Not many people can say that they love what they do for a living. However, if you’re reading this, it’s likely that you’re already engaged in the activity of writing.
Writing is a skill that can be learned and improved upon. For those who believe they have what it takes, getting a writing job can be a path to professional and financial stability. However, before you begin your job search, it’s important to first understand the fundamentals of what makes for good writing.
The Basics Of Writing
The simple answer is: consistency. When you write consistently well, you will find that your skills and talent translate directly into high-quality work. You can learn a lot about writing by simply observing how well someone else can write.
To begin with, all writing has a common structure, known as the five-paragraph essay. This basic structure contains certain key elements that are required for it to work.
- An introduction (also known as a hook or tease)
- An opportunity to explore the problem
- The solution
- A conclusion
- A body
These five paragraphs are the building blocks of a good essay. If you adhere to this structure, you will increase the likelihood of your work being read and understood by the intended audience. Simply put, if you want to get a writing job, you need to learn how to write well.
What Is Style?
Style is simply the manner or the way in which you write. When it comes to writing, there are essentially two types of styles: formal and informal. Informal style writing is mostly common in daily life, while formal style writing is used in academic and professional settings. While you don’t necessarily need to learn and use formal English in your daily life, it is still beneficial to know how to write in a formal way when the situation warrants it.
For example, if you’re writing an email to a colleague, you would use a more formal style than if you were writing an informal letter to a friend. In fact, it’s often said that email is the modern-day equivalent of a formal letter. When writing an email, you would use a formal style to ensure that your content is easy to understand and relevant to your audience. This, in turn, will help you maximize the effectiveness of your email.
Formal Versus Informal
Formal is often used in a derogatory manner when describing writing, however, there is still a considerable amount of value that can be derived from studying and using formal style. When writing in a formal way, you will need to adhere to a specific format and style guide. You also should refrain from using slang and jargon, as well as acronyms and emoticons. You can download a free copy of Microsoft Word’s Style Guide from their website.
Informal style, on the other hand, can be used to great effect when writing for a wider audience or a creative writing class. When writing in an informal manner, you don’t need to adhere to any specific guidelines and can use your native language, vernacular, or whatever words and phrases you deem appropriate. You can also write how you think and feel, without fear of judgement or criticism.
To create effective and engaging writing, you must learn to adopt and use both styles. Once you understand the basic concepts of writing, applying for jobs as a writer will be much easier.