Have you ever wondered if you can make money out of writing? Well, if you are interested in finding out more, then bring out your pen and start taking notes as I present to you the truth and answer the question:Ā
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Is the Barefoot Writer a scam or is it a platform you should be apart of? š¤
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With everything that is going on around the world, a lot of people have become more interested in trying out online hustles that can bring in some additional cash for them.Ā
From day trading to establishing online businesses, the number of opportunities today are growing like wildfire. And if there is one major trend today, I sure bet that that would be freelancing.
Back in the days, freelancing was considered as a side hustle where you got to work on your terms and be the one that decides how your time and project would be managed.Ā
However, today, it has become the full-time hustle or the bread and butter of many. In the field of freelancing, you can leverage your skills and talents and see whether you can be a suitable fit for any local or international client. 
In the past couple of months, it was even found out thatĀ the number of freelancers increasedĀ significantly. This uptick also reflects a shift on how we perceive the very concept of freelancing.Ā
I know what you are thinking! Youāre probably wondering if freelancing could be the answer to your prayers? Well, Iām not sure if it will be, but itās indeed possible.Ā
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Hereās the deal. š
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To succeed in this line of business, you must always be transparent with yourself.Ā
You see, it might be easier for you to land a big project in high paying fields such as graphic designing, computer programming, dropshipping, or even video editing.Ā
But remember that in order for you to be successful at any of these, you must first ask yourself whether youāre a āproā or an average bloke thatās trying to make a living by targeting more competitive, and therefore, more worthwhile niches.Ā
On the contrary, if you feel like youāre not the most skilled person in any of the above mentioned, then why not go and increase your chances of succeeding by diving into other, less competitive, areas that you are more competent in?Ā
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Are you good at crafting video tutorials? Cool, then give it a try. š½ļø
Have a knack for weaving? No oneās holding you back. š§µ
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Whatever it is that you are skilled and passionate at, I bet that you can make money out of it.
And suppose you are someone like me who is in a relationship with words and the idea of putting thoughts to paper.Ā
In that case, you might want to roll up your sleeves and think twice because, with a flair for writing and researching, you can bank anywhere between four to six figures a month! šÆ šø
In my Barefoot Writer review, I will analyse the educational blueprint of this platform, which promises to help aspiring writers to land the best writing jobs and begin the life that they have always dreamed off.
For transparency, allow me to state that I am not in any way connected to the Barefoot Writer or any of its members.
You can rest assured that what I will post here are my honest opinions about the service itself. So, without further ado, let us now dig into the details. āļø š·
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What is the Barefoot Writer all about?
If there is one freelancing industry that offers competitive salaries and benefits, thatās got to be writing. I have tried my hands on it personally and have even hired freelancers myself.Ā
While writing is a skill that we have all developed ever since we were young, I believe that it is not something that you can try out right away, and hereās my reasoning.Ā
For instance, if you have a freelancer profile underĀ Upwork, you can see the number of applicants for a single post.
You might be surprised to find out that for a single gig, you will have to battle it out with almost a hundred other applicants who may or may not have professional writing experiences.
So the real question is ā how can you outrank your competition and land a project when there are hundreds of other applicants that are trying to land the same job as you are?Ā 
Thereās only one answer ā You need to prepare yourself so you stand out from the crowd, and you can ensure your successful path in writing by joining a service that promises to guide and inspire you ā The Barefoot Writer by Paul Hollingshead.
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In a nutshell, this 23-year old company is a mixture of things.
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It is an educational platform that intends to guide writers by sharing tried and tested blueprints, and itās also a subscription-based magazine for aspiring writers.
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In other words, itās a writerās community. šļø š
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It has several special reports under its belt, which is quite a lot compared to other educational platforms we have reviewed in the past.
As seen in the video below, it basically aims to train aspiring writers in different niches until they find the one they are most comfortable with.
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If you check out their website, you can also see several members holding writing contests with different themes to encourage other writers to dip their toes in various writing prompts and challenges.
If you happen to win in any of these, you will get to bring home $100 plus get your article published on their site on top of the cash prize.Ā
The Barefoot Writer has a thriving social media presence with about 115k followers on Facebook, 5k members in its private group, 1.4k followers on Instagram, and 3.2k followers on Twitter.Ā
Based on the companyās recent posts, you can actually see a very lively engagement on its Facebook accounts, which is definitely a plus in terms of marketing their services.
Given that it is connected toĀ American Writers & Artists, I researched their company on BBB and found that it has a stellar rating (A+)
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Where do I stand in this? š§
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What I love about the company so far is the fact that they hold writing contests for their members.
For me, it is a big deal that can significantly help them in their career since if their article is posted, they can use that link as part of their online portfolio.Ā
If you are hiring a writer, of course, you would want to hire someone whoās not just good on paper but also in the application, right?
I also enjoyed reading some of the winning articles and was surprised to know that there are instances where they recognize co-winners too! Co-winners also get to enjoy the same privileges as well as check-in a hundred dollars.
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To be honest, the service that the Barefoot Writer is offering is quite vague. š
It does not offer rigorous training at all. Do not expect to have quizzes or live discussions with teachers like those you can find from the other educational services Iāve reviewed (iPro Academy,Ā Shaw Academy, orĀ Knowledge Blueprint).Ā
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How Does The Barefoot Writer Work?
If you decide to become a member of the Barefoot Writer Club, you will have to pay an annual payment ofĀ $149, and with that, you will get instant access to the membership-only website.
As of writing, they slashed the price at $108, and you can lock in that discounted rate for the coming years by joining today.
Once you have successfully subscribed to them, the site will unlock all the previous copies of The Barefoot Writer magazines and grant you access to the free instructional videos about writing.
You also get notified about the latest writing contests that you can partake in as a member.
They will also be sending you eight types of reports: š
- The Nine Ways You Can Do It (free report) ā
- The Smart Start Copywriting Program (valued at $79) ā
- The $500 Email Secret (valued at $39) ā
- The Secret of the 1-Hour Work Week (valued at $39) ā
- Get Paid to Surf The Web (valued at $39) ā
- The Lazy Writerās Path to a Six-Figure Income (valued at $39) ā
- Get Paid to Take Your Next Vacation (valued at $39) ā
- 130 Amazing Perks and Freebies for Barefoot Writers (valued at $39) ā
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If you ever become interested in seeing this for yourself, I recommend that you download their free 49-page report on the nine significant ways you can earn as a freelance writer.
It is well written, which makes it perfect for beginners. However, it does not explain vividly the necessary steps you should take in jumpstarting your career.
I also find it weird that almost every other page is an upsell to a particular service or product.
On the upside, if you want to do a test-drive on this, you can do so by merely joining their page, but make sure that you cancel your membership within the first 12 months.
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Allow me to shed some truth. š¤
Contrary to what is marketed at the Barefoot Writerās website, the possibility of earning more than a thousand dollars from just a single article is almost impossible for a beginner.
If you are a complete newbie in the field, trust me when I say that you will have to start on $5 and slowly work your way up. The promises that are listed on the site are not in touch with reality.
Are you having a hard time believing me? If so, I encourage you toĀ check out this link on FiverrĀ and see the range of prices that new freelancers are enjoying for yourself.Ā
I see a lot of $5s and $10s there. That is the reality for most beginners, and there is nothing wrong with that. For me, it is so misleading, which is why I do not recommend this to my readers at all.
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Is the Barefoot Writer a scam?
While its mother company is reputable and clearly not a scam, I feel that the shady marketing and vague services offered on the Barefoot Writerās website are questionable.Ā
In fact, I donāt think that Barefoot Writer is an educational platform at all. Instead, it is more invested in selling the magazine membership and the services of AWAI. In this sense, I believe that they are a scam. ā š
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While they may have some video courses, they are not on the same level as the free videos you can find onĀ CourseraĀ or evenĀ Edx.Ā
Additionally, if you become a member, you will realize that most of the siteās free training materials are not as impressive as they seem. If you are seriously hoping for a writing career, I suggest that you skip this company and invest in books with no fluffs and upsells.
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Itās Time to Wrap Up My Barefoot Writer Review. (But Wait!)Ā
With a vast number of online opportunities today, I understand why it is so hard for you to decide which one might best for you. If you are someone who is:
- Interested in writing about the things you are passionate about ā
- Willing to commit time and effort to learn the latest techniques associated with marketing and online writing ā
- Looking for a legitimate way to earn 4 to 5 figures online monthly ā
- Enthusiastic about the idea of building an online business ā
- Willing to create a passive source of income ā
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Then I might have something for you! š
Iām not sure if youāve heard of it before, but the business model Iām talking about is called affiliate marketing and is perhaps one of the best ways to start earning online.Ā
Itās one of the most common ways that people make a living on the internet, and thereās a good reason behind that. Affiliate marketing is pretty straightforward, and it works like a charm.Ā
All you have to do as an affiliate is to connect a particular audience with the specific product or service that you are promoting and earn a predefined commission whenever a sale happens through one of your affiliate links.Ā
There are many approaches to affiliate marketing, but the way I like to do it is with free traffic, and allow me to explain why. š
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Contrary to paid, free traffic takes longer to grow, but once it does, it will act as a steady flow of traffic, meaning that it wonāt be affected if you decide to stop investing money in it. (as compared to paid)Ā š
The best form of free traffic is known as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and it represents a method of building out your site in a way that ensures it appears high in the ranking of Google. (ideally the 1st page)Ā
If I summarized SEO in a nutshell, I would say that it is a traffic technique that requires you to produce helpful and meaningful content for your readers.Ā
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In other words, youād be writing content and making sales. š¤
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You can start off by creating a free website where you will be expected to write reviews and share your honest opinion of the products and services that youāll be promoting.Ā Ā
The content that will be on your website will contain your affiliate links, and once people decide to click through them and purchase the product at the other end of the funnel, youāll get a sale. š
You see, the blog youāre on now is an ideal example of what an affiliate website should look like, and I could not have built it without the help of one of the most supporting affiliate marketing community.
The community Iām referring to goes by the name of Wealthy Affiliate, and it the represents the same platform that gave me all the tools, training, and most importantly, support to innovate and thrive in this crazy online world.Ā
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And do you know what the bright side about it is? It can help you do the same. š¤©
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I am a premium member of WA, and I can comfortably vouch for the legitimacy of this platform.Ā
The training inside works, and you landing on this page and reading my article on whether Barefoot is a scam or not just reinforces my statement.Ā
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But why am I telling you all of this? š
Because I want to mentor you personally and help you achieve financial independence by testing and putting your writing skills to fair use.Ā
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Do you want my advice? š
Sign up for the forever FREE Wealthy Affiliate membership and see whether this platform is something you would want to take part in.Ā
I donāt want to bother you too much, and thatās why itās time for me to end this Barefoot Writer review, and tell you that the choices are hinges of your destiny.Ā
Feel free to reach out to me if thereās some way that I can help, and know that I wish you the best of luck wherever life takes you. Until next time, my dear friend!Ā
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WANT ME TO REVIEW SOMETHING FOR YOU?
Research has always been my expertise. If ever you find yourself lost and stuck on whether you should purchase or subscribe to an online product or service, let me do the investigation for you. Just drop the name below, and Iāll do my best to serve you the hottest bits about it. šÆ š
Willow [NOVEMBER 13, 2020] wrote: āWriting has always been a past-time of mine and Iāve seen these adds before.ā She says āwriting has always been her past-timeā but then says she saw those āaddsā before. Willow should invest in a spell-check to keep her writing grammatically correct.
Hi Gorjan, your article is much appreciated.
I am a bit confused, however, after reading twice.
Up top, you recommend the BW with Paul Hollingshead. Then below, you find it not very valuable with much upselling of the subscription (the latter I agree with immensely). Is it me ?? Thank you, and Iāll keep reading.
GJ.
I donāt recommend it if thatās what youāre asking.
Well this certainly was a valuable read! I donāt think barefoot writer is for me after reading this review. It seems they are being very deceptive with their claims! I have tried a lot of programs before and they are full of false promises on the frontend but then once you sign up there is no support at all, very frustrating.
I believe you, Randi, and do you know why?
Because Iāve been there, done that, and most often than not, Iāve stumbled upon an overpromising platform that does not offer any real support on the backend.
I wouldnāt necessarily say that that is the case with the Barefoot Writer, but they definitely have some shady and questionable marketing and vague services.
Anyways, thanks for taking the time to share your opinion with me.
Once again, a stunning review from your end. I have actually been searching for a training platform that would help me improve my writing skills. This seems like a decent option, but thereās something holding me back. I think that the best way to get good at writing is to read other peopleās articles and take inspiration from them.
I agree.
Learning from other peopleās mistakes and creating your own version of what already works is the best way to get good at something.
Your approach to getting better is something I would also consider, but you need to bear in mind that practice makes perfect. (Especially in a challenging industry such as this one)
I agree with you in terms of the platformās claims that you can make a serious bank off of one article, whereas you do a simple Fiverr writer search and even some reputable writers go for 3-5 bucks per 500 words.
Would you think itās a good platform for a beginner writer whoās learning the ropes or someone whoās struggling in writing captivating content? The $149 price tag seems a bit sketchy as well. No monthly subscription either?
Hey, Julius, itās glad to see you on my blog.
Their claims are absolutely ridiculous. You can most certainly bank huge in the writing industry, but youāre going to have to put in a lot of effort into improving your writing skills.
Oh, and donāt even get me started on your abilities to land a long-term client.
As for your question ā I would say that itās a better fit for people who are at the beginning stages of their journey.
However, I also believe that there are far better alternatives out there, and I have mentioned some of them in my review.
They should definitely add a monthly subscription plan to their services or offer a 14-day free trial period. (at least) Their subscription rates will undoubtedly go up if they implement the freemium model as WA has.
I guess their services are a bit shady if you see it from that perspective, and thatās something that the Barefoot Writerās community should try to improve on.
Wow, Thanx for this fantastic Barefoot review. I learned quite a lot from it, and I thank you for that.
This seems like an outstanding company, mainly since they help their community develop its competitive writing skills.
This is an excellent thing to have as it will also cause all members to improve their writing a lot more by being on their toes a lot. I know that youāre not recommending it, but I might give it a try regardless.
Iām glad that I was able to help, Thabo.
The choice is yours, my friend. If you think that Barefoot might benefit you, then donāt hold back and go for it.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by and sharing your opinion with me. I highly appreciate it, and I wish you the best of luck wherever your journey takes you.
I joined a very similar site a few years ago, and while the training was quite good, in no way could you start out by earning more than $5 an article. I had a little bit of success for a short time but have to agree with you that affiliate marketing is a better option. Though SEO free traffic takes longer to generate, once you start seeing results itās amazing. Wealthy Affiliate is an excellent platform and having been a member for 18 months, Iām now seeing the fruits of all my hard work.
I was hoping that a Wealthy Affiliate member will stumble upon my blog, and there you are.
Iām just trying my best to inform my readers that there are far better alternatives for them if they are in the writing industry.
Why waste your time working on someone elseās blog when you can put in all that effort and grow your own business?
I assume that most of them arenāt even aware that a business model like affiliate marketing even exists. Oh well, thatās why Iām here. Hopefully, theyāll become aware soon and use my knowledge that I unselfishly carry.
Hi, Gorjan,
Thank you for putting together this honest review.
Indeed, writing articles for just $5 on Fiverr could be a great start for beginners from where they can grow further.
Itās important to remember that the more you practice it, the better you become at writing, as with anything in life.
If BareFoot Writer doesnāt provide some good training, I donāt see the point of joining it.
Thanks for sharing!
Natalie
Fiverr is indeed a great place, to begin with, but people need to be cautious when dealing with sites like that because the competition is fierce.
If it was me, Iād reach out to many websites and offer my writing services. Itās a much better way to land a long-term writing job and secure yourself instead of continuously doing $5 gigs.
And youāre absolutely right, practice makes perfect, and Iām living proof of that. Iām not even a native English speaker, but I somehow managed to build deefunnels.com into the lovely blog that it is today.
I appreciate you for taking the time to share your opinion with me, Natalie. I hope everything goes well with you!
Iāve seen a ton of these so-called āplatformsā where they promise to show you how to make money writing content, doing online tasks, etc. I bumped into Barefoot Writer a while ago, but I skipped the opportunity because it didnāt feel right.
And now, after reading your review, Iām glad that I did not join. It would be a waste of time and money, probably. On the bright side, those resources they give away could be helpful. But as you said, it would be foolish to expect to start earning 1000ās right from the start. You have to earn your way up.
I think that there are much better ways to turn your passions and writing skills into profits. Your recommendation, affiliate marketing is certainly one of them. I run my own blog, just like you are, and I earn money for doing so.
That said, thanks for sharing this review. And also, to all your readers, take Gorjanās advice and see what he has to recommend. You wonāt be disappointed!
Cheers,
Ivan
I canāt thank you enough for the kind words, Ivan, and I sincerely hope that we can share a table one day and exchange our knowledge and experiences as affiliates.
I still have a hard time believing that so many people are blind to the truth that earning thousands of dollars online requires serious dedication, persistence, time, and hard work above else.
If you ask me, thatās one of the main reasons why subscription services like the Barefoot Writer still exist.
They lure newcomers into believing that they can earn significant amounts in short periods. That approach coming from established and reputable companies like the BW bothers me a lot for some reason.
Itās unethical and is far from how I run things on my blog.
Anyhow, thanks for stopping, and know that I wish you the very best.
In the description, Barefoot Writer seems very appealing, but when you delve into the details, you discover the right features and characteristics, based on which you then decide whether this site and community is for you or not.
For someone who is a beginner, I would not recommend it either. For starters, there are many other options online that can teach you a lot.
The only thing I like about BareFoot Writer are the writing contests.
Friendly greeting,
Nina
Hey, Nina, hope youāre safe and sound, and thanks for sharing your opinion with me. By the looks of it, we agree on several things, and itās always great to see that, especially when itās coming from a friendly person like yourself.
Stay well!
Writing has always been a past-time of mine and Iāve seen these adds before. Normally if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Iāve seen beginnerās writing go for $3 for 500-600 words. Thatās something you definitely canāt get rich on. The expert writers do get more, but I think it would take a lot of work to earn six-figures.
You have to be careful of programs that will take your money without giving you what you are truly after. Always read the reviews before spending your hard-earned money.
Trust me when I say that some of my close friends are earning anywhere from $1000-$4000 a month for writing articles in various niches, but they have been doing this for years and have mastered the art of finding high paying clients.
The high price points are owed to their writing abilities, of course, but they say that they had a hard time making a full-time income until they learned how to find those clients that donāt have an issue with paying them what theyāre worth.
Trust me, $3 for 500-600 words is expensive compared to some of the writing platforms Iāve come across by. Believe it or not, some people will even do it for less, and thatās why I advise people that are skilled in writing to take advantage of platforms like WA.
Iāve read a couple of posts on your website, and I canāt believe that there are so many products out there that are either a scam or are so expensive that it hard for people who donāt have a job want to start online.
So much expense needs to be made before even starting to get paid for work that youāll do. And theyāre so much competition that the online job you choose doesnāt even guarantee that they will take your work.
Nevertheless, thank you for sharing this article.
Lyne
I understand your concern, and you have all the right in the world to think that way. Some of the products and services that Iāve reviewed on my blog are indeed pretty expensive, and believe it or not; some are not even worth trying. (can you imagine how many people have fallen for them?)
Thatās why I recommend a platform that allows its users to see it from the inside and then decide whether itās something they want to be a part of. Wealthy Affiliate offers a forever free membership plan, and that is something that you donāt see every day.
As for the guarantee part, thereās no such thing. If someone is guaranteeing you a certain income, then you know for a fact theyāre lying.
I understand that competition concerns you, but you also need to realize that itās part of the game. Competition means that thereās money to be made, and you just need to find the right angle to beat it. (thatās what Iāll be showing you if you decide to join WA)
You have great articles, leaving me and my girlfriend wondering if we should follow in your footsteps.
We just messed around with the Site Rubix feature, and our site seems to have a long way to go. Weāll probably be joining WA, since weāll be able to find more videos and tutorials to guide us as we grow it.
Itās a good thing youāre recommending a platform that helps beginners. Weāve been searching all over the web, and I can probably assume that you know the type of programs around.
As for your readers, they should listen to you because you clearly understand the blueprint.
Cheers,
Mathew & Deloris
Iām not the person that likes to brag a lot, but I sure do. Anyway, thanks for the kind words; it means a lot since I always try my best to provide you guys with relevant, helpful, and valuable information.
As for your journey, I hope you guys nail it with affiliate marketing and stick with the gameplan that is being taught inside.