Moving from 3's upward...

AC has gotten stingy. It's like they're afraid to go above 4$. Anyways I was reading some of the comments and did you know you can actually try to list NON-exclusive articles and still get upfront payments? That means you can get paid upfront, and then relist the article somewhere else. They claim you earn less if you do so, but so far I've only seen a 2 cent difference. The only requirement is that the article be published on AC first.

I just started on Associated Content and wrote an article and they offered me $3.50 for it. It was about 600 words, I think. Do you think I should take the offer or is there a better site where I can submit it and make more money? The best thing I like about AC is that they pay right to your PayPal account almost instantly without any minimum payout.

Just as with MyLot, most good 'article'/'survey' sites are now paying for content and quality, not for rubbish. If you aspire to write anything at all, then you should aspire to write what people will want to read because that is, first of all, how such sites make the money to pay you and, second, if you care at all about the time you spend, surely to be read - and to gain respect for what you write - is what it's all about! I have seen many people who complain that their articles were rejected. They do so, usually, in a very disgruntled fashion, as if THEY are good writers and its the WEBSITE that is at fault (a scam) for rejecting them. These are not professional writers! If they continue with this attitude, they never will be ... and that is their loss. To be honest, if you consider yourself to be a writer at all, you should be demanding MUCH more for your work than any of these sites - AC, Triond, Suite 101 and so on - are offering. Even $4 an article is selling yourself short. You could probably earn more (and more reliably) working on a checkout! True, there might be obstacles in the way of working for Big Mac or Walmart but writing is surely a step up from that, anyway! What's the basic minimum wage where you are? $8 an hour, or thereabouts? You are worth more than that as a writer! Here is a link to a blog which I have admired for a long time. I don't make a penny out of recommending it but, nevertheless, I think you will find it worth perusing. I hope others do too! http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/

I feel your pain! It can be tough getting more out of Associated Content up front. Gone are the days of $10 or more per article. There's a new method of paying in AC town. So, all I can say is to try and work with what's available. Recently I realized that I had a whole bunch of great articles I wrote for Helium that I could post at AC for no upfront payment, but page views. While I don't expect that they will be instant hits, it's still steady income from stuff that was already published, but would be new to a new audience. So, I've started reposting them to Associated Content. I still write articles exclusively for AC, but I don't rely on that to help me earn money. If you are really putting a lot of time and effort into your writing, perhaps it's time to consider a new publishing site, like Constant Comment, where you can dictate the price you are willing to sell it. True, you need a reciprocal buyer, but one sale could really make up for your AC loss. Good luck with your writing and earning!

I have been testing out all the writing websites the last two months to see where my time is worth the effort. If you are a professional writer, none of these sites are really for you. but if you are starting out and it is your goal to become a professional writer, they are exceptionally useful (this is me!) Associated Content gets a lot of gruff from people who are upset about rejected writing or poor pay, but if you are looking at it from the long perspective, I am starting to believe associated content is the way to go. At first I steered clear of the site based on some reviews I read, then I realized the reviewers were dumping on Associated Content for a few not so great reasons: 1. They were promoting another writing website so they could get referrals and advance their own means 2. They were sensitive to criticism about their writing The more I use AC, the more of an advocate I become. Yes, $4 is a measly payout, but you continue to earn after that point. As you increase your "clout" you increase your earnings. It is also important to target the appropriate audience. AC articles on health do very well for me, while articles targeted at younger readers in their teens and twenties do better elsewhere. I'll be writing more on this topic soon on my blog www.killfive.com. AC is not the only game in town, but it is an important resource for writer looking to build their portfolio with a goal of long-term writing success.