| So you want to start writing full time, but for one | | | | And early on, every dollar counts. |
| reason or another you're stuck at home and can't | | | | Elance is said to have a higher ceiling than Guru, |
| really get out. Can you make it? The good news is | | | | meaning that while it's extremely difficult to make a |
| yes, you can. There are enough resources online to | | | | living wage just off of Guru, there are many authors |
| make a full time living writing. It's not easy, but it is | | | | who do so off of Elance now. That may be true, but |
| definitely doable! | | | | Elance's minimum fee is $50, and I've noticed that it's |
| The web site that started me off from taking | | | | harder to get started there. Guru is more open to new |
| freelancing from a side income to a full time income | | | | writers. |
| was Guru and Elance are considered the two best | | | | In addition, in the two years I worked on Guru, the |
| auction based web sites for freelancers. These are | | | | number of jobs and amount of money paid to authors |
| sites where employers get to post descriptions of their | | | | went up dramatically. It is far easier and more likely to |
| projects for free, and freelancers are allowed to bid | | | | make a full time living off Guru now than in early 2005, |
| on them. | | | | as outsourching continues to make Guru grow. This |
| Two absolutely essential pieces of advice if you are | | | | means that as the site continues to grow, it's not |
| looking to build up a freelance reputation on Guru: | | | | impossible to make a comfortable living, either. |
| 1) Buy a year long subscription. Last I checked it was | | | | At one point I was doing over $2,000 a month in jobs, |
| somewhere around $150, and it is cheaper than going | | | | 60 hours a week in work, and I was turning down any |
| month to month and is well worth the cost. One good | | | | job that didn't pay over $12 an hour. I turned down |
| job, or even six minimum wage jobs (the least a | | | | repeat work, as well, so the markets are definitely |
| person can bid is $25--that's always the absolute | | | | improving. |
| minimum you will earn)covers the subscription easily! | | | | I still recommend Guru over Elance, especially getting |
| 2) Have patience! If you're starting out it takes time. | | | | started. I've found the percentage cut that they take to |
| Think about it from an employer's point of view: you | | | | be far less than what Elance takes as a cut (it's |
| have two bids, one person has ten jobs in his/her | | | | always a minimum of $10), while Guru is 8% with no |
| history and $1,000 in earnings with a five star rating, the | | | | minimum. |
| other has no background. Which would you choose? | | | | A writer who really wants to build up can get |
| It takes time, but look at any ad that says "new writers | | | | accounts with both, which is something I've done. If you |
| welcome" or "SEO," or look for jobs that are | | | | want to go beyond casual, this is a great place to start, |
| ridiculously cheap. I would never again write ten 500 | | | | and it will even save your query letter formats to |
| word articles for $30, but to get that initial positive | | | | make it easier to apply for a lot of jobs and to |
| feedback and job under my belt, I would to get going. | | | | sharpen your skills. |