A career in Content Writing: Have your friends and family always come to you when they need to say something that needs to be said with the right words, grammar, and expressions?
Do you love to read, do research, or play with words? Would you like to share your own point of view?
Well, that’s how I started, and that’s exactly what I still do after 10 years of writing content that people like. So can you, if you’re good at writing.
Content, whether it’s written or visual (including video), runs the business world and social media. Because of this, content writers will always be in high demand.
So, if you think you can explain any idea or concept in a creative, clear, and smart way, you should give Content Writing some serious thought.
What’s the Point of Writing Content?
In simple terms, writing is just playing with words. You are on your way to becoming a great content writer if you can write a lot of content and say it in words that are easy to understand, interesting, and full of information.
“Content” is a broad term that refers to how you use words to tell people about your business, your idea, your project, or just about anything else. For example, a fashion designer sets up a new website to show off her business, what she does, how she stands out in her field, and what services she offers. Here, the right content will help her show the world how great her brand is.
As a content writer, you will be given ideas and topics to write about, or you will be asked to come up with your own. This kind of content can be online, like websites, blogs, ads, social media platforms, and so on, or offline, like stories, presentations, projects, technical papers, research papers, and so on.
Content is the heart of marketing, so you can create content for things like brochures, leaflets, hoardings/billboards, print ads, etc. in addition to digital content.
But before you get out your pen and paper (or laptop!) and start writing, you should also know that content writing isn’t about writing whatever comes to mind or what you know.
A good piece of content has the right amount of research, wordplay, sound knowledge, and, of course, good vocabulary and grammar. Not only that but high-quality content is never made on the first try. Instead, it takes careful editing, rephrasing, and fine-tuning to make sure that every word is on point. You can prepare content writing interview questions to crack the content writing interview to visit the given link.
How to Get a Job Writing Content in India
The great thing about content writing as a field is that there are no defined paths or qualifications necessary to enter it. Even though that may seem scary at first, it gives you a lot of freedom because you can start writing content at any point in your career, through any path, and in different ways (freelance, full-time or part-time).
Not to say you can’t do anything to make sure your entry into the field goes smoothly. Literature, journalism, and mass communication degrees are preferred, while a master’s degree in a specialized field may be needed for technical and research writing (for example, life sciences, physics, engineering, psychology, etc.).
In either case, you must have good writing skills and the ability to think analytically.
Here are a few things you should do to get started as a content writer:
1. Freelancing
Taking on freelance projects is a great way to test the (figurative) waters of content writing. Companies are outsourcing more and more of their content writing needs to freelance writers. There are plenty of opportunities for this on freelancing sites like Fiverr, Freelancer, WorknHire, Upwork, etc.
As a freelancer, you can work at your own pace and build up your skills and portfolio over time.
2. Internships
If you are still in college or school, you can also try internships with organizations (online or offline) or write columns for magazines and newspapers to get started.
I remember how happy I was when my first article, written when I was 13, was published in Hindustan Times. During that summer, I worked as an intern for a magazine based in Singapore. I was paid enough to buy myself some treats.
3. Blogging
Blogs are being written by kids as young as 12 or 13, which I think is the first step anyone can take toward writing. Setting up a blog is free, and you can write at your own pace. You don’t need any special skills or qualifications. You just need a writing style and voice that works well with the people you want to reach. So it’s a win-win situation on all fronts.
Even if you can’t make money from your blog, it’s still a simple way to build your portfolio and try out different ways of writing.
4. Qualifications to Add
For writing as an expert in a certain field, you need to have more qualifications. Higher qualifications make it easier for you to understand information and add your own knowledge to it. As you get older, you can use them to improve your writing skills.
Technical data can only be analyzed and presented well by someone who knows how to do so. Most of the writing for the parts of a car would need to be done by engineers, and a medical college book would need to be proofread by a qualified subject matter expert in that field.
5. Programs for certifying
You could add to your graduate or post-graduate degree with a certification program and short-term courses in writing, content marketing, and digital marketing. There are different courses for blogging, electronic rhetoric, technical writing, copywriting, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), CMS (Content Management System), WordPress, Keyword Research, Social Media Fundamentals, etc.
These courses help you get better at writing and more qualified for the job market. These are suggested because writing content is becoming more competitive as more people want it.
Content writing courses and certifications
If you are serious about trying your hand at content writing, you will find that short-term courses and certifications add to your skills and give you a clear idea of what works best in the digital world. You can join a content writing online course from WsCube Tech. You can look for courses in SEO content, Press Release, creative writing, business writing, editorial writing, report and research writing, instructional design, ghostwriting, and copywriting, to name a few.
