Scaling your writing business is tough. How do you keep quality and creativity intact?

When it comes to business writing, you can do a few key things to achieve quality and creativity. First, you need a team of talented and passionate writers who have received proper training. Next, you should create a work environment that fosters creativity, prioritizes quality editing, and continuously strives for improvement. In addition, effective communication with the client is essential, and it's important to understand you & your client that quality is more important than quantity.

When you’re starting out, there’s no need to hire the best writers for your business. Top writers are expensive to hire and often end up leaving to pursue their own ambitions; leaving more holes in your writing business. Focus on committed, learning writers and editors to take tedious editing, design, and formatting processes of your hands. Let yourself focus on the creativity and quality rather than being bogged up in uninspiring tasks. Hire talent that helps save your time and develop a solid operations cycle.

If you own a writing business, here are a few things to do to keep creativity and quality intact. Recruit writing interns or upcoming writers, train them thoroughly, and ensure to draft a contract clearly stating the minimum duration they can work with you before leaving if they want to. The contract helps to protect your brand’s interest after the intensive training you’ll be offering. Also, writing thrives more when a writer is willing to grow beyond what they already know, learn trending tools to aid their creativity, and also keep doing in-depth research and analysis to know what works.

Recruiting writers who align with your target is crucial for scaling your writing business. While recruiting you must be clear about what you expect from your writers. Along with the writing skills, the writer must be dedicated to achieving your goals. To foster a collaborative work environment, you'll need to mention, work hours, payments, and other expectations from the writers. You may hire interns or emerging writers and train them to ensure quality work. You may find suitable writers from platforms like ProBlogger Job Board.

Your process might feel perfect, but it won't be perfect forever. Clients, timelines, strategies, etc., change, and your process needs to evolve as your business does. Seek feedback from clients and reflect regularly on what's working, what's not working, and what could work better.

Scaling a writing business while maintaining quality and creativity is challenging. One effective strategy I've found is establishing a robust quality control system. During my internship at Windoors Ventures LLC, feedback-driven editing helped improve content consistently. Clear guidelines and procedures from the start ensure consistency and preserve creative freedom as you grow.

Design and assign standard operating procedures to your writers and editors when scaling your business and working collaboratively. Fixed expectations with practical examples of the intended voice, tone, and structure free up time and "white space" in the minds of all involved, going a long way towards allowing writers the freedom they need to create fantastic articles, blogs, and copy. Shared work environments and content management systems (like Notion and Slack) used in conjunction with style guides suited to the level of expertise of each individual member of your team, are a surefire way to sustain ever-increasing excellence in content creation while hastening turnaround times at the same time.

Scaling a writing business while preserving quality and creativity is a constant balancing act. From my experience, fostering a creative culture is key. At SegmentNext, we encouraged open idea-sharing and brainstorming sessions. This not only fueled fresh perspectives but also kept our content innovative and aligned with current trends. One effective approach I've found is allocating dedicated time for creative exercises. This allows writers to explore new ideas and techniques, preventing stagnation and promoting continuous growth. Creating a supportive environment where creativity is valued can inspire teams to produce engaging and original content consistently.

With a background in theatre, especially as a director, I can tell you that nurturing creative culture is as rewarding as it is challenging. Being able to explain process, structure, and the fundamentals of story helps you stay objective in a VERY subjective endeavor. There are no wrong answers, but there are stronger and weaker choices. All team members should be heard and if there is a group feedback process, it should be clearly stated and monitored. I do not believe in competition in creative environments. C. Clinton Sidle, a management expert, employs the 90/10 rule: 10 percent of the time, your decision is final. That leaves a lot of room for team contribution and input.

One way to keep your creativity intact is to have fun while writing. The more fun you have, the more your audience will enjoy reading. Fun always helps improve quality. Joke about your content. Try exploring at least five different ways of presenting the same piece, and then choose the most interesting one. Be casual about your content and stop being overly critical. The more you write like a normal person, the better your chances of connecting with normal people. Remember, your audience isn't necessarily made up of experts.

Scaling a writing business while maintaining quality and creativity is no small feat. In my experience, maintaining strong client communication is essential. Regular check-ins and updates help ensure that we're always aligned with our clients' evolving needs and expectations. This proactive approach not only enhances the quality of our service but also fosters client loyalty, often leading to repeat business or referrals. One strategy that has been particularly effective is setting clear expectations from the start. This includes outlining project milestones and providing regular progress updates. It helps build trust and allows for adjustments along the way, ensuring that we deliver results that exceed client expectations.

-- Stay true to your unique voice and perspective. Do not compromise your authenticity to appeal to a wider audience. -- Never leave the hand of continuous learning and experimentation. The more you keep learning about the evolving writing styles and techniques, the longer you stay relevant in the market. Read avidly, take courses, and stay updated on the writing industry trends. -- Surround yourself with talented writers and editors who share your passion. Delegate routine tasks to free up mental space for creative work. Foster a culture of creativity and innovation in your team. Encourage regular brainstorming sessions to get new ideas. -- Be selective about the projects you take on to ensure each allows you to produce your best work.