If you’re an independent writer, you’re in luck because you can use samples to get started. No fear of being rejected because of lack of talent, no need to impress a publisher – you’re working independently, which means you can choose your client base and you don’t have to follow the “norm”.
What is a sample write-up?
A sample write-up is a “micro-version” of a book or article that you plan on writing. For example, if you’re writing a book about social media for teens, you might want to try out some of the following topics:
- Ethics in Online Marketing Using Social Media
- How to Create Owned Media That Matters
- Building a Brand Across Social Media Platforms
- Working with Brands to Build a Social Media Platform
- How to Measure the Success of Your Social Media Campaign
- How to Measure the ROI of Your Content Marketing Efforts
A key part of being a good writer is being able to write compellingly. To write a compelling piece, you need to be able to engage your reader in some way that makes them feel compelled to continue reading. For that reason, it is very important to write samples that are as compelling as possible. While you don’t need to aim for perfection, you should be able to write a solid piece that will catch the eye of a reader.
Why should you write your own copy?
Because you can. It’s easy. You can get started with very little effort. You don’t need a team of writers working for you. You get to keep all the rights to your work. You can use this material to get your foot in the door, to build your portfolio, or even to submit to publications. Many writers find that they enjoy the creative process and get rewarded for their efforts.
If you do decide to pursue writing as a career, you have a huge advantage over other candidates. You can utilize your own skills and experience to build a profile that can easily be found by potential employers. What’s more, you can continue to build your portfolio as you continue to write. The more you write, the better you’ll get at it.
The Best Way to Practice
While you don’t have to write a complete story to write a compelling sample, you should aim to write enough content to make your point. If you want to write about how to raise a family, you don’t need to write a whole story in which you describe the struggles you faced as a parent. You can write a compelling sample by including a summary of those struggles and how you overcame them. Short and sweet is always the best way to go.
Where To Get Started
If you’ve decided that you want to write but don’t have a book to write about, there are plenty of places where you can get started. You can find micro-trends to write about and trends that are just taking off (which you can capitalize on). You can find magazines that are looking for material for their websites and email newsletters. You can do an internet search for “copywriting samples” to find online shops that will allow you to purchase and download content that is already written. You can also find blogs that are looking for guest contributors. The list of places to get started is endless. Just use your best judgement and try not to over-commit. The more you put out there, the more you’ll get back.
Submitting Your Work For Review
When you’ve written your compelling piece, it’s time to sit back and wait for the reviewers to respond. Remember: this is not your final draft. This is a sample that you’ve written to prove that you can write a compelling piece on the topic presented. Your goal, as you wrote it, is to get the reviewers’ attention and ensure that they take you seriously as a potential writer for their publication.
How can you do that? There are many ways. You can ask reviewers for feedback. You can follow up with a personalized email. You can participate in online forums where you can interact with other writers and topic experts. Most importantly, you can continue to write more and prove to reviewers and editors that you can write well on the topic presented. Your ability to write compelling copy will speak for itself.
What do you think? Are you interested in writing? Have you started? Are you happy with how things are going? Let us know in the comments below! And if you found this article valuable, don’t forget to share it with your friends and peers.