Writing jobs can be a rewarding way to earn money from home in Australia. Working flexibly, writers schedule their own hours and, providing they can supply quality work, can enjoy a regular income. However, to be successful writers must be committed to constantly improving the pieces they produce.
Whether you’re a qualified copywriter or blogging as a beginner, we’ve compiled a list of some useful resources worth considering that can help you advance in your chosen career. Read on to learn more.
Connect with peers in writing groups
While writing is a solitary pursuit for many, interacting with others who share your passion can be helpful. While it can battle block with a boost to your morale, connecting with like-minded writers also enables you to share your knowledge with others. Building a network of writing contacts can even lead to work opportunities.
From state capitals to city suburbs, multiple locations across Australia have writing groups dedicated to different disciplines. Whether you are a professional online content writer or an amateur novelist working on your first fiction title, a group supplying support and kinship can be closer than you think. While local groups are one option, major institutions are also available to join, for example, the Australian Writers’ Guild.
Sign up for courses, classes and workshops
Freelance writing is an agile way of making money which allows you to work around other commitments. As a result, it leaves plenty of time for fitting in some studying to enhance your abilities. Just because you won’t need an English degree to become a copywriter, doesn’t mean that there isn’t always room for improvement.
Courses and classes can help you brush up on your basic English skills so you’re understanding of grammar, punctuation and spelling are up to scratch. However, more advanced educational opportunities are also on offer which can help writers get hired.
Writers must know how to construct an article effectively. This includes creating titles and subheadings, introductory and closing paragraphs as well as sentence and paragraph structure. Courses are available that can give you these skills, but there are also workshops which specialise in the unique requirements of writing online content. Through them you can educate yourself on writing calls to action, keyword placement, search engine optimisation (SEO) tools like meta titles and descriptions and embedded links in html.
Reading and writing
The best writers read and write constantly. Writers should read as widely as they can to grow their knowledge base, but also study what they see. Examining the work of others can help you improve your own. Critique everything you read, assessing what works and what doesn’t. If you read an article which feels satisfying, try to understand why this is so, and likewise if you find a piece hard to read, consider what the reason for this is.
Remember that while you can always learn by looking at the work of others, all content you produce for employers must always be original. If you submit writing work which duplicates a piece which already exists online, your submission will be rejected, and no payment will be forthcoming. It’s understood that many topics have been covered multiple times, but it’s still possible to write with originality. Research your subject thoroughly, and when you understand it fully you write about it using your own words, voice, and perspective.
Assistance from applications
If you don’t have the budget for writing workshops and classes, don’t fret, as free assistance is also available. Online you’ll discover there are multiple writing apps you can access which don’t stand behind a paywall. The Hemingway application can help you write more concisely, while Grammarly specialises in scanning for simple errors in your punctuation, grammar and spelling. As a result, it can be a valuable resource to get another pair of eyes on your piece prior to submission.
Thesauruses and dictionaries can also be found online which you can bookmark in your browser for quick reference when required. Many such sites also present a word of the day, which can help you to continue expanding your vocabulary.
Earn while you learn as a freelance writer
Finally, one of the best resources for writers is to cut their teeth with professional writing jobs. Providing you have strong English skills and can deliver work on time to meet deadlines, you can apply to become a freelance writer. Not only will you get a chance to learn how to write a wide array of content, from blogs and product descriptions to press releases and web copy, but you’ll have access to expert editors. As you submit articles, you’ll receive feedback from editing teams who can give you pointers on how to enhance your efforts.
If you would like to become a better content writer, we can help. Reach out to Words of Worth Australia and apply to write for us today.