Why Write For The Web?

Breaking into the business of writing for the web is similar to beginning to get published off-line with one big, added benefit - the opportunities are not bound by your geographic location.

According to research conducted by the OCLC Online Computer Library Center last year, there are approximately 2.2 million Web sites that offer publicly accessible content. These sites contain nearly 300 million Web pages, OCLC reported in the results of "Web Characterization Project," which was released in September. The Center estimates that the number of public websites tripled from 800,000 to 2.2 million during a two-year period from June of 1997 to June of 1999.

Why should you care? What does this mean for writers? How can this help you?

Consider this question - What do many websites deliver to the public?

I believe one of the primary products/services on the web is INFORMATION.

Who provides this information?

Experts, businesses, corporations, sales people, marketers and WRITERS - right?

Will the public's need for information ever die?

It's doubtful.

So writers have a job to do on the web.

Web businesses, site owners and publishers have to fulfill this need to keep their customers/readers/users satisfied.

Therefore writers have to try to provide a continual supply of original, innovative, resourceful information for these websites and/or online publications to deliver to Internet users from all over the world.

I'd be willing to venture a guess that at least 1/3 or more than 750,000 of those 2.2 million sites offer opportunities for writers to get published. Whether those sites are home to some major magazine, like or , they will pay us to publish our work on the web.

Some smaller sites and literary ezines cannot afford to pay for contributions, but they still provide writers with an opportunity to be published. They usually offer writers, who can create content that meets the needs of their targeted audience, the chance to self-promote with some sort of resource box, recognition or link to your website.

You can find links to both paying and nonpaying markets by going to my new Subtopic You may also want to check out some of the following resources that provide links to thousands of ezines or online newsletters.

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also provides links to websites that list writer's guidelines for both online and offline publications. Some databases are searchable by nonpaying vs. paying markets and others allow you to submit a search for the specific subject areas that are of interest to you.

If you spend some time browsing the lists above and take a look at the sites featured in my subtopic
you should find some good starting points to launch a successful career writing on the web.

Are you inspired by now?

I hope so! If you have any suggestions to share about writing for the web, please send me an email or post your ideas in

I would love to hear about your online success stories or related experiences in this wondrous world of web writing.

I think the possibilities for getting published on the Internet are virtually endless. If you know what topics you want to write about and/or what type of publications you want to write for, the next step is to start taking advantage of the opportunities available online.

Every writer has a passion for some particular subject and knowledge or experience that can be put into words to form an invaluable product called "information."

Find out how to write and publish your own profitable eBook.

Your potential is unlimited!

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