If you think content writing is more or less a stream-of-consciousness rant, then think again. In fact, it’s just the opposite – no matter whatever type of writing you produce, there has always been a process that professional writers tend to use.

So, here are 5 steps of the Writing Process that you can use:

#1: Prewriting

While some writers are caught staring blankly at their computer screen, others begin to work on building the story idea such as what angle they could take or even the sub-topics they could include in the article before writing the article itself.

#2: Writing

With the structure and direction of the writing planned in the previous stage, this one includes writing (or fleshing) it out. It is advisable that the matters like word count, spelling, grammar and punctuation should not be worried about in this stage.

#3: Revising

This part is about making changes to the writing by removing, adding, replacing or rearranging information that might make a difference to the writing itself, and how it is perceived by the readers themselves. Every writer MUST work on this step, no matter how talented they are.

#4: Editing

This step involves checking the sentences you’ve constructed or the words that have been used in the writing, and whether or not, it contributes to the piece or takes the attention away from it. Clarity of thought, flawless spelling, punctuation and grammar as well as the lack of repetition of words are some ways by which you can edit your writing work for better understand overall.

#5: Publishing

This could mean different things to different people. While bloggers need to add a post, students need to produce a final copy of that essay on paper to their teachers. Journalists have to submit their finished piece to editors.

How would you like to write better?

No, this is not just for writers but for those who communicate using the written word as well, using the mediums of text messages, instant messaging and email. In that sense, we’re all writers.

So, here are 5 timeless content writing tips from masters of the written word:

#1: Write all the time

The only way that anyone can get better with writing (or communicating) is by writing continuously rather than sporadically, and from time to time. Great writers claim that writers who can’t wait to write when they have a free minute are actual writers.

#2: Keep it simple

It’s easier to write with complexity rather than to write with simplicity. Writing is anything but long and drawn out. Yet when you are able to communicate your thoughts in the simplest way possible, the effectiveness of your writing becomes evident – through your readers.

#3: Thrive on Criticism

Your readers are the ones who will either tell you whether you are writing well or aren’t. And it is a good thing that some of the best writer didn’t trust the praise but actually made the most of heckling that comes with this profession.

#4: Cut the boring parts out

Your goals when writing anything should be to get the reader’s attention. Usually with the short attention span over the internet, it becomes important that what you are publishing is of use or interesting or both. So remove anything from the write up that feels boring, and which people would skip.

#5: Eliminate unnecessary words

Words like extremely, really, actually and very are not the wisest words that you can add in a write up. It doesn’t do anything but get in the way of expressing your thought clearly.

Creative content writing is easiest especially when the topics in question are about sports, entertainment, technology or even fashion. How about toilet seats? Garbage cans?

Yes, writing (and selling) these topics can seem extremely difficult and really boring. More often than not, it’s downright boring but the truth is that you can turn things around by changing your approach a bit.

Here are three tips by which you can still continue to write creatively especially when you have boring B2B topics:

#1: Problem-Solving approach

Almost every product or service fills a need or solves a problem. One of best ways by which you can stay relevant and create interesting content is focus on the problems and solutions that your potential customers might need.

Writing about your product all the time will skew your views on what is important and what isn’t. What this approach will do is make you a resource that customers will come to – paving the way for more business.

#2: Stay Relevant

Again, staying focused on your product or service results in not remaining relevant to the changing times. You have to know how to connect what your business offers to what the world cares about at the moment. This will take some creativity to make these connections.

#3: Develop content as media would

One interesting way by which you can create content is by taking a media-like approach. Conducting interviews with government authorities, respected experts and even CEOs will interest potential customers, no matter how boring the business is. Not only will you have interested customers but you can pitch your business to the company itself indirectly with a thank you note.

Error-free content writing should be the aim of any good writer. Why is this so? Making even the simplest of errors can cause you to look dumb. Do you think people would like to read what you’ve written if you make irritating errors that can get on people’s nerves.

It doesn’t sound like fun but check your copy for errors is absolutely vital, and so here are 3 common mistakes that you should avoid:

#1: Apostrophe Usage

There are two instances when you use the apostrophe and that is in the case of contractions (don’t, can’t) as well as to indicate possession (Danny’s car). It is better to leave the apostrophe out especially when you’re in doubt instead of adding one where it doesn’t belong. That way you can always get away with a ‘typo’ instead of looking like you don’t know what you are doing.

#2: Parallelism

This concept comes into play when you are making a list. So the rule is to start each action item under every bullet point with the same part of speech. For example, if the part of speech that you’ve started the first bullet point is a verb such as ‘deliver’, ensure that every other bullet point starts with a verb as well.

#3: Me and I Usage

People often are confused between the usage of ‘Me’ and ‘I’ and this will result in using ‘I’ instead of ‘Me’ and vice-versa. How you can determine which of these two should be used is to remove the other ‘person’ from the sentence, and you’ll know which one you should use.

Most professional writers will tell you that keeping it simple is probably the best way to go. Using big words doesn’t make you look smart but makes your reader feel stupid. That’s the only mistake that any budding writer should avoid.

So here are four tips that will work for all types of content writing:

#1: Write in short sentences

The thumb of rule is to keep it to one idea per sentence. This will make it easier for the reader to digest what you have written. Conversely, it will only cause confusion for the reader if you write longer sentences.

#2: Write in the ‘active voice’

To put it crudely: writing in the passive voice can come across as boring to the reader. The active voice involves writing in this sequence: subject-verb-object. The reverse, as you might have figured by now, is writing in the passive voice, and what you use sparingly.

#3: Maintain short paragraphs

Similar to writing short sentences, when you break information in small ‘chunks’, the reader is able to understand what you are writing clearly, and with no confusion. This is usually not demonstrated in academic writing where there are several sentences in a paragraph.

Feel free to limit a paragraph to one word too.

#4: Delete ‘fluff words’

Words like rather, little and very tend to drain the life out of your sentences. The reason for this is because these words can dilute the message that you are trying to convey but most of all, can serve as a distraction.

The art of persuasion has been considered to be an important one, whether this involves spoken or written communication – starting with Socrates back when the Greek Civilization was at its peak. It still remains one of the much-desired skills that writers should possess.

So here are 4 techniques that are commonly used in content writing:

#1: Explain the Reason Why

Appealing to your audience’s logic in providing them a plausible reason to do something has always been known to work. Sometimes even if the reason doesn’t seem to make sense! Think about it: Would you do anything if someone didn’t give you an explanation as to why you should?

#2: Social Proof

Almost all of us look to other people to guide us to make choices in life, and one of the ways by which this can exemplified is by the testimonials and outside referrals that occur in social media. It makes a big difference to use these ‘elements’ in your writing.

#3: Contrast and Compare

Using metaphors, analogies and similes are probably one of the best way by which a writer can persuade his audience since they’re able to make a connection to things that are already accepted as true.

Yet more commonly, people also use these elements to contrast between two topics as well.

#4: Addressing Objections

Handling objections when you write is probably one of the best ways to be persuasive because if you don’t – they won’t buy. You will only be able to do this successfully if you know your subject well enough.

There are certain rules that every writer must adhere to when it comes to the broad area of content writing. No, this has nothing to do with search engine optimization but has more to do with the art of writing itself long before the internet found prominence in our lives.

So here are some tips that any writer can use to write effectively, regardless of what he or she writes:

#1: Read other people’s work

One of the best tips that one can get as a writer is to read, read and read some more. There’s always something you can learn from what they’ve written whether factually or as a writer. Very simply, the more you read, the better your vocabulary and grammar gets, and the same goes for speaking as well.

#2: Keep them guessing

When you build a feeling of suspense around your story, the reader can’t wait to get to the next paragraph. Breaking up your story into different articles or blogs is not such a bad idea too.

#3: Avoid repeating words & sentences

This, for all practical purposes, is plain irritating. Imagine yourself as the reader who keeps finding one word or sentence repeated (not for effect like some established writers use it for) throughout the article or blog. Once or twice is fine but not more than that!

#4: Humor

Be funny. Readers love articles or blogs that make them grin and laugh. Most people (read as: your readers) will remember how you made them feel. And they’ll come back for more.