What do I have against Writing sites?

 You are on a losing streak from the word go

There may be genuine writing sites, where you get paid to write articles at the going rate of $1 per word, but the ones I came across are designed so the writer is losing money from the start. The site says you need to pay for some equipment. The price may be cheap, but as a freelance writer that is money lost in my view.

Several sites I visited, only want "slush readers," people to read and comment on the magazine's favorite writers' works.

One online magazine did offer to pay me, 10 cents for each writer I could get to join the site.

In 2012, I turned down the only offer of a contract I was given; the reason was I didn't like the remit of the site, basically, keep it legal, but the gorier the better.

For years, I second-guessed my decision, even though a friend told me she made more money selling than she was paid by the site.

Three years ago, I revisited the site, and the phrase "The lights are on, but nobody is at home," was apt. You can get to the site, but after that you hit a dead-end.