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The Secret To Becoming A Paid, Pro Web Writer

© Christopher Cummings

Writers, I'll put it to you bluntly: If you want to make a name for yourself online, you need more than the ability to turn a clever phrase ... you need additional skills that will make you stand out in the crowd.

That's it. That's the secret. Makes sense, right? But too few writers seem to understand it.

Let me make it clear by using an example from my own life ...

When I applied for the "Content Editor" position with Boston-based game site http://www.gamesville.com, I was running neck in neck with a fellow writer. Basically, the position involved interviewing Gamesville members, then working with a designer to post those interviews on the site.

I was told my competition could write as well as I could and had similar editing skills.

But I got the job.

Why? Because I knew HTML and had some (stress on the some) graphics skills.

In other words, I had the ability to do more than generate words and concepts; I could do something with them; I could create my own web pages and post them to the site, all by myself. Having these skills made me more valuable in the eyes of my future employers.

Don't misunderstand: You still need excellent -- Web -- writing skills and you still need to adhere to some kind of style guide (AP, Chicago, Wired, whatever). But if you really want to wow the digerati, you need skills that go above and beyond the ability to craft perfect prose.

And that's what this column's all about.

In the coming weeks, we'll be discussing topics ranging from the most basic to the sublime including:
- What is content?
- What is HTML?
- How do I write for a Web audience?
- What markets pay?
- I'm a writer, not a designer. Is that OK?
- How to write an email publication that works
... and many, many more.

To return to my own example, I've come a long way since those simple "Content Editor" days.

As Senior Content Manager, I'm responsible for a team of editors and designers who create the front ends for Gamesville's games, and create content centered around our 3 million+ membership base. I write and produce our popular email newsletter, The Gamesville Times. And I've even picked up some management, UNIX and advanced HTML skills along the way.

I hope you'll find these columns enjoyable -- and, most of all, helpful. The Web can be a scary, strange place. But it's the best thing to happen to us since the printing press, and it's about time you got in on the action.