Picking the best sites to work for as a freelance writer can be a tough one.  There are so many to choose from and it can be hard to pick the proper ones for us to devote our already precious time to.  If you are like me and feel like you are spending your already important writing time in searching the web for the best new opportunites, well, then hopefully this information will help some of you out.  I am going to discuss the popular sites I have written for, like Associated Content, eHow, Helium, Demand Studios, HubPages, Suite 101, Constant-Content, and About.com.  

Associated Content:

The great thing about Associated Content is that assuming you are living in the U.S. , they offer an upfront payment option that can really help any struggling writer out.  It is fairly easy to get any article published through them and they offer a performance payment option for every 1000 page views.  If you need some quick cash, then I definitely recommend using Associated Content, it will take a little less then a week for your article to be reviewed and for you to accept payment, but at least it is something.  The downside, though, is that I have noticed that articles that I have submitted recently seem to be getting much lower upfront payments then ones I have submitted in the past.

eHow:

eHow was actually my first writing opportunity with the world wide web.  They have a great group of writers and a really great community.  Articles on here can earn performance payment every time you get page views.  The income is very small, however, which sort of makes eHow just a side project.  Possibly with enough articles and enough clicks you could be making quite a fair deal though.  But, I sort of lost interest slightly and have since been looking for other writing outlets. 

Helium:

Helium I more signed up with because of their Market Place filled with articles that buyers are willing to shell out quite a penny for.  Their normal article base is just like that of eHow where you earn money depending on how many people read your articles.  You probably won't make a ton of money with them either, but if you have enough articles and enough fans, you might be able to pull something off.  The real winning point for them though is the Market Place.  Although I have noticed that recently it seems like fewer and fewer article callings are posted.  And to be honest I do not really spend my time writing for them. 

Demand Studios:

Demand Studios was something that really intrigued me.  They pay 15 dollars for an easy How To article that you would write for practically free with eHow.  It took a long time for me to be accepted with them, and once I was I kept trying to claim articles but for some reason nothing would appear.  The technical team kept saying it was my browser, but I used various ones and even on various computers and still had a problem.  I have heard from other writers that they have technical difficulties all the time, and that sometimes it can get extremely frustrating.  But, if you can have a go with them it seems like a pretty sweet deal. 

HubPages:

HubPages I am actually extremely new to.  It seems like a great place to write the stories we all want and still earn a little something.  I have yet to see what the real income possibilities are with them, but will report back as soon as I do.  They offer adsense revenues which can add up over time.

Suite 101:

Suite 101...now here is a site that I have heard some good and some bad with.  I actually just recently joined them and have yet to see the real possibilities with them yet.  They seem like they can really make one some great money if in it for the long hall.  They state that it will take about 3-5 months to start earning, which isn't too bad, I suppose.  They do offer some great writing assisting which is great for any writer.  They also offer some upgrades and one can be promoted to Feature Writer if pocessing the proper skills and drive.  Suite 101 really seems like a site that one has to be patient with.  I will try them out and hopefully be able to report back great things.  But, only time will tell.

Constant-Content:

Constant-Content offers some really great public requests where one can make some money.  They also offer a really unique factor that lets the writer set their own prices for their work.  There is a similar site called Daily Article that I have yet to try out, but seems about the same.  The hard part with Constant-Content is that they have a very high standard of writing and will more often then not reject your articles.  But, if you have some great articles, then I recommend giving them a try.

About.com:

About.com is more of a long term thing.  They hire writers, or Guides as they call them, and they must produce four articles a month along with a bunch of blog posts and other networking strategies.  I am currently in the application process with them and will hopefully have something to report back soon.  The hiring process is extremely difficult, and they put you through a mock writing course where you must give them articles and all for free.  The winner of these potentials, however, will recieve a hiring bonus plus be paid $725 per month for the first two years.  You have the potential to make more, but the $725 is the minimum. 

There are countless other freelance writing opportunities out there, but these were just the few to get you all started with.  I wish all my fellow writers the best of luck!  It is a tough world out there, but i have confidence that we will all make it....hopefully sooner rather then later. :)