How would you like to make $5, $10 or $15 for every article you write? You can make this much and more when you become a freelance writer at a paid writing website. Let me show you how!

It doesn't matter if the economy is good or bad - freelance writers are always in demand. Your services as a freelance writer are often required for creating online content, whether it be for an online magazine or periodical, a news site or a new website launch. When you become a freelance writer, you're choosing a career built for longevity that will last as long as you want or need it to.

You can make several thousand dollars each month by becoming a freelance writer. Of course, you won't make that in your first month alone, but with practice, you can work up to that point.

As a freelance author, you can choose how often you want to work. Maybe you've got a soccer game to attend this afternoon and just can't finish that last article. No biggie, since you're not under the gun to finish it. After all, as a freelancer, you answer to no one but yourself when it comes to your work hours.

You might be wondering how to become a freelance writer if you don't know where to look for work. While you might have a lot of competition in this profession, be rest assured, there's just as many freelance writing jobs. Lots of people don't have the time or interest to write, so they hire out. They could be one of your clients.

So what do you need to get started to become a freelance writer?

1. A writing sample: A 350-500 word article displaying your writing skills is sometimes a must. Not all clients require this, but many do, so be prepared for them to ask you for one. Make sure you have fixed any grammatical and spelling errors in the text. If you have to, print it out and mark it up with a red pencil or pen.

2. A résumé: Again, this is not always required, but some clients like to see how much experience you have before they hire you. Oftentimes they will put more weight on your writing sample, but not always.

3. A computer with internet access: This is a must. You need to have email access and be able to access client websites through a browser.

4. A text editing software: Microsoft Word, Notepad and NoteTab Lite are my favorites. You can find tons of free text editors online, too. Just pick the one that works best for you. But preferably, choose one that has spell check at the very least. If you can't afford Microsoft Word, use the Mozilla Firefox browser and turn on the "Spell Check" option in the Options tab.

5. A PayPal account: Most legitimate websites pay writers through PayPal. There are a few exceptions, but this is the industry standard.

So are you ready to become a freelance writer and fulfill your financial goals? Maybe you want to pay off student loans. Perhaps you have rent or a mortgage to pay each month. Every dollar you make as a writer can somehow apply toward your expense or savings needs.