If it takes you twenty minutes to write an article that would mean you could make $3 an hour. You might think that's ridiculous, but there is a reason why these mini-contracts are being awarded.
Some find this work 'acceptable' if only because they love to write and it gives them a means to make a little money while fine tuning their skills. Others will accept the work because they don't know of any other markets that will accept their work and this feels safe. One of the biggest groups of people who accept this work are individuals in underdeveloped foreign countries that find this money can go much further in their country than it would in other economically developed countries.
When those requesting content understand they can receive finished writing at such low prices, most find it difficult to offer more. However, by setting your personal bar a little higher it is likely you can still accept content work for a fee that is in keeping with your skills and that may provide reasonable compensation for your time.
Content writing is a strong genre of writing. The material encompasses a variety of online as well as print needs. The author adapts to the style required and gives up rights to the work when complete. Rarely is the compensation for content writing in the same league as writing for a magazine, but it isn't speculative work either. In essence, when you complete a piece of literature for content purposes you are paid for it quickly. When writing for a magazine it may or may not be accepted. If it is accepted you may or may not be paid right away.
Many writers will involve themselves in some form of content writing. This type of writing requires minimal research and generally a short turnaround. It's possible to accept an article to write, write that article, and be paid all in the same day.
You may not choose to write content exclusively, but it can be one market worth investigating. In most cases when a client asks for material it is relatively easy to decline if you are busy working on other material. If you can develop a quality client base content writing can keep you as busy as you want to be.
