Who is a content writer? A content writer is someone who creates and curates content for use in the traditional and new business media sphere. A content writer essentially creates engaging content for public consumption. This content may have to do with editorial or commercial use. Let us take a look into the various domains where content writing is a professional reality:
– Copy: Doing ads and coming up with one liners. If one liners are your thing, then digital marketing agencies are the way to go. You can approach them and work on a project wise basis or a full time basis as an employee. The perks are great in terms of creative satisfaction and the brain storming sessions will leave you asking for more.
– Blogging: Popularity in this sphere has led to great competition. A good blogger can make a killing every year. If your blog becomes popular, you can take on brands and mention them for a small fee. Also, an Affiliate program with Google or Amazon will help you monetise with the help of advertisements and click throughs. For a successful blogging stint, regularity and ingenuity are both pre requisites. The best thing to do is to find yourself a niche or an area you are good at, and couple your ideas with latest trends, or happenings in that field.
– White Papers: Content writers for white papers are also a huge requirement in this field. Corporates are on the constant look out to unravel, and assimilate all that big data into creatively done reports and industry centric white papers that can be peddled as not so direct, brand material. The pay out for this field is good. But you can get gigs depending on your networking skills, and also your competency in that area or industry. Research skills are a premium here.
– E Books: Got a skill or body of knowledge that people can learn from? Well, dip in and create an ebook for public consumption. Not only will this fetch you good revenues, but if marketed well, it could be a good author platform to gain further assignments and projects to write for that niche or industry. The best way to publish and market your ebook is to use the social media, as well as other forums like Amazon Kindle Direct (for self publishing). A mammoth marketing effort will have go in for any success, but the end result will be hugely satisfying.
– E Commerce writing: If buying guide and e commerce descriptions are your thing, then you may start off with writing e commerce descriptions, copy for buying guides, and even website content for the e commerce market. Again, this an area that requires networking and you will do best to start off with a digital marketing agency that gets these kinds of contracts and projects from the e commerce website itself.
– Editorial content: There are many online blogs and e-zines where you can start writing articles. These are usually niche oriented and require original photos and experiences. Travel, food, fashion, décor and so much more thrive in this sphere. So get your notebook out and start making a list of all your interesting experiences. Make a pitch for submission and get started. The initial pay may be nothing or even next to nothing, but as your work gains an audience, the pay as well as the fame will be well worth it.
– Education: Writing for the academic field can be challenging, yet satisfying. You can create question banks, course material and get into instructional design and writing. The pay is good, but the hours can be long. But if you love teaching AND writing, this is the perfect place to be.
For serious content writers, a course in creative writing is recommended so that your work stands out on the foundation of good ideas and creatively put, engaging thoughts. The pay depends on a per project basis or per word basis. So invest your time and effort in a satisfying and well paying career, today.
Whichever field you choose – passion, persistence and hard work are tools you will always need. All the best!