From a content writer's handbook

Although there is no definitive handbook, based on my several?years of experience in the creative field, I firmly believe that an exceptionally good professional content writer must have a combination of the following attributes:

-?Meticulous attention to detail, and a highly thorough, organized, and disciplined style of working

-?A knack for superlative and compelling storytelling

-?A keen interest and awareness of the latest trends, and dominant/trending/popular themes and narratives within the creative writing space, industries or sectors in which one is operating, etc.

-?Proficiency in grammar (akin to a wordsmith, or a grammar sleuth, with an inherent ability to churn out grammatically correct and error-free copies)

-?Exemplary creative visualization, ideation, and conceptualization skills

-?Meticulous editing, proofreading, and copywriting skills

-?Proficiency in both the long-form and short-form types or styles of content writing

-?Skilled in all forms of writing, whether narrative, descriptive, persuasive, or expository

-?Expertise in writing across different platforms (both digital and offline)

-?A constant learner (with a relentless penchant, insatiable appetite, and thirst for consistently improving his / her writing skills and vocabulary, through reading, online sources, etc.)

-?Originality of thoughts and ideas, coupled with a keen sense of visual aesthetics

-?Proficiency in carrying out independent research on different subjects pertaining to his / her domain of work

-?A strong body or repository of work on diverse subjects

-?Versatility in writing, yet maintaining an unique style of writing, which is distinct, and easily identifiable with the writer (akin to an auteur), combined with the ability to churn out creative content, always keeping in mind the target audience (TG)

-?A strong enduring passion for creative writing and copywriting

-?Exemplary communication skills (both oral and written)

Content creation, on the face of it, appears glamorous, but is indeed a laborious and painstaking activity, requiring hours, days, and even years of dedicated efforts, research, and due diligence.

It requires the human and personal element to make a message that much more appealing to the target audience, and you have to do this, over and over again, in order to create a robust personal brand, build a dedicated tribe of active followers, play a crucial role in their growth, and establish yourself as a thought leader in your area of expertise.

Instead of chasing metrics such as likes, impressions, views, and followers on LinkedIn , the key is to remain true to your cause - why are you publishing content on LinkedIn in the first place? The answers should read as follows:

? To create a strong online personal brand

? To write sophisticated and meaningful content which establishes you as a thought leader in your particular field

? To write content which has great emotional depth, a personal touch, along with actionable insights and a genuine value-add for the target audience, something which they can relate to and take back home

If you tick all the above boxes, then the likes, impressions, views, and followers will chase you instead of the other way around. It is not important if you create 1 post per day or 10 posts per day - what is important is the quality of your content, and if you can excel in this aspect, people will gravitate towards your posts in any case.

I also feel that one of the secrets to exemplary content writing is to practice versatility in your writing, yet maintaining an unique style of writing, which is distinct and easily identifiable with you (akin to an auteur), combined with the ability to churn out creative content, always keeping in mind the target audience (TG).

Another key component of a content writer's handbook is to maintain a comprehensive diary and record or document each and every piece of content, whether long-form or short-form, which you have written - blogs, social media posts, emailers, ad copies, marketing collaterals, website content, video transcripts, et al. This will help you create and maintain a strong body or repository of work and showcase the value which you bring to the table to any prospective employer/client.

May the words keep on flowing from your pen for all times to come.

(Photo credits: Getty Images)

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