Earn Money Online Freelance Writing for Suite101.com
Suite101.com calls itself an online magazine. It’s a content rich site whose articles are contributed by freelance writers which allow the writers to earn internet income. The freelance writers are broken into two categories, Feature Writers and Contributing Writers.
Feature Writers are responsible for their particular section of expertise. They are required to write a certain number of articles per week on their topic and maintain an associated blog. They may, if they are so inclined, also write articles on any other topic of their choice as long as they maintain their Feature Writer requirements.
Contributing Writers can write on any topic of their choice and are only subject to the 10 articles over a period of three months writing requirement.
Apply as a Freelance Writer
To become a freelance writer for Suite 101.com, you have to become a member (membership is free) complete an application and submit a resume along with two writing samples. Suite101.com will review your work and notify you if you are accepted.
Suite 101 has been around for over 10 years and has developed a readership of over seven million readers monthly. They offer a quality product; so if you are not serious about writing quality articles, don’t bother to apply to Suite101.com.
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If you do decide to earn internet income by writing for Suite101.com and are accepted, be prepared for editor interaction. The editors review the work and offer quality feedback. Any writer knows that feedback is part of the growing process. The editors are there to help you improve your craft. Take the criticism as constructive criticism and learn from it. It’s a good place to get honest critiques that server to improve your writing
Payment
Payment is made via Paypal and is based on the number of page views and ad revenue generated by your articles. None of the writers know the actual page view/revenue share formula, but we do know that payment is made monthly as long as your earnings exceed $10.
Earnings from Suite101.com vary depending on the number of articles written, topic popularity, seasonal fluctuations and a host of other variables. Once you’ve written a few articles, you get a feel for which ones work and which ones don’t. Additionally, Suite101.com provides a user interface whereby each writer can see just how well each article is doing and were the traffic is coming from. You can see which search terms were used to access your articles. It’s a useful tool when it comes to honing SEO skills.
Article Ownership
You maintain the copyright for your work; however, you grant Suite101.com exclusive electronic rights for the first year that your article appears on their site. After that, you can post your article anywhere you wish.
Success?
Success can be measured in several different ways. First of all, having a Suite101.com profile has helped me in getting other writing assignments. One link to
Suite101.com was all it took to show what and how I write.
Success can also be measured by level of income. I’ve had moderate success financially. Let me preface my success by saying that I maintain the 10 articles per three-month minimum requirement. Some writers write in excess of 100 articles in that period of time (other obligations prevent me from doing so). Unfortunately I had to remove the actual figures earned as I found out that it is a violation of the Suite 101 Terms of Service. Suffice it to say that my earnings have increased over time.
That number is a little deceiving because some of the articles were written as recently as two days ago which haven’t had time to be process through the search engines as yet. Some articles get great traffic while other ones are not popular at all.
Either way, as long as I continue as a freelance writer for Suite101.com, the articles will remain on the website and I will continue to earn internet income. Even if I stop writing, as long as the articles remain on the site and generate revenue, I will continue to earn and get paid.
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Comment by Sydney Hazelton on 13 July 2008:
Hi Felicia,
I must say that you have reviewed the website well. Most of the information that I would like to know are spelt out here. I might try Suite101. I have been writing for Triond but I don’t earn as much as you mentioned you got for Suite101 with the number of articles you have written. All the best!
Comment by Felicia on 13 July 2008:
Thanks for the well wishes Sydney.
Your comment made me realize that I had not updated my Suite earnings in a little while. Drum roll please….
As of July 10th, my income for 86 articles was Oops, had to remove the figures. Posting my earnings is a violation of Suite 101 TOS. You can see how the per article value increases over time.
It’s not that I’m rolling in cash, but every extra dollar helps.
Comment by Felicia on 19 August 2008:
Here’s the latest update. As of yesterday, August 18, 2008, I have 91 articles on Suite (I’ve barely been meeting the 10 article per three month requirement – I’m working on writing more) and have earned – Oops cannot share the earnings. It’s a violation of Suite 101 TOS.
Currently, each article I write for Suite 101 is worth more than each one I write for Demand Studios. Imagine that.
I still write for Demand Studios because they pay weekly (more or less) while Suite 101 pays monthly.
Comment by Alyssa Vita on 20 August 2008:
Felicia,
I visited Suite101.com and read some of your articles. I have to admit Suite101.com isn’t new to me. I’m taking courses on professional indexing and I read most of the articles about indexing on that Web site.
The point I want to make is that I knew there was something that drew me to you. I read your profile and realized that you and I share a similar background. I started out in the Insurance industry – on the brokering side. I was also an MGA for a very long time and wrote several risk management and loss control articles for the professions. This led to my career as a technical writer drafting online help and user guides.
Like you, I want to break away from the dreariness of writing in this rigid discipline. A few days ago, I commented on how hard it was to come up with a blog theme and related topics. At first I thought I’d reach out to the professionals who buy insurance, and then quickly dismissed the idea. I’m not the least bit interested and it would translate into a bad blog. So, I continue to analyze my hobbies, interests, and passions. I’m sure I’ll come up with something.
I knew I’d like you…
Best,
Alyssa
Comment by Felicia on 20 August 2008:
Hey Alyssa,
Thanks for stopping by. Us insurance type have to stick together.
I agree with you about not doing an insurance blog. I tried it and was bored silly with it. I was following the dollars and not my passion.
I’ve tried a few blogs, but quickly found that if my heart wasn’t in it, I wouldn’t post. Hang in there. I’m sure you’re going to find something soon.
Regards,
Felicia
Comment by Tana on 16 September 2008:
Are there any word count requirements?
Also, this is from the site (suite101) and it explains why your earnings increased a bit:
* earn an additional 10% ad revenue after 50 articles
* earn an additional 20% ad revenue after 100 articles
Good luck from me!
Comment by Felicia on 16 September 2008:
Hey Tana,
Thanks for the comments. As far as the 10% bonus, I hit that milestone quite some time ago. I’m only an article or two away from the 100 article mark. I guess if I stop talking about it and actually write the next two articles, I’ll see exactly how the additional bonus affects my earnings (so close, yet so far).
Comment by Tana on 16 September 2008:
You hit the nail on the head! If you (and me, and other writer) spend less time talking and browsing the Net, more articles will be finished.
I am getting a pro in wasting my time in a myriad of creative ways. 
Comment by Felicia on 24 September 2008:
I’m disappointed to report that Contributing Writers who reach the 100 article milestone at Suite 101 do not get an additional 10% bonus.
I contacted Suite about it and I was told that only Feature Writers get the bonus. The wording on their website is misleading and I advised them accordingly.
Comment by Lisa Russell on 18 October 2008:
They did update that, maybe because of your note, and they sent out an explanation in the newsletter.
I’m a FW at 49 articles and My numbers are just about where yours were at 50, I’m at (oops, had to remove your earnings. Don’t want you to violate the Suite 101 terms of service) I quit writing for Demand a few months ago and chose to focus my efforts on my own sites and Suite101. At Suite, the more you write, the more you make. Your experience has shown that. I go in spurts, though.
I wish someone would develop a graphic tool we can look at to see which of our Suite articles are cross-linked. Other than simply making a list, There must be a way to map out a visual web so we can make sure we’re maximizing the inter-linking.
Anyway- nice to meet you
Lisa
Comment by Felicia on 18 October 2008:
Hi Lisa,
I’m glad they updated the site so other writers won’t be disappointed when they find that they don’t get the additional 10%.
In addition to a graphic tool to show the cross links, it would be nice to know how much each article makes. I started writing for eHow and one of the nice features is that it shows how much each article earns so you can get an idea which ones are money makers and which ones aren’t.
It makes sense to concentrate on your own sites in addition to writing for Suite and other content sites. I bounce back and forth between my own sites, Suite, eHow and a few affiliates.
Thanks for stopping by and I’m going to spend a little more time going through your site. It looks very interesting.
Comment by Julie on 20 October 2008:
Felicia,
I am so glad I found this blog. I have written to three or four writers on Suite 101 for advice on getting started as a freelance writer on the site and have not gotten a repsonse from any of them. I am getting ready to apply to the site. I have written two articles (in third person)for the travel section. I have not been published and most of my written work was for college, my personal blog, and various journals that are scattered throughout my house.
Before I submit these first articles for application, is there anything I shold know about applying? Looking for advice….
Comment by Felicia on 21 October 2008:
Hi Julie,
Thanks for stopping by. As far as applying to Suite 101, I applied about a year ago so my application memory is a bit fuzzy.
If your posts to my blog are an indication of your writing ability, I believe you’ll be fine. Writing in the third person is a big plus when it comes to Suite.
I guess my biggest tip would be to remember your audience. Some new writers like to show off their writing ability by using too many descriptive words and trying too hard to impress the editor. You seem to be a solid writer, and I don’t think you’ll have a problem being approved.
Let us know how it goes.
Good Luck!
Comment by Felicia on 22 October 2008:
Hmm,
I recently found out that technically, I’m not supposed to share my Suite 101 earnings. It’s a violation of their terms of service.
To that end, I’m going to have to delete all reference to the income I make there. I guess in the future, I’ll have to be a bit more general about my earnings rather than specific.
Oh well. Since I signed the contract, I have to honor the agreement.
Comment by Veronique on 22 October 2008:
Weeks ago I submitted my application to Suite 101 and was rejected. Sunday I was determined I would become a contributor and resubmitted my application; this time I was accepted!! Wahooo!
Comment by Felicia on 22 October 2008:
Congratulations to you Veronique!
As a newbie writer for Suite, expect to receive feedback from the editors when you submit articles. It might take a little getting used to their writing style.
Once you get the hang of it, things should go smoothly.
Best of luck to you!
Comment by Veronique on 22 October 2008:
Thank you so much Felicia.
I’m looking forward to any feedback they may have for me. I’m looking at this as a new experience and another opportunity to polish my writing skills.
Comment by Julie on 22 October 2008:
Felicia,
Thank you very much for your compliment, that means a lot. Also, thanks for the tips!
Veronique, Congratulations! Any pointers on the application? Good luck to you. It is wonderful and motivating to find other writer’s!
Comment by Julie on 22 October 2008:
Felicia,
Good to know Suite will not allow you to post earnings!
Julies last blog post..Eat, Pray, Love
Comment by Veronique on 22 October 2008:
Hey Julie,
The only tip I have is to sit down, take your time and carefully review everything during and before submitting. I think that was my problem with the first application. I was in a bit of a hurry and talking with a client via instant messenger. Shame on me. Sunday morning I brewed some coffee, had a clear mind and was able to focus on what I wanted to accomplish.
Thank you for the best wishes Julie.
Comment by Julie on 23 October 2008:
Thanks. I may be spending too much time and over-analyzing! I have the articles done, but am not sure what to include or the format of the resume since I have never published anything professionally.
Julies last blog post..Baby Steps
Comment by Julie on 24 October 2008:
Felicia and Veronique,
From the Suite 101 application: “Please submit researched journalistic articles that cite sources; no pure opinion, blog posts, or poetry or fiction. This means your samples should be objective, balanced, and should not include the first-person “I” voice. Do not include links to online work, but rather copy the text into these fields.”
Do I need to cite sources? What exactly does this mean-”researched”? I wrote travel articles about two places I have actually visited. Do I need references? One of my articles is in my blog. I appreciate the help.
Comment by Felicia on 24 October 2008:
Wow, I applied so long ago and when I applied we were able to write in the second person.
What I would probably do is take the travel articles that you’ve already written and re-write them in the third person voice. I would include a couple of facts about the region and site one or two references as the source of my facts.
The facts can be a sentence or two so that it doesn’t detract from your article, but apparently they want to see that you can take facts, digest them and make them relevant in your article.
It seems that they want more of a journalistic flair rather than a down home blog flavor (well at least that’s my take on it).
Hope that helped.
Anyone else have any good advice to offer Julie?
Comment by Julie on 26 October 2008:
I got accepted as a contributing writer! Yay – thanks for the tips. And, wish me luck as I begin this new journey of freelance writing! Whew!
Comment by Felicia on 26 October 2008:
Good for you Julie!
Congrats on becoming a contributing writer for Suite! You’ll do great. Make sure to use the same tips from Maria O’Brien’s book on Suite 101 and you’ll do very well.
Comment by James on 4 November 2008:
Felicia I would like to thank you for the post on suite 101. I have been looking around the internet and weeding through the scams for freelance writing. When I came across your post I realized finally a site, maybe some real income, and a way to start writing. I am new to freelance, but have been writing many years; short stories, poems, a book, and some blogging. Would you say that suite101 is a means to not just better your writing ability but improve on writing for income? I have read your above article after your earnings were removed. So if I concentrate on suite101 is the earning possibility worth the effort. I would like to earn 200 or more plus a month extra, with the work involved of course. I am asking for us, the “newbies.”
Thank you for the comment, or the advice.
Comment by Felicia on 4 November 2008:
Hi James,
Suite 101 is a legitimate site and you can definitely earn $200 or more per month. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it is doable.
Spend a little time getting familiar with SEO and keywords. Writing online is a bit of a different animal than writing for print publications. It took me a little while to truly understand the difference. Once I got a better handle on it, my earnings improved quite a bit.
The Suite editors will help you transition your writing for the web by offering constructive tips.
All in all, I find my experience with Suite 101 a positive one and well worth the effort for the income.
Comment by Julie on 20 November 2008:
Hey, I just wanted to pass on that I got my first Suite 101 article posted. Thank you for the inspiration and motivation. I guess I am now officially in the freelance writer club with Suite and ehow. Thanks again. Here it is.
Vacation in Los Cabos Mexico
Comment by Felicia on 20 November 2008:
Wow, Julie, I see you’ve been very busy!
Good for you! Congratulations on becoming a freelance writer for both Suite and eHow!
You’ll find that over time the income will continue to grow.
By the way, after reading your article, I’m ready to go to Los Cabos!
Comment by Julie on 5 December 2008:
Hey fellow writer. I am still reading your blog here, it has been helpful.
So far Suite has not been too profitable. But, I realize I only have 4 articles on there. I am doing far better on eHow. I am sure as the articles go up, it will get better. So far on eHow, I have made almost $34.00. Those articles are easier to write, too.
Just curious-Do you know why my last blog post won’t work in Luv here? It says, “A feed could not be found at http://julies-journeys.blogspot.com“.
Comment by Felicia on 5 December 2008:
Hi Julie,
In my experience, you’ll probably make more, quicker at eHow than at Suite 101. Suite demands more from their writers than eHow does and you’re right, it’s a lot easier to zip through an eHow than a Suite article.
I made more in my first full month at eHow than I did at Suite. However, I like the writing challenge at Suite (call me weird). I’ve been there for about a year and a half and only started taking it seriously shortly after I started working for eHow.
I decided to use the advice in Maria’s book and apply it to Suite. Since I started using her advice, I noticed that my earnings have increased quite a bit. Becoming a Feature Writer also helped, but the FW bonus is based on the basic daily earnings and I noticed that my base earnings have gone up.
As far as the Comment Luv not working for your blog, I can’t give you an answer on that one. All I do is install and activate the plugin. How it works is up to the creator of the plugin. I checked a couple of the other posts here and it seems to be working, so I’m not sure why yours doesn’t.
Comment by Julie on 8 December 2008:
Thanks! I think my link may be working again! Who knows??
I submitted another Suite article, if anyone is interested.
For some reason, those articles drain me. I appreciate your words and support.
Julies last blog post..Comment Luv
Comment by Brenda on 3 January 2009:
Thanks for all the honesty being posted here.
Does anyone have any thoughts to share on the following?
1. If you’re currently a contributor to Suite 101, do you now have to list references for very every article you submit? I wasn’t quite clear on that.
2. Do you know if eHOw or Suite 101 publishes a disclaimer aimed at readers of their sites? I haven’t seen one for either site yet (I need to look closer), but in their terms of agreement with writers, they have very strict rules to those who write for them, including that we’ll pay their court fees, attorney fees, etc., if anyone files a claim against them because of our content. No big deal in most cases, but frivolous lawsuits by people who claim your how-to gave them a serious allergic reaction or caused their child to get hurt still have to be defended and paid for in court sometimes. If either eHow or Suite 101 have a good disclaimer for readers of their site, that could ease my mind.
Thanks.
Comment by Athlyn Green on 21 January 2009:
I, too, am a writer with Suite 101 and must say I’m impressed with the editor feedback.
For writers trying to transition to online writing, Suite gives them the ability to learn and earn–a good deal, no matter which way you look at it.
Comment by Seema Adnani on 6 March 2009:
Awsome Analysis…this really helps
Comment by RachelB on 14 April 2009:
Thanks for breaking it down so clearly. Your detailed description of your Suite 101 writing experience so far is very helpful.
Comment by Ishila on 13 May 2009:
Brenda- I see two clauses in the T&Cs section of the Suite 101 site:
——————
Disclaimer
The material in this site is provided for personal, non-commercial, educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement with respect to any company or product. Suite101 does not provide any endorsement or recommendation of any third party’s facility, business or event and makes no representations and specifically disclaims all warranties, express, implied or statutory, regarding the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, durability, title, non infringement of intellectual property rights, interoperability of products and services, availability of the site, storage of content, merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose of any material contained in this Website.
Neither Suite101 nor any of its partners, suppliers or affiliates or any other party involved in creating, producing, or delivering the Website is liable for any errors or omissions on the Website nor for any direct, special, incidental, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages arising out of your use of the Website or the information contained herein including, but not limited to, business interruption and loss of use, data, information or profits.
———-
On the other hand they have this clause too:
Personal Liability
You are legally and ethically responsible for words, files, pictures, or any other work you post or transmit using Suite101′s services (the “Work”) and are responsible for honoring the rights of others, including intellectual-property rights (copyright, patent, and trademark), the right to privacy, and the right not to be defamed. If you wish to post any Work on the Website in which a third party owns the copyright, you are responsible for obtaining the copyright holder’s permission first.
—
The two clauses seem a bit grey frankly and not sure if writers would be covered by the Disclaimer clause. The discaimer may indirectly protect a writer but the first part of the second clause does a writer no favours.
Comment by Paula Marie on 21 May 2009:
I was going to begin writing for “Helium.com,” but just read that Helium “steals” articles – has anyone known suite101 to do such a horrid thing? I’m very protected over what I write, as I “give birth” to my writings (strange, I know!) and they feel like my kids. Do writers on Suite101.com ALWAYS get credit for what they write? Really, I’m more important in owning my work (to go on to publish it elsewhere, after a year) than in getting paid! Can I submit the online articles Suite101.com does accept to markets printing offline on paper (before the obligatory year waiting period)? Does anyone know the answers to some of my questions? Thanks so very much for a wonderful site!
Comment by Felicia on 22 May 2009:
Hi Paula and welcome to NJFM.
Suite 101 is a legitimate respectable site. They do not steal articles and the ownership and copyright of the article remains with the author.
According to Suite 101′s writing contract “Suite101 has the exclusive right to electronically publish the Content on the internet in accordance with the terms of this Agreement for one (1) year from the posting date of Content…” Therefore you can submit your article to print publications within the first year of your posting the article on the Suite site.
I’ve been writing for them for a little over 2 years and am very satisfied with them.
Comment by Jennifer on 24 May 2009:
Hello,
I’ve been trolling your blog for a while now and have found it to be immensely helpful and full of great information.
The one thing I’m hoping you may be able to answer (directly or indirectly) you’ve already answered but had to delete so I’m wondering if we can work this another way around.
Currently I write for textbroker and constant content. With textbroker lvl 4 I earn about $7.00 per 500 word article. While I understand about the residuals earnings from suite 101, I’m just wondering how they compare. Would an article have to be posted on suite 101 for a long time to earn $7.00 or do they add up the pv’s fairly quickly?
I know this is like comparing apples to pears, but I’m a niche writer (food/drink/cooking/health) and don’t really like to write articles about insurance or mortages, I leave those to you! I just don’t want to waste my time writing something that might never earn as much in pv’s or residuals.
Thanks in advance for your guidance,
Jenn
Comment by Felicia on 25 May 2009:
Hi Jennifer,
It’s really hard to compare the two. Suite 101 pays based on ad clicks. Although they provide statistics for the number of page views and will list the average revenue per page view that your articles might bring in, they don’t tell you how much each article earned. Therefore, I know how many page views a particular article received, but I don’t know how much money it generated. Having said that, you’ll probably earn money quicker with Textbroker because you can decide how much you want to earn each month.
I’ve learned that upfront pay and residual pay does not have to be an all or nothing situation. You can continue writing for Textbroker while writing an article a week or so for Suite 101. In the long run, you’ll have more options.
Although my per article earnings with Suite is a constantly moving (and increasing target). I’m just shy of $30 per article (averaged over 2 years) and I write an average of an article a week (1.3 articles). Some weeks I write two, some none and on rare occasions I might write 3 in a week. I’m usually busy writing elsewhere.
If you can manage an article a week, I would strongly suggest that you try Suite in conjunction with Textbroker and allow your per article rate to rise. Additionally, you retain ownership of work Suite work. I don’t think you do with Textbroker.
Forgot to mention: As far as writing in your field of food, drink, health and cooking, I find that those fields are popular and seasonally do well with ads. I find that the Food and Health sections of my Tidbits & Stuff site surprises me sometimes with the earnings. While they are not consistent high earners, they do bring in a steady source of income.
Comment by Kate on 25 May 2009:
Hi Felicia,
I was just about to write and ask if anyone knew of other sites that paid for writing. I’m a very environmentally active art major, but it seems like no one wants to read about the environmental movement or the art world, so I have made a total of 9 or 14 cents in like a month and a half!! I’ve written for Triond primarily, and I tried doing a Google AdSense-Blogger thing. I shall try Suite now!
I’m trying to use Werkadoo but I think it’s fairly young, so no jobs ever come up in the postings. And I have heard mixed messages about using a Squidoo lens, but the whole “lens” thing sounds kinda awesome so maybe it’s something to try anyway.
Comment by Kate on 25 May 2009:
^Because this is all fairly new to me; I’m trying to take it on as a successful part-time job since it’s so hard to find work now and I right now it just makes more sense to be my own employer!! And the one catchy thing in the Textbroker system is that once you fill five orders (it seems) you’re out of commission for a whole week!! So I think it would not be smart to put all my eggs in one basket
Comment by Abby on 25 May 2009:
Do you have to give Suite a SS number or is a tax id number okay? I’ve been writing for textbroker and would like to broaden my options. Thanks. Abby
Comment by Jennifer on 25 May 2009:
Kate,
I’m not sure why you’d be out of comission for a whole week with TB, they’ve been a little sparse wwith the lvl 4 articles for the last week or so but just 2 weeks ago they had so much surplus they were offering a bonus for doing weekend writing just to clear through the huge number of articles.
I’ve had as many as 15 or so articles in ‘waiting’ status but there’s nothing to say you can’t keep writing.
Also, check out constant-content.com – the set up is a wee bit different but I’ve sold articles there for as much as $65 each, and some people sell them for more.
Jenn
Comment by Jennifer on 25 May 2009:
Felicia,
thanks for the candid response – I know it’s hard to compare some of these writing sites, I’m just trying to get the maximum bang for my time and I’m not terribly patient. Plus, I abhor the sites where it seems you need to be on a buddy list to get clicks on your articles.
Jenn
Comment by Felicia on 26 May 2009:
If I remember correctly, Suite didn’t ask for a tax ID number. They’re not a US based company. They don’t submit 1099′s. You have to report your Suite income to the IRS yourself.
Comment by Felicia on 26 May 2009:
I’m like you Jenn. I don’t do well with buddy lists and rounding up the troops to view articles. That’s why I like Suite. You can participate in the forum if you choose, but you don’t have to. There are no friend lists or anything like that. They’re a professional site that wants quality content.
I tend to do poorly if I have to round up a group of folks to read and comment on my articles. Honestly speaking, once I write an article, I forget about it and go on to the next. It’s only when I receive emails asking for help on things that I’ve written that I have to go back to remember what I wrote.
Comment by Kate on 26 May 2009:
It may have just been the long weekend, but there was a reddish box that comes up and says now that I’ve written five articles, they have to clear them through or something and it can take up to seven days. It seems like these companies take the maximum amount of days they say they can to ok you, but now that it’s the work week again it may work.
Comment by Felicia on 26 May 2009:
Kate, I’m a little confused. Are you talking about Textbroker or Suite?
Comment by Kate on 26 May 2009:
Oh sorry Textbroker!!
Comment by Alyssa on 27 May 2009:
I’m seeing references to Constant-content.com and I wondered if anyone reading these posts have an opinion about them.
I’ve found several reviews, but the one that was most thorough and coherent is located here:
http://master-dayton.blogspot.com/2008/10/freelance-writing-constant-content.html
The reviewer succinctly highlights the pros and cons. By the end of his blog, you should be able to make an informed decision about whether to pursue this course.
I’d be interested to read any other opinions on this blog.
Good luck to all.
Comment by Jennifer on 27 May 2009:
Alyssa,
I’ve been writing for constant content now for about 2 months, though not with any real regularity. I’ve got about 30 articles posted, and have sold 4, 3 for useage and 1 for full rights ($65.00).
I don’t want to hijack this thread but I’d be happy to chat more with you about this if you shoot me an email (ladyaudley_2@yahoo.com).
Jenn
Comment by Kate on 27 May 2009:
I just joined Constant Content; it seems like a good idea. Would you ordinarily charge around $65 for full rights, Jenn? If so, how long an article would that be? For usage, do you think around $4 per 500-700 words would be fair?
Comment by Sam on 29 July 2009:
I’ve been writing for Suite101 for about a year, and I find they are getting very bogged down. Editors used to flag articles for something
simple and once corrected it would go right back on line (usually voice or opinion issues). Their pay is so low, every day your article is viewed is crucial to your earnings. But now the editors for the various sections are constantly changing (possibly for this very reason). Now if your article is flagged, even for minor issues, it can often rot off-line for weeks before an editor gets back to it. Very bad for the writers, very bad for writer motivation, and horrible for writer income. I like their forum, but it’s no longer a place to make much money. I’ve been a writer and editor for many years, but I’m a stickler for wording, spelling, and grammar. I take my time and write well, so I’m not a production writer who can crank out articles in an hour. It’s not cost-effective to write for a place whose guidelines keep changing with new untrained or overwhelmed editors. I write for many other sites and I decided to move on from Suite. It’s probably a better site for people who want the criticism.
Comment by Felicia on 29 July 2009:
Sam, I’m sorry to hear about your bad experience with Suite 101.
I’ve been there for a couple of years and found them to work very well for me. However, I guess it depends on the section editor.
Once I ran into an editor on the Suite site that seemed to have a problem with the very fact that I breathed air. No matter what I wrote, there was a problem. So, to rectify the problem, I submitted my articles to a different section. Sometimes certain articles can fit under more than one section topic. I chose the path of least resistance and placed it in a section with a ‘nicer’ editor. It’s amazing how they were never flagged.
The not so nice editor flagged my article because my introductory paragraph didn’t use all of the available character spaces. I believe I only used something like 148 characters where the interface allowed 170. When I received a flag for that I realized that I needed to place my articles under a different topic heading.
By the way, those articles that I placed under a different subject heading are doing extremely well as far as page views go. I wrote a series of articles on the topic and they all are doing well. Unfortunately, page views don’t always translate into dollars and cents and since Suite doesn’t share the per article earnings, I’m not sure how lucrative they are.
As I’ve said before (and my daughter hates when I say this), there is more than one way of skinning a cat. I’d rather not waste my time trying to please someone who is unpleaseable (not sure if that’s a word, but you get my drift).
Comment by Wendy on 29 July 2009:
@ Felicia
Thank you for your wise words!!! I am a bit tired at the moment, and I can get really hard on myself at those times. Whereas I used to have a very matter-of-fact attitude about content writing, today I am just feeling low…but you are so right about the cat skinning…very good point…
It is so important to keep you eyes on the prize, and not get bogged down in whether an editor “likes” me : )
I am so glad this site is here.
Keep up the good work!!
Wendy
Wendy´s last blog ..Another day, another…
Comment by Marika on 22 August 2009:
I’ve applied today to Suite101, got accepted and just submitted my first article. As I don’t know much about how long it takes for it to go to the editor and be approved (or not), and what people’s opinions are on Suite101, I googled the subject and your post came on the first page. Read the whole article and the comments, thanks for all this, it makes it much clearer now.
I’m trying to get away from my 9-5 job and freelancing seems like a good way to go.
Marika
Marika´s last blog ..Social Bookmarking Made Easy – The Power of Social Bookmarking
Comment by Deborah on 2 October 2009:
I was accepted into Suite101. I like how you write on a specific niche that you’re experienced with. Having an interest in manga and other various aspects of Japanese culture, I decided that’s the niche I’ll stick to for Suite101. It makes it easier to write when you have structure (at least for me). Anyways, I love reading your blog. Keep up the excellent work.
Comment by Felicia on 2 October 2009:
Congrats Deborah!
If writing about a particular niche works well for you, than do what works. I think you’ll be happy with the results.
Comment by Lily on 29 October 2009:
I’m glad I found this discussion. I saw an ad for Suite101. They’re always looking for writers. I’m interested in doing it because I want to learn about writing for the Web. I don’t want to take a course, I’d rather get real experience. Do they provide lots of feedback this way? Thanks.
Comment by Crystal on 29 October 2009:
Hey Felicia – Quick question I can’t seem to find the answer to on the Suite101 site Re: the writing samples – can I submit previously written work or must I compose something entirely new? Also, any feel for the perfect length? All they say is 600 words max. So will 200 do? Or should a sample be more like 300-500? Ok – so that’s 3 questions – sorry:) I know you may not have the exact answers but what’s your feel on this?
Crystal´s last blog ..Make an Easy, Luxurious Tied Quilt for Someone Special
Comment by Felicia on 29 October 2009:
Crystal, it’s been a while but back when I applied I provided previously written work. As far as word count, their requirement for writers is to write between 400 and 600 words, so if you stay within that word count you should be fine.
If there is anyone who applied to Suite more recently than two years ago, please correct me if I’m wrong.
Comment by Crystal on 29 October 2009:
Thanks for the speedy response. Unfortunately the Suite101 site seems to be down so I’ll just have to submit my samples another time:(
Crystal´s last blog ..Make an Easy, Luxurious Tied Quilt for Someone Special
Comment by Heidi on 29 October 2009:
I also used previously written work when I applied in March. It won’t get published unless you actually put it on the site. Minimum length was 400 words.
Heidi´s last blog ..Top Chef’s Fabio Viviani to return to Bravo
Comment by Crystal on 30 October 2009:
Thanks Heidi for the info. Just submitted my Suite101 app. Funny thing I discovered. When I actually clicked inside the text box is when the instructions popped up about required sample article length (400-600 words). Sure seems they could make that a little more obvious prior to the actual submission stage.
Crystal´s last blog ..Make an Easy, Luxurious Tied Quilt for Someone Special
Comment by Carley on 16 November 2009:
Hi Felicia,
Would you mind answering a couple more questions?
1: Are writers allowed to link up to Amazon books to earn the Amazon associate kickbacks?
2: What does it take to become a Feature Writer? Do they hand-pick them after a writer has established him/herself as an expert in that particular field with lots of articles?
3: Would they allow a writer to use a pseudonym? There are only about a dozen people in the US with my last name, and it would take about 4 seconds to pinpoint my exact location, my husband’s work, and my kids’ school. I just don’t want to advertise too much about us to the world!
Thanks in advance for your help.
Comment by Felicia on 17 November 2009:
Hi Carley,
I’ll try to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge.
1. Suite does not allow affiliate links.
2. To become a Feature Writer you have to show proficiency in your area of interest. Editors look to see how many articles you’ve written on the topic and how well they are written. To be considered for a topic you must contact the editor when an open slot is available.
3. I don’t think Suite allows pseudonyms.
Hope that helps.
Comment by Steven on 19 December 2009:
I like writing for demand studios beacuse they say if your article is approved, then you will recieve payment. Time and time again I have recieved payment.
My background is in both the automotive industry and I am also a prior service veteran. If a writer is to write about what they know, then the auto industry, politics, and military affairs are right up my alley.
I have had articles published both in print and online. I have found that if you want to make it as a professional writer, then having expirence in particular field seems more valuable then a degree and no expirence what so ever.
I often think about making writing my full time job, and not just a part time way to earn some extra cash. I have sat down and talked to editors of newspapers, and though it seems most of them like my work, none of them seem to have a freelance budget.
In my personal opinion, I think there should be a balance between web content and in print works. Personally I think media journalism should go online, it will save them thousands on overhead costs alone. However I do feel that well written book, thats something that should always reamin in print. Thanks for listening-
Steven R
Steven´s last blog ..Women the most Complicated Creatures on Earth
Comment by Lisa Musser on 25 December 2009:
I tried Suite 101 a few months ago. I know they are a good quality site and they are picky about who writes for them. I submitted some samples but I tend to write in a casual style and they are looking for a more professional business style.They turned me down,but I will keep trying though.
Lisa Musser´s last blog ..Freelance writing jobs
Comment by Crystal on 29 December 2009:
Hey Felicia – wanted to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year and also had a Suite101 related question.
I want to put the latest articles widget on my blog but am using blogger and it’s not working right. I contacted them and they said there is a compatibility problem with both blogger and wordpress. Did you have to do special coding to get the widget to work for you?
On another Suite101 note – I met the Rookie Challenge and posted 10 articles in Dec! With everything else going on, it really was a challenge but I managed to post the last one yesterday.
Thanks again for this blog. It truly is invaluable. I’m so pleased with the information and direction I’ve received here. Happy New Year!
Crystal´s last blog ..How to Prepare for a Secure Retirement . . .
Comment by Felicia on 30 December 2009:
Crystal, I might have tweaked the code a little but I don’t remember.
I placed the widget on here some time ago. Sorry I’m not much help.
Congrats on the rookie challenge. I’ve fallen a bit behind on my writing and will have to catch up.
Wishing you a Happy New Year too!
Comment by Ciele on 6 February 2010:
Felicia, I know I am commenting this over a year after your original post and you may never even see this, but just in case you do I wanted to be able to point out that the Suite101 guidelines have changed. Writers are now free to share their income.
I guess Suite finally figured out that, in the online writing world, sharing your income with others may make them want to apply for the site as well.
Great blog, btw. I have learned a LOT lurking around here and reading your posts.
Comment by Felicia on 8 February 2010:
Yeah, I’m glad the changed their guidelines.
I think if you browse around a bit you’ll see that I share some of my numbers in subsequent posts.
Comment by Nancy on 18 March 2010:
Felicia, I just came upon your blog and have found your knowledge and expertise extremely helpful. I am interested in giving Suite101 a try since I am new to the online writing community. I was wondering if you have heard anything about Associated Content. I friend of mine uses this writing site but I don’t know anyone else. Just wanted to see if anyone else has had success with this one. Thanks
Comment by Felicia on 18 March 2010:
Hi Nancy,
Welcome to NJFM.
Check out the “Opportunities” section of this blog and you’ll find my opinion on several writing sites. Here’s my thoughts on Associated Content.
Comment by Nancy on 6 April 2010:
Felicia,
Thanks for the link on Associated Content. I signed up for AC and Suite 101 and was accepted. I’m anxious to see how they compare. Although I hear a lot of good things about Suite, I do like the fact that AC ‘s pay is per view rather than per ad. I’m new to the online writing thing and it just seems to me that the per ad concept means it takes a whole lot longer to get started. I’ll see which site works best for me. Thanks again for sharing your experiences.
Comment by ambili on 28 July 2010:
Hi,
Can we make money writing for suite101 even if we do not have a google adsense id? Do you know of other revenue sharing sites which pays even if we do not have a google adsense account?
I am from India and somehow, it is extremely difficult these days for google to approve for an adsense account for people from the subcontinent. The rules are pretty stringent- like, we should have a blog or website which is active for at least 6 months and with “quality” article. So, newbies cannot get it ..
thanks in advance.. You have a wonderful blog here..
Comment by Felicia on 29 July 2010:
Ambili, you don’t need a Google AdSense account to write for Suite.
I know somewhere on this blog I’ve written about opportunities for international writers. Check out the opportunity section of the blog or go through the NJFM database. I’m sure you’ll find something.
Also, check out Prerna’s blog. She’s from India also and she’s doing very well with online writing.
Comment by ambili on 29 July 2010:
Hi ,
Thank you so much for your reply. It helps!
Prerna’s blog also has some nice content.
I would get going with my online writing journey
Thanks again.
Comment by Angela on 11 August 2010:
Okay, now I’m totally confused. I mentioned in another thread that in addition to other online sites I also applied with S101. They’ve rejected my application on at least two, maybe three, other occasions that I can think of off the top of my head.
Tonight, with more online writing experience under my belt (most notably Demand Studios), I decided to put in another application. I was careful in completing the information required and submitted two samples that were previously accepted and published by Demand. I have two degrees, both of which directly relate to writing, and prior experience with offline freelancing. I manage two blogs and don’t think that I’m at all a bad writer.
Well, within a couple of hours they rejected this application too! I really don’t understand. How can this be? I read all over the Net of others who are submitting, and they seem to be accepted without the bat of an eyelash. I don’t at all proclaim to be the best writer on the planet, but even in some of the blurbs where people talk about being accepted I see tons of mistakes in their writing whereas I try to be ultra careful, proofing and reproofing what I write over and over again.
Of course, Suite only responds with a generic rejection email, so there’s no way to know the specific reason for why my skills don’t meet their qualifications. I just can’t believe this. Can somebody offer some insight here?
You know what? I don’t think that I’ll be applying with them again. Enough is enough. This is just beyond insulting.
The email that I received from them:
Thank you for applying to write for Suite101. Unfortunately, your application does not meet the standards required to write for Suite101 at this time.
Due to a high volume of applications, we are unable to provide you with specific details as to why your application was declined. We can, however, tell you what criteria we look for should you care to re-apply:
* objective and fact based sample articles, 400-600 words in length (no first-person point of view, opinion pieces, fictional stories, personal blog posts or poetry).
* excellent English language use, grammar, and spelling.
* education or experience that supports your subject matter.
Click Here to see some examples of Suite101′s award-winning articles.
We thank you for your interest in Suite101 and wish you all the best with your writing career.
Best Regards,
The Suite101 Editorial Team
Comment by Felicia on 11 August 2010:
Wow, Angela, I’m shocked! I applied quite some time ago and I’m sure their requirements have changed. I’m at a loss as to why your application was denied. Hmmmm, maybe it was the article subject matter? Maybe the the offline/online writing transition was a little off? Maybe Suite made a mistake?
If anyone else has any input, I’d be interested in hearing your take on this situation.
Comment by Wendy Kelly on 11 August 2010:
Hi Felicia and Angela,
I don’t know if this helps, but I was rejected the first time I applied to Suite 101. The second time I applied, the main thing I changed was the topics I was willing to write about (and so I tailored the article to match those topics also).
I researched what topics they needed writers for and wrote to that.
I have a feeling (but don’t know for sure) that this helped.
I’ve branched out and am working as a social networker now, but I still make between 10 – 15 dollars a month for my 10 little articles that I managed to put up there.
Good luck!
Wendy Kelly´s last blog ..Visten Homes comes to KLV
Comment by paul young on 14 August 2010:
I am new to writing, thank you for giving me hope that one day I may turn my writing into a livable income.
Comment by BEDBUG on 29 August 2010:
Suite has recently revamped its policies so that now the article requirement has been done away with. This is welcome news for busy writers.
It may prove harder to stay on track but, at least, writers will continue to earn, even if they have to take a break from writing for awhile.
It’s a good idea to check out the latest Suite news because other changes are in the works, as well.
BEDBUG´s last blog ..Member Contest Update
Comment by Felicia on 30 August 2010:
Yes, Bedbug. I addressed the changes in a subsequent post about a week or so ago.
Comment by oceansideblogs on 30 August 2010:
Is anyone else having problems with the Suite101 website this week, or is it just me? I’ve phoned and emailed them, but they still haven’t gotten back to me. I can log on, but any other links on their website just give me the “something is amiss” error message. Thank you in advance for your feedback.
Comment by Felicia on 30 August 2010:
I’ve been able to access the site just fine. Maybe they fixed the problem?
Comment by oceansideblogs on 31 August 2010:
Thank you for your response, Felicia. It must just be me. I can login, but can’t access anything else on the Suite101 site. I’m going to take it as a sign that writing for Suite101 isn’t what I am supposed to be doing with my time, and take my writing elsewhere. Elance.com has hundreds of freelance writing jobs; I guess I will focus my attentions there. Onwards and upwards.
Keep up your great posts, Felicia. You are a true inspiration.