Please complete this before moving on to Part 3.
Once you have the bug to become a writer the whole world opens up. There are so many different writing opportunities that it can be tough to decide which type of writing is right for you.
In this step we’ll outline the most common types of writing and we’ll offer some tips to help you decide which type of writing is best for you and your writing business dreams and goals.
SPECIALTY #1: Copywriting
A copywriter is someone who writes content that is designed to sell. Of course there are many different types of content that is designed to sell. A copywriter might write:
Website Sales Pages
Visit any website that is selling a single product or service and you’ll often see sales content – words that are written with the specific purpose of motivating you to buy.
Email Messages
Do you ever receive email messages from companies and notice that they’re trying to sell you something? Many times they’re full of useful information with a sales message at the end of the message. A copywriter may have written that.
Advertisements
Copywriters also write advertisements. They can write everything from a large full page ad to a small three sentence Google ad.
Catalog Copy/Product Descriptions
Copywriters also write product descriptions for online products.
Website Copy
A business website may need motivational and/or marketing content on many of their web pages including the home or landing page.
Print Materials and More
Copywriters also write materials that you receive in the mail, magazine ads, radio ads and brochures and flyers.
As you can see, a copywriter can write a large variety of material. You can also write for a large number of industries. Industries from the health and wellness industry to the non-profit industry all need copywriters.
Of all the writing opportunities out there, being a copywriter is generally considered the highest paying type of writer. Some copywriters charge $10,000 or more for a single sales letter. Of course, they achieve those rates by writing copy that converts visitors and prospects into customers.
There are many online training programs that can show even beginning writers how to write great, high converting copy, and earn a great living as a copywriter.
If you are passionate about a particular industry and have a knack for writing persuasive copy then you may have a really great future as a copywriter. Copywriters need to have an ability to put themselves into the metaphorical shoes of their audience.
For example, if you’re writing a sales page for an ebook about dog grooming then you need to know who might buy a book about dog grooming.
You want to be able to empathize with any audience and prospect so you can tap into what they need and want and highlight those desires in your copy. In addition to a number of different industries there are three main types of copywriting:
Business to business – One business is selling products or services to other businesses.
Business to consumer – a business is selling products or services to individuals, consumers
Non-profit – Non-profit entities usually need help creating materials that persuade others to donate or get involved.
There are many great books on writing copy. If you would like to learn more about copywriting, please check out this copywriting package.
SPECIALTY #2: Web Content Writing
The most common type of online writer is probably the web content writer. These are the people who write the articles and reports, web pages and even ebooks for website owners. If you’ve ever read an eHow article or visited a medical website or About page then you’re reading web content.
However, the web content field extends far beyond writing for eHow. Business owners both small and large know that the key to attracting visitors to their website is to provide content.
For example, a simple article published on a website can be found on the search engines. A person searches for the information in that article, clicks on the link, and is taken to the website where they read the article. Now that website owner has an opportunity to sell to the visitor or provide more information to their visitor.
There are actually many different types of web content projects you might get asked to write. This is because there are many different types of websites and content needs. They include but are not limited to:
SEO Writing
Writing articles and web pages that focus on the use of specific keywords. This type of writing is designed to attract the search engines and to achieve a high result when someone types those keywords into their search tool.
For example, if you went online to find a new coffee pot you might type ‘coffee pot reviews’ into your search engine. You’d get a list of coffee pot reviews, click on a listing that looks interesting and go to the website. An SEO writer may have written the coffee pot review you read.
Article Writing
Many website owners write for their visitors instead of for the search engines. Or they do both. Additionally, article writers are asked to write articles that inform, promote an affiliate product, or motivate some sort of action like visiting a website. How to articles, tips articles, and reviews are all different types of articles a web content writer might write.
Web Pages
As a web content writer you might also be asked to write information for web pages like the “About us” page, the FAQ page and other informative pages.
Email Messages/E-Zine Content
Many online businesses also have a newsletter or send out the occasional email message. These messages may be designed to provide information, promote a special or sale, or to offer a product or service.
Just like copywriters, you can be a web content writer for just about any industry or topic. If you love writing about pets then you can become a web content writer that specializes in pet content. If you enjoy writing about cars then write for car websites. Makeup and fashion to software and high end technologies – there’s a need for web content writers in every field.
That’s good news for you because it means you can find clients and writing projects that appeal to you personally as well as professionally. It’s great being a web content writer.
Additionally, if you like to write about a variety of topics you can specialize in a format or type of web content. For example, you might decide to specialize in article writing instead of specializing in a specific industry.
SPECIALTY #3: Blogger
The next type of writing opportunity is to become a paid blogger. As a blogger you’ll likely find a few clients who need you to write daily blog posts for them. This can actually be a very lucrative writing opportunity. You’ll want to be a well versed expert in a particular topic.
You’ll also want to be able to write with a strong personality and style – blogs are generally more personal and less formal than an article or web page.
Like writing web content, you’ll ideally want to find a blogging topic or topics that you’re passionate about and can write about with enthusiasm.
SPECIALTY #4: Ghost Writer
The number of people and businesses who are getting in on the publishing game is growing by leaps and bounds. Everyone is writing a book, creating a home study course or offering reports on how to solve problems, learn new skills and become better at something. You can find an ebook online to organize your home, master the real estate market or build a car from the wheels on up. There’s an ebook for everything.
And someone needs to write those ebooks.
If you like to write and enjoy large projects you can become a ghostwriter. A ghost writer isn’t limited to books either. A ghost writer is simply someone who writes material and sells the rights to that material to a client. So if Joe Smith hires you to write a “how to train your dog” book you would write it. Joe would pay you for it and then put his name on the book as the author.
Celebrities do it all the time. They “write” books and make millions. But the celeb market is a small one. Online you can make a mint as a ghostwriter.
SPECIALTY #5: Press and Publicity
You can also write press releases, publicity pages and create media pages for businesses and website owners. This is a specialized area like copywriting that requires a knack for grabbing the media’s attention. It helps if you have a few connections in the media as well.
However, most press releases today are submitted online rather than the old fax and cross your fingers method.
These five types of writing are just the beginning. As social networking continues to grow and take the forefront for online businesses, more and more people are needed to write content for social sites. You can write resumes, grant proposals and much more.
The next question is how do you choose? How do you decide which type of writing best suits your personality, interest, and business vision?
Choosing Your Specialty
One of the great things about being a writer is that you can start small and focus on one very specific area. As your needs, interests and business grow you can add more types of writing to your catalog.
For example, you may decide that you want to be a web content writer for the health and wellness area. Maybe you have an interest or even an education in the health field. Great, there are tons of clients waiting for you. You get a few writing jobs and then one of your clients ask you to write a press release.
Gulp.
You’ve never written a press release. You can decide to pass or to learn quickly how to write a press release. Or your client may ask if you can write a report. Again, you have the choice.
So let’s start with a few basic questions you might want to ask to help you decide what area of writing to specialize in.
1. Small Projects or Large?
What type of projects do you like to work with? Do you prefer to write 500 word pieces or 5000 word pieces? Do you want to finish a project in a day or would you rather dig in and spend three months on a topic?
Small projects? Choose blogging, web content or even press and publicity.
Large projects? Choose ghostwriting. Write books and reports for pay.
Somewhere in the middle? Copywriting. Projects can take several days to several weeks.
2. A Variety of Topics or One Main Topic?
Do you thrive on variety or do you want to really dig in and focus all your attention on one topic? For example, a blogger for an automotive site will spend their days writing about cars and the automotive industry. A web content writer might have ten different projects on topics ranging from bad breath to interior design.
Variety? Specialize in a format or type of content. For example become an ebook writer, an article writer or even a ghost writer. Make a list of content types that you feel comfortable and confident writing.
One topic? Specialize in an industry that you like and are knowledgeable in. Make a list of topics you’d love to write about.
3. Full Time or Part Time?
What type of business are you building? Are you looking to make a supplemental income or a full time career? Many writing opportunities like ghostwriting a book or copywriting require more hours in a week than you may have if you’re working another part time, or full time, job. However, you can easily write a few articles or blog posts a day and work another job.
4. Big Bucks or Spare Change?
People start writing businesses for different reasons. Some are looking simply to save money for a vacation or to have a little more money to spend. Others are looking to make a full time income.
The type of writing you choose to do and your topic(s) of choice can play a role in how much money you make. Ultimately, though your income is dependent on your professionalism and the quality of your writing. Write well and earn referrals in any industry or specialization and you can make a nice income.
5. What Do You Want?
This is the last question asked here but it is the most important question to ask. What do you want to write about? What makes your heart pound and puts a smile on your face? That’s what you should write.
If you love writing press releases and enjoy the challenge of making the media stand up and take notice then you should write press releases because that’s what you enjoy and it’s what you will do well. If you love writing short, snappy blog posts then that’s what you should write.
Focus on what brings you joy and what you’d be happy to do even if you weren’t getting paid to do it. Passion does mean profits.
In Summary
Okay, we’ve talked about different types of writing and how to decide what specialty best suits you. It’s now time to move onto the business side of things. In chapter two you’ll take a look at everything from creating your business plan or roadmap to how to set up your home office.
If you’re still undecided about what type of writing you want to do, that’s okay. But choose ONE to start with. You can always come back to this step later and try a different specialty.
Close your eyes for a moment and visualize yourself as a paid writer. What does your day look like? What are you writing about? How has your lifestyle changed?
Got that image in mind? Great, let’s start making it a reality.
Are you ready to move on to the next step?
Do you understand the different types of writing?
Did you choose one specialty to start with?
If you answered YES to these questions, proceed to PART 3: Get Started
