1. Write what you know

   You've probably heard this before, but it bears repeating. Look at your life - your hobbies, interests, career, pets, children - and think about how you can parlay those facets of your life into articles that others will want to read. Practice brainstorming about these topics; thinking of interesting, unique, and creative topics is a large part of a freelancer's bread-and-butter. Get in the habit of thinking about story ideas as you go through your daily life.

2. Write for publications you know

   Look at the magazines you already have around the house or Web sites you already visit. These are likely to be linked to your hobbies and interests, and so they're often a good place to start. And don't overlook the lesser-known, free, or local publications you might read. Alumni magazines, local shoppers, and even some catalogs hire freelance writers, and some pay very well.

3. Learn to Write a Query Letter

   Query letters and e-mails are the basic way that freelance writers introduce themselves to editors, so it's important that you learn to write one. A query letter or e-mail usually has three parts: 1) Introduce your story idea, with an engaging lead - or first sentence - that will draw the editor in, 2) Introduce and sell yourself and your background, including details about why YOU are the best person to write this article, and 3) Contact information, including your phone number and e-mail address, so the editor can follow up with you if necessary. Remember: query letters are essentially sales documents. Make sure they're polished, engaging, and convincing. Look at the Writer s Market (a great published guide and online site for freelance writers) for examples of good (and bad!) query letters.

4. Be professional - and perfect

   As a freelance writer, you're selling your professionalism. This means you do what you say you're going to do, you turn articles in by deadline, and you check and doublecheck your facts. You'll also want to make sure your grammar and spelling are absolutely perfect. You won't do well in this profession if your writing isn't excellent. If you're concerned about this, buy and study a grammar guide such as Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. Also, don't be afraid to look up every word you're not sure about in the dictionary; Dictionary.com is just a mouse click away. Believe me, in this business, perfection sells.

5. Know Where to go on the Web

   The Web is filled with excellent job boards and sources of information for freelance writers. Some of my favorites are Mediabistro, JournalismJobs, and VirtualVocations. These sites offer job listings, advice, and networking opportunities. Mediabistro, along with Writers.com and WritersOnlineWorkshops, are also good sites for writing classes, which can teach you new skills and help you to generate publishable pieces.

Starting a free blog at a place like Vox.com is a great place to start. You can use it to publish your own work, to get creative juices flowing, or even to write about your experience trying to climb the freelance writing mountain or the ins and outs of working from home. By starting a free blog like this you can accrue some writing samples and have a link to send prospective clients.

There are also other sites that will pay you to blog. Apply at site like Today.com. You choose a theme, send writing samples, and once accepted you can start blogging. You'll be paid a flat amount per post (limit: one per day) plus another amount for page views. Today.com is an up and coming site that is getting more streamlined by the day. You will find that opportunities like this one can change and grow over time, so when you find a site you enjoy creating content for, stick with it. Promote it to your best ability. In a short amount of time, you will be earning money for your own writing while starting to create an even portfolio to score better gigs.

Project Payday is simple in the fact that the process is easy just time consuming. You join the group of many who are looking free money or gifts and you are simply showed how to obtain them. You normally start with one or more mentors, your choice of course, because it depends on how much time you have to put into your work. The mentor will give you a thread in other words a link to a company that is giving away money and gifts. You simply follow the thread and sign up under your mentor's name. The mentor needs so many referrals in order to obtain their gift item or money and so many offers. When you get on board under that persons name, you now have your own link that you can share with others. The first thing you need to do is select offers for your mentor to get credits needed helping them to GO GREEN. The offers vary from three to five products that you can try free or just the cost of postage. You enjoy the offers because they are from major companies who want you to try their products.

The offers normally are free for the first trial but beware make sure you cancel afterwards or you find that you will be involved in purchasing on a monthly basis. Many good items are made available from cosmetics, foods, beverages, computers, notebooks, appliances, clothes, etc. After you GO GREEN for your mentor then you are able to work on your own thread and earn the gift you selected. This is where your earnings come to play because you can get gift items or cash. I chose cash but gift items are great for those who like to sell on eBay. The choice is yours and the amount of work you put forth determines your success. This program lets you work at your own pace earning as you go. It depends on how eager you are and how much effort you want to apply. You will not get rich as they claim but you can earn from $500-$5,000 per month depending on your efforts. I like the program because it is truthful, feasible, and you can do it at your own speed.

Go to Project Payday and check out the lunchroom if you are interested in earning at home or just wanting a little extra cash. This is a unique way to get started with an online business without investing too much and you do learn from their system. Maybe you could start your own business by using some of the techniques that you learn.

Most online full-time authors churn out 10-15 articles per day, ranging from 200-800 words. If you narrow your focus and specialize in sought after topics, you could earn more money. Build up a reputation, get known for your writing style and perhaps, bring attention to your new money-making blog.

First, I suggest you visit various websites to see what payments they offer. Helium has a marketplace where you can choose from many requested articles, however, the competition is stifling. That's not to say you shouldn't submit your work to that site, but know the level of difficulty in getting chosen for a sought after request. If you do choose this path, some of the best sites to start with are:

1. Suite101
2. Triond
3. Constant Content
   
4. Associated Content
   
5. The Mahalo Greenhouse
6. TypeOrWrite
7. Helium

Remember, the top writers submit multiple, quality articles per day. Starting out might be slow, but if you put your heart into it, you can generate income.