What is Content Writing: A Guide to Becoming a Successful Content Writer
Have you always been fascinated by the written word? Do you love reading and getting lost in the world portrayed by the words? Do you have a way with words? Do words flow out naturally when you put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard)? If the answer to all those questions is a yes, then content writing could be the right career choice for you.
Writing content might manifest itself as a dream job for many people. Some write newspaper content or articles et al. become successful authors like Jeffrey Archer.
But, no matter how much effort you put in, some writers are better than others. What makes these writers great at their work is how they research and performance at the end.
In this digital era, where there are numerous content websites online, only writing what’s on your mind isn’t enough. Pairing your exceptional talent with the proper way of processing is what makes your writing remarkably good.
Some successful content writers believe that 4 out of 5 content pieces fail because there is a lack of ideation. Further, the lack of research leads to an unsteady depiction of the central idea in content.
Successful writers differentiate themselves from other writers by doing certain things differently. Let’s step into their shoes and see the correct way to start content writing.
Whether you’re writing blog posts, website articles, web page, or books, the subsequent tips will assist you organize your work for an enhanced output.
Table of Contents
Here’s how you can successfully start content writing online.
#1. Research thoroughly
To keep new content ideas flowing, you would like to enter the research zone often. Once you conclude your research, don’t start writing and planning immediately. In fact, take a moment. As soon you discover the thought you’re getting to write on, research more. But now, specifically on a given topic.
Make Evernote or the other notepad yoru best mate and keep writing key pointers about the thought that’s processing in your heqf. You will always have reference pages to look up to but the thoughts of how you’re getting to proceed with a content piece must be written down periodically.
#2. Discover your unique style
Getting into someone else’s shoes and willing to write down in an exactly similar style isn’t how you begin content writing.
During your work period, you’ll encounter tons of writers who may have a singular style. You can take inspiration by their style but you don’t need to copy that style completely. Since every single writer is different and has a unique personality, he/she ought to have a varied literary genre.
The literary genre is that the identity of a writer. Every writer needs that uniqueness in their work to find out the way to start content writing online.
#3. Stick To The Point
Whenever you are working on a particular topic, ensure that all the content you write sticks to the main point of the article. Meandering around aimlessly will bore your reader down. Stick to the specific topic and avoid wandering to different topics. Of course, it’s okay to debate a touch about related things but confirm that you simply don’t mix different ideas in one content piece. It will break the user’s flow of reading.
For instance, if you’re talking about the way to start content writing for your business, then you’ll give some hint of sharing it on Facebook or Instagram for enhanced reach. But, that is all. Don’t dive into Instagram marketing.
Many authors believe that once you start editing your content piece, one round of edits should be dedicated to eliminating points that don’t align with the subject. You should remove every sentence and word that doesn’t accompany the subject.
#4. Let your creativity flow
If you’re writing a content piece, which is already on the web, what difference are you making? Just writing something exactly similar to what exists online, isn’t the right way to write content.
Topic, Idea, and View: these are the three major aspects of any piece of content that you write. While topic and idea are already decided before starting the content, as you recognize what you’re getting to write about. But, the writer’s personal point of view matters.
Giving a replacement makeover to your content piece is what makes your article or blog different from others. That unique angle is important to realize a reliable audience.
#5. Start with a bang: write an awesome title and an engaging first paragraph
Forming a killer headline is another major part of the way to start content writing.
Think of it this way:
You are randomly scrolling through your Facebook feed. You encounter a piece of writing that reads “Introduction on the way to Start Content Writing”. Then, you encounter another article that reads “7 Amazing Tips to start out Content Writing Now” or “6 Unique Tips for creating A Career In Content Writing” or “Things to Write About“.
While all the articles may contain an equivalent sort of knowledge and content but some of the titles are far more interesting than the others.
Similarly, your users will decide whether or not they want to read the complete content or not just based on reading the first paragraph of your blog.
Hence, both the headline and the first paragraph, should be the simplest part of your content.
#5. Keep things simple
A lot of things and important aspects of the way to start content writing are hidden under this point. Let’s see what are those:
Most of the people might not be ready and willing to understand your sentence structure and vocabulary. Always keep your audience in mind while writing. Even a small child should be able to understand what you’ve written. Don’t indulge in an obscene display of your Shakespearean vocabulary. When you are delivering news on a topic, don’t stretch the truth and give it a new definition. Let the truth remain that way. Changing and exaggerating the truth can make you seem quite unreliable.
If you’re writing for beginners, start your content by explaining everything. Just like you would explain to a layman. But, if you are writing for advanced readers, keep it more informational.
Write plainly. This means keep paragraphs short, sentences neat, and words readable.
#6. Edit and read thoroughly
Presenting an error and mistake filled blog to your readers is a recipe for disaster. No body wants to read content that is filled with errors.
Here’s how you can edit your content to perfection:
The first round of edit should focus on eliminating and altering sentences that don’t match the flow of the content. Also, remove the sentences which are not in-line with the subject.
The second round of edit should specialise in removing spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors.
The third round is for reading. Finally, check out your draft to make sure everything seems good.
If your talent of writing is paired with the correct approach, there’s nothing that can stop you from becoming a successful writer. Here are some additional recommendations on the way to start content writing.
#7. Choose your niche
No doubt, many writers are multitaskers and they can write of anything from healthcare, technology, sports, finance, marketing etc. But, once you are just starting out, picking a selected area of interest is best.
If you are well versed in the field of digital marketing, meaning you have already got half knowledge of the way to start content writing therein area. It is easier to start out in this manner and then expand your arena.
#8. Learn different writing styles
Imagine you get a great opportunity but you can’t take it because you don’t know how to write in that style. Every literary genre may be a bit different from other but a writer must be adept in multiple styles.
Of course, many writers don’t do a certain type of work willingly because they lack interest in that area. But, knowing different styles is necessary. It is important to understand the way to write a billboard copy, blog post, article, website copy, guest post, newspaper copy, or e-book.