In an era of digital influx where everything and anything you need is online, all things are accessible and available: from music, movies, shopping, etc., – you name it. Especially in this pandemic, people rely on the internet for information on what is happening globally and gain knowledge through searching on the web with one click of a finger.
Here is where content writing comes into the picture. As someone who depends on the internet to function like any other average person, many of us are heavily dependent on going online to know what to do and how to do things. We often consult websites and search engines such as Google for answers.
Whether it’s a recipe or “how to get my dog to calm down,” – we use the internet as our source for almost everything. So who comes up with these articles and answers? Content Writers.
What Does It Take to Become One?
So what makes a great and successful content writer anyway? Of course, one should have a way with words. An aspiring writer should be familiar with both flowery and straightforward terms. They should also be well prepared. A writer should have tools that help monitor character count, a plagiarism checker, a plagiarism detector, and, most importantly, a reliable word processing program.
Again, the internet is filled with articles that help cater to the queries of people. It’s a guarantee that talented content writers create these articles. With all the requirements mentioned above, is it proper for us to stop there and start writing? Of course not! There are still a few more qualities that you need to have. Check them out below:
Wide-cast net. It is vital for a content writer, or even those aspiring to be one, have a wide-cast net of knowledge or be open to learning new things and exploring different subjects and topics.
Content writers are known for their flexibility in learning what to write and who to address their writing to, depending on their assigned topic or area of knowledge. Although you can’t absolutely know everything, it’s good to know a lot of things. With that knowledge, you have the edge over other writers.
Vocabulary and familiarity with jargon. A critical aspect of writing is vocabulary. Specifically, it doesn’t need to be verbose in content writing, as long as you can convey your ideas to the audience clearly and comprehensively.
Another thing with useful vocabulary is conveying the message clearly to your readers. Being familiar with jargon, especially with today’s generation, would make what you are writing more relatable to whoever is reading it. Using jargon could even bring an extra flavor to what you are serving to your readers.
Of course, use jargons and slang with care. Too much and you’ll appear pretty annoying to your audience. Also, note that using such language can alter your style or way of writing. Don’t try and insert idioms, jargon, and slang terms when writing formal pieces.
Lastly, use jargon that you’re sure your audience understands. Take note of everything about your audience. Most of the time, culture, location, gender, political views, religion, and so many other factors can determine if your audience understands the terms you use.
Also read: 4 Helpful Tools For Editing Various Documents
Openness to criticism. Of course, being a content writer would mean that you will have your work published online for the world to see. Like any other kind of writer, your writing would be subject to criticism, whether positive or negative. A good writer, in general, is like a funnel – you are open to critique and suggestions.
As you sift through these comments, you only take note of what is beneficial and help you become better in your craft. Of course, not every positive comment is good for you, and not every negative comment is bad for you. As mentioned earlier, sift through these comments and take a look at those that bring benefit to your craft.
There is always room for improvement, and acknowledging that while you may not be the best content writer out there, but you are on your way to being one, makes a really huge difference.
Consistency. It is well settled, as the great thinkers say, that practice makes perfect. Consistency is the key to mastering any skill, any endeavor. This works the same in content writing. You can practice writing about anything, be it in a journal or on a piece of napkin. Write about your dog, the weather, about an interesting conversation that you had with a friend during the week – there are so many things you can write and share about.
Of course, you can also look at other writer’s works and notice how they write. You can adapt their style and easily mold it to your preferences. However, don’t overdo it by copying the exact way they write. Not only is that a daunting task, but you’re also depriving yourself of developing your way of writing.
Engagement. Writers are often called storytellers; they tell stories of people or their own experiences of how the world works. Content writing is about narrowing down these experiences and conveying them to a specific audience. Being in this field involves creating content that will pique your reader’s interest, leaving them wanting for more.
Creating this level of engagement is what websites and business owners need from skilled content writers. More engaging content means more people are coming to a website—the more people coming to a website, the more potential earnings the website creates. Once a writer gets the hang of creating such works, it’ll only be a matter of time that he or she will be earning a lot of money.
Takeaway
These five things, albeit essential, are only some traits and tools that would enable one to become a great writer. Great content writing all boils down to believing in your potential and writing material that would add value to your readers’ lives. “Content” equates to experience, which can enrich people’s view of the world and change their lives when encapsulated and transformed into writing.
