A large number of freelance writers make their incomes from writing for magazines and other publications. These days, a huge portion of those writing markets publish online: blogs, ezines and other websites can be a main income source for writers. But virtual worlds, like Second Life, have offered the opportunity to take online markets a step further.

There are now quite a few writing markets within virtual worlds. Writers in the Virtual Sky listed out nine markets recently, just in Second Life. While I wouldn’t suggest just lumping these markets in with other writing opportunities, they are mostly paying opportunities. You have to be willing to take your payment in the currency of the virtual world in question: Second Life markets, for instance, pay in Linden dollars, the local currency. In real world terms, most of these markets are pretty low-paying, but they do offer a unique opportunity.

I’m not an active member of any virtual worlds (I don’t have the time necessary to dedicate to one), but I do think this is a great opportunity. I think that there are some major differences in writing for a virtual world publication, though, than for writing for print or even some other parts of the web. For instance, I think that short articles are even more a norm than in blogs and other websites. I just can’t see the interface for a virtual world providing an ideal place to read really long pieces. I think to write for these publications you also must have a great working knowledge of your virtual world — especially if you’re writing an article rather than a short story or poem.

If you’ve written for a virtual world publication, I’d love to hear about your experiences!