An Insight into a Content Writer’s World
Whoever said writing is easy deserves a punch in the face. No kidding.
You know shit hit the fan when you catch yourself saying: “I’m loss for words.” Uhm, excuse me, what? You're never supposed to be a loss for words as someone whose primary occupation is hitting the keyboard all day, every day. Or on a trusted 9–5 basis for the most fortunate of us.
Scribbling was my jam. Why do I say that in the past tense? Two major factors impact a writer’s perspective. Whether they are writing for themselves — and not caring that much about meeting certain criteria or persuading the reader into doing something — or others.
While a flair for the written word is critical for a content writer, it is only a tiny piece of the puzzle. I mean, of course, there are some perks of making a living out of typing on a keyboard all day long. Depending on your position you literally have the freedom to work on an abandoned beach in the Bahamas if you will.
Or see your work getting published and generating valuable traffic and revenue. These are all part of the sunny side of writing. But what do you do when creativity burns down and you keep researching terms like “how to write better”, and “skills you need to be a successful content writer”?
Well, this is the part where you’ll have to hear me out.
When dealing with the so-called ‘writer’s block’ syndrome, there’s only one way to snap out of it: Write about it!
And now, you’re probably thinking I’m nuts. Isn’t this a bit contradictory, tho? Writing about not knowing how and what to write about is actually the purest medicine you could ever get.
As Bukowski put it,
“Writing about a writer’s block is better than not writing at all.”
It can happen to any writer at some point. It is unavoidable. Your writing has devolved into dust, you don’t have a creative cell in your body left, and you’re ready to surrender, get a cat and be miserable.
So how do we beat this opponent?
As much as I’d like to say that I know how, unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution — no “7 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer Now.”
It’s important to note that writing is an art, not a science. And that’s how you’ll have to treat it. And who knows, you might even be the next J.K. Rowling, for what it's worth.
I could go on making a list of the things you could try out if you’re dealing with writer’s block, but the point is that they are all useless. And if somebody tells you that they brewed down some coffee and magically got their mojo back — just so you know, they’re lying.
There’s only one thing you need to do to get out of your groove: create traction. It’s easier to pick up momentum once you’ve started going in the right direction.
And what about ghostwriting?
At first, writing in the name of others or for others, whether it’s B2C or B2B, might sound easier and might give you the impression that there’s less pressure in the game. Why is that?
Well, for starters, you’ll eliminate the struggle of not knowing what to write about and how to make sense, since you’re already presented with a topic that needs broadening. Besides the topic itself, you might even get an outline from your fellow marketers, clients — a keyword list, and some useful starting points. (If you’re lucky.)
The one thing you need to do is start writing. It’s important to know your audience. If you know who your readers are, the rest is a smooth sail. You write for a specific group of people. Not for your own sake, your company’s sake, or your brand. And here is the tricky part.
Original Content Never Goes out of Style
This is your reputation.
Every article that has your name on it should be authentic and genuine. It might sound completely bonkers, with tens of thousands of people writing about the same subject areas, but it’s easier than it may seem.
Every writer can develop a different voice, a different perspective, or shed new light on an overburdened topic.
And your best friend who always has your back when it comes to your writing style is simplicity. That’s right. A simple and minimalistic approach is the best kind of approach. Articles that are filled with complicated and fancy words that you don’t necessarily use are hard to understand and have a tendency to lose the reader.
To appeal to a broad reading audience, good writing takes a straightforward approach, using concise language, simple phrases, and carefully chosen words. For almost any subject material or writing style, simplicity is the real deal.
However, let’s not confuse simple writing with lazy writing.
Typos and sloppy sentences are the product of sloppy writing habits — in other words, poor writing. The amount of work put into each is the difference between simple and lazy writing. It takes more time to write clear, precise, and readable copy, but the outcome is well worth it.
This leads me to the next thing…
The all-time fail-proof solution
I know, it’s the last thing you want to hear. I do too. But if you really want to snap out of your current situation, you’ll have to eventually do it. Most of you fellow writers out there know what I’m talking about.
Don’t make it any more complicated than it needs to be. Just write. I don’t care if you take out a piece of paper or open a new page on Google docs and start typing in a gibberish way — the important thing is to do it anyway.
Professional writers and novice writers have one thing in common: they both run into roadblocks, but one pushes through while the other remains stuck.
And you’re not here to be stuck. First, get it written, then get it right.
