2026/05/06 Life of a Content Writer
Writers get to be solitary creatures who sit and write all day, expressing themselves via the written word alone.
This was the notion I carried when I started my job as a content writer at a company that made gamified assessments. I believed a content writer is no different from a fiction writer, whose sole occupation in life is making magic with words. As it turned out, I could not be further from the truth.
A typical workday for me went like this. It started with extensive research and reading up on the topic on which I wanted to write. It wasn’t enough to read a simple article or watch a video. It often involved deep diving into verbose and complicated documents heavy in technical and corporate language. Then there was the matter of assimilating that language and the brand messaging of the client who provided the document, because they expected my output to be accordingly aligned. This often gave the (correct) impression that writing is more of reading and understanding first than about anything else.
The next shocker came as the realisation that the creative freedoms with a content writer are very different from those with fiction or non-fiction writers. And the expectations from them are also very different and ever-changing. While one client may strictly require formal corporate language, another may ask for a chill or humorous tone. Some want heavy emphasis on their subject matter, while others are open to more relaxed storytelling. Adapting to each client’s unique ‘voice’ is key to a content writer’s success.
But a content writer’s work doesn’t end with the written word. It extends to everything that accompanies the written word, namely, images, music, videos, and the user experience. Thus, a part of my routine work involved searching for the most appropriate images to go into the content management system along with my words. If such visuals could not be found online, they had to be made by a graphic designer. And this required a whole new level of clear and concise written and verbal communication.
Which brings me to the most surprising aspect of the life of a content writer: it calls for both written and verbal communication. Communicating effectively between various teams, be it media or tech, and between clients, colleagues, and various stakeholders, is paramount. This is especially true with your boss, who may not always communicate all his needs clearly and directly, despite expecting everything from you in return. This is where strong interpersonal skills come into play. You may not lead teams, you may not be a manager, but you need to be communicative and assertive just as well. Sometimes you have to stand up for your ideas, and often you have to learn to listen to others, even if it involves ‘killing a few of your darlings’.
In the end, the life of a content writer is just like the life of a writer, but more demanding, more wholesome, and more fulfilling.
This article is researched and composed by Saily Bhagwat.