Content writer, content developer, the content creator- several names, but the job is the same. Writing content is not an easy job. It entails rigorous searching, reading up on various materials, extracting important information, converting them in a readable article and the submission. Many times, it also requires the use of the creative capacity of the brain to its full extent to come up with some content never seen before! The ability to create powerful, attention-grabby content in today’s time is a wonderful skill that can be a great addition to your armour and comes very handy.
How to Become a Content Writer in India?
Skills Required
As already said, content writing is not something that comes easily to everyone. Certain pre-requisites are very useful if you want a career as a content writer. They are:
- A good vocabulary: A vast collection of vocabulary is a must for being a good content writer. As content equates words, so having a set of enriching vocab words, is a great way to go ahead.
- Love for reading: What else can be a better way to build your vocabulary, than constant reading? But developing a reading habit is not easy, so a person, who loves the idea of a 600-page book, a coffee and a comfortable bed, can have a great future as a content writer.
- Patience: A great article does not come easy! It requires immense patience to churn the wheels of your brain and to finally produce something worth reading!
- The ability to convert the accumulated vocabulary to a great post: Not just gathering vocabulary, but using it effectively to create a good a post is not something anyone can do, so penning down creative posts is also equally important!
The Path Forward
In India, there is not some kind of set rules and regulations, on how to be content writer, just like most of the other professions, but a rough skeleton can give you the idea required to pursue your skill and make a profession out of it. The rough outline of the process that can be followed is given below:
- Put on your thinking caps: Optimum utilization of the brains is required to be able to create unique content. Though not only goes in creating the article, but also in the way of presenting it, so it is extremely eye-catching and attracts a huge amount of traffic.
- Practice makes perfect: Nothing good can be attained without practising. And not just a few times, it requires a dedicated amount of times, to think if a nice topic, exhaust all the available resources to produce good content on the chosen topic. Start with something small and slowly but steadily make your way to huge articles.
- Consider Upskilling: Just creating amazing content is not enough in today’s age. You must also know ways by which you can market your content across various platforms so that people start to notice you! Apart from this, learning the basics of some writing platforms like WordPress, CMS can help boost up your writing profile.
- Certifications and qualifications: Doing some certifications, might also help add value and might help you in learning some more intricacies. For the job as the subject matter expert in many industries, additional qualifications are required, which will help you secure the job. Courses on technical writing, digital marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), social media fundamentals will provide you with leverage in the professional world.
- Find your niche: Not everyone can write perfectly for every domain, so you got to find your own “special calling”! The domain, the style, the platform which brings out the best content from you, that is your niche. Specialise in your niche, be the best in your field, will surely help big-time!
- Create a social media presence: What good will the content do, if no one is there to see your talent? No people to recognize the great skill that you have? So, it is very important to create a social media presence and enhance it regularly. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter all of these are a great way to develop your profile and thus help in networking!
- Build a portfolio: Being a new person in the field of content writing, nobody is going to trust your skills unless you have something to show to the world. Creating a portfolio helps tremendously in this case as it contains a group of well-written articles by you, which serves as samples for your future employer, so keep the best of your creations as a sneak-peak to your writing skill.
Searching For Jobs
There are various ways a content writer can secure a job. Apart from the conventional ways, the 21st century has opened doors filed with millions of possibilities for the budding content creators to achieve their dreams. Some of those are:
- Apply to companies with openings: The traditional way of securing any job. Start scouring various platforms searching for availability and apply to all the places, get shortlisted, crack the interview and boom, you got a job! Digital marketing companies, advertisement agencies are the ones, who are almost in search of writers. Full-time or part-time, go grab the opportunity with both your hands.
- Internships: If you are not looking for something long, something just to satisfy your passion for a time being, search for 2-3 months internships on various platforms like Internshala, LinkedIn and many more and try your hands on this domain.
- Blogging: Though it may start as a non-monetised avenue of showcasing your skills, if you create fantastic content, get a huge amount of traffic on your page, it may eventually turn into an income-earning possibility and it also serves as a great way to build up your portfolio.
- Become a freelance content writer: Being a freelance content writer, the most important perk is that is not your regular 9-5 job. You are your own free master, you decide how to work, whom to work with and where to work. It requires a tremendous amount of passion and dedication to reach the stage you want to be in, but freelancing is worth it. You can also create a rate card as most of the freelancers do, thereby speaking volumes of the kind of work you provide.
The only way to become a great content writer is to read, read and read. Practising regularly is the only way to get ahead in the game as compared to your contemporaries. Believe in your skill, keep your research base strong and keep on creating!
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