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Are You Sure You Want to Be a Content Writer?
Here’s what may happen to your writing if you monetize it ASAP
I haven’t been writing in my personal style for a while. I feel like I’m recovering from a “content writing hangover.” All I can think of as I type these first words is whether or not I’m “luring the reader (you) in” and if my headline is click-worthy enough to get some eyeballs on this text.
This “content mindset” has been with me for a while. And I feel limited by it. Initially, I became a content writer because I’ve always loved writing and it seemed like a good idea to turn my passion into my career.
That’s what we’re told we should do, aren't we?
I recently read Meghan Daum’s piece where she describes how she advised a young writer who wasn’t sure if she should pursue writing as a career. Meghan said to her: “If you’re really serious about writing, do something else for a living.”
This stroke a deep chord in me. I always thought that because I was serious about writing, I should do everything in my power to do it for a living. So, I turned myself into a content writer which, in the current economy, seemed like the most straightforward way. The prospect sounded great: I would string words together and someone would pay me for it. Sounds like a dream, right?
