Content Writing for Beginners

By Sunaina Agarwal / 07 Nov, 2020

Aspiring to be a writer but do not know where to start? 
 
So, to answer that question, let me tell you first you’re not alone in the path. For many other writers, the primary question is when and how should I begin?
 
But how do you know whether the time is right and what you are writing is the best or not? 
 
Well, there is never a good or a bad time to start. It’s always about when you’re ready to take that leap of faith. The time is now or never! 
 
For individuals like us who aim to make a career in writing, our first thought is always about writing fantabulous copies which are best-selling. When we think of writing, we think about Jeffrey Archer or J.K Rowling and get stimulated by how they trigger an unimaginable thought process by merely the words they use.
 
Thus, as the saying goes- ‘Rome was not built in a day’. Even the most well-established writers don’t write their best-selling copies in a day. It is a craft that demands attention and dedication.
 
However, before everything else, the primary question is – are you ready for it? Are you prepared to take the first step and write your first content? 
 
The art here is to perfect your commitment. Writing is a full-time career and you need to immerse yourself thoroughly in it. It’s not a 9-5 job. It requires discipline, practice, and perseverance.

As a beginner – the first step is of great significance. As a writer, you need to be creative with exceptional language skills. The first few days can be daunting when you have to choose a topic and write about it. 

How can you start?

However, if you have decided to take writing full-fledged as a personal and professional objective, here are a few things you can start with:

1.    Read, Read, and Read: A good writer needs to have a knack for reading. Reading good books or online content will help you get ideas on how the characters, structure, and flow is defined. It will enhance your creativity and writing proficiency. A good reader will certainly understand the writing nuances once you consistently read. As a beginner, try to read different genres to get as many ideas as possible.
2.    Research: In the online space, content writing is seeing a surge in demand. While there are many opportunities for writers, you must research to understand the latest trends. Only when your research will you understand what you need to prepare as per the market standards. Researching topics and domains will help you understand the current market requirements. This will instead prepare you to pitch accordingly. 
3.    Notebook: A good writer needs to remember and markdown all significant punchlines. While you start reading and understanding different genres, try to take notes of the new terms. You can even maintain your journal quotes from different authors that you find interesting. This can then become your reference diary where you can come back to every time you have a doubt. 

The fundamentals of good writing-

Now that you have a hands-on understanding of where to start, let us further brainstorm on what are the fundamentals of good writing:

1.    Eye-catching Headlines: You may write even up to 2000-5000 words but until and unless it catches your audience's attention at the start, they would not like to read further. A compelling headline also should summarize the message. Additionally, with the current trend, you must understand how Google works on headlines and then follow it to meet the requirements. A keyword-based headline is highly acknowledged by Google algorithms. 

2.    Effective Introduction: Your introduction is what determines the success of your writeup. An introduction should be to the point, creative and attractive to grab the audience's attention for a longer span. Stating facts, quotes and figures can be a good way to start an article. Remember, it does not always have to be the same. You can formulate your sentences ensuring they are strong with a punchline making it effective. 

3.    Simple and clear: As you start writing, the first and most important thing to remember is that you write in simple language. Content writing aims to deliver the right message to your audience. While flamboyant lingos might look attractive, the key is that your audience should understand what you write. Your content should be ingenious at the same time should be effective to grab your audience's attention. Once you master the skill you would be the best writer in town!

4.    Focus on the subject: As you start writing you may sometimes tend to dilute the message. While researching we find a lot of information online. The more we read the more we might get confused. In such a scenario, always keep your article agenda on top of your head. Make pointers so you can elaborate with rerouting to any other topic or irrelevant information. You must maintain the tone and focus of the key message you intend to deliver. Short and crisp sentences are clear to read without any confusion. 

5.    Less is more: As you research the latest trends, you would be introduced to different writing styles. While you can choose a domain of your choice, the current market is all about SEO- Search Engine Marketing. Highly dependent on quality content and keyword, it is essential to understand the technique. Do not overdo the content or keyword stuffing. It would only depict your immaturity and also Google does not appreciate unwanted stuffing. 

6.    Surpass your expectations: Just like any other craft, writing as a skill needs to be improved always. As you expect your writers to give you something better each time, your audience would also expect the same from you. The more you practice the better it gets. Keep practicing and never be satisfied even with your excellent writeups. Set a new bar for yourself each time and compete to surpass your levels. This would make you more confident and eligible. 

As a beginner, it is definite that you will face a lot of glitches. Content writing is an ever-evolving skill. While you may find a lot of online tools to make your task easier, we suggest you start manually. You can refer to the tools for grammar corrections and improving your writing style. However, for perfect writing always start as a document file and write on your own. You might have to delete the first few copies, but Do Not Give Up. Practice makes a man perfect!