If you’re looking for a career in writing, you’ve probably wondered how quickly you can get started. You have a few options. You can become a journalist, which can lead to a career in writing news articles. Or, you can become a copywriter, which is what this article will discuss.
The Difference Between Writing and Journalism
Before we begin, it’s important to understand the basics of copywriting. Writing is simply the process of composing words. Journalism is the practice of reporting facts and events for publication. While both have a significant amount of overlap, you don’t have to be a journalist to be a writer. You can be a highly experienced writer without ever having worked for a newspaper or magazine. You’ll just have to prove your expertise in court of law.
This is one of the most crucial points to make. Even though you’ll be writing for publications, you aren’t simply regurgitating what you’ve been told to write. Instead, you’ll be creating content that’s meant to be published.
The Importance of Research
You wouldn’t think that researching would be important for a copywriter, but it is. In fact, the information you research will likely be used as a guide to create content that’s both informational and entertaining. You want your reader to feel that they’ve gotten value from your content, not that you plucked details out of thin air.
You need to make sure that the information you’re using is as accurate as possible. Otherwise, your reader might experience something slightly unpleasant. For instance, if you’re writing about sports, but you don’t know much about sports, you could potentially upset some of your readers who are experts in the field. You ultimately want to impress your readers with your in-depth knowledge, so that they see your content as valuable.
The Need For Speed
One of the most important things to consider when pursuing a career in writing is the need for speed. As a copywriter, you’ll likely be asked to write compelling articles on a weekly basis. You’ll also have briefs to write and proposals to create. All of this requires an incredible amount of speed and focus. If you’re not accustomed to working at a rapid pace, it can be difficult to establish yourself as a reliable and consistent contributor. Once you’ve proven yourself, though, you can look for more complex briefs and projects. This is a pretty common development path for a writer.
The Demand For Quality
Another crucial point to make is the demand for quality. Like any other skilled craft, writing quality improves with practice. While there are certainly shortcuts that can be taken to produce content more quickly, sacrificing quality doesn’t pay off in the long run. The better your writing skills, the more opportunities you’ll have for employment. And, as we’ve established, quality goes hand in hand with speed. When you produce content of the highest quality, you’re more likely to impress your audience, which can lead to increased engagement from your followers, and, ultimately, more paying customers for your publications.
The Many Sides Of Copywriting
One of the things that make a publisher or company interested in your work is the variety of content you can provide. In the same way a baseball player has to show that they can both hit and throw well, you’ll want to prove that you can both write and perform well. With a little bit of research, you can determine how to position yourself as the go-to writer for a particular subject matter. For example, if you’re a nutritionist that specializes in healthy eating, you might want to position yourself as the expert in food writing. Or if you’re a fashion writer, you could position yourself as the expert in style advice. The key is to specialize in something that you’re an expert in. This allows you to position yourself as the go-to writer for that subject matter, regardless of the project you’re assigned. It’s also important to note that although you’ll be providing content to support a project, the direction the project takes will be determined by the client.
Where To Start
If you’re new to writing, it’s important to start somewhere. While you could begin by taking on small assignments for non-paying clients, it’s better to start out freelancing. Freelancing allows you to quickly build up your portfolio, which could potentially lead to more lucrative opportunities. Before you know it, you’ll be earning enough money to support your writing habit, while maintaining the integrity of your conscience. When you begin freelancing, it’s important to build up your portfolio as much as possible. This means finding as many paying customers as possible. Some good places to start are online marketplaces like Upwork and Freelancer.com. Alternatively, you could try going through a freelance writing agency. These agencies will have a pool of clients that they can assign your work to. At the same time, you’ll be able to keep track of all the invoices, which you can then submit for payment.