Writedge Review: Not Just Another Revenue Share Writing Site

There are so many revenue share writing sites out there that it’s easy to get bogged down on them. When I first heard about Writedge, I wasn’t too certain about it. To be honest I check out all new sites out with apprehension. In the end, the site had a good layout and I liked the payment model. When I joined at the end of March 2014, the pay was 1c per unique view. From April it dropped to 1/2 a cent per unique view, but I stuck around. By that point I’d realized that Writedge was not just another revenue share writing site.

Here is my honest Writedge review. There are downsides (nothing is perfect), but there are also some major benefits to this writing platform.

Before going into the writing site any further, it is important to understand more about the platform. This is a place set up by writers for writers. The owners, Danielle McGaw and Michelle Harlow, have written for the likes of HubPages, Infobarrel and others in the past—and still do. They know what it is like to be a writer on a site like this, and listen to their writers on a daily basis. In fact, writers get to vote on their preferences for things, and in most cases the majority wins. It is a democracy, and a refuge for many writers who have been burned on other sites.

There are rules, of course. One of those is that all content must be high in quality. No spun content is allowed, and the minimum word count is 400 words (although longer is preferred because that’s what readers and Google prefer).

Income is gained through online advertising, with advertisers paying for each unique view—and that means users must remain on the site for at least 15 seconds for the view to count. All payments are made at the end of the month, as long as the minimum $5 threshold has been met.

This was the one thing that attracted me to the site in the first place. As soon as I read a review and it stated the site had been set up by people who had written on sites like HubPages and Infobarrel, I knew they would understand the trials and tribulations of other writers. This wasn’t just about making money. They would understand the fear of a site not paying out, and know how it felt when rules suddenly changed without warning.

But the rules did change, didn’t they? I’m sure you’re all asking since the payment terms did change after a few days of being there. However, I knew all about that possibly happening upfront. When doing my research, I realized the site was trialling the pay-per-view model set at the rate of 1c per unique view. Trials are important, and I accept that they may not always work out.

I did expect the site owners to just decide on the pay structure afterwards, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the site owners asked the writers first. It was the first sign that it would be a refuge for writers, as well as a site to make money.

That isn’t to say other sites are bad. I still write at HubPages, Wizzley and other revenue share sites. It’s just a very different view, making it very different to any other revenue share writing site out there.

Not only are the owners also writers, but they are friendly, supportive and communicative. This is very important when it comes to a site, and something that many writers would like from certain others sites. I won’t name it by name, but I’m sure many writers know exactly which site I mean. It only has a 400 character count minimum for those who need a hint.

The support goes further than just answering questions about payments and changes. McGaw and Harlow want writers to do well. Of course, writers doing well means that the site does well. To help with that, there are various videos and articles written. These show people how to use the interface, how to improve the chance of posts being shared and the use of social media.

There are some people who claim that being paid half a cent per unique view is extremely low. Well, that depends on the way you look at this. I actually view the half a cent per view as a realistic and sustainable one. One thing that I never understood about a certain site was how it was able to pay a cent per view, comment and like. Maybe that is why there have been payment issues as of late.

The pay structure is set to keep the site running and help writers earn. It certainly isn’t a get rich quick site, but anyone looking for a get rich quick option would not likely look into revenue share sites. Any site like that takes time to build up. It’s all about keyword research, evergreen and viral content and creating something that people need to read.

Writedge is a long-term venture. Considering my five-year plan, it is perfect for me. I can keep adding content and see my view count increasing day by day. Those who aren’t interested in building up their portfolio slowly or want to earn real passive income will not find this option viable.

It does take time, though, and that is one of the downsides. The site is still new, but that doesn’t mean it is a complete write-off. In fact, something that I need to include in this Writedge review is that this site is growing rapidly. It is already exceeding sites like Zujava and Wizzley on Alexa. That says that it offers readers everything they want and need.

It’s time for that last question. What do you think you will do? Personally, I love the site and I’m really glad I took the plunge. It is easy to write on and it has become a great alternative to Infobarrel, which I dropped around the same time as finding this. The fact that it was created by writers for writers really drew me in.

Payments are on time each month (I know from experience), and the staff are around to answer questions. Both are in the continent of North America so you may not get a reply right away, but you will get one within 24 hours. Since I prefer doing my residual income writing in the evenings and I’m in the UK, I get answers within minutes.

It could be a great option for your writing portfolio. Writedge is not just another revenue share writing site. This is a place where writers are looked after.