Top 8 Trends in the Writing Industry for 2019
There isn’t a single market or business that succeeds through stagnancy. So, anyone who works in the writing industry needs to know current trends and patterns. Here, we’re going to go over some of the biggest trends to keep an eye on in 2019.
1. Academic Writing Services
For most, entering the writing arena begins in school. But, anyone delving into the topic – whether short-term or professionally – can struggle from time to time. Because of this, there is a growing market to capitalize on the need for aid.
One example of this is that anyone can reach out to an essay writing
service for help. These allow students to order essays or even get
help editing. They cover any subject and match you with a writer that works
for you.
2. Freelancing
Freelancing isn’t something that’s new to 2019 but it is something that will exponentially grow. This is thanks to the increased connectivity in the world around us. It’s easy for anyone to find a client no matter how far away they are.
Even in the writing industry specifically, there are a number of niches to specialize in. This could be anything from blogging to research papers. It all depends on the skills and experience you have and are gaining.
3. Guest Posting
Writing on your own website is a great way to fill it and offer readers a lot of content. However, it limits your audience. Guest posts are a good source of organic traffic as well as signifying a sense of credibility.
However, guest blogging can be challenging. Specifically, it’s difficult to find sites that will accept outside content. Some sites will ask you directly, it’s also important to reach out to them as well. Many sites open to guests have a “Write for Us” page.
4. Increased Competition
Publishers are seeing a threatening trend thanks to growing technology. Grabbing a book used to be a common leisure-time pleasure. Anymore, though, authors and publishers have to promote their material in new and creative ways. This is the same problem seen in the freefall of print journalism.
That isn’t to say that all hope is lost. But, this does mean that marketing
needs to change to adapt to a high-tech world.
5. Appreciation for Transparency
We’ve seen a surge of consumers moving towards units with personality. Many prefer their local businesses to faceless organizations. A big draw to this is personality and transparency. This touches almost every industry.
The world has already seen what happens when writers embellish or flat out lies. Rachel Dolezal, James Frey, and Stephen Glass all faced public backlash when everyone learned that their memoirs were fabricated. In 2019 and beyond, readers want to hear raw, authentic stories that are powerful without using lies to get there.
6. SEO Internet Content
Creating online content is only part of the puzzle now. For that material to get any traffic, it needs the highest rank on search engines as possible. That means search engine optimization (SEO) is key. This includes the use of keywords, creating easy to navigate websites, and more.
It’s crucial to remember that search engine algorithms aren’t consistent forever. In many cases, the details of these algorithms need to be inferred or learned by doing. After all, they don’t want their algorithms abused to promote less-than-great content.
7. Audiobooks Are Growing
Today’s world is a busy one. We already discussed that there’s higher competition to capitalize on free time. Yet, adaptation to busy lives with little free time is a great chance for profit.
Audio content is popular right now because they’re easy to listen to while working, driving, or going to the gym. Any successful podcaster can tell you that. Audiobooks follow the same concept. The rise of audiobook platforms like Amazon’s Audible also lend to this growing trend.
8. Subscription Services Are On the Rise
While paper publication subscriptions may be falling, electronic subscriptions are rising. In fact, almost everything works on a subscription-based system replacing older concepts. Netflix and Hulu, for instance, are replacing more expensive cable packages.
There are a couple of ways this touches writing. A lot of news sources use subscription services for full access to their content. Even blogs can use email subscriptions to advertise new content.
Conclusion
The writing industry is constantly growing and changing. Paying attention and adapting to the trends here can help you thrive.