Where should you look for gigs that pay more than a couple measly bucks for a 500-word post? Are content mills the only way to get paid to write?

The truth is, if you know where to look, you can definitely find better-paying blogger jobs.

With the rise of content marketing, an increasing number of companies are hiring freelance writers to produce articles for their blogs. Sometimes they offer one-off assignments, which can pay $75 or more per post. Other online publications may look for bloggers who are willing to write several posts a week, the kind of steady gig that can really add to your bottom line.

Here are 18 resources to check out if you want to become a freelance blogger

Wondering how to make money as a freelance blogger? From lists of websites that want your work to job boards, there are so many places online to find freelance blogging jobs.

When you first start out as a freelance blogger, you might not know which websites pay for posts. Lucky for you, several experienced freelance writers and bloggers have put together lists of websites and blogs that want your work.

No matter your niche, there’s likely a way to get paid for a blog post about it.

1. The Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs

Freelance blogger Sophie Lizard put together this list of blogs that pay between $50 and $5,000 USD a post.

2. Funds for Writers Paying Markets

Writer Hope Clark curates this list of writing opportunities, which generally pay around 10 cents a word and up. Not all of the listed markets are blogs, but many of these publications look for both magazine articles and blog posts, so check their guidelines for more information.

3. Writers’ Markets

All Freelance Writing has a huge listing of paying writing opportunities. For blogging jobs, choose “blogging markets” from the drop-down menu.

4. 58 Websites Where You Can Get Paid to Write (Even if You’re Brand New to Freelance Writing)

Author Avery Breyer put together this comprehensive list of websites that pay in 2023 specifically for newbie freelance writers. If you’re just dipping your toes in the freelance waters, bookmark this list.

Writing job boards

What about job boards? While you could spend hours digging through general job boards like Indeed.com, a better bet is to scour boards that focus on writing jobs.

Be sure to read postings thoroughly and do your due diligence before applying—and if the company wants you to write a 1,000-word “sample article” for free, you should probably pass.

5. BloggingPro’s Job Board

The site offers plenty of blogging jobs in addition to copywriting and print opportunities. Most gigs pay on a per-post basis, though not all of them list their rates. Some listings come directly from the client, like businesses looking for contributors to their blogs, while others are from content mills.

6. MediaBistro’s Job Board

This job board has tons of postings for freelance writing-related jobs, from email marketing and copywriting positions to public relations and editing gigs. Tip: Broaden your search to “freelance writer” or “content curator” to help pull up more results. Many of the positions are based in New York City, but you’ll also see quite a few offers for remote work.

7. FlexJobs

FlexJobs curates remote and freelance positions into a paid job board. You can set the filter to only see blogging-specific jobs by selecting “Remote Writing Jobs” then “Telecommuting Blogging Jobs” under the “More Categories” arrow. The curators post at least one or two each day.

8. Freelance Writing Job Board

This Freelance Writing Job Board claims to be the #1 source for freelance writing jobs, and it has been up-and-running since 1997. They pull in jobs from popular sites like Indeed, Craigslist, and BloggingPro.

The best part? It’s totally free. Users can filter out blogging jobs as well. However, many of the current listings disappear when using the filter, so we suggest scanning the posts without the filter.

9. Writers Work

Writers Work is a paid job board that scours all types of writing jobs across the Internet and vets them for you. You can also use the platform to create an online portfolio, and they have lots of tools and advice for writers.

10. SmartBlogger JobsBoard

The SmartBlogger JobsBoard allows you to search by job type, remote options, benefits, and skills, so you can find the perfect fit for your needs.

11. Online content marketing agencies

Content marketing agencies have a bad reputation, but some of them can be worth your time. ClearVoice, Contently, and Skyword are three examples. These differ from content mills because they can pay up to $1 per word. Plus, they’re free to use and they do the hustling work for you.

All it takes is setting up a portfolio on their site with relevant samples, which can take a while and you can also be denied membership if your work isn’t up-to-snuff. Start with one of them and read tips on setting up an effective portfolio, since each site has a unique proven strategy. After simply creating a profile, you could end up with a steady stream of paying jobs in a few weeks or months. Plus, it never hurts to have a portfolio in more than one place.

Other great places to find blogging jobs

Wading through job boards can be exhausting, and often the gigs don’t pay much. As soon as you’ve built up a portfolio website, it’s best to move on to other options.

Why not stick with the job boards?

For one, you’ll make more money pitching clients on your own, advises freelance writer and blogger Linda Formichelli. You’ll also likely have less competition than you would when applying to a blogging job posted on a free job board.

Curious? Here are a few other places to look for blogging work:

12. Who Pays Writers

Created by writer and editor Manjula Martin, Who Pays Writers collects anonymous reports of rates paid by all sorts of publications, from tiny niche blogs to massive print magazines. No, these aren’t job listings, but you can use them strategically to land a blogging gig.

Search the directory for the word “blog” to see submitted rates for blogs, plus information on the type of contract, lead time and how to pitch. You can also simply scan recent submissions for blogs or websites you’d love to write for to get an idea of their rates before you pitch them.

Once you have your hit list of blogs you want to write for, check out their contributor guidelines and get pitching!

13. Contently’s Freelance Rates Database

While it also includes pay for photography and design, most of the database is devoted to writing jobs. Many are print publications, but you’ll see some blog markets listed along with flat or per-word rates. You can use it the same way you’d use Who Pays Writers: as information and inspiration for your pitch list.

14. Where to Pitch

If you’ve got an idea for an article you want to write, but you’re not sure where to pitch it, check out Susan Shain’s Where to Pitch. Simply type in a vertical (e.g. “health” or “money”)—and Where to Pitch will tell you which publications might be a good fit.

15. Search Engines

No, not blogging for Google. Searching using the right queries can help you find all sorts of interesting blogging gigs.

Try searching for “[your topic] + write for us” and see what pops up—you might find paying opportunities you hadn’t considered. Play with the wording and search for your niche plus keywords like “contributor guidelines,” “submission guidelines” or “how to contribute” to find paid blogging opportunities that are listed on the company’s website. They’re likely less overwhelmed with pitches and applications than companies that list their needs on job boards.

16. X, formerly Twitter

Yes, all that time you spend on social media could actually help you land jobs. Beyond letting you showcase your writing for other clients, X (Twitter) can help you find blogging opportunities in a few different ways:

• Search for blogging jobs: Simply type “blogging job” or “write for us” into the search box
• Check hashtags: Clicking on hashtags like #blogging, #bloggingjobs and #writinggigs can help you find newly posted jobs. Many of these opportunities come from Craigslist, though, so do your due diligence before applying and look for gigs where you work directly with the client, rather than applying to an anonymous “content company”
• Follow your favorite bloggers and editors: Congratulations, you probably already do this! Following bloggers in your niche means you’re perfectly positioned to pounce on any opportunity, like when a solopreneur decides to bring on a blog assistant or a popular blog starts paying for guest posts. To keep these important tweets separate from the rest of your Twitter stream, use a Twitter List. Pro tip: Writer Sonia Weiser often retweets writing opportunities she collects for her weekly email “Opportunities of the Week“
• Follow other freelance writers and bloggers: Everyone wants to share their work, right? When you see another blogging or writer tweet a link to their work on a blog or publication you’d love to write for, check it out. Feel free to favorite or retweet it, and check out the site’s contribution guidelines for more info

17. Your current client roster

Your clients already know you do an awesome job, right? See whether they need your help with blogging as well.

If you’re handling a client’s social media strategy, ask whether they need support with their blog. After copywriting a fantastic sales page, mention your ability to use those same ghostwriting skills to write a blog post or two in the company’s voice.

Or maybe a client needs help spreading the word about her services—could you help her contribute guest posts to popular blogs in her niche?

You’ve already proven your skills and reliability to your client, so make the most of the relationship.

18. Your own blog

No, blogging isn’t a path to riches. But wouldn’t having clients come to you be easier than chasing them down on job boards?

Showcase your talents on your blog and share examples of your work for past clients. Ensure you have a clear and compelling call-to-action to make it easy for clients to get in touch. Where will you find your next blogging job?

Finding paid blogging jobs isn’t the easiest thing to do on the Internet, but it’s not impossible, either. Hone your writing skills, learn how to write a killer headline, craft a brilliant pitch email and start finding opportunities using the resources on this list.

And on behalf of editors everywhere: Read the submission guidelines. If you don’t, your blogging brilliance might never make it past the editor’s inbox.

This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase through our links, you’re supporting The Write Life—and we thank you for that!

Photo via Stock Rocket/ Shutterstock 

Quick summary: it’s about the danger of a single story. Adichie explains that if we only hear about a people, place or situation from one point of view, we risk accepting one experience as the whole truth.

“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete,” Adichie says in the video. “They make one story become the only story.”

Instead, she explains, we must seek diverse perspectives — and in turn, writers must tell our own stories. Telling the stories that only we can tell, about our experiences, hopes and fears, helps break down the power of cliches and stereotypes.

You can watch the full TED talk here:

“Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.”

Prefer to read this talk instead? Here’s the transcript for Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED talk.

This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

Look what we pulled out of the archives: Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED talk on the nature of inspiration and genius in writing.

The author of the popular travel memoir Eat, Pray, Love has amassed nearly 4 million views of this talk on YouTube. It’s worth 20 minutes of your time!

In the video, Gilbert describes the evolution of the concept of genius, from the ancient Greeks and Romans, who believed it was a muse who helped artists work, to the post-Renaissance belief that genius comes from within an individual.

The author questions the idea that “creativity and suffering are somehow inherently linked” and addresses the challenges of the writing process. She advises writers not to succumb to the pressure of demanding genius from themselves, and to simply write.

“Just do your job,” she says. “Continue to show up for your piece of it, whatever that might be.”

Prefer to read this talk? Here’s the transcript for Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED talk.

Ebook: Writing For The Web

About the creator: Will Moyer is a web designer and front-end developer who loves writing and clean design.

Price: $4.99

Who It’s For: Writers, bloggers and editors who want to streamline their content-creation and collaboration processes.

If you’re already tech-savvy (e.g., you’ve explored a variety of writing tools and are comfortable with HTML), this book won’t add much to what you already know.

However, if you’re frustrated with your existing writing tools and want to learn about your collaboration options beyond emailing Word docs back and forth, you’ll want to check it out.

What It Will Help You Do: This is a logical, practical, no-nonsense look at a writer’s workflow and toolbox. The book helps you analyze your current tools and process and identify opportunities to make it easier, more comfortable, and more efficient.

Will’s list of suggested plain text editors and collaboration tools for different writing preferences gives you the chance to find one that works for you, whatever your needs. (Want to switch back and forth between your Windows laptop and your iPad? Need to share your work with a client who only accepts Word docs? There’s an option for that.)

The book also includes a gentle intro to HTML and CSS; while Will acknowledges that writers don’t need to know a lot about programming, they do need to understand enough to see how it affects their digital content’s presentation.

The Best Part: Will’s conversational style makes the book easy to read; he clearly explains technical concepts and addresses concerns for the non-technical writer. His list of tools and explanation of how to link them together into a workflow is helpful to those interested in overhauling their writing processes. The resource links at the end are great as well.

The book outlines a variety of options and leaves the choice in the reader’s hands — how will you create your own toolbox?

What Would Make It Even Better: As Will freely admits, the book is just one guy’s opinion on writing workflow options. Having said that, it’s a pretty well-thought-out one.

Our Recommendation: If you’re considering making a change to your workflow, this book will help you find and understand tools that can make you more efficient.

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase through our links, you’re supporting The Write Life — and we thank you for that!

The problem is, it’s often difficult to figure out how much to charge for different services. How do you know what rate to set for something like writing a wedding toast, crafting an online dating profile or writing a press release for a corporate client?

While you’ll find a lot of differing opinions on how to set your rates, it’s also helpful to compare your planned rates to those of other writers. Knowing what other people charge helps you determine whether you’re on the right track and prevents you from undervaluing your skills.

Researching pay rates can be tricky, but here’s a list of useful resources on rates for different writing gigs, projects and publications.

1. Writer’s Digest’s Writers’ Market

While online access to Writer’s Market will set you back $39.99 a year and the book version is $23 on Amazon, Writer’s Digest shares Lynn Wasnak’s “What Should I Charge?”. The chapter’s handy chart lists rates for 150+ writing gigs, including both per-hour and per-project options.

Where did this information come from? Wasnak compiled the chart from responses to a survey of 23 professional writing and editing organizations, such as American Independent Writers, National Writers Union and Writer’s Guild of America. The survey was conducted in 2010, so rates may have changed slightly since then, but they’re still a great starting point.

2. Editorial Freelancers Association’s Editorial Rates

EFA, a non-profit, volunteer-run organization, offers a membership directory, newsletter, job board and online education. Its members have also put together a list of rates for common writing- and editing-related tasks, such as PR writing, ghostwriting and fact-checking.

The chart includes per-hour, per-page and per-word pay ranges, along with an estimated pace to give writers an idea of how long a project may take. For example, translators usually manage between 300 and 500 words per hour. The rates were last updated in 2012, and as the EFA notes, they “should only be used as a rough guideline.”

3. Scratch Magazine’s Who Pays Writers

Looking for an idea of potential payment before you pitch a magazine or online publication?

Created by writer and Scratch cofounder Manjula Martin, Who Pays Writers is an incredible repository of information about which publications pay writers, how much they pay, and for what kind of work. Anyone can submit a rate, and it’s completely anonymous.

You’ll likely find conflicting reports of different rates for the same publications; as Martin notes, different writers command different rates based on their levels of experience, relationship with the editor, background and qualifications, etc. Many entries include whether the writer had a contact at the outlet or it was a cold pitch.

4. Write Jobs

While Write Jobs is a job board, reviewing its postings can help you establish whether your planned rate is too low, too high or somewhere in the middle. Look for the “With Pay Rates” option in the top menu bar to see only jobs that include pay, then scroll down to review the options.

Many of the freelance writing jobs are from anonymous companies or Craigslist, so take the rates here with a grain of salt; they’re likely toward the lower end of the spectrum. Definitely don’t price your services lower than these rates, and don’t be afraid to aim higher.

5. Your favorite search engine

Am I recommending you simply ask Google, “How much should I charge to write [insert project here]”? Yes!

Many writers and editors share their rates upfront on their websites; James Chartrand suggests this is one mark of an experienced writer. Not only does this help master writers find their ideal clients — clients who know what they’re getting into and won’t try to negotiate the writer down — but it helps newbies figure out what to charge.

For example, say you want to start helping authors create and polish query letters to submit to agents. Google serves up several results, including starting rates of $120 to write a query letter, or $25, $30 or $39.99 to critique one.

This method is a bit more labor-intensive than the others, but it often yields good results. Try wording your search query a bit differently each time, and including words like “rate,” “charge” and “cost.”

The bottom line

Researching what other people charge doesn’t tell you exactly how to price your services — you’ll also have to consider your experience, qualifications and financial situation.

However, it’s a good first step in the process of setting your rates. Knowing what other writers are earning for similar work also helps you identify what sets them apart — a certain skill or certification? A few guest posts on major blogs in your niche? — and include those elements in your business strategy.

And then, once you’ve gained that experience or earned that recommendation, you can again turn to these resources for information to help you raise your rates.

What’s your favorite source for freelance writing rate information?

Blogging on your own site helps establish your voice and authority, your little corner of the internet. But attracting readers to your blog can be a challenge — where do you find them, and how do you convince them that you’re worth listening to?

For many bloggers, guest posting is the answer. By sharing your expertise on another blog, you build relationships with other bloggers in your niche and connect with a broader audience — some of whom may be your future readers and customers.

Danny Iny shared his advice on guest posting back in the early days of TWL, and since the online world changes quickly, we’ve created a new list. Here are seven more blogs to consider pitching when planning your guest posting strategy.

1. Be a Freelance Blogger

Created by Sophie Lizard, Be a Freelance Blogger helps writers earn more money by blogging for hire. Many posts focus on finding clients, figuring out how to set your rates and developing your blogging skills. They’re informative, but also entertaining for readers.

Popular posts include:

• 7 Job Board Mistakes That Compel Clients to Reject You
• Freelancing: How I Close Deals Faster Than You
• How a Zombie Apocalypse Can Help You in Your Blogging Career

Submitting a guest post to Be a Freelance Blogger is a nine-step process, which sounds intimidating but isn’t actually that complicated. Start by getting to know the blog and its community by reading popular posts and sharing your thoughts in the comments. Brainstorm story ideas, then pitch them to Lauren, BAFB’s Community Manager (lauren@beafreelanceblogger.com). Once she gives you the green light, it’s time to write your first draft!

For more information on guest posting on BAFB, check out our Guest Blogging Spotlight.

2. Writer’s Relief

Founded in 1994, Writer’s Relief helps writers submit their work to literary agents and editors. Their blog offers tips on craft, advice on querying and interviews with successful authors, and they accept guest posts on topics ranging from marketing to conferences to writing inspiration.

Your submission must be original and unpublished, and should be a maximum of 600 words. Paste it in the body of an email to info@wrelief.com, include your bio and answer this question: “What major thing will readers learn from your article?”

For more, follow their guidelines and learn from these popular posts:

• What’s Your Poetry Personality? Find Out Which Poetry Movement Matches You!
• Your Author Bio: Query Letter And Cover Letter Tips For Your Professional Writing Bio
• Seven Ways To Build Your Reputation As A Creative Writer

3. Writing Forward

Calling all fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction writers! Writing Forward wants to share your advice on crafting great writing, and they’re open to submissions whether or not you’ve been published elsewhere.

Popular posts on Writing Forward include:

• Questions, Curiosity, and Writing Ideas
• 25 Creative Writing Prompts
• 20 Creative Writing Careers

There’s no compensation for guest posts, but you’re free to include links to your own blog in your post and bio. Note that commercial or spammy backlinks will not be published.

Interested? Check out Writing Forward’s guidelines and send a query in the body of your email to founder and editor Melissa Donovan at melissa@writingforward.com.

4. Live Write Thrive

Novelist and writing coach C.S. Lakin shares advice on storytelling, writing inspiration and promoting your book. She accepts guest posts related to her “Writing for Life” category and specifically looks for posts that will “encourage, help or instruct writers” to better their craft and share their work.

Popular guest posts on LWT include:

• 20 Things That Can Help You Find Inspiration for Writing
• Public Speaking—It’s Even for Authors Who Are Sissies
• Advice I Wish I’d Been Given When I Started … Part 1

Review the guidelines and pitch your ideas through the site’s contact form before writing a post. Note that LWT only runs guest posts once a week and has a long lead time, so you’ll want to get in touch early if you have a specific time frame in mind.

5. Funds For Writers

C. Hope Clark runs Funds For Writers, a site dedicated to helping writers earn more money for their work. Each weekly newsletter features a note from Hope, news and opportunities in the writing world, and you guessed it — a guest post. FFW focuses on paying markets, grants, contests, writing jobs, publishers and agents; this is not the place to submit posts about writing craft or character development.

Guest posts should share your best advice and success stories about building a writing business, breaking into a high-paying niche or unusual ways to earn an income through writing. Recent examples of guest newsletter posts include:

• Take the Stress Out of Author Marketing
• Work Smarter 2.0

Since guest posts are shared in a newsletter, Hope is looking for tight, concise submissions: 600 words, max. Review the guidelines and send your ideas to Hope at hope@fundsforwriters.com.

6. Writers Helping Writers

Run by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, Writers Helping Writers is a resource for writers interested in craft, publishing and marketing. To be accepted, guest posts need to share fresh, practical information that helps writers develop their writing, connect with audiences and improve their promotion strategies.

Guest posts that have done well include:

• What Makes a Strong Author’s Visit—a Teacher’s Perspective
• Ten Steps to Overnight Success, or, How it Only Took a Decade to Get Paid
• To MFA or Not to MFA: That is the Question

Ready to submit your ideas? Check out their guidelines and submit your suggestions through this form.

7. Pen & Muse

Pen & Muse calls itself “a writer’s haven, for writers of all ages and genres.” A team of Muses, led by Kristen Jett and Jolene Haley, shares advice on the world of writing and publishing, including advice on marketing, branding, craft, self-publishing and more.

Popular posts on the blog include:

• When You Should and Shouldn’t Use a Pen Name
• How To Outline Your Novel (Part One)
• The Secret To Getting An Agent & Getting Your Work Published

If you’re interested in submitting to Pen & Muse, make sure your work is original and unpublished. For inspiration, consider adding your voice to one of their featured series: How I Plot, What I learned from [Your Most Recently Published Book] or [Title of Your Last Manuscript], My Favorite Editing Trick, or Adding Depth To Your Characters.

Read the rest of the guidelines, then submit your idea through the contact form on the same page. They’re scheduling up to three months in advance, so be sure to send your idea in early if you have a specific run date in mind.

For more information on sites that accept guest posts, be sure to follow our series of Guest Blogging Spotlights.

Now, what are you waiting for? Get pitching!

Have you submitted a guest post on any of these sites?
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Ready to change the way you look at Twitter?

In this TED talk, Andrew Fitzgerald, a writer and editor who works for Twitter, explores new ways to use the platform for storytelling. Rather than thinking of the social network simply as a means of connecting with others and promoting your work, what if you were to use the medium for inspiration or even distribution?

Fitzgerald draws parallels to the advent of serial radio shows in the 1930s, saying that “radio is a great example of how a new medium defines new formats which then define new stories.” He explains how this real-time storytelling blurs the lines between fact and fiction and provides opportunities for writers to play with different identities and anonymity while building new and creative stories.

He references several well-known examples, including Hugh Howey’s self-published short story “Wool” that spawned a succession of sequels; Jennifer Egan’s “Black Box,” a short story tweeted line by line by The New Yorker’s fiction account; and parody stories that build on real-life events, such as the @MayorEmanuel account that documented the events of the Chicago mayoral election with a science fiction twist.

Find the transcript and audio download on TED.com.

What do you think of Fitzgerald’s ideas about Twitter storytelling?

Such is the premise behind new crowd-driven publisher Inkshares. In a sort of mashup of crowdfunding, editing and marketing, Inkshares created a new way to publish books — books an audience has already shown they want to read.

Curious about this new player in the publishing industry, The Write Life Editor Heather spoke with Inkshares co-founder and Chief Legal Officer Adam Gomolin to learn more.

You’ve described Inkshares as “crowdfunding meets publishing.” How does it work? How does it differ from other crowd-driven publishing companies?

Great question. We are a “value-added” crowdfunder — we hear people refer to us as “Kickstarter meets Random House.”

If you are successfully crowdfunded, we handle the rest: editorial through distribution. We pair you with a top editor or editorial team, and handle design, production, and distribution — including into actual brick-and-mortar stores. In that sense, we’re really a full-service publisher, just like any of the Big Five or indie publishers.

And yes, there are other crowd-driven publishers: Unbound, Pubslush, Beacon, FG Press, Contributoria and Pentian, to name a few. There are a lot of interesting dynamics at work, and I contrasted Inkshares and Contributoria in a post on the Inkshares blog.

Some are focused on specific types of content; Beacon is all about investigatory journalism, for instance. We don’t have a niche, because we think that one of the most important things is to build a neutral platform for literary crowdfunding. Many authors move across different genres and readers (i.e. backers) do as well. They may write (or we may read) longform on one day, a book on another.

There are a lot of great companies in this space, with a lot of important differences between us. But I think that authors are a heterogeneous bunch, so ultimately they’ll match up with the right “new” or “crowd-driven” publishers.

Say I’m an author with a manuscript I’d like to publish. What makes Inkshares my best option? How does it fit with my other options for self-publishing?

I think you need to focus on what you want out of the process. The traditional publishing process is defined by its obstacles. The “slush pile” is a barrier few can get over, and getting an agent is equally difficult — and more costly in terms of time. That is really what so many new publishers are trying to provide an alternative to.

Inkshares provides an editorial and production experience equivalent to that of legacy publishing. Daniel Wallace, bestselling author of Big Fish, is crowdfunding a children’s book titled The Cat’s Pajamas. We paired Daniel with Carol Goldenberg, a top children’s book designer who has won six Caldecotts, and Kim Keller, a top children’s book editor formerly of Houghton. So if that’s something an author wants — editorial, design, production, distribution — we’re a great fit. If you want to go it alone at a self-publisher like CreateSpace, more power to you.

Crowdfunding is also a major component of Inkshares — you need to be willing to get out there and promote your work. There are reverberative effects (i.e. backers creating other backers) and virality that can drive runaway successes, but ultimately you can’t expect to put a proposal up, walk away, and have it magically fund.

What kinds of writing projects are published through Inkshares?

We’re an omnivore — absent a dilemma. We focus on individual projects and authors. As we mature, there is the prospect of more of an imprint-style experience that would allow for backers to browse across a genre.

Our users thus far are varied, and that diversity is important. Samuél Barrantes and Kris Calvin are great examples of aspiring debut authors who chose to go with us, rather than slugging it out in the traditional system. Leigh Cowart and David Forbes are young journalists, both immensely talented, and we’re in a great place to help them raise thousands of dollars to fund their endeavors. For Daniel Wallace, it’s different — he’s an established bestseller who went with us because this project didn’t fit with his traditional publisher.

How does the funding process work?

Crowdfunding for books is similar to “general” crowdfunding in the sense of a typical series of phases: you need to activate your primary social network (friends and family) to get to a critical mass, say 30 percent. There is a corresponding activation of your secondary social network that pushes you toward, and hopefully past, 50 percent. But I think the projects that succeed are the ones that connect with people: they go viral because people care about them and want them to succeed.

Some of the backers who don’t know you personally get into your project because they want to be part of the social movement — some people really want to help get Samuél’s first novel off the ground, which is why we’ve seen $50, $100 and $200 donations. Others simply want to order it the way that they would pre-order it on Amazon. But in both those cases, it’s more about the backer’s interest (I want to be part of helping create this book, or I want to read this book) than their desire to support a friend or family member.

What percentage of projects are completely funded? What strategies are writers using to promote their work and reach their funding goals?

We have only had one project fail to meet its goal so far. It’s probably too early to assert trends, except to say that hard work pays off and people are excited to be in on the beginning of a work.

It’s really a game of getting interested eyeballs on your work. One way is by targeting interested blogs, which David Forbes did well. Another is by getting high-powered retweets from major tweeters. But we’re also focused on reaching out to libraries and bookstores — dragging commerce to the crowdfunding stage.

What happens if a project isn’t 100 percent funded — or if one is funded over 100 percent?

We’re all or nothing. Projects that don’t get there don’t get funded. It’s important that we deliver the best copy of a work — that requires resources — not a diluted version that disappoints.

If a project is funded over 100 percent, those funds go toward more copies of the work. We refer to it as “surplus.” Conceivably it could also go back to the author — a welcome quandary that we hope to be able to explore.

How do you match authors with editors and designers?

We do it in a high-touch way. Matching the right editor with the right author is a really organic and important piece.

Sometimes that will mean using our talented, in-house editorial crew (to which we are consistently making additions). But sometimes there is a niche topic we can’t cover as well as someone else, in which case we will use our network to contact and contract the best person.

You’ve mentioned that Inkshares would like to offer backers equity in the books they support, giving them a share of any potential revenue. How would this work?

Right now, you can’t go give out equity in a company — you can’t say, “I’ll share x amount of royalties in exchange for y amount of dollars.” Title III of the JOBS Act, which is presently being implemented by the SEC, is changing that.

Once the SEC says we can do it, we’ll be exploring that idea more fully. It’s not for every book, but it is a great incentive to offer backers in certain circumstances.

Where do you see Inkshares going in the next few years? What are your goals for the company?

I’d like to see us put books on a couple different bestseller lists in the next year, sending a clear signal that we can create quality work on par with any publisher and across multiple genres. I’d also like to see a lot of pre-orders from bookstores and libraries — an indication that we can drag all that commercial activity upstream to the crowdfunding stage.

And I’d like to see more people saying I want to “Inkshare” my book. We see that happening on Twitter already, but it would nice to be a verb. Maybe we’ll crowdfund a dictionary and put “Inkshares” in there. (Kidding.)

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, Adam!

What do you think of Inkshares’ model? Would you publish your work through the platform, or back a work-in-progress there?

Ebook: The Blogger’s Guide to Effective Writing

About the creator: Ali Luke is a professional writer of both fiction and nonfiction, including The Blogger’s Guide series, Publishing E-books for Dummies and the novel Lycopolis. She holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing, and her work has been featured on ProBlogger, Men With Pens, Copyblogger and Write to Done.

Price: $29

Who It’s For: The Blogger’s Guide to Effective Writing is great for new bloggers. While it doesn’t explain the technical aspects of setting up a blog, it will walk you through the brainstorming, planning and writing side of blogging.

The ebook would also be helpful for people who’ve been blogging for a while and are struggling to come up with new ideas or feeling stuck. Bloggers who want to shake up their writing style or refine their editing skills will also find this guide useful.

What It Will Help You Do: The ebook promises to teach you to write well-structured, easy-to-read posts that draw readers in; to brainstorm many new ideas for posts; and to figure out what kind of content your audience wants. As Ali says, “Writing well is a learned skill, and blogging is no different. The purpose of this ebook is to help you understand what goes into great content, so that you can produce your own.”

The ebook starts at the very beginning by working through a plan for a new blog. You’ll explore why you’re blogging and consider your ideal reader and audience as well as your call to action: what do you want readers to do after they read your posts?

Ali walks you through the process of planning blog posts, from coming up with ideas to planning a good mix of different types of posts (lists, essays, how-to, reviews, etc.), and uses examples from prominent bloggers to explain the advantages and disadvantages of each type. She explains the writing process by focusing on each element of a post separately (title, introduction, middle and conclusion), again using examples from well-known blogs.

Finally, the section on editing helps you polish your writing, from big-picture revisions to improve the flow, to the ruthless cutting of fluff words and phrases to strengthen your copy, to proofreading for silly mistakes.

What’s Included: The ebook is 83 pages long and includes an appendix with links to lots of free material that supports and expands on points addressed in the book.

In addition, the package includes seven bonus templates: one for each of the four post types the ebook explains, and three analyzing the structure of posts by popular bloggers Darren Rowse, Charlie Gilkey and Skelliewag.

Finally, Ali includes two videos in which she reviews six posts by different bloggers, explaining each post’s strengths and weaknesses. The first video focuses on creative, narrative-style posts, while the second features structured, informative posts with calls to action. She analyzes each blog’s design, taglines, post headlines, writing style, word choice and more to help viewers understand ways they can strengthen their own blog posts.

The Best Part: The section on developing your voice was especially interesting and thought-provoking for me. It helps you consider what sets you apart as a blogger and guides you to find your writing voice — including how to modulate it for guest posting so your content fits in well on the other blog.

In addition, I found the editing section very helpful; I’ve printed out the list of questions on page 74 and hung it above my desk to help me revise and strengthen blog posts.

What Would Make It Even Better: It’s hard to say anything could be improved in this ebook, especially with the addition of the bonus templates and videos. The only quasi-criticism I have is that a lot of the early chapters are fairly basic and more experienced bloggers will skim right past them. However, newer bloggers will appreciate the level of detail, and both groups benefit from the later chapters.

How It Changed My Life: I didn’t anticipate that the ebook would help me as an editor, especially the section on finding your blogging voice. Since my work involves revising and tweaking to make each post the best it can be while maintaining its writer’s voice, it was helpful to reconsider how different elements reflect the writer’s quirks and natural style.

Our Recommendation: While this ebook will be most helpful for new bloggers who want to make their work the best it can be from the beginning, even experienced bloggers will find interesting experiments and advice that will help reinvigorate their work, like new idea-generation options or strategies for improving headlines.

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase through our links, you’re supporting The Write Life — and we thank you for that!

Spritz, a new app from a Boston-based startup of the same name, is “reimagining reading” by making it possible to read up to 1,000 words per minute (wpm), when the average adult reads about 300 wpm.

How the heck does Spritz work?

Spritz makes reading easier by focusing on the “Optimal Recognition Point” (ORP), or the part of the word you look at while your brain processes the meaning of the group of letters.

Moving your eyes from word to word to find the next ORP accounts for about 80 percent of the time it takes to read conventionally-written words. To cut down on this wasted time, Spritz presents each word exactly where your brain wants it to be: in the same space on the screen and lined up by ORP.

The result? Your eye doesn’t have to search for the next ORP. And that means your brain can process content more efficiently — to, for example, whip through that longform article in a fraction of the time — which is the big appeal of this technology.

A comparison of ORP alignment in Spritz and Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP), a common speed-reading technique.

Spritz is also ideal for smartphone and other small screens. Since the human eye can focus on about 13 characters at a time, Spritz only shows 13 or fewer characters at once.

To give Spritz a try, head to the app’s homepage. Choose your language and speed, then click the white display for a demonstration. Elite Daily also includes a helpful demonstration in their article about Spritz.

What do you think of this idea? Would you use an app like this to read faster?