I recently had a great “mail day.” I received a signed contract (and upfront deposit) to start a book ghostwriting project, a royalty check for quarterly sales of a book I authored in 2007 and payment for a short quiz recently published as a sidebar in a national publication. So which one of these brought in the most money for the time invested?

The quiz.

Here’s the math: The book project will bring in thousands of dollars, yet it is a set fee for months of work. The true hourly rate is yet to be determined and typically ranges between $35-80 per hour by the time the project concludes. Not bad. The book royalty is paltry: Less than $100. Getting paid a 15% royalty on the publisher’s NET of sales equates to, in this case, about 70 cents for each book sold. True, I received an advance to write the book, yet, in traditional publishing houses, advances are designed to cover expenses of the author while finishing the manuscript. Depending on the amount of the advance, this hourly rate might also range between $35-80 per hour.

But, the quiz—something that took me less than two hours to research, write and submit—paid $200.00. That’s $100.00 an hour!

Admittedly, not all publications will pay that kind of money. If you’ve ever tried to break into the magazine writing field, you already know that pay scales are all over the map. My point is that quick items like a quiz or a Q&A take very little time to write and income for them can add up quickly. A quiz is just another type of filler item and I’ve written before about breaking into markets by using fillers (see the Feb. 1, 2010 post, Filler Up!). Yet, it bears repeating that these quick items, like top ten lists, advice and tips columns, Q&As, quizzes, did-you-know items, problem-solution recaps, myths and truths comparisons, and quick how-to articles are a great way to get published—and paid well—fast. Here’s why:

• Editors won’t scrutinize your writing credentials, and may not even ask for them.
• You submit the entire piece – no query letter required.
• Fillers seldom require more than a half hour of research.
• You’re forced to write tight—a skill that will serve you well throughout your entire career.
• There is a nearly endless list of publications that accept filler pieces.
• Published fillers pave the way for bigger and better writing opportunities.

What are you waiting for? Start filling your bank account by writing fillers!

TIP: Many writers make a great living going after lesser-known markets like fillers, quiz writing and slogan-writing. If you think these markets are beneath you, then think again. You can continue to work on your novel or screenplay while getting paid for your ‘quick cash’ writing. Get a FREE five-part “Quick Cash Writing Secrets” course at: http://www.writerprofits.com/quickcash