grammar and punctuation, an ability to perform research, an understanding of how the Internet search function works, and knowledge of search engine optimization. An ability to use a computer and fast accurate typing skill are also required for success.
Actually selling the articles is a different thing completely from writing them. To sell your articles you must know where to present them for sale, or where to find writing jobs. Even if you locate a website that offers pay to authors for writing articles, you must pass an entry exam or provide an excellent sample of your writing.
Having a bit of writing experience is also beneficial for obtaining an opportunity to start writing articles for money online.
Get Paid
Pay for an internet article varies greatly, from pennies to dollars. This is in part because many of the requests for article writing come from clients who just want cheap blog articles. Clients also look for articles that they can purchase full rights to, they put their name on the article as if they were the author, and then go on to post that article on blogs or websites.
The effort there is to try to bring traffic back to their website. By getting traffic to their website, they may make money by using affiliate advertising and selling other items.
What Clients Get
A typical request for an article will give a topic, possible headline, word count range, and specific points the client wants the author to include.
When the article is finished, the author submits the article to the intermediary website for approval, revisions, corrections, and copyright scan for plagiarism. If the article is accepted, it is then forwarded on to the client.
Most websites who act as an intermediary between authors and clients request payment in advance from clients. The client can accept the article or send it back for revisions. If revisions are needed, the author can make them, or not act.
If no revisions are completed as requested, the article returns to the open order listings and another author can write it.
Author Payments
Payment to authors is usually handled by a payment agency such as PayPal, and payments are done on a regular basis. Some websites make payments weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly.
Taxes are withheld unless the author is exempt. Writing articles for money is taxable, like most income.
Finding Assignments
Another option for those wishing to begin writing for money is to put up their own website or put ads on a website like Craigslist.
This is much harder to do than it seems; the hard part is getting the right clients to not only find and view your website or advertisement, but to then contact you. If they are interested in your talents, you must then close the sale. This may also require some negotiation skills.
If an author is using a website where they post articles for sale, the author sets the price, and the website that is the intermediary takes a commission from payment when the article is sold. Payments are made by clients when they purchase the article, and payments to authors follow whatever schedule the website uses.
It is possible to make good pay writing articles for money. It can be a supplementary side job, and some writers are making a living writing full time.