Earn Money by Writing News Articles

If you have a passion for writing and want to turn it into a profitable career, you might want to know how to get paid to write articles.

The digital age has opened up a wide range of opportunities for writers to monetize their skills and earn a decent income. But it is not always clear where and how to land these writing gigs.

Some online publications offer very little for your hard work, while others do not even pay anything at all.

We know how much time and effort it takes to craft a good piece of writing, and below, we will share some online platforms that will appreciate your hard work.

Let’s begin.

Longreads

First on our list of websites where you can get paid to write articles is Longreads. It is a popular online platform that specializes in publishing long-form non-fiction stories.

Just spend a few minutes on it, and you will come across many thought-provoking, in-depth articles that go beyond traditional news formats.

The type of content you can expect to find there includes personal essays, investigative pieces, engaging narratives, cultural commentary pieces, etc.

In other words, this is a great place to get paid to write articles, essays, and much more.

If this sounds like your style, you can reach out to the editors and pitch directly. You can learn more about how to do so through the Longreads submissions guidelines page.

Advantages of Longreads:

• Your work will get exposed to a big audience.

• The editorial team is nice and supportive, and this can help enhance your experience using the platfom as well as your writing and storytelling skills.

• The pay is good.

• The platform has a good reputation, and being associated with Longreads may help enhance your reputation as a writer.

The pay:

Payment for published articles on Longreads varies. For reported essays, critical essays, and columns, the rate starts at $500. For reading lists (where you curate a reading list based on a specific topic), they pay $350.

The Drift Mag

The Drift deliberately seeks content that questions established narratives and avoids predictable approaches to contemporary issues. They specifically mention wanting “sharp, surprising interventions” and “socially engaged cultural criticism” while steering clear of trendy topics like AI panic, or analyses fixated on social media impacts.

The magazine has earned acclaim from The New York Times as “the lit mag of the moment” and seeks to showcase voices that challenge mainstream perspectives.

The type of content you can expect to find on the platform includes:

• Thoughtful longform essays examining cultural phenomena.

• Contemporary short fiction from emerging writers.

• Original poetry that pushes boundaries.

• In-depth interviews with notable figures.

• Concise reviews called “Mentions” that deliver pointed commentary.

If you are an outside-the-box thinker and can write interesting cultural commentary that fits the publication’s somewhat rigid guidelines, then you will be a good fit. Check out their detailed pitch guidelines for more information.

Advantages of Drift Mag:

• Opportunity to join a community of writers pursuing fresh perspectives outside mainstream discourse.

• Significant editorial development of your work over multiple drafts.

• Potential to build your reputation through a magazine praised as setting “a new gold standard” in literary publishing.

The pay:

The Drift offers competitive compensation across different formats. Full essays command $2,000, while short fiction pieces range between $500-$1,000. Poets receive $150 for their work, and the brief “Mentions” reviews earn contributors $25 each. This tiered payment structure reflects both the varying effort required and the publication’s commitment to supporting writers financially.

Listverse

If you are a new writer with an interesting list to share about pretty much any topic, then Listverse might be a great option.

The platform is a great place for writers to share their knowledge or experience in various niches.

The type of content you can expect to find on the platform includes information on pop culture, mystery sightings or occurrences, history or fact-based topics, science and technology, etc.

The topics on Listverse are quite broad, so if you have any interesting lists to share, you can read the Listverse pitching guide carefully to learn how to pitch.

Advantages of Listverse:

• You do not need to be an experienced writer. You just need a good grasp of the English language and something interesting to share.

• This can be a faster process than writing a lengthy, detailed-oriented essay or article.

• The platform offers writers the creative freedom to explore different topics and express their unique ideas.

The pay:

If you submit your list and the editors like and publish it, you can expect to earn $100.