Contently

What: Write for pay

Expected pay: 25 cents to $2 per word

Husl$core: $$$$

Commissions & Fees: NA

Where: Nationwide

Requirements: Writing experience in a relevant topic area

Review: Like dozens of other writing platforms, Contently aims to connect companies looking for copy with writers willing and able to produce it. But what makes this site special is that it does not allow writers to bid against one another, which tends to push prices into the basement. Instead, it establishes a price for each piece and then offers the jobs to a group of writers who would be qualified to complete the work. The jobs are not all high paying, but they fall into a reasonable range and are clearly described so each worker can decide whether the pay is worth the time the project will take.

“what makes this site special is that it does not allow writers to bid against one another”

To start, you register on the site, posting a profile, which includes a link to your past work. The site’s editors then evaluate your qualifications. If the site’s editors think you’re qualified to write for one of their clients, they will contact you with the offer and details. Clients determine the pay, but rates generally fall into the following ranges, according to the site:

• Articles with secondary sources (300-700 words) pay $380-$630 USD
• Reported stories with primary sources (400-700+ words) pay $570-$890 USD
• Multi-source stories with 3+ primary sources (400-700+ words) pay $1,140-$1,400 USD
• White papers (1,000-5,000 words) pay $1.70/word USD

Publishers are typically required to accept or reject a writer’s work within 15 days; Contently will then collect payment and transfer the money to the author within 30 days.

The main complaint about the site are that it can take time before you’re offered a writing gig, so you may not be able to use this site as your main source of income. Still, given the reasonable pay and terms, Contently is among our favorite choices in the writing category. Other platforms that writers may want to consider: Belay and Remote.

What their users say:

From G2Crowd:

This site is an amazing tool for journalists who want to display a portfolio. It’s especially great because it is free. Stories are laid out in a crisp, clean format and look fantastic.

Carol Tice, author of MakeALivingWriting.com, did a thorough review of Contently here.

FreedomWithWriting also did a Contently review.

Try Contently