When I tell people I write for a living, I often get asked - what do
you write? I say I write anything, and everything. This answer is largely unpalatable.
More often than not, the question is modified - what do you write exactly?
I explain that I write blogs, website content, landing page copy, annual reports, case studies, and newsletters, among several other things that can be written. I write for brands, corporate, institutions, organizations in the B2B or B2C space.
This answer is digestible.
The inquisitor is satisfied knowing I write something.
However, I so believe there is a fundamental misunderstanding of how writing for a living works. Content writing is really about relaying brand information and SEO, heavily influenced by cost per word. This is both prudent and spartan.
Storytelling, on the other hand, is about guiding attention entirely by an engaging experience. It is a craft in which the story must reflect the readers' thoughts and carry meticulous descriptive quality.
When content writing doesn't work, it’s often because it is overly invested in number of words and foregoing experience at the expense of story-telling. This is stale storytelling bereft of novelty, joy, and empathy towards the audience.
So I append my answer by saying I know exactly what I don't want to write: made-to-order stuff which I produce quickly, easily and without much pleasure to myself.
But I still do.
Originally published April 25, 2019. What do I write?