Get Started on the Write Foot: Essential Questions for New Content Creators
For new content writers, getting started can be both exciting and overwhelming.
Crafting compelling content that engages readers takes time and effort, and it’s important to approach the process strategically.
Before diving into the writing process, it’s crucial to take a step back and ask yourself some key questions.
Here are three that I consider to be the most important when it comes to your journey as a writer.
1. Am I genuinely interested in this topic?
You hear many people talking about how important it is to find a good niche to populate with your content.
As a beginner content writer, it is important to ask yourself if you’re genuinely interested in the topic you’re considering writing about.
Before diving into the writing process, take some time to reflect on your personal interests, experiences, and passions. Ask yourself what topics you find yourself naturally drawn to and what you enjoy learning more about.
You don’t have to be an expert on a topic to make it your main writing focus but you have to at least be willing to learn and share your process with the audience.
Motivation will take a dive quickly if you cannot maintain interest in the core theme linked to your niche.
What to do if you start writing on a subject and later realize that it is not the thing for you:
This happened and still happens to many of us.
When you notice a drop in your interest regarding the niche, be honest with yourself, analyze if this is something that can be corrected — maybe it’s just writer’s block or burnout — , and then make the needed changes.
If it’s no longer serving you, it is OK to let go of a previous goal you’ve set.
We change over time and our interests change as well.
The key is to avoid investing resources into things that no longer hold meaning for you.
2. Can I be consistent in this niche?
As a beginner content writer, it is crucial to consider if you can be consistent in the niche of your choice.
Writing requires consistency in terms of content creation, publishing, and engagement with your audience.
Take some time to evaluate your schedule and determine if you have the time and resources to commit to writing regular content in your niche.
Sometimes, it is a matter of a strict publication schedule — a new article every this many days or weeks — but even if you want to write once in a while, when you first start you need to imagine yourself coming back to the main topic of a niche.
What to do if you realize you cannot be consistent in a niche you are interested in:
Don’t consider it your main topic. This may lead to a one-time piece of content — short form or an entire book, but it will likely be a thing you won’t revisit regularly.
Don’t drop the idea entirely, just see it for what it is — an occasional theme, not your main gig.
3. Does it help me achieve my main life goals?
Consider if the topic you’re considering writing about aligns with your values and goals as a writer.
Most of all, decide if the content writing goal in itself takes you any closer to what you want to achieve in life.
What to do if you realize your content writing has no connection to your main goals:
See if you can dedicate a limited amount of resources — time especially — to this temporary interest or side quest.
Most importantly though, analyze whether this mission would hurt in any way the main purpose. In that situation, you may have to choose between the two goals, and most of the time, the elements that participate toward achieving your self-declared life’s purpose will win.
As a new content writer, asking yourself the right questions is essential to crafting compelling content that resonates with your audience.
By reflecting on the three questions we’ve explored, you’ll be well-equipped to start creating high-quality content that achieves your goals and engages your readers.
Keep these questions in mind as you embark on your writing journey, and remember that thoughtful reflection is key to success.