Understanding Difference Between Different Forms of Writing

It is common to see the terms copywriter, content writer, and creative writer used interchangeably. However, it is crucial for aspiring writers to understand that each role has its own distinct responsibilities and requirements. It is essential to be aware of these differences before pursuing a specific job or career path in writing.

Akanksha Soni

5/8/20244 min read

In the era of technology and AI, you might have heard of content writing a lot. But, do you really know what is content writing? You must have read articles, blogs, captions, emails, and more such writeups all over the internet. All these are content. Content is anything that helps to engage and inform readers. Your article should be easy yet engaging to read. It should have a good readability score, which means, people of all ages should be able to read it easily. An important aspect of content writing is to write unique and plagiarism-free content.

What is Copywriting?

Plagiarism refers to copying someone else's work without providing proper credit. If you are copying content from the internet and claiming it as your own, it cannot be considered content writing. It's important to note that plagiarism is unethical for all types of writers, including copywriters. The role of a copywriter is not limited to mere copying and pasting content.

The term "copywriting" might push you to think of "copy-pasting" articles. However, it is very different from what it sounds like. In copywriting writer writes the content to pursue readers to buy the product or service. They write content for a marketing campaign, for a product description, or for advertisement. Their main purpose is to increase the sales of the company. The role of a copywriter is to convince their readers to engage with the brand. Copywriters should have the skills to sell the products through their influencing copy (content).

What is creative writing?

Unlike copywriters and content writers, the goal of a creative writer is not to inform the audience. Their main aim is to entertain their followers. Poems, scriptwriting, novels, speeches, and essays come under the umbrella of creative writing. A creative writer needs to have a great power of imagination and a good vocabulary. They play with words to take their readers to an imaginary world. They are artists who evoke emotions and provoke the thoughts of readers.

The aim of a copywriter is to make sales and increase the revenue of the company. They get paid according to the number of products or services they are able to sell. Their target is to convert blog traffic into customers. Blog traffic refers to all the people who like your blog and are engaging with it. Copywriter aims to convince these passive readers into active buyers. Their content is persuasive. Whereas, the content writer focuses more on providing the information to the target audience. Rather than showcasing only the good aspect of a product they focus on covering every minute detail. They try to spread awareness through their content. Their goal is to increase likes, shares, and followers of the website. Unlike copywriters, content writers focus to bring new traffic to their blogs and also retain the existing ones.

Difference between content writer, copywriter, and creative writer

Let us understand the difference between the two with the help of an example. Suppose a company needs a content writer and copywriter for their "book review" website. Here, the purpose of a content writer will be to write reviews considering all positive and negative aspects of the book. But, the purpose of a copywriter will be to write positive reviews for those books for which authors are paying the website. For example, author "X" paid the company $20 for promoting his book. Now, the role of the copywriter will be to include "X's book" in the "Top 10 Best Selling Books" article. This will help "X" to increase the sales of the book.

To summarize, while both copywriters and content writers utilize their writing skills, their main purposes differ. Copywriters drive sales through persuasive writing, while content writers primarily focus on sharing information and engaging the audience.

Scope of Content Writing

• Freelancing - A freelancer takes projects from different companies and works on them according to their pace. If they have a lot of free time they might take up several projects and work on them simultaneously. Whereas, at other times when they have other commitments, they might choose to work only on one short project. So, if you have a hectic job schedule and you want to do content writing as a side hustle then freelancing can be a good choice for you.

• Blogging - You can also start your blog without being accountable to anyone else. Blogging can be a little time-consuming. You'll have to post articles regularly to maintain the reach of your blog. But look at the good side, you can earn solely from your blog and make the most of it. You can also try different SEO techniques and learn digital marketing. This can be the chance for you to explore the field of content writing.

• Academic Writing - Research papers, essays, dissertations, and academic article lies within academic writing. If you are someone who did Ph.D. and is willing to share knowledge then this can be a great field for you. Academic writing is most suitable for nerds who love to study.

• Social Media Content - They write content for social media pages. Their role is to find a caption suitable to the post, find and use hashtags, and write a captivating bio.

• Technical Writing - User manuals and technical articles are written by these writers. They simplify technical content to ensure accuracy and clarity. Their role is to break down complex methods into simpler article formats.

• Email Marketing - The email marketer sends engaging emails to the target audience. They send weekly emails or run email campaigns to keep the traffic retained. Their purpose is to keep informing their audience about the changes and advancements in the company. Email marketing also helps to inform about any new events taking place.

Author's Note:

Before embarking on a career in content writing, it is important to have a clear understanding of the different roles within the field. Distinguishing between copywriting, content writing, and creative writing can help you determine your path based on your interests and strengths. If your goal is to persuade and influence readers, and you have a knack for crafting compelling sales-driven content, then copywriting might be the ideal choice for you. On the other hand, if you possess a vivid imagination and enjoy transporting readers to imaginative realms, then creative writing might be your calling. If your passion lies in sharing knowledge, providing unique perspectives, and informing readers, then content writing is a fitting option. Check out the writer's medium content writing course.