How To Be A Content Writer?

Words have power and the world favours the powerful. Don’t you think that is actually true? In the present times, we are moving with the speed of light towards the digital revolution and the essence of digitalization is content. If you enjoy writing and want to make a career out of it, well, now is your time to rise and shine! Want to know more about this career? In this blog, we will be discussing – How to be a content writer. 

What is Content Writing?

Becoming an increasingly popular career that is in huge demand across all fields, Content Writing can be simply described as curating engaging, comprehensive and user-friendly content. While there are no specific qualifications or degrees you need for this career, you will be required to have excellent writing and research skills to pursue content writing. People from any academic background can pursue lucrative opportunities in this field, be it freelance, part-time or full-time given that they have a stronghold over the language specified for the content. Moreover, content writing can be for blogs, website content, video content or all kinds of content that can be published on digital platforms.

Types of Content Writing

There are different types of content writing pertaining to the form of content you will be curating. Here are some of the most popular types you must know to become a content writer:

1. Blog Writing (Blogs, articles, research, interviews)
2. Copywriting (product descriptions, copy ads, website copy, sales collateral)
3. Academic Writing (e-books, school and university guides)
4. Technical Writing (technology-oriented content like blogs, product descriptions, etc.)
5. Travel Writing (Travelogues, blogs, magazine articles, interviews)
6. Ghostwriting (White papers, e-books, website content, etc.)
7. Social Media Content (social media posts, PR articles, infographics, captions)
8. E-mail Writing (e-mails, newsletters, campaigns)
9. Script Writing (video scripts, captions, descriptions)
10. White Papers (Hardcore educational or statistical content)
11. Research Papers (research journals, magazines, etc.)

Skills Required to be a Content Writer

To be a content writer does have fantastic advantages. Based on your role, you will have the freedom to WFH, select which topics you would like to blog about and see your work on the internet and create true value. 

But the work alone is not a simple one, so there are a few domains of skills that you’ll need to be successful in, rather than just becoming a brilliant writer. Here are the key skills you need to be a content writer:

Excellent Writing Skills

In whichever language you want to pursue content writing, you must have advanced-level writing skills to curate the best content. This is why, it is important to pursue a creative writing program that can help you understand what you are missing out in terms of your writing style, comprehension, content research and so on. While writing is a field that needs constant practice, you must have a good grasp over basic grammar, sentence structure as well as overall writing skills to begin a career in this field.

Research 

Since the web environment is filled with material, content writers need to be able to interpret a number of details, classify knowledge and come up with meaningful conclusions. A rational mind views topics with a broad perspective and systematic reasoning. 

• To have analytical skills implies to be able to: 
• Process of Suitable Information 
• Schedule and Classify 
• Getting to the Point 
• Justifying the Perspective with Convincing Reasons.

Linguistic Accuracy 

This comes as no surprise: the content writer needs to be knowledgeable. The foundations of descriptive accuracy are simplistic with proper use of grammar, syntax, sentence structure, spelling, and vocabulary. 

Logical Flow & Coherence

Effective writing is not only about one thought or goal, it inescapably guides the reader to that goal. Each paragraph can reinforce or extend the core concept of material without discrepancies, unsourced conclusions, missed facts, or something else that could lead a reader to stumble. 

Content Formatting 

To be a content writer, you must also know about structuring and formatting the content in the right manner. Here are some of the best ways to format content in a readable format:

1. Jot down the brief 3–4-line paragraphs 
2. Feature numbered or bulleted lists 
3. Using the required visuals, photos, and charts 
4. Connect to similar and important posts and sections on your website. 

Originality 

Being original effectively takes on unique tricks and perspectives that catch interest and draw intrigue. This involves the use of unique vocabulary, unforgettable sentences, fascinating stories, surprising comparisons, and unusual research reports to highlight the point. To appear authentic, stop clichés and expressions in stock throughout all times!

Time Management

To be a content writer, you would also require good time management skills because digital content gets published under tight deadlines so working as a freelancer or full-time content writer, you should be able to submit the content within the given time.

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How to Become a Content Writer?

Pursuing a career path in Content Writing would not require you to pursue a specific course or program but it would certainly need you to have outstanding writing and research skills pertaining to the form of content writing you want to pursue. Here’s how you can become a successful content writer in India:

Pursue a Course in Writing/Mass Media/Journalism

While there is no specific academic background needed to be a content writer, many employers prefer candidates with a background of Mass Media, Communications or Journalism for this job profile. So, you can pursue courses like Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC), BA English or BA English Literature to learn the intricacies of mass media, communications as well as creative writing and literature in order to pursue a successful career in Content Writing.

If you are going for a career change in Content Writing, you can take up various content writing courses available online or as certifications and master the writing and research skills for digital content.

Explore Freelancing/Part-Time Projects

While you are studying a course or certification in content writing, you can take up freelance writing projects or pursue internships in this field as well. These projects can help you learn the basics of content writing professionally while also growing your network. You can also sign up on different freelancing platforms for content writers like Freelancer.

Start your own Blog

Another way to improve your writing while pursuing content writing is to create your own blog and start curating interesting content there. You can hype up your blog on social media, add it to your CV while also maintain a good platform for yourself to write on, take feedback and improve as a writer.

Explore Career Opportunities

Once you feel confident enough to pursue content writing professionally, you can start looking for jobs across different types of content writing like copywriting, blogging, social media, etc. Experiment with your writing by working with diverse content portals and stay open to learning new things be it SEO, Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Academic writing, Content Management Systems (CMS), etc.

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Pathway to Become a Content Writer

There are no set guidelines for becoming a Content Writer, if you are good at writing then you can take up this career at any given point in time. The following steps describe the process of becoming a professional writer in detail:

1. After Class 12th – Many students identify their love for writing pretty early and start working in the direction of having a successful career right away! There are endless internships, online courses and short term degrees in writing that can help you get better with time. Alongside, keep continuing your formal education as that will add real value to your overall profile.
2. After graduating – You can pursue graduation in any field as per your interest and also work on your English skills. Post completion of your degree, you may find a suitable job that lines well with your area of specialization and work as a Content Writer. If you take up this pathway, then you will have a certain expertise in your area, hence, you might get paid better than others.
3. After post-graduation – If you are someone who has completed postgraduation in a specific area then you can work in companies that align with your specialization. A master’s degree will provide you with in-depth knowledge about the subject, hence you can be a field specialist or expert writer. However, if you did your postgraduation in English, Journalism or Mass Communication, then you can explore a content writing career much better as these courses will sharpen your writing and communication skills.

To know more about creating an impressive resume as a content writer, check out our blog on How to Create a Professional Content Writer Resume!

Content Writing Tips for Students

To start a professional career in content writing, you don’t require a formal degree. Your writing and research skills can help you kick-start your career in this field. Here is a stepwise breakdown of how to be a content writer. 

1. Inculcate the Habit of Reading

If the question of how to be a content writer pops up in your mind, then the first thing you should be doing is to make reading books, blogs, and magazines a habit. It is often said that you need to read a hundred pages to write one page of quality content. The importance of reading is visible in the fact that it familiarises you with different styles of writing, improves your vocabulary, provides peace of mind, and helps you build your own writing style. 

2. Work on Your Writing & Research Skills

Reading undoubtedly helps you improve your writing ability but until you don’t put your learning to the task, you will find it hard to get started. It is advisable to practice writing on a daily basis. Initially, you can read a blog or a text from a book and try to rewrite it. Later, you can look for ways to make it more engaging and informative. Even though you will develop your own writing style with practice but you can explore different writing styles also. 

Thus, to be a successful content writer, you need to have the aptitude for research. The information should be broad-based and should cover the details thoroughly. Moreover, you must also improve your research skills which will get better as you work across different topics and test yourself on how good you are at researching things on the internet.

3. Take Up Different Assignments

To be a content writer, you don’t necessarily have to pursue a full-time job. You can work as a freelancer and explore assignments across various genres, from education and entertainment to technology and travel. Taking up these diverse projects, you will be constantly brushing up your writing and research skills as well as building a strong resume for yourself.

4. Create a Strong Portfolio

Another important tip for emerging content writers is to work consistently on improving their resumes or portfolio. You must always keep a check on where your content is getting published, save the blog or website links, retain good professional contacts with your previous employers and create a strong social media presence. You can also start your own blog using free blog websites like WordPress or Medium, where you can write about the topics that interest you and thus have a good portfolio link to add to your resume.

5. Learn SEO and Digital Marketing

Content Writing is a popular domain to explore in the digital era but if you are looking forward to growing professionally in this field, it’s better to learn more skills associated with it, especially Content Marketing. Many content writers often explore careers in social media, academic publishing, digital marketing and the like because once you have extensive experience in writing, it’s better to master some other skills and conquer your chosen industry. So, you can take up digital marketing courses as well as SEO courses available online and learn these skills on your own as these two will not only help you broaden your career sphere but also complement your content writing skills!

Also read: BA English Literature

Content Writing Certification Courses

There are various certification courses offered by universities around the world. Here are our top picks for content writing certification programs:

1. The University of Massachusetts for Boston Composition Program
2. Utah State University (USU) for Open Courseware English
3. Purdue University for Online Writing Lab Course
4. New Jersey Institute of Technology for Certificate in Technical Communication Essentials

Content Writing Certification Courses in India

Some Content Writing Certification Courses in India are:

1. Education and Career Times or ECT is a development agency acknowledged as a start-up by the Government of India. They provide classes in media content, content writing, leadership qualities and character building. They provide facilities in Noida and Delhi, but they will also teach digitally.
2. The Digital Academy 360 offers a variety of classes, namely content creation. The Content Writing Certification Curriculum covers all aspects of content writing and WordPress web development, and including soft skills. Training is carried out by business professionals. Duration is versatile for weekend and weekday batches.
3. The Indian Institute for E-commerce & Digital Marketing, or just the IIEDM, as it is called, has centres in Mumbai. They teach everything from online basics to digital marketing, but they also have a certification program for content writing.

Content Writing Certification Courses Online

There are also a lot of Content Writing Courses that are present in online sites such as Coursera and Udemy where you can learn a lot about content writing and also other additional skills related to it. 

• Good with Words: Writing and Editing – University of Michigan
• The Strategy of Content Marketing – University of California, Davis
• Content Strategy for Professionals – Northwestern University

Top Universities in India

These are the best universities for students willing to make a career in Content Writing:

• Jawahar Lal Nehru University
• Indian Institute of Mass Communication
• University of Delhi
• University of Mumbai
• Jadavpur University
• Christ University
• Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
• Symbiosis Centre of Media & Communication
• St. Xavier’s college

Salary

As an intern, you will receive a stipend that can vary from organisation to organisation. The average amount paid to interns ranges from INR 2,000 – 10,000 per month. A freelancer gets paid per word, thus there are chances of earring better. A full-time writer receives 3-5 lakhs per annum. Whereas the salary of a subject matter expert can be up to 10 lakhs per annum!

Explore Google Digital Marketing Courses!

Thus, by following the aforementioned steps on how to be a content writer, you can make a stronghold in this field. If you want to know more about content writing as a career option or the best degree programs then the experts at Leverage Edu will assist in choosing the best option to jumpstart your career.