Becoming a better writer in 2024

Have you realized that a lot of popular content writers on LinkedIn these days have bylines in popular company blogs, at least 2 recommendations from former clients and industry worthy writing rates?

The only way to get to that point in your career is through experience and hard work. How do you become good enough to charge what they charge and get acknowledged by such companies

Here are some useful tips I've gathered after observing a ton of successful freelance writers

Write more

There’s a trait that every successful artist/athlete/performer has in common and that is Practice. Getting better at writing requires practice, lots of it. And I’m not talking practicing 4 hours today and disappearing for days. Daily practice is what will get you going. It’s how you point out mistakes. It’s the key to finding your voice and unique style as a writer.

Thinking you’ll get better at writing without continuously practicing is deceit, I know because I’ve “been there” “done that".

Dedicate at least 1 hour everyday to write, whatever that comes to mind, don’t edit or delete, just write. You do this to build the habit and reduce perfectionism.

Value Your Reader

Before you start any piece you ask yourself “Who am I writing for?” “What are their traits?” “Why do they need the information I’m about to share?” “What’s the best way to give them value?” Once you understand your intending reader, you create content that speaks to them and answers their intended questions.

Keyword research, internal linking and everything SEO is important but at the very core of every piece is a reader that needs answers.

Want to be a better writer? Focus on creating content that provides the most value to your reader.

Do better research

How many times have you done your research on the first page of Google, reworded a large part of the results, edited and called that a finished article?

Doing research is beyond searching competitors pages and trying to remodel their content, it’s knowing the customer/client/reader, making inquiries, the nuances that make your work better.

Expand your research beyond the first page of Google. If you’re looking for information on influencers you’ll get quality info on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Sometimes, the information you need can be found on Quora forums and Facebook groups.

Knowing the right channels to do research gives you access to credible information that will solve the reader’s problem.

Observe Good Writers

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been writing for, chances are that you’ve stumbled on a writer with an impressive track record.

Want to know why they’re so good at writing

• Look at their social profiles
• Look at their portfolios and study their best articles

The journey to becoming a better content writer is a marathon not a sprint. Which one of these tips will you be trying? Let me know in the comments