Showing posts with label Copy Editor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Copy Editor. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

The opportunities in writing career

Wordsmiths were never in demand so much as they are now. Call it an opportunity because of the Internet. In fact, Internet is nothing but all about the content. Better the content on web, better is the traffic and higher is the ranking. Its all about how many visitors visit your site and rate your content. Thats how Internet works for anything and everything. Beyond, there is much more to it. But, of course, the contents are specific related to the subject. However, the core skill is to write it in legible language and present that in to a form that even six-grade reader can understand well.

If I am not wrong, traditionally writers were highly sought after in the Journalism, that too in print Journalism and publication as an editor or a proofreader. But with the advent of Internet the horizon has grown beyond the country and community. A writer can be anywhere and can be writing for anyone in any part of the world. An Indian writer can get published by an American publisher in America.

Similarly, there are many form of writing which is used to be done by some of the subject expert in the field is now at offering to the professional writers because of fast paced, time bond target to finish a project. A professional writer can always add value to the document. Speed, accuracy, good style, and grammatically correctness in language are the business assets for the writer who can make difference in today’s world.

Based on the Industry they work and kind of writing they pursue, writers can be classified into some major categories, yet these are not all. There may be many more tag that might be in making depending upon the kind of writing they would be pursuing in the future. Some of them are:

Journalist: Traditionally they are the writers, who write for different news papers, news magazines and are supposed to be the eye and ear of people and government. People expect them to carry their voice to the government or the concerned authority in need. Similarly government needs them to reach to the people with right kind of message. From the ages Journalists have been respected and has a great reputation and command in the society. However, very few have lived up to their expectation. In today’s media influencing world, they are highly in demand but their reputation are challenged, because of patronizing of the media group with which they are working. They are no more seen to be an independent voice. Yet, this form of writers will always be in demand.

Copy Writer/ Editor: Copy writers are those who require to develop an idea on certain fixed topic and develop certain script for a specific purpose. Similarly Copy editors are required to have excellent grammatical and sentence construction skills to make a horrible write-up into a readable piece of writing. These writers are greatly in demand for script writing in advertising and film industries. Apart from this they have a bigger role in the publication industry.

Technical writer: Technical writers are the discovery of recent industrial world where they bridge the gap to educate user through their writing about the technology and the product. They make the complex process into simple steps of the subject for the easy understanding of the user, where by they can use the product or perform certain tasks without human interference. Technical writers are hired in most of the industry today. Their roles are to prepare different technical document for the industry use.

Content Writer: Content writer’s job is the very recent demand in the writing opportunity, which is entirely because of Internet. People and company wants professional writing to be done for their web site, which describe about their products and services. Today, merely a web site is not enough to have an Internet presence. A web site nicely designed and presented with wonderful content can create unimaginable face value. Mind you, toady, to know about a company or the person, everyone logs on to the web pages and try to understand at the first hand information. Therefore, You may very well understand the importance of good content on the web site. Content writers can add great value to your image.

Medical Writer / Scientific Writer: Writers who have formal educational and training in Medicine or Science are mostly encouraged to take up this role because of their understanding of the domain knowledge. But due to ever soaring demand for writers even other stream background writers are tried who can learn the terms of the trade faster and use it judiciously.

Patent and Regulatory writer: These writers are basically legal expert who understand subject well. The accuracy of knowledge with articulate use of legal words is the main crux of the writing. Though, tough to train, this writing is very challenging and highly paid for.

Ghost Writer: Ghost writers are always in demand. They are the evergreen people who help millions being at the backdrop. Their role includes writing for different person adopting their style. Most of the Ghost writers help high profile people who has weak command on writing or lack of time.

Financial Writer: This again is the specific writing, which requires domain expertise and educational training. Most of the people who can understand financial subject well can make a good writer. Yet again, there is no yardstick for the writers who are quick in understanding a subject. They can be brilliant asset in any industry. Their writing ability and quick learning skills are big plus for industry as well as for the writer himself/ herself.

These are few forms of the writing, which largely employ or provide work for today’s writer. May be some more form would be in making in the future. However, what form of writing you choose to make career of your own is the question you should ask yourself and may be try writing where you suit well and what you like doing again and again. But, certainly if you like writing and write well, you have a place here.