Edition: December 26th, 2021
Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
- Excerpts from article published on the India Today Web Desk
- Excerpts from article published on Indeed.com
Why one writes is a question only writers can answer. Writing can be a way to express your feelings, chronicle your day, or even to think more clearly. Nonetheless, writing is an art, and due to this virtue, it is very easy for people, or even writers themselves, to think of it as “just another hobby”.
Writing jobs can be rewarding as they typically allow you to use your imagination and create content. If you are passionate about writing and have an instinct for using words impactfully, there are multiple career options that you could choose from.
Let’s take a look at some of the jobs that can help you make a living out of writing:
1. Content writing
- Today, businesses need specialists to write for their websites, blogs and social media platforms.
- As a content writer, your job profile will include writing for the company to increase its digital footprint.
- Finding a company that suits your interests and liking will help as you’ll be able to write on topics that are of interest to you.
2. News writing
- A reporter researches news stories and then writes about his/her findings for news publications, including online portals, newspapers and magazines, to inform the public of what is happening in the world and their local area.
- News organisations are in constant need of people who can write well – whether the firm is print, digital or broadcasting / electronic media.
- If you are trained in news writing and have a sound knowledge of general affairs as well as interest in news, the profession will allow you significant growth and opportunities.
3. Screenplay writing
- If you have a creative spark and a knack for telling stories, you’ll excel at screenplay writing.
- Screenplay writing, like news writing, requires prior training. It involves writing in a specific format.
- There are numerous online and offline courses that can help you learn the required skills for the job.
4. Freelance writing
- Freelance writing is basically a self-employed profession where you choose who you want to work with on each assignment.
- You are hired for writing by a company on a contract basis and paid on the basis of the contract.
- Freelance writing is usually done by experienced writers, but news writers, too, can start building their writing portfolio by taking up freelance jobs.
5. Working as a columnist
- A columnist shares his/her opinions on current events in a newspaper, magazine or online publication.
- They typically write about a specific niche subject, such as fashion, politics or sports.
- In addition to this work, many columnists also write books and share their expert opinions on television and radio programmes.
6. Communication management
- A communications manager follows his/her employer’s marketing plan and branding guidelines to write promotional content, including press releases, brochures and newsletters.
- They must use their employer’s preferred voice when creating content.
- A communication specialist may also be required to check corporate and marketing materials before they are distributed.
- They make sure that all content is free of errors, factually accurate and written in their employer’s preferred tone and voice.
- They should have excellent writing, editing and content organisation skills.
7. Social media management
- A social media manager develops a social media strategy for their clients or employees in keeping with business brand guidelines.
- They then write original social media posts and leave comments on behalf of businesses to engage with their followers.
- Many also utilise analysis tools that track audience engagement and collect user data, which they then use to optimise their content to better fit the needs of their audience,and market to new users as well.
- They are typically required to have a strong command of a variety of social media platforms – knowing the best practices for each.
8. Advertising
- An advertising manager puts together marketing plans for their clients or employer and helps the creative team come up with advertisements according to that plan.
- They work closely with the art department and copywriters to develop the advertising content.
9. Copywriting
- A copywriter writes copy for a variety of materials and mediums, including blogs, online articles, websites, advertisements and social media.
- They rely on their engaging and persuasive writing abilities to encourage consumers to use a business’ products or services.
- These professionals are often required to have skills in writing and editing, storytelling and audience engagement.
10. Public relations
- A public relations manager works to maintain a positive public image for his/her clients or employer.
- They write press releases, speeches and marketing content to encourage good press and counter negative publicity.
- They also encourage other writers, including journalists and bloggers, to write positive content about their clients or employer.
12. Content marketing
- A content marketer spends most of his/her time writing brand articles, including blog posts, scripts for web series and social media posts.
- The content they create may be centred around a business or be more subtle, incorporating mentions of the employer or client in more general ways.
- These professionals may work for a company or in a freelance capacity.
- Those who work freelance may find clients without having a degree but a strong portfolio of work.
13. Content strategising
- A content strategist develops, creates and manages online content including website content and blogs.
- These professional writing jobs require a good understanding of search engine optimisation (SEO) and website analytics and how to apply these to make online content engaging and effective.
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(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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