It seems like a new site pops up every day, offering writers the chance to post anything we want in exchange for a few cents for every page view. Many disappear quite quickly, but RedGage has been in place for several years.

Direct From the Users

Soulosphere (who requested that her interview be only associated with the user name she uses on RedGage) has been adding her work to the site for over a year and a half. “To date, my RedGage posts have been quite varied. I enjoy writing about Spirituality, dreams, synchronicity and creativity. In my blog series titled ‘When Dreams Come True,’ I explore my personal experience with prophetic dreams. ‘A Series of Synchronicities,’ a second blog collection, is an ongoing account of my adventures in synchronicity/meaningful coincidence.”

Currently, all of Soulosphere’s writing is posted at RedGage. Her background in writing focuses on the creative: “I’ve always been passionate about writing including poetry, non-fiction and creative composition. After obtaining my undergraduate degree which included a minor in English, I went on to complete a graduate degree in Art Therapy. I wrote my thesis on the Role of Imagery in the Process of Individuation and Separation in Women. Combining my passion for psychology, art and the written word proved pivotal, greatly expanding an already wide interest in writing.”

When asked about her writing and income, Soulosphere simply says that it varies. “My blogs uploads are anything but regular. I write when the mood strikes and time permits which generally results in a new piece every month or so, though I have plans to significantly boost this frequency…This number, too, is highly variable. My RedGage earnings vary from month to month as generating income on this site is dependent on a number of factors. RedGage pays per view, via bonuses in which individual works are selected to be featured on the homepage, and through raffles; I’ve had months in which I’ve made $20.00 and others which have earned me 200.00!”

Other writers report similar experiences on RedGage. Mark Jasso posts his writing exclusively on the site, as well. “I first discovered RedGage through a listing on Craigslist. My initial use of RedGage was mostly just me rambling a couple times a week…recently finished a challenge that pushed me to write a blog every day for the whole year of 2009. If you had to put my writing into a category, I would consider my writing to be human interest.”

Jasso earns between $20 and $30 a month through RedGage, although he explains that he knows that he could earn more if he invested more time.

Considering Content Sites

I generally advise writers that content sites aren’t the most effective ways to earn a living off your writing skills. Even running a blog of your own with AdSense will usually bring in more income. However, in the case of RedGage, I feel it’s necessary to add a corollary.

Browsing through the site, I noticed that most of the work posted was creative (fiction, personal blogging and so forth), rather than material that will easily earn money elsewhere. It would be difficult to earn an income even with AdSense on this sort of material. If you have a preference for this sort of writing, RedGage may provide a way to earn something for your efforts. It won’t be a full-time income by any means — most of the top-ranking articles on the site have less than 60 views with corresponding earnings of less than a dime — but if it’s something you were going to write anyway, it may be an option.