A Content Writer's Journey of Losing and Regaining the Passion to Write

When I made up my mind to become a content writer, I was thrilled! I imagined myself in the shoes of Sidney Sheldon, Enid Blyton and Jeffrey Archer. I was daydreaming of researching, talking to people, understanding what they require and penning it down.

The day I became a full-time, paid content writer, I went out with my friends to the nearby restaurant and took in-charge of the bills. I was on cloud nine! I didn't think even for a minute that my rose-colored sunglasses can break anytime.

The new kid in the area

I wasn't 100% aware of what content writing is. I thought it was all about just filling your website with fancy words. Only after entering this domain did I realize that it is much more than a few words.

These are the few elements of content writing:

• Research
• Editing
• Proofreading
• Understanding the target audience
• Product marketing
• Content strategy

It was too much on my plate initially. I didn't know how to set my content strategy or where to begin my research process. Coming from a small town, without any mentor or a guide, I had a hard time figuring out what I had to do. I have even been advised on giving up on my content writing career more than once.

During those tough times, I had one thing which saved my day often - Passion. That passionate writer inside my heart motivated me to keep going every time I wanted to give up, give my best no matter what and leave my mark in the world of scribes.

I created a LinkedIn series called #fresherdiaries to share my thoughts on different aspects of life. It was a hit! I loved writing it. I got plenty of freelance offers. My blogs were featured in leading websites like Thrive Global¹ and Fuzia², My last two full-time content writers jobs were the byproducts of my LinkedIn profile.

I was a proud content writer in 1–2 years!

The other side of the coin

Behind every success story, there is tremendous effort and pain. Everybody speaks about the happy ending. But what happens after the happy "ending?"

At some point, I was stressed out. I experienced a monotonous routine where I can see that the quality of my content started dwindling. Everything seemed so blurry. I was bored with building my personal brand, career choices and following the orders put forth by my manager and clients.

My brain was begging for a break, but due to my personal situation, I wasn't even in a position to resign from my job. I somehow forced myself to stick to what I'm doing. As time went by, I lost interest in what I was doing. Couple it with a toxic routine, I lost my self-confidence too. I was zooming out. That's when I realized that I need to explore more. I did a few things to get me out of the box!

These are the points that fellow writers can utilize as key takeaways from my experience:

Learn and learn and learn

I started learning Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. I started building my WordPress website by learning SEO and Digital Marketing. Likewise, I learned cooking. Not only that, but I built a routine for myself. Furthermore, I realized that this world is a huge place. I expanded my horizon. That's how the world functions- It wouldn't stop the day you reach your target. You have to stay curious with that "What's next?" notion until the final countdown begins.

The key takeaway

Don't stop learning, even after you achieve your goals. In the Netflix show, "The Queen's Gambit³," the protagonist Elizabeth Harmon would ask a 13-year-old Soviet Chess prodigy, Georgi Girev, on what plans he has got after winning the world championship at 16. He wouldn't have an answer to that not-so-tricky question. 

Keep learning. It's infinity out there.

Unlearn and relearn

I looked into what I know so far, and how different it is from my perspective. For example, I thought digital marketing is all about building a few backlinks and generating traffic out of them. Now, I know that it is a vast ocean. I am learning daily. To adapt yourself to the current times, you have to sacrifice a bit of that "But-I-knew-it-all" attitude and embrace what's ruling the market.

The key takeaway

 Not so long ago, we were dependent on the pager to communicate with our peers. Then came the evolution of cellular phones, and tada! We live in the world of smartphones. Whatever you have learned so far might not be applicable tomorrow.

Stop working for money

Money indeed makes many wonders. But it can be the worst enemy for an artist. An artist should earn a living, but he shouldn't forget his passion. Not everyone wants to become a writer. Not everyone wants to become a dancer or a musician. That passion is what aspires us to dream big. Hence, I engraved that deeply in my mind and worked because I love to work.

The key takeaway

This world has seen umpteen artists. Not everyone might have ended up rich, but the richest ones are more passionate about what they do. They kept doing what they do, without taking a step back after initial failures. They got what they want through hard work, dedication, and love for their job. Do your job without expectations. You will get that breakthrough you have been waiting for sooner or later.

Communicate with people

A writer can be a loner, but for inspiration to strike, he has to collaborate with many like-minded and opposing folks. He or she should give importance to their opinion. That's when a writer evolves as a person. I started speaking to as many people as I can in the domain I'm working on. It helped me regain my composure and beat writer's block. Talk to subject-matter experts, colleagues, and anyone you deem resourceful to help you out with that blog.

The key takeaway

A writer should learn the art of communication. The more they communicate, the more they gonna hone their skills. It's always recommended in general to write on topics you are quite familiar with. In case if you are an outsider, it's always commendable when you approach an expert and look for their advice on how to create the best content out there in the niche.

Give preference to quality over quantity

I stopped worrying about the number of words I need to write. Instead, even if it is a 200 words company description or 2000 words blog, I ensured that I give my best shot. I didn't want to do injustice to the quality factors. I used tools such as Grammarly to do thorough grammar and spell checks. Using Hemingway Editor helped me understand how I can keep my content simple so that it's quite reader-friendly. The number of hours you spend on a Novel isn't your reader's concern. If your content is of top-notch quality, it's going to go viral. People will relate to you instantly.

The key takeaway

The Mona Lisa isn't obviously Leonardo Davinci's only artwork. It's his masterpiece that has stood the test of time. We have lost many of his artworks, whereas only 10–20 of them survived⁴. To create your next Mona Lisa, keep an eye over quality. Never compromise on it, like ever. 

Stop panicking over deadlines

I started being more reasonable about my deadlines. I didn't blindly nod my head when the deadline was too hectic. Communicating in advance when I was not able to finish a project helped me a lot. It also helped me gain my client's trust. I was becoming more kind towards myself in terms of providing space to work. While forcing himself to create one video a day, Nuseir Yassin from Nas Daily⁵ fell in love with an unexpected intruder- The deadlines. That was possible for him when he didn't force himself to stick to it, and instead, enjoying the thrilling process.

Make deadlines your pal. They are going to reward you more than you think. Deadlines aren't scary if you segregate your work into small chunks, schedule your work and complete it on time. You needn't feel alienated when you aren't able to finish your work before the deadline. Talk to the editor, ask for some more time and get it done.

Learn to say No

I didn't accept bulk writing work anymore. I cherry-picked my projects, but had to refuse many writing offers. Do you know that 52% of workers experience burnout⁶? I didn't want to be a part of that club. Guess what? Saying no didn't hamper my content writing career. In fact, it leads to more productivity. Many clients respected my choice. They didn't force me to take up projects which I wasn't comfortable working on.

There is this quote by Warren Buffet⁷ which many of us are fond of:

"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything."

Don't be a "Yes boss" person. Fill your plate with only what you can eat. Don't take up fluffy projects and regret later on.

I feel more happy and comfortable in comparison to previous times. Now, I can say without any second thoughts- I love content writing! I love my job!

References:

¹Thrive Global: Lessons I learnt from the life-changing last 6 months

²Fuzia: Women Empowerment- Power to Empower

³The Queen's Gambit: The Queen's Gambit miniseries

⁴Only 10–20 of them survived: Leonardo da Vinci- His life and artworks

⁵Nuseir Yassin from Nas Daily: The Secret to my Success

⁶52 of workers experience burnout: 16 Employee Burnout Statistics You Can't Ignore

⁷Quote by Warren Buffet: Warren Buffett Says All Really Successful People Practice This 1 Simple Habit