In the words of Joanna Penn; “we’re living in the best time ever to make a living with your writing”. Imagine a job where you earn good money for your creativity and your ideas. Where you create wealth from nothing, using just the power of your imagination and a flair for prose. Where you work the hours you want, anywhere you want. Where you choose whom you work for – and how much you get paid. The commercial market for words is massive and it is expanding all the time as new types of media provide new channels for businesses to deliver brand or sales-related messages. The massive increase in communications brought about by the internet, for example, has on its own opened up a wealth of opportunities for writers.
The internet makes it possible to sell to a global audience and use your writing as a way to earn money to fund your lifestyle. If you love to create new things in the world, you can now earn decent money doing it. Writing is gradually becoming one of the most lucrative businesses in Post COVID Era. This is because there is a shift from the traditional world to the digital world (online world). And in the digital world, two major forces control the market. There are:
-Words (either in written or spoken form)
-Pictures (images)
This implies that people who know have to manipulate and use these forces to appeal to human emotions will never struggle in this era. That is why today, content writers, copywriters, bloggers, content reviewers, research experts, speechwriters are smiling, while most people are complaining about the economic hardship. Companies, organizations, and ministries pay these guys a huge amount of money to help them manipulate the force words in their favour.
So, the need to develop your writing skills cannot be overemphasized. Today, there is no business or life endeavor that effective communication skills (either in writing or speaking) are not required.
Post COVID Era
Indeed, one cannot repudiate the facts that COVID has caused several pains and damages to many families, companies, and lives. The impact of this global pandemic cannot be denied. However, we must begin tapping into the opportunities that come with this global problem. Napoleon Hill says: Every problem comes with equal or greater opportunities. This is very true. If you critically examine this era you see that there are several opportunities.
For better understanding, let’s look at some basic features of post COVID Era
1- Borderlessness: Post COVID era is an era of borderlessness in the sense that almost every business actives and life endeavor take place online. Online, there is no border and everybody has equal access. This implies that in post COVID era you don't necessarily need a VISA to travel around the world rather, you just need a sound mind to travel around the world
2- Digital World: Post COVID era of the digital world. This makes the business of writing easier and more lucrative. Today, with little or no money you can publish and sell your book (ebook). In the traditional market, to publish your book, you will need hundreds of dollars. But in the digital market, with a little cash, you can publish one ebook and sell it to millions of people. This is a big opportunity. Can you see it now?
From today, begin to pay attention to your online presence because when people want to do business with you in this era, they will first assess your online life. So if all you portrayed online is rubbish and mediocrity, you will be assessed that away. From today, begin to sanitize your social media handles. Go to your Facebook wall and delete all those stuff that doesn't make sense.
You are a professional and you must act as such. As a writer, begin to carve a niche for ourselves online. Is not everything you come online to discuss. To be influential on social media, the first thing is to define your path - define your message. What message will you be sharing so that people will know you for something? Just have it in mind that, anything you are online, you are standing before the whole world
What is Writing?
Writing also known as orthography is a system of recording language using visible tactile marks. I defined writing as ideas, thoughts, knowledge, or feelings expressed in written form. Writing is one of the visual symbols created by humans to express themselves and to communicate with others. The available evidence shows that writing arose autochthonously in three places of the world:
In Mesopotamia about 3200BCE
In China about 1250BCE
In Mesoamerica around 650 BCE
Writing is generally seen as a highly creative discipline and, while other aspects of the job are perhaps equally important, a good writer indeed has to think laterally and possess a good imagination, or else they might never get beyond a blank piece of paper. However, if you are going to make a living from writing, then creativity needs to be tempered with practicality. Although most clients appreciate good ideas, not all may be receptive to your wackier proposals. And unless you are happy to provide them with something more suitable, you may end up cutting off potentially lucrative sources of income. Good writers learn to channel their imagination so their inspiration is couched in terms the client will understand and relate to – in other words, so it fits in with the client’s culture.
Styles or Types of Writing
There are four main styles or types of writing.
There are as follows:
1 - Narrative Writing: The purpose of narrative writing is to tell a story just like a storyteller but in written form. When authors write in a narrative style, they are not just trying to impart information, they are trying to construct and communicate a story, complete with characters, conflicts, and settings. All novels, poetry, short stories, biographies, and autobiographies fell under this category writing.
2 - Expository Writing: Expository writing also known as information writing is a type of writing used to explain things, people, places, relationships, or ideas. This type of writing is built on facts, reasons, laws and principles, cause, effects, and examples. As this information written in this type of writing is factual, therefore, it is written without emotions and from the point of view of a third person. The expository Writing style is used in textbooks, newspapers, magazines, recipes, articles, editorial writing, business, scientific and technical writing.
3 - Descriptive Writing: descriptive writing is describing things such as characters, places, events, etc. in detail. It is like painting a picture in the minds of readers. Descriptive writing is poetic. It focuses on describing everything in a deeply detailed manner, so a reader can see, smell, taste, hear and feel things. This type of writing is used in writing poetry, journals, fictional stories, diary writing, and nature writing.
4 - Persuasive Writing: the main purpose of this style of writing is to persuade or convince its audience about something. It includes the opinion and personal point of view of the author or writer. Persuasive writing usually uses emotional appeal to win the heart and confidence of readers. Even though Persuasive writing includes a personal opinion of the writer, it is still written objectively. Persuasive writing contains reasons, arguments, and justifications. In this type of writing, the author appeals to his/her readers to take action. Persuasive writing is a style of writing used in academic papers, Copywriting, and some nonfiction.
Other Kinds of Writing
Creative Writing: it is the art of making things up. This type of writing is far different from professional writing. Any writing that origin from the imagination of the person is called creative writing. A creative writer can be a blogger, content writer, etc.
Review Writing: have you come across a write-up online that gives you details about a product you want to buy? That is what is called review writing. Review writing requires both persuasive writing skills as well as descriptive writing skills. Today reviewers are been paid to review things like restaurants, food, cosmetic products, books, movies, and even mobile phones and laptops.
Tech-savvy people read the review of things online before making any purchase. Therefore, it has become so important that many companies pay people to review their products.
The Business of Writing
The business of writing is a business of knowledge. Business simply means the identification of a problem or need and resolving to meet that need for an agreed reward. As a writer, you are in the business of knowledge. You identify a need or problem then you use your writing skills to address the problem. Napoleon Hill identify the poverty problem and he wrote a book: Think And Grow Rich to address the problem. The business of writing is very lucrative today because we are in an information-driven era. There is no aspect of life that knowledge is not needed. In the 21st century, we succeed and reign on the strength of what we know. People are hungry for knowledge because knowledge is the seed for change. Forget that lies that people don't read therefore no need to write.
For you to succeed in the business of writing, your product (writing) must either.
- Solve a problem
- Meet a need or
- Create a need
People only patronize a product that solves their problems or meet their needs. Do you know why some books don’t sell? It is simply because the authors allow their zeal and passion to override reality. They write without research into the need of their audience. Their ideas are purely based on assumptions.
