Non-writers just don't understand that a writer must write in order to breathe. This is not something we simply choose to do, this is something we must do. I will sit for hours at my desk in front of my computer screen and pummel my keyboard. If the power goes out, I emit a terrifying yowl as if someone were cutting off my fingers. My characters become as real to me as the nephew I send a birthday card to.

I will find myself immersed in emotion as I put tearful words into the dialogue, I will laugh uncontrollably as I type a conversation between humorous characters, I will ponder for hours as I help a heroine through her dramatic dilemma. The words on paper, or on my computer screen, are no longer mere letters - they are thoughts, actions, deeds, misfortunes, passion, pleas and life and death deciding moments.

I become fully entrenched in the lives of my fictional characters and the line between my day to day existence becomes fuzzy. Just one more thought before I get up to tend to some droll household chore - just one more thought turns to pages. I dream for my characters, I try to think like they do, I worry about them and sometimes I even become them. Other writers understand this obsession - non writers do not.

The excitement over a book signing, even when the sales are disappointing, the thrill of seeing your name emblazoned on a book cover jacket and the joy of reading words you once imagined now immortalized in black and white are all things a writer can appreciate. We are willing to put hours of our lives into sitting and typing while we are never sure that the finished product will actually pay off. Offers of publication, distribution and virtual tours may seduce us out of our savings.

The employee who appreciates regular bi-weekly direct deposits into their bank account doesn't understand how we can manage on infrequent royalties, long overdue invoice payments and, shudder, occasional kill fees. The “others” wonder how we can stand to just “give it away” when we submit to free-ezines and non-paying web-logs just to get our names out there. And of course no bank will understand that a contributor copy of a magazine is indeed payment.

The public image of an eccentric writer with a feather boa around her neck investing her mammoth royalty checks and being ferried to television appearances to promote the latest novel between spa visits may very well be a splendid fantasy; it sure isn't real. And writers understand that. We know that the work just begins after we have typed “the end”. We actively search for agents and publishers, we partner with our publishers to market and promote, we maintain web-sites and solicit interviews to keep “the buzz” going.

Some of us may have to work at other jobs in order to support our writing habit - some may be fortunate enough to have forty or more hours a week to put into our writing. No matter what our circumstances may be, we need to be creative when we write and we need to be pragmatic in our business. Right brain thought comes to a screeching halt in order to allow for the left brain sensibility. We cringe when our writing is called our hobby, we feel like screaming when we are asked “are you ever going to get a real job?”

So we will all just muddle along writing and pouring our hearts into every word. We will get our hopes up each time we submit a query and we will stop breathing for as long as it takes to open the returned SASE. Our spouses and kids will stand at our office doors and shake their heads as we tap-tap-tap obliviously. We'll feel accomplished when we manage to string one-hundred words together in a project that will ultimately need seventy-five-thousand. It will be an honor beyond anything else we've done to sign a book or to receive a fan letter.

…and a writer understands.

That publisher is based in Maryland and publishes without the usual self publishing fees although their efforts after they have gone through the editing and publishing of your book is the same.

The check is my royalties and all the royalties that I have seen since I published my book, My Mother's Cooking. For the past two years, I know of only two people who have ordered the book not from me but from book stores. My check says that I had one book sold.

What can I induce? Only that at least the royalties for one book have gone astray.

I did not cash this check because I wanted to keep it as a momento of what a royalty check should look like even though as I have discovered, the publisher is not honest.

This is not a top ten list and each of the writing opportunities offered within this article may not be right for every writer. It is the responsibly of the interested writer to read the rules, guidelines and policies of the companies in which the writer chooses to write for in the future. This article only provides a brief summary of the benefits and/or payout opportunities of each company. It is your responsibility to continue on with any further inquiry regarding the benefits, rules, writing guidelines and payout benefits for each company.

Use this article to find a writing opportunity that is right for you, and then write like the winner that you know that you are.

Thisisby.us

This paid writing opportunity offers its content writers a 50%royalty payout that is based off of the advertising revenue that the website is able to generate from your articles. Writers can earn more money if their “Goodness” is high. The “Goodness” model is based on the number of views that your article receives in the last 24 hours. In addition, Thisisby.us pays a 10% royalty (based on Advertising Revenue) to commenters who leave a comment on the articles that they have read, but all commenters must be current members of Thisisby.us to receive the royalty payout. The more users vote for your comments, then the more you'll get paid. So, it pays to become both a writer and/or commenter at Thisisby.us.

HubPages

HubPages is a place where writers can write about just about anything that is interesting to them and earn 60% of the ad revenue that is generated from their writings. Writer must register for a free affiliate account through Google Adsense, eBay and/or Amazon, so to enable them to start earning an income. When you have time pay a visit to HubPages and take the quick HubPages Tour, so to learn how exactly the program works.

Wise Bread

Wise Bread is a website that focuses on personal finance and frugal living and its writers writes blogs that offers useful information related to these topics. Wise Bread offers a few ways for writers to earn an income that includes: Google Adsense, site-wide ads, Feedburner, and reprint licenses. Writers will receive 100% of the ad revenue that is generated through their personal Google Adsense account, and then Wise Bread will split advertising revenue with its writers that are generated from site-wide ads (based on traffic, so the more traffic your articles generates, the more you make) and will split earnings made from Feedburner (or any other form of syndication).

Print n Post

At PrintNPost writers maintain their own blog and/or writes articles that are then published on the PrintNPost website. Writers earn an income from their Google Adsense advertising, but a Google Adsense Account is necessary to make money using this site. The more articles or blogs that you write, then the more money you can potentially make. PrintNPost writers benefit as a community, because they all share in the overall traffic that the site receives, because visitors are visiting the site to read maybe what other PrintNPost authors have written and they may stick around and also read some of your articles and/or blog during their visit.

Review Party

Not every writer wants to write full-length articles or blogs to make an income. Some writers enjoy writing opinions about the books the recently read, the music that they listen to, and/or the DVD movies and television shows that they watch. ReviewParty offers an opportunity for writers to write thoughtful reviews about the books, music, DVD movies and television shows that you currently enjoy, so earning money indefinitely through your own Amazon Affiliate links. Writers must have an Amazon Affiliate Account to earn an income with ReviewParty.

Squidoo

Squidoo allow writers to write about just about anything that you love sharing and writing about within reason. Squidoo members write and maintain their own Squidoo Lens (where their writing appears) and can earn money in the process. From my personal experiences writing for Squidoo the earnings caution at the lower end of the payscale than some of the other writing opportunities on the Internet.

Blog Posts for Sale

Blog Posts For Sale has created an opportunity for bloggers to get paid by selling advertising links that are placed within the blog posts that the writers' blog about. The bloggers set their own prices and Blog Posts For Sale has set a minimum price of $20.00 per permanent advertising link. Blog Posts For Sale will receive $7.00 BPFS fee, so the writer would earn an actual $13.00 per link (if the link was sold for $20.00) and more if the advertising link is sold for more than $20.00. Blog Posts For Sale reserves the right to accept and deny blog posts and subjects that are not allowed are: Sex, poker and gambling. Anything illegal.

Helium

Helium is a site where writers share their experience-based knowledge, wisdom and creativity through their articles and/or blogs. Helium writers can write for publishers who are willing to pay popular writers from $20 to $200 for each selected article that the partnered publisher chooses. Helium writers can choose to participate in fun and interesting writing contests that are held by Helium and potentially win some additional money and win a greater audience of readers.

Associated Content

Writers writing for Associated Content can earn performance payments based on per 1000 views (currently $1.50 per 1000 views) that their articles receive. Sometimes Associate Content may offer an upfront payment for your text or video content that range from $3.00 to $20.00. Writers can write about just about any topic that they want to write about, but be sure to carefully read Associated Content's writers rules and guidelines before submitting any article or blog.

Triond

Leaving the best writing opportunity (IMO) for last. Triond is a legitimate writing opportunity that pays its writers to write creative, interesting and entertaining articles, stories, poetry and much, much more. Triond pays writers 50% of the advertising revenue generated from the articles that each writer publishes with Triond. Triond takes care of the advertising sales and website marketing promotions, so that the writers do not need to worry about registering for advertising affiliation accounts (Google Adsense, Amazon, etc.). Triond writers are free to focus the majority of their energies on writing more articles. Triond provides promotional marketing tools for writers that wish to self-promote their articles in order to drive even more traffic (readers) to their articles and earn potentially greater profits for their content. Writers are paid once a month and on the 15th day of each month and for the earnings generated the previous month.

Triond writers can write just about anything and about practically any subject that they can imagine. Of course, there are some rules and policies that all interested writers should read and consider before making the decision to write for the company.

I have been writing for Triond since September 2007 and I have had several articles that have become very popular on the Internet and in several social bookmarking communities. My best articles have earned well-over $190.00 each in just a few months, with the majority of the earnings being earned within the first 72 hours.

It is true that not every article that is written for and/or published by Triond will earn big money. I personally have written over 70 articles and several of these articles have only managed to earn less than one dollar apiece. Sure, these articles are not making the big money, but they will earn a little money every couple of weeks. Every little bit helps increase your overall earnings in the long run.

Triond writers continue to earn a royalty for their published articles for months or years to come. The more that you write and publish and then the more you will earn in the long run and continuing to write new articles will only increase the earnings both in the near-term and the long-term.

This is a legitimate Internet opportunity for writers of nearly any skill level. Triond pays consistently well and on time. Writers are paid 50% of any advertising revenue that the writer's articles generate in a course of one month. Triond pays out on the 15th of every month and the writer has several different types of payout options to choose from.

If you ever wondered about Triond, but really had never heard any firsthand testimony about the company, then this review is especially for you. Triond is a really good company to write for and provides a great opportunity for writers who not only desires getting paid, but creating exposure for their work.

If any of my Triond fellow writers would like to leave a comment and/or testimony about their personal experiences writing for Triond, then please do.

The Internet has made it possible for ordinary people like yourself to write and make money from the very thing that you already enjoy doing. Webmasters are consistently on the lookout to partner with eager writers that desire to share their passions with other people around the world. Most smart webmasters have already learned that in order to attract and maintain a healthy population of amazing authors is to share the ad revenue or just pay them well for their services.

Personally, I have always enjoyed writing and have equally enjoyed helping my fellow writers locate the very best writing opportunities available online and offline. By working together we all can achieve some measure of success and readership for our works. This is exactly the main reason for writing these types of articles for me. I just enjoy watching people succeed.

Some of the following opportunities I have personal, first-hand experience writing for or dealing with and I have included a mention regarding the programs that I am currently involve with and/or have written for or dealt with in the past. Honestly, I only have a finite amount of time to write and for me, writing for no more than a couple of services in all I can manage effectively.

If you would like to learn about other writing opportunities that I have written about in the past, then check out Five Fantastic Freelance Websites for Writers Earning an Income honest living doing exactly what makes you happy.

1. Triond

   I can personally testify that Triond has one of the very best writing programs on the Internet, today. Writers can write about practically anything subject under-the-sun within the boundaries of common sense. Triond rewards their writers 50% of the ad revenues that is generated from the author's published articles. I have never had any problems getting paid and in my personal experience, I have been paid very well.

2. StoryMash

   This is a relatively new website to me, but after visiting and checking things out I can see the potential in participating in this program. StoryMash is a community of like-minded writers that write and publish stories one chapter at a time. Once the writer's chapter is published, and then other writers can write the next chapter in any way that they choose to write it. So, the stories at StoryMash start with the first chapter written by you, and then after that the story may have five second chapter and so on. You get paid at least 50% of all third party ad revenue. You must have a Google Adsense Account, so that you can earn money in the StoryMash program.

3. Xomba

   Write Xombytes for Xomba and earn real cash monies from the ad revenue earned from the things that you write. Xomba members must have a Google Adsense Account, so that they can earn money in the program. Xomba pays 50% of the ad revenue generated from the articles and blogs that you write.

4. ReviewParty

   If you are writer that enjoys sharing your opinion about the movies that you watch or the music that you listen to or about the commercial products that you normally purchase, then ReviewParty is a program that you should seriously consider. It is very simple, just write reviews about the products that you currently use and get paid for sharing your opinions. ReviewParty pays 50% of the ad revenue that your review(s) generate through Google Adsense, but you must have a Google Adsense Account to participate in the program.

5. Daytipper

   Earn $1.00 for earn insightful tip that you write and is accepted by Daytipper and published. Share what you know with people who want to know what you know.

6. CREAMaid

   This service lets you meet other bloggers with similar interests as you, and make money while doing it. Write an interesting blog about anything that you are interest in as long as they abide in accordance to the CREAMaid writing guidelines and rules. It is not clear how much of the ad revenue is shared in part of the royalty program, but by writing a couple of blogs I am sure you will learn what it is exactly.

7. LetterRep

   The LetterRep program pays writers to write letters that are designed to sell to companies or individuals who are in need of professionally written letters to be used as possible mail outs or other marketing needs. Writers are paid every time a LetterRep client purchases or request one of the letters that you have had published through LetterRep. The payouts vary depending on the type of request that you receive.

8. ReviewStream

   ReviewStream is consistently seeking writers to write comprehensive and professionally written product reviews. Writers can write about any commercial product that they choose to write about, but it is always best to have actually used the products before writing a review about it. Writers can earn up to $2.00 per accepted review and an additional 10 cents for every vote that their review receives from actual visitors. There are some writing guidelines to consider before beginning the program, so be sure to take time to read them carefully. I have personal experience writing for this company and I know first hand that you can potentially earn a nice second income, if you work at it long enough.

9. FeedtheVillage

   Writers earn money simply by sharing your knowledge, advice, opinions and life experiences with others who will read what you have written for FeedtheVillage. It is not perfectly clear how much you can potentially earn using this program, but I am sure with a little time this question can be answered.

10. MatrixMails

    Now, I find this program really quite interesting as there are many ways to earn money through this website. However, this article is strictly about writing opportunities where eager writers can earn money from the things that they write, so here is what I know about this program. Writers get paid to write articles in the English language and can earn additional bonuses for the accumulate clickthru received through your membership. Like I have already mentioned this is not the only way to start making money in this program, so you may want to check them all out once you have some extra free time to spare.

Take pride in your work. If you want character X to be character X leave him/her be. Don't change him/her because a publisher tells you to. This is common with modern publishers for one reason or another. Beware of any publisher that conflict with your author integrity. It's your work, not theirs.

That leads us to the next issue: copyrighting your work. Your work is your work and no one else's. Make sure that any publishing company you go to lets you keep the rights to your material. When you make contact with a publisher, make sure you ask them about their copyright policies. If they don't for one reason or another do not sign a contract with them. By protecting your work, you can change it to your liking, or sell it if it has some measure of success, i.e movie companies.

Finding out what kind of services publishing companies offer is also key in determining who you should go to. If they have a full-time editing staff, graphic designers for book covers, layout artists for your book, marketing, etc. chances are that company is set up to succeed and will take care of you and your book.

Publishing houses that ask you for an author investment isn't at all a bad idea. Look into it and research it thoroughly. Some will ask for a heftier investment but will offer more royalties in return. Be sure to read in their contracts for more incentives. Tate Publishing offers 15 percent royalties for their book sales and offer 40 percent royalties on anything that's sold online. If you sell 5000 copies of the book, you will receive your author investment back. Look for deals like this when you are looking for publishers.

One thing to check on in all publishing houses is the amount of royalties they plan on giving you. If they don't offer at least 10 percent, don't sign with them. You should maximize the amount of royalties you deserve. After all, you wrote the book, not them. Why should they reap off of your reward? The answer is they shouldn't. Be very aware of what other promotional items they are willing to give you for your book: bookmarks, promotional posters, audio books, etc…This goes a long way in determining how much you're going to make off of your product.

Self-Publishing your work is another ball game altogether. Sure you call your own shots, but beware of the dangers. More and more book stores such as Barnes and Noble, Hastings, and Borders are not shelving self-published books for reasons of credibility. A representative at either of these stores isn't going to listen to you if you tell them your book is self-published. They will ask you first and foremost what your book is about. They are not going to read it so you could essentially lie to them. On average self-publishers lose 70 percent of their investment they put into the book in accordance with the number of book sales. Did I mention you call the shots? On the surface that sounds great, but when you dig deeper, you need to spend lots of money to get self-published. Here is a list of all the things you have to pay for: book cover design (unless you know someone who's an artist), layout of your book (this isn't as expensive as finding a cover designer), and printing your book (with the cost of printing with the cover). If you start by printing 100 copies of your book, congratulations you just spent approximately $4,000-8,000 with the non-guarantee that you're going to get any of your books on the shelves at any book store.

The publishing industry is tricky, but believe it or not there are good ones that won't scam you for your money. The key is to find the one that will get you the most revenue in return with the type of material that you're writing. You've written a book; you just did what a million writers have done. Considering there are 6.7 billion people on the earth, that's a pretty good ratio. Take pride in your work and find a company that won't rob you of that pride. Good luck to you and may you find success wherever you go.