Just thought I'd ask y'all this question... Thanks in advance for answering the poll. Personally, I do a mix of both article and copy writing. The latter is, by far, the most enjoyable and highest paying but requires me to rack my brains harder and come out with more creative stuff... so most of time, I don't care to advertise myself as a copywriter (procrastination is my forte). What about yous?
Well, you have a mix of formats and styles in the poll. For instance, an article is a format, whereas legal writing is a style. Typically, writers specialize in an industry. Examples: nutrition, travel, food, financial, legal, science fiction, horror, etc. And some super-specialize within an industry. Examples: diet information, nutritional baby food, bonds, intellectual property, cruises, etc. No, no, wait! I haven't done Timmy yet. I prefer Butters. Becoming known as a specialist in an industry can (and usually does) lead to increased demand and compensation for your services.
Blogging for sure. I have a lot of real world sales copy experience also, but conversational blogging is where I can produce (great) copy in a single pass.
Yeah you're right about the mixture there but what I meant was like a lot of people choose to focus on writing TOSs, Privacy Policies etc while others tend to stick to 'articles' (as in SEO material, or feature articles). And, although articles are a format, 'article writing' is almost a style today on the internet... there's a lot of demand you know, and I couldn't leave out writers who cater to this market. I know writers specialize in specific industries but I was itching to make a poll and there's no way I can fit every industry in there Timmy!!
I'm with Shargi--blogging is my forte and I think it lends itself to creative humor and forms of expression that do not translate very well with formal writing.
I do primarily articles, but also blog, write e-books, and do the occasional bit of copywriting for areas that fit into my areas of expertise. I also do press releases and other business writing, so I guess I'm just well rounded (in every sense of the word - damn that baby weight!) LOL Rebecca
Right now, I primarily do articles and blogging. I would like to get into copywriting sometime this year - it's in my 2008 plan.
I love doing sales copies and pitches, which really get my creative juices flowing. I do articles too.
Perfect timing for this thread! I just did a post on this topic on my blog. I think it is necessary to specialize. But with that being said, expanding to other areas can help you to grow your freelance writing business over time.
Yep. Most pros work on specialization. It's one thing to say that you can write for many markets. It's another to show lots of work you've done in one market (say nutrition). Specializing doesn't mean that you do nothing else. You simply spend most of your time (ex: 75/25 split) in one particular field. I know of some pro writers who will pick two fields and only work in them (ex: nutrition and IP law). Garden-variety writers almost always end up on the lower end of the food chain. While it's great to show a little of this and that, you almost always lose out to someone who has a lot more experience in the field. And that's really the bottom line.
It's just a matter of finding what you do best based on feedback and your personal happiness and ease when writing. Then focus on it.
Hi, I write articles on many different subjects but prefer self-help, parenting, property and seo, I also have experience in writing copy i.e. for sales advertisements and for about pages on websites. I specialise in research proposals and research reports. writeon
I like travel, especially for blogs, I love to talk about the many places I have visited, or reseach new places, that is what I find most ineresting. I think most people would prefer to work on their own interests or hobbies, its easier and more fun.
I focus mainly on article writing and e-books. I specialize in “health†if it really counts as specializing, as there are a whole blend of topics in this category. I also find all aspects of internet marketing fascinating and enjoy writing about it. I must admit to being a butterfly as I can usually write about anything that interests me, not just something I have an expertise in. There is a thrill in being able to dip a finger in lots of things and is a good way to learn new topics. Having said that, I must say I don’t feel comfortable writing about something that I don’t really understand.
My background is public relations and I've worked for a lot of high tech companies and two Top 50 PR agencies. I specialize in press releases, byline articles, media kits, website copy, FAQs, and other corporate type writing. I also offer services like media relations, media training, etc... I started branching out into other areas in the last six months. I write articles on a variety of topics and I've written a non-fiction travel book (and just got an agent, yay!). I have two blogs, one personal and one business.
I know a lot about a lot and I enjoy learning everything I can. I mostly do misc batch content for websites.