Checklist for continued success
Image courtesy: Payscale India
Please read till the end for important key takeaways
Cannot believe that 2020 is finally coming to a tame end. Too much has happened and most of us would like to remember it as the year of either excess work for content writers or absolute drop in assignments. As the year ends in a few days, I can say that clients have been kind to me and my platter has been full of diverse genres. I also gained some more writing skills and added 4 more clients. Two of them have stopped giving work, which makes me sad.
Of course, the hard work has paid off, but I believe that some habits have given me extra work. I have realized that being professional is not enough… but being unique is more important. As I round off the last few days, I have prepared a checklist. It could be useful to fellow writers. I have managed to remain afloat even on the bad rainy mornings and stormy days of no power. Yet, I have managed to beat and meet deadlines.
I am hopeful that 2021 will be better for all of us with better work. Quickly let me describe how I managed these few months.
I revised my rates (needed to do for some clients) and cater to their demands. It is a symbiotic relationship I share with regular paying clients, sometimes fun, other times argumentative.
Those who I lost never understood my need for the basic minimum price. I cannot be compared to newbies who started writing during lockdown and require pocket money. I hope someday they will return and appreciate why I stick to my professional fees.
Staggered payments have shifted my priorities. Trusting people to pay even after 6 months has ensured that in between ‘short referrals’ kept the bank balance stable.
In 2021 content writing will continue to wield power and experts will enjoy creating niche work. The more unique the text is; the better eyeballs it will get. Information overload will be overwhelming. Thus, clarity in the specific context of a subject/topic will be critical for client approvals. Generic content will not be approved and passable quality will also be rejected.
What writers will need more than ever:
Improve grammar skills and vocabulary…preferably a little short of Shashi Tharoor’s style as most clients and average readers will still not understand high quality content. I have been rejected for being highly proficient in content creation.
Ensure that headlines and introductions are impeccable and attract attention in 0.28 seconds for anyone to read the entire text.Somehow professional writers will need to navigate through the Whatsapp menace. Ridiculous as it may sound most assignment briefs come on WA with no record whatsoever to keep. Makes me mad, I don’t know about you.
Start using content writing tools like Unicheck, grammarly, Coschedule, seo tool checker, Visuwords, Thesaurus, Hootsuite. They help in being organized and making presentable copies.Research, more research and through research is required to be unique for a competent writer.
In 2021, it will separate you from the impersonators.Hope that clients will not fall for Rs. 100 per 500-word writers as they recognize quality to improve their brands/products and services.
Continue to educate the client with your knowledge. I have done that in 2020 and convinced them why my services are more meaningful… and also proved it.
Continue reading and developing skills to learn more ways to attempt different genres.
Develop editing skills to remove redundant words from the text.
Make the content crisp and little quirky.
Keep all previous work filed in different folders.
Make a spreadsheet for clients and payment reminders.
Technical writers will continue to be in business for their forte and research. As you take a grip on a style, you will understand that writing is the easy part. But it is the right research that will make the content acceptable.
Which industries will pay more to content writers in 2021?
You may write in different styles, but develop expertise for a few industries. In 2021, the most likely clients that will pay well to global writers will be from:
Travel and tourism sector– as most people will wish to travel after a year of lockdown and being cooped at home.
Business and Financial companies– they want to get back to normal business. They will want to attract investors and stakeholders.
Recruiting companies – They will be in business for those who have lost their jobs. Improve your resume creation skills to get work from them.
E-commerce portals– they will need writers for product descriptions. Most people are now used to shopping for stuff online and reading descriptions before buying.
IT industry– they will need technical writers to convince clients.
Digital marketing– to create awareness for brands and companies this sector will require absolute professional writers to pitch for sales and get business.
Hospitality – linked to the travel and tourism sector they will require your services to build their brands and properties.
Grooming, spas and wellness – they will definitely prefer hiring experts to appeal to their target audiences.
Image courtesy: Adobe stock
2021 will be a good year for content writers as long as they adopt professional habits to get clients. If you improve your ability to write and remain unique, you will never be out of work. Nor will you have time to complain about clients who delay payments or do not pay for services at all.
As writers we all want to have stable careers. By following best practices, improving writing skills and evolving it is possible. Equip yourself to meet the challenges of the new trends. Make success a habit for a full time writing career.
Key Takeaways:
- Continue to make bad drafts.
- Enjoy criticism/feedback as much as compliments.
- Know when to quit (if it does not work with a certain client).
- Keep away from the computer and refresh on a weekly basis.
Here’s wishing everyone a more potent new year with lots of work in different genres for all of us.