The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
10 Secrets To Modern Writing
How do you imagine an average writer? You probably have the impression if a hard-working individual that never leaves their desk and probably drinks more than necessary.
A modern writer, however, doesn’t operate that way. If you see the daily lives of the people behind the content you like today, you’d be surprised.
Let’s shed some light on the modern writing industry, shall we? Although we’re trying to bring it to light, it turns out it’s darker than expected. Are you ready to discover 10 dark secrets about the contemporary writing industry?
1. Easy Stories Are Part of the Trade
Young journalists are full of hopes. They dream about writing for a respected newsroom. The aspirations of young writers are no lower. Ask where they would want to be in five years, and you’ll probably get this answer: “Writing my second novel after achieving huge success with the first one.”
The dark truth of most modern writers is nowhere near those aspirations. The reality mostly looks like Buzzfeed – trivia that they could easily spin into a simple article.
2. Rewriting Is a Big Thing
Most websites operate on the principle of rewriting. A journalist from Australia’s Mail Online called this practice “battery hen operation” and decided to quit the job.
It’s true. Even the most prestigious websites operate on the principle of repurposing content.
3. The Modern Writing Industry Doesn’t Think Much of Its Readers
Let’s talk about clickbaits and how offensive they are to most readers. You’ve probably stumbled upon articles with obnoxious titles, which promise to reveal amazing things. Then you check out the article and you feel like a moron.
The job of a modern writer is to get as many clicks as possible. The titles are usually written by editors or subeditors, so they would sound even more “inviting” for an average reader. Good writers don’t like this practice, but the industry forces them to do what the trends call for.
4. Journalists Are Being Bullied And Harassed
No matter how unbelievable this claim looks like, it’s true. A survey among journalists working in local newspapers revealed that most of them have been discriminated against, harassed, or bullied.
Not all editors encourage teamwork. In fact, most of them force their journalists to steal each other’s stories.
5. Many Talented Writers Are Writing Essays for Students
Since young journalists have a hard time getting a decent job and young writers face extreme difficulties on the way to publishing their first books, they find an alternative: essay writing services.
Hannah Donald, a writer for Essay Geeks, shares her experience: “People have no idea how many students are ordering papers online and how many writers are involved in this industry. The money is good, and the job is not hard when you’re good at academic writing. However, this is ghostwriting and we’re not getting credit for the work, so it’s mostly a part-time job while we’re working on our bigger projects.”
6. Don’t Believe the Words “Expert Advice”
Have you ever run into articles that offer expert advice on different problems? If, for example, you’re looking for information on the health benefits from dry brushing, you’ll probably want an article or an eBook written by a doctor.
You’ll get one; all right! You’ll see a doctor listed as an author, but this was probably a ghostwriting project for a writer. Some of these guides are really good, since the writer conduct thorough research to provide the tips you need. Some articles and eBooks, however, are written by freelance writers who couldn’t care less about the quality, since they are not being paid well.
7. The Writers Don’t Enjoy Great Flexibility
A writer should be able to express their mind, right? Well, not so much. Today, the profession of a writer involves work according to specific topics, with specific instructions. For freelance writers and journalists, in particular, there’s not much flexibility involved.
8. Many Writers Work for Free
Think of a talented writer or journalist who’s nowhere near making good money. They turn to online platforms that connect freelancers with clients. They apply for a job, and they get hired. They do their best to complete the work, and then the client disappears. Poof, gone!
Some of the clients are so outrageous that they promise to pay by the end of the week and ask for more work to be done by then. Naive beginners believe this lie and they continue working for free. The writing industry is brutal to beginners!
9. The Self-Publishing Industry Is Not as Welcoming as It Seems
“If I don’t get an editor who’s interested in my book, I’ll just publish it myself.” That’s what every writer thinks before they start working on a big project.
The problem, however, is that self-publishing still costs a lot of money. The writer will have to pay for the cover design and a lengthy marketing process. They could do all this work on their own, but they wouldn’t have much time for writing in that case.
Another problem is that self-published books are not as popular as the ones promoted by big publishers.
10. It’s NOT as Easy as It Looks
“Oh; he just writers and gets money for his words.” How many times have you heard of this definition for someone’s work? From a distance, a writer’s work looks easy, especially when they are earning a decent salary.
When you get inside the industry, however, you’ll realize that the competition is stiff and the clients/editors are more demanding than you could imagine. A typical article takes a lengthy process of research and writing, followed by several revisions. It’s never easy to meet the standards of needy editors.
Now that you’re aware of the dark truth of the modern writing industry, are you ready to get in? It’s a challenge, so you have to be strong enough to face it!
About the Author
Chris Richardson has been working as an editor at a publishing agency in London, UK for 5 years. He is also a professional content writing expert in such topics as career growth, self-improvement, blogging, and technology innovations.
