Believe it or not, being a content writer is not some inherent talent that you’re born with. While content writing does require some art, here’s the truth – anyone can be a content writer, you just have to learn the right skills. As a content writer in Mumbai, I’ve picked up a few skills without which I couldn’t be a good content writer.  

Here are the skills you need to learn if you plan to be a content writer in Mumbai, or for that matter, anywhere in the world.

1.You Have Good English

Speak Good English

The content writing industry is dominated by the English Language. Hence, you should be sure that your English language skills are good. Over the years, I’ve interviewed plenty of aspiring content writers who:

1. Assume they write well
2. Have good English

However, the reality is that most aspiring writers don’t speak good English. Don’t assume studying in a Missionary school means that you have good English – Missionary schools have their own set of English language problems.

So, how do you assess whether your English Language Skills are good enough? Take a test.

• Cambridge Assessment Test
• ILS English Test
• British Council English Test

2. You Can Research Well

As a content writer, you are NOT going to pull words and information out of a magic hat. Instead, you are quite often going to write on topics that you don’t know about.

As a content writer in Mumbai, I have written for various industries such as: HR, IT, hospitality, e-commerce, steel industry and more. I have not worked in any of these industries. I had to compensate for the lack of knowledge and that’s where my research skill came in. My research in writing for a new industry goes beyond a few Google searches. I take the time to find specialized documents and reports on the topic. Frequent conversations with the client also shed a great deal of light on the topic.

3. You can execute an SEO Strategy

Much of your content writing will be for SEO purposes. Hence, it is crucial that you know how SEO works and how your content impacts it. As your content writing expertise levels-up, you should be able to craft a content strategy that works in tandem with the client’s SEO strategy.

4. You should be a Good Editor

Editing Content

Source: https://www.flaticon.com/authors/recep-kutuk

Do you believe that once you write an article, it is complete? This couldn’t be further from the truth. You need to turn from a writer to an editor when you complete writing the article. This is the final step to improve the quality of your article. A good editor will:

• Proofread the article and get rid of any grammar errors
• Check for sentence structuring issues
• Refine the article and enhance the communication

As an editor you have to ask yourself – Is this information communicated in the best manner possible?

Do you think you have these skills? If you think so, you just might have what it takes to be a good content writer in Mumbai.

Here’s my last piece of advice.