Content Writing steps( Beginner level)
A content writer is often subjected to the notion that they must write more than 1000 words per day especially if it’s a startup. But it’s really hard to put numbers on the word count of content writers/bloggers/freelance writers as there is a huge variance in how much a person can write in a day. Some writers get exhausted after writing a few hundred words whereas some can go on for a thousand words without feeling tired. All this varies from person to person as writing is a creative process and one cannot put a limit on someone’s creativity.
For example, Mark Twain wrote about 1800 words in a four or five-hour sitting. But he also wrote 200,000 words in 60 days. Whereas, Ernest Hemmingway wrote just 500 words in a day.
So it would be smarter to judge a writer’s professionalism by the quality of their content, its grammar, vocabulary, audience, the desired impact on the audience, and as for word count, the best post length is however long/less it takes to make your point. For SEO also (Search Engine Optimization), consistency is one of the important variables for improving page ranking.
Steps for content writing (Beginners level)
- The average word counts for content writers who are beginners, 500-1000 words/day is a good target.
- A beginner content writer should first start writing and then over time increase their speed and number of quality words.
- Building up writing stamina is a process and a slow one. It will require consistency and determination. Taking breaks in between your writing process may hamper your growth, so finish any idea in one sitting and revise before restarting.
- After a few months of consistently writing good quality content, one would reach around the number of 2000 words per day.
- A professional freelance content writer can be expected to write about 5000 words per day but then again the sky’s the limit.
Now, increasing your writing amount should not hamper your productivity and content quality as the phrase “You have to stop the Q-Tip when there’s resistance”. Thus, one has to stop the writing process when the energy level drops or your mind cannot comprehend more information or your fingers have given up typing.
Another thing that is important for a content writer is a pen name, also known as a Pseudonym.
It is an assumed name that an author publishes under when:
- They want to avoid using their real name.
- They are changing genres and don’t want to disappoint their fan base.
- Gender inequality ( let us admit that we sometimes still make a perception about certain novels written by certain genders).
- Family issues
- Daytime jobs ( some people want to keep their identity secret from their employers).
Whatever the reason be, a pen name gives a writer the freedom to explore their writing in different genres and also provide them with tonnes of creative freedom. J.K. Rowling, Stan Lee, Dr Seuss and many famous authors have used pen names.
Choosing a pen name is also a task. One cannot stumble upon a pen name just by chance but they have to think it through, it may have a background story behind it or may be related to some anecdotes of the writer’s life.
Some suggestions for choosing a pen name:
- Identify your niche and choose a pen name that helps to connect with that niche.
- Check different options that are appropriate to your literary genre.
- Check the availability of your pen name for a website URL and various social media accounts.
- Pick something easy to pronounce, remember and spell.
- Make sure that your pen name is not identical or similar to another writer.
References:
- http://dustinyarc.com/how-many-words-write-per-day/
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-and-why-to-use-a-pseudonym#4-reasons-authors-use-pseudonyms
- https://self-publishingschool.com/benefits-of-using-a-pen-name/
- https://www.dorrancepublishing.com/purpose-pen-names/
- https://blog.opyrus.com/6-reasons-for-authors-to-use-a-pen-name
- https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-choose-a-pen-name/