What type of writer will you be?

The word ‘writer’ is very vague. There are lots of types of writer and each requires different skills. Being a writer isn’t solely about being good at writing. It does help to have a good command of the language you are writing in but there’s more to it than that. Some people prefer creative writing, whereas others are drawn to technical writing. Some people can switch between genres, whilst others specialise in a specific area.

Before you start marketing yourself as a writer, it’s worth spending a bit of time working out which route is best suited to you.

Copywriter

I’ll start with copywriting as this is my specialist area. Even the term copywriter is extremely broad. ‘Copy’ refers to the text part of any sales, marketing or advertising materials. Some copywriters choose to focus solely on print or digital, some specialise in one type of copy such as packaging or websites, whereas others cover a wide range.

Types of copy you could write include:

• Websites
• Landing pages
• Meta descriptions
• E-shots/Emails
• Pay per click ads
• Banner ads
• Video scripts
• Proposals/bids
• Social media posts
• Direct mail
• Brochures
• Press ads
• Flyers & leaflets
• Poster/billboards
• Press releases
• Newsletters
• Catalogues
• Advertorials
• Packaging
• Book covers
• Window displays
• Signage
• A-boards
• Vehicle graphics
• Straplines
• Brand names
• Slogans

Good sales skills are extremely useful in copywriting. The purpose of copy is to try and convince, persuade or inspire the reader to take an action. Copy doesn’t need to be flowery or complex; the more concise you can be the better. You need to get messages across as succinctly as you can.

Ghostwriter

A ghostwriter is somebody who writes material that somebody else will put their name to. A good example of this is when celebrities write books. Quite often, a ghostwriter writes the book and the celebrity simply puts their name to it. You can make a good income through ghostwriting but you’ll rarely ever get credit for your work.

Ghostwriting isn’t limited to books, it can be applied to any written material. I often write blogs or magazine articles for clients and they are published under the client’s name. Public figures or directors in large corporations may also use ghostwriters to write official correspondence, presentations or speeches.

To be a ghostwriter you need to be able to adapt your writing style to suit the person you are writing for. You need to write in their tone of voice.

Journalist

Journalists write news stories or articles for newspapers and magazines, either online or printed. They may also prepare news stories for radio or TV broadcast.

Journalists often specialise in a specific area such as sports journalism, crime reports or political updates. Some journalists may report solely on local issues, whereas others may cover national news stories.

Researching, interviewing and information-gathering are key skills for a journalist. Quite often, you won’t be the only journalist covering a story, event or topic and it can be hard to make your article stand out. Reporting accurately is important, but you need to make your story more engaging than your competitors’ if you want to attract readers.

Blogger

Bloggers write regular content for a defined audience. Your blog could be about anything; fashion, gardening, parenting, business, marketing, food, travel. The important thing is to understand who your readers are or which readers you want to attract and write blog posts they want to read.

Bloggers can make money in various ways. Your blog itself can be a source of income through paid advertising or affiliate marketing. To make money this way, you do need to build up a strong following. If nobody visits your blog, then why would anyone pay to advertise there?

Another way to make money is to ghostwrite blogs for somebody else and get paid for your time. This could be for a specific client, a specific industry or a variety of businesses.

If you have an in-depth knowledge of a subject, blogging can be a good way to get started in writing. You will build your confidence and your writing skills. Journalistic skills can be very useful for bloggers.

Report writer

Report writing is exactly what it sounds like; you write reports for people. This could be for any industry; technology, healthcare, education, finance.

You may be able to find work as a freelance report writer but you will usually require an in-depth knowledge of the industry for which you are writing. Many report writers work in-house for companies and have a degree in a relevant field.

You need to be able to analyse data and present it clearly for a specific audience. You’ll require good analytical skills, technical writing skills and meticulous attention to detail to ensure data is presented accurately.

Technical writer

A technical writer researches and creates documents such as user manuals, online help guides, training materials, design specifications, product descriptions, project plans and other technical materials.

Being a technical writer often requires the ability to take information and present it in a clear, accurate and comprehensive way for the intended audience. Engineering companies, technology companies, scientists, manufacturers and financial services are examples of industries that may require technical writers.

Speechwriter

Speeches have the power to change the world but the people delivering them aren’t always the people who write them. Many politicians, government officials and senior executives use speechwriters.

To be successful as a speechwriter, it is beneficial to have a knowledge of basic economics, politics or policy issues or of the organisation you are writing for. You’ll also need to be able to write in a tone and style that matches the person who will deliver the speech.

Non-fiction author

If you have a good knowledge of a subject or are prepared to carry out the research, you could make a living writing non-fiction essays, white papers or books. These can be on any subject; history, finance, business, sports, science, travel or anything else.

Hundreds of thousands of books are written every year so there is tough competition. Chances are you won’t become a best-selling author overnight but if you are prepared to put in the work marketing your books or get a good agent, you may be able to make a reasonable living this way.

Novelist

There is tough competition as a novelist. Self-publishing is on the rise and not all authors go down the traditional route of publishing. This has advantages and disadvantages. It is easier to get your book published but it does also mean there is an abundance of poor quality books out in the world.

Like most other types of writing, there are various genres to choose from including romance, erotica, science-fiction, thrillers, children’s stories. Many authors tend to stick to one, although some cover multiple genres.

Being a novelist takes a good imagination, creative writing skills and a lot of patience. However, there are many novelists that have made their fortunes through writing.

Screenwriter

A screenwriter writes scripts for TV or radio shows, films and even video games. These could be original scripts or screenplays adapted from books, plays or comics.

Most screenwriters are freelance and start their career by writing scripts on spec. This means that they don’t get paid or they only get paid if the script is used. Once you are established as a screenwriter, it can be a lucrative business.

Script-doctoring is another way to make money in this area. This involves rewriting existing scripts to make dialogue or characters stronger.

You don’t need any professional qualifications to become a screenwriter but you will need a good imagination and storytelling ability.

Playwright

A playwright, also known as a dramatist, writes stage plays. This is a competitive market. Stage has far more limitations than TV or film, so playwrights must have the ability to write strong characters.

You need a good imagination and a knowledge of how to write for the stage, although no formal qualification is needed.

Poet or Lyricist

Writing poetry or song lyrics is another avenue if you are creative. Poems can be used for greetings cards or gifts or you may decide to publish a collection of poems as a book. There are also numerous poetry competitions offering cash prizes for winners. Song writing is competitive but new bands who don’t write their own material may pay you if your lyrics suit their style.

Critic

Writing reviews as a professional critic is another income stream for writers. This could be reviewing events, concerts, plays, books, restaurants or venues. You may choose to do this for your own site or blog, alternatively, some sites or publications will pay for honest, well-written reviews.

Editor

Editing can be an alternative option to writing. Your job is to make someone else’s work the best it can be. Some works will only need minor edits, whereas others will need a lot of work. It is very common for authors to work with an editor as they become so close to the subject on which they are writing that they find it difficult to be objective when it comes to refining the copy.

A good editor will find the balance between retaining the author’s ideas and tone of voice, whilst making the copy as engaging as possible for the reader.

Proofreader

If you have an eye for detail and a good knowledge of spelling, grammar and punctuation, then you may decide to stick to proofreading material rather than writing it yourself. Businesses and authors will often pay for a proofreader to give their work a final check before it is published.  Nobody wants to pay a fortune for hundreds of books or marketing materials that are ruined by a few stray typos.

Translator

If you are fluent in multiple languages and can write to an excellent standard, then you could get paid to translate documents or online content.