Earn $$ and points: Helium and Freelancing

Have a look at Helium. It's sort of a freelance writer's Wikipedia, but with ranked entries that can earn and win money - and gain notoriety. Writers post articles on topics, which are then presented to readers for ranking, side by side, two at a time. Those that are more highly ranked get a larger cut of the ad revenue.

There's a good article on it here, explaining how the ranking works and what the aims are:

But my favorite part of Helium, and what really makes it a capitalist environment, is that it pays writers. Compensation is based on an article's "value," which is determined by how ad-friendly the category is, how popular the category is, and how highly ranked the article is.

Ranalli told me "We pay because it's the right thing to do. We're building a site together." Articles might only make a few dollars every month, but it's an annuity—the best articles, if they're written well enough, could stay on top of the heap for a long time. "Helium doesn't put a price on articles, the marketplace does," he said.

But also look at About Helium to see how it works, and the Press section to get a sense of how the site is perceived and how widely they are marketing the site. (The more readers > the more $$ > the more $$ shared with the writers).

Some samples (You have to be registered to read the entire article)

• What you learn about yourself by joining Helium
• How to flirt online
• The challenges of morality on the Internet

To sweeten the pot, I'll give anyone who submits an article to Helium Special Bonus Points in the class. We'll negotiate the amount given the length and sophistication of the posting. You have to register to post, but they don't collect any personal details: just name and email.