Writing as a Hobby, Not a Job

Hello Everyone! 

As writers, I think we all understand how much we put into our writing. We love what we do and continue to do it even if we do not get much in return. However, sometimes one begins to wonder if their stuff is being read! We have all kinds of statistics telling us that we are getting traffic and all, but when no comments or sign of life is left, how would we know? It could be a computer robot scanning through our writing for all we know! Still this doesn't stop us from writing about things we are passionate and knowledgeable about. 

For instance, I know I enjoy providing college advice to students who are heading to college or have been there before and just need some motivation. I love taking my experience about buying college textbooks and spreading it all over my blog so that others will benefit from it. I know I have learned a great deal and saved so much money from trial and error. Then there is my graduate school admission experience; not only has it been stressful, rather it has been drenching! However, I learned to cope and use positive thinking to help myself get through it all. What do you know? It worked! I managed to get a placement in a graduate program for the fall 2010 semester!

You see, as writers we write as a hobby, not as a job; I don't even make enough to pay my phone bill, so that's not my motivation. I write because I enjoy it and it relaxes me. When I was going to college online, writing was my getaway from studying and reading textbooks. It was this whole new world I can escape to;  you know what, you can too... 

Can You Make Money Paid Forum Posting?

Make Money / Forum Posting Image Credit

Paid Posting can be a very good way to make money online. Everyday people ask how they can make money online. I have done well with paid posting and you can too. Here is my story. I began paid forum posting in 2007. I'd heard a fellow member of the workplacelikehome.com forum mention that they got paid to post in forums. I sent her a private message asking how she got into paid posting. She responded that she knew a forum owner that was looking for more posters. She gave me his email address and my first paid posting gig began.

He would send payments to my Paypal account and I would complete enough posts to earn the amount paid. Five dollars, would require 20 posts. That forum had several members and the forum owner was simply trying to boost threads and traffic.

When that job ended, I began looking online for paid posting gigs. I signed up for at least 50 sites online that claimed to pay posters. Some require you to make posts to show your work before they hire you. Many of these sites have a reputation for failing to respond, as I learned through experience and online research.

Of the many sites I joined, I found 4 that actually had work and paid me for my work. Throughout 2008, I worked for forumbooster.net, postingdirect.com, paidpostingtools.com, and flamewired.com. Of those websites, forumbooster.net is still functional. Paid Posting Tools has moved to Inbox.com and the writer application is available here. Inbox.com is by far the most lucrative paid forum posting website online. I highly recommend it.

As a paid poster you will:

1. Sign up with a forum - Create a login and password, then verify your email account.
2. Read what is going on in the forum - The forums are rarely populated at all. The posts you will be creating and responding to belong to fellow paid posters. Many of their user names and avatars will become familiar to you and you will speak to the same paid posters on all forums. This is so common, that on the rare occasion that an internet user pops in and posts, it surprises all the paid posters.
3. Begin Posting - Experienced posters often make controversial posts hoping to drive in traffic and spark conversation. If you are not familiar with the general forum topic, you will need to do research online.

Pay averages anywhere from 15 cents to 30 cents a post. You will not get rich by paid forum posting. I did it for fun, without rushing, and averaged 6 posts an hour. That is approximately $1.25 per hour. If you are a new writer, it would provide experience. That experience could be used on a resume or at a website to secure clients, such as Odesk.com. My first client that I mentioned above paid quite well at 25 cents per post.

A word of warning for anyone who is considering paid posting to backlink their online writing, as a paid poster, you will be strongly discouraged from placing links in your signature! If you backlink, it may cost you your posting job.

Heather Schulte currently enjoys writing for Suite101, Bright Hub, and Squidoo. She also blogs about working from home as a freelance writer at heatherstelecommute.blogspot.com.

What is the Internet saying about your reputation?

What is the Internet saying about your reputation? by Jerrie Dean

When I was in junior high school, after a very upsetting fight with a friend, I wanted to write a note telling them how mad I was. My parents were against it. They cautioned me about writing things down that I may later regret. They told me that once it is in print, you can't take>>>>>>KEEP READING

When life and working at home collide...become Gumby

When life and working at home collide...become Gumby

If you have not signed up yet!!! Websites revealed by guest bloggers

Sharing information and tips to increase earnings. Increase your passive, residual income. Make money faster than greased lightening. If you love writing for Examiner, Ehow, Bukisa, Hub, Squidoo, share your stuff here! Guest bloggers welcome!

THIS week I am forward to two special blog posts. I so appreciate the bloggers who have already posted and the unique information provided about websites. Some of these writers have an intriguing way of drawing you in and a great sense of personlity or humor that makes the reading fun.

INTERVIEWS: by A.M. Interviews and Interviews: The End of the World?

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BRIGHT HUB AND BREAK STUDIOS: Break Studios & Bright Hub

by Melissa Van Horn

EXAMINER: Examiner part 1 Examiner part 2

by A.M.

Mystery Shopping: MysteryShopping & Freelance Writing

by mommierose

EXAMINER ARTICLES: Teen Outlaw or Missing Man on Cross Country Trip

by Jerrie Dean

REDGAGE: 3 ways to use REDGAGE: Who cares about backlinks?

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Mystery Shopping and Freelance Writing

If you love writing for Examiner, Ehow, Bukisa, Hub, Squidoo, share your stuff here! Guest bloggers welcome! photo: sxc.hu Image ID: 1229519

This blog post brought to you by MommieRose. See my articles at eHow.com, Suite101.com, and InfoBarrel.com.

Mystery shopping and freelance writing go hand-in-hand quite easily. Most mystery shopping jobs require the shopper to fill out a form, for which good writing skills are crucial, as with writing jobs. Tax write-offs for mystery shopping can lend themselves easily to paying less income tax for the freelance writer. Mystery shopping jobs are paid per job, whereas many online freelance jobs pay residual income, so mystery shopping can supplement freelance writing jobs nicely.

HOW TO START

To begin mystery shopping, a good website to check out to start is volition.com. This site posts an extensive list of legitimate mystery shopping companies to try. Once on the site, click on "Get Paid" then "Get Paid to Shop". Find companies who work nationally or with companies in your area. Currently I am signed up to work with about 20 different companies. These companies send lists of shops to be completed via email, so available jobs show in an email inbox every day.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Mystery shopping jobs have two main components: the shop itself and the form to fill out after the shop is completed. Mystery shops are generally explained very thoroughly, and if one does not understand exactly what is expected, a good scheduler will work with the shopper to ensure the shop gets done correctly. As with freelance writing, good grammar skills are a must when filling out forms online.

TAXES AND THE MYSTERY SHOPPER

For income tax purposes, the mystery shopper is considered an independent agent, the same as a freelance writer. For tax preparation, fees paid for mystery shopping and residual income from freelance writing should be added separately then figured together to find the total money owed minus deductions.

As a mystery shopper/freelance writer, 50% of my time on the computer is used for work, so 50% of the cost of my internet can be deducted, as well as mileage for mystery shops and other miscellaneous items such as printer ink and paper, notebooks, et cetra. Mystery shopping typically has more deductions available for business expenses, and especially miliage, so when added together the mystery shopper/freelance writer would pay less income tax than an individual who either mystery shops or writes freelance.

CASH FLOW AND THE MYSTERY SHOPPER

The final benefit of mystery shopping and freelance writing together is the upfront money. Residual income is nice, but so are upfront fees. Payment for mystery shops typically are in the form of reimbursements for money paid by the shopper to buy required items for the shop and a fee paid to the shopper for work completed satisfactorily. Most mystery shopping companies pay about two months after work has been completed. If mystery shops are done on a regular basis, this can be quite a lucrative cash stream to supplement residual income earned by freelance writing.

Mystery shopping and freelance writing done together can be a very profitable endeavor!