I had several enquiries from writers wanting to know about SEO writing and content writing. They said that they had heard of sites claiming that writers could earn up to $300 a week doing such writing and wanted to know more about it. So I asked you for your help.

The first reply I got was actually a question. Suzanne asked: "For newer writers like me, would you include in your discussion of SEO content writing a brief explanation of what the heck it is? I don't have a clue but I'm interested to hear about any new opportunities to get work out there."

Sorry, Suzanne. SEO content writing means Search Engine Optimized Content Writing. Search engines like Google now rank sites based on the number of key words in their text. A SEO writer has to write content for the sites that include just the right amount of these key words. Too many and the search engine judges the site to be spam, too few and you don't get a good page ranking. It is a tricky business but one in which at least Stepanie Romero is making a living. She wrote: "In February 2010, I began writing for a web content company who specializes in SEO content for law firms. I started off writing one or two packages, averaging about $42 per package. As I continued to write for them... showing improvement, dependability, strong worth ethics and a positive attitude when I was corrected by my editor... I found my workload increasing. By August of 2010 they offered me a position as a permanent independent contractor. This company is based in Florida (I live in Wisconsin). Suddenly I had the best of both worlds, continuous work available to me and the ability to work whenever I want (although I do have deadlines.

"Today I make anywhere between $500 and $800 PER WEEK. When I tell people what I do and how much I make (only when they ask), they are shocked. Sometimes I feel like I have to pinch myself... I can hardly believe this has become such a lucrative career. So obviously yes, I do believe the possibility of making $300 a week is more than possible."

"In answer to scrabbling for work, I was as just as shocked when I started looking for online work through the content sites," wrote T. Sweeney. "I have found that it is possible to get higher paying jobs - but there are not a lot of them. I have sold content to Constant-Content and they do offer higher paying requests.

"I make sure that I don't do any that are less than $50 per article. They do often have articles that go up to $200 and every once in a while you will see one for $500. I figure if it doesn't pay at least $50, it's not worth my time.

"You can also list your own articles on the site and put your own prices on the articles - this way you are in control of what you charge and since they are able to see a sampling of your writing, it will speak for itself. The buyer will get what they pay for. What I have been told regarding all those who are willing to work for less - many are from other countries and aren't used to getting the pay we get here - so they are happy with the small amount they are making."

Another writer who is making money through content writing is Ralph Bagnall. He wrote: "I understand your concerns expressed in the 'Scrabbling for Work' editorial. I have been a member of Elance for a couple of years. I have yet to accept a commission from Elance. It seems that the offers there are simply not tenable.

"Although I bill by the job, I typically charge around $0.50 per word. I am able to do this because I specialize in woodworking copy.

"While the Internet has made it possible for 3rd world 'writers' to produce copy for very low rates, it has also exploded the amount of writing that is needed. My clients need technically correct content that will draw woodworkers to their website. I create blogs, newsletters, product copy and video marketing materials for my clients. I work with woodworking companies because I know woodworking. My audience, woodworkers, can very easily spot a non-woodworker who is trying to 'pass' as one of them, and will react VERY badly. Hiring a cut-rate copy writer can do more harm than good for my clients and they know it.

"My point is that while the Internet has made it easy to hire cut-rate copywriters, there is still plenty of call for reasonably paid writers. Specialization is a key aspect to this. By knowing your market and offering value to your customers that they can't get from overseas, a nice living can be made."

You make some good points, Ralph.

Sadly, however, it seems that the majority of those who responded have had a negative experience of writing content, like Christine Cassello. She wrote: "I had read about these being a good way to earn money and I applied and was approved to write for Demand Studios, but when I look for a subject to write about I don't even understand the titles. I was a liberal arts major and have been out of school since 1969. I never had a 'career' where I advanced up into higher levels of expertise and I have not even raised a family. I can't find anything that I know enough about to write articles for them."

Sorry to hear that, Christine. But it seems you might not be missing out, as Christine Peets explains. "Your editorial really resonated with me. My short answer to your question about scrabbling for work is 'NO' -- we do not have to accept these measly wages just because there is a lot of competition. There is a lot of competition for everything. We can continue to shop at our local small stores even though we might be able to get the same or similar products at a large box store down the street, probably for a cheaper price.

"Cheap is rarely good. Publishers that pay cheap rates will get cheap content. It will not be well researched nor will it be well written in most cases. Content farms like Demand Media may be attractive to some because of their 'exposure' but as a writing colleague and friend of mine says, 'You can die from exposure.'

"I tell my writing students to have more respect for themselves as writers than to write for these types of publishers. I tell them that it is better to write for free for a publication that you really like or an organization that you support than to write for an organization like Demand Media that would suck the life out of you and leave you with no energy to do any other type of writing."

Al McCartan also disapproves of such content farms. He wrote: "In order to make a 'quid' in writing, I went down this road and found it wanting.

"Sure, I was given the brief and welcome with open arms by the supplier, who no doubt was reaping a far greater cut than I.

"I was expected to write feature and press release standard articles for peanuts. Yes, even copy was thrown back for re-writes.

"'Oh woe!' cry the job providers. 'Oh woe! We only have a budget of $??. Please don't ask for more. But you must be my ghost writer and write my articles of 'The Times' standard.'

"In order to give my stories credibility and to ensure I dealt out the facts, I researched; time consuming. Notwithstanding that, there was the use of electricity - big buck power bills, here in Australia now; okay! So I did not print and justify the use of paper and ink, but writing all day and many thousand words, put pressure on my keyboard and equipment.

"Oh yes! Let's not forget the fact that payment is required from some of the providers, such as E-lance etc, to get the jobs. Then it's a scramble for the contents of the begging bowl.

"No plumber or electrician, nor any tradie worth his or her salt would work for such measly hourly wages; no journalist freelance or staff would even consider working for a 'penny-a-word'. Yet, in the writing world, this is considered okay, in order to 'get the gig'. Worst of all, no by-line.

"Sorry, no more."

Someone else who has decided to throw in the towel on this sort of writing is Julie Schatz. She wrote: "My bottom line to people who hire someone to write a 300-word article for $3 is, 'you get what you pay for.' While I know that we writers have to adjust rates in this thin economy, we are being hurt by these wanna-bes who will accept any amount of money to get the work. And while I'll agree there are hacks out there that get away with charging ridiculous fees because some corporate entities are used to paying those fees, whether the writing is good, bad or indifferent, there's only one of them for every hundred $3 writers.

"There's unfortunately not a thing we professional writers can do about third-world countries' citizens performing this work for menial wages; firstly because there's too many of them and not enough of us; and secondly because of our socio-economic disparity. If $3 is a day's working wage, then sure, one or three articles they can knock out in a day is about right, isn't it?

"My husband, an architectural illustrator, faces the same kind of third-world competition, and for the same reason. Literally, what he would charge, say, $2000 for, someone on o-desk or any of those other bid-for-a-gig sites will do it for $50.

"The other part of this equation in writing is, as you alluded to, the number of people who need to earn some extra cash and figure, 'hey, I know how to write, I should do that.' And on top of that, I believe there are more writing coaches and scam artists *telling* people that, and selling them 'the manual' to show them 'how easy it is to make a living writing,' than there are people actually writing.

"Like you, I am frustrated with the whole situation as it stands today and have pretty much given up making a living writing. I've instead put my efforts toward promoting my husband's business because in the long run, although he contends with the same challenges writers do, we believe we have more chance finding local architects and builders to do work, and who value the one-on-one service that they can't get through o-desk."

Finally, a new writer who offers some sage words of advice, Steve Sears. He writes: "I believe many newbie freelancers are entering the field this way, but I don't go this route at all. I write for print and online publications that pay more, and I am always seeking higher paying markets.

"I'm no expert, but I know you have to have a belief in yourself and your work that you can get better paying assignments and get them done."

As for me, as part of my research for this article I did some content writing. Some sites are good, some are awful and none are ideal, but as our feature writer states this month, they can come in handy when bills are due. I think this is a case of writer beware. Find out as much as you can about the job and only write for a company if you are content to do so. There are lots of con-men and scams out there, but there are legitimate jobs too.

More Information:

• Writing to Pay the Bills, by Audrey Faye Henderson
• Grasping for Pennies, by Moira Allen