Did that headline surprise you? You might think I'd write a post on "#1 way to make sure you make a good living."

But I'm seeing so many freelancers out there making grave mistakes that are costing them a chance to make good money that I am unable to contain myself. I need to say something. And that something is: stop selling yourself short.

There's been a lot of chat on my LinkedIn Editors and Writers Group about writing for the content mills -- Demand Studios, Helium, Associated Content, etc. Some very experienced writers were saying that things are slow now so they've taken to writing for these sites, which generally pay $15 an article.

And this, people, is the top way to make sure you don't make a good living -- spend hours and hours of your time writing extremely low-paying content. It doesn't have to be for a content mill site -- could be for a chop house that sets you up with some law firm's Web site or whatever. But the pay is under $20 an article.

Let me count the ways this destroys your money earning chances:

1) It lets prospective clients know that you're willing to work for $15 an article.

2) It sucks up precious time you should be spending prospecting for good-paying work.

3) It demoralizes you and makes you feel bad about yourself and your writing abilities.

4) It teaches you to write junk you toss together in a half-hour, instead of helping hone your writing chops.

A lot of new writers are lured to these sites because pretty much everyone is accepted -- there's no rejection. These sites are great for professionals in other fields who want to promote their services or their ebook or whatever. But they're a terrible sinkhole for writers.

An hour spent prospecting could get you a client that pays $500 an article, or a copywriting client that pays $85 an hour. Just one assignment from them would make up for hours and hours of writing for the content mills.

The question to ask yourself is, do you enjoy working 120-hour weeks? Or would you prefer a 30 hour week. I personally work a 30-hour week, maybe 35 tops, and make a full-time living. I do that buy taking work that pays well. Because you only have so many hours, that's the only way to make freelance writing have a good quality of life.

So remember, you're worth it! And keep looking for clients who value your expertise.

Finally, just want to say I'm appalled at myself -- I just checked and see that I never posted a single blog about writing in all of July! Big changes are coming on that front -- my web site is being revamped and with it will come the chance to subscribe to my blog and get it by email...which is going to compel me to blog at least once a week.

Now that I'm blogging three times a week on Entrepreneur Magazine's Daily Dose , I'm inspired to spend more time on my own Start Freelance Writing blog as well.

More soon!