The writing world is going through a weird time as you may or may not be aware. There’s a lot of fear that AI will take away writing jobs, and it has, to some degree. AI is great at writing posts that don’t require a human such as, “The Top Ways to Promote Your Small Business” because it regurgitates information that’s been written about extensively. Some companies are extremely price-conscious and would rather get a blog post for free from AI than come up with something original. So it’s true, AI has taken away writing jobs but they aren’t jobs I as a marketing content writer want to do anyway.
So that’s the AI problem. But then there’s the issue of companies slashing their marketing budgets. When times are economically tough, marketing is the first thing to go. I’m a part of several marketing content writer Facebook groups and I hear over and over again that this is a slow year, that people are struggling to find work. There are numerous requests for commiseration and tips because the work isn’t flowing like before.
It’s been the same for me — the publications and agencies I used to work with regularly have stopped calling because they don’t have the same income anymore (hi, news publications) or the work has dried up (marketing agencies). It’s rough out there AND not all hope is lost. I have a little story to tell.
I’ve cried many tears over the past few months watching my savings dwindle, unsure what I would do about it. I’m not someone who can work a full-time job unless they are VERY accommodating. Working as a freelance marketing content writer who offers SEO blog writing services and a case study writing service is a good fit for me and my lifestyle. But where to go for the work that I want to do? The stuff I’m good at? The stuff that requires creativity and a brain?
I joined job boards galore and threw my hat into the ring for several positions. I didn’t get so much as a screening interview. Fear gripped me and I prayed my buns off, asking for help and guidance daily. Finally, one day while I was napping, a name popped into my head. About 3.5 years ago, the CEO of a company reached out to me and asked if I was available to write some blogs for them. I couldn’t at the time because I was doing a lot of work for a publication that covered the company’s industry. Writing for the company would compromise my journalistic objectivity so I turned him down and gave him some names of people to contact.
Fast forward to last month and I reached out to him saying, “Hi, I know it’s been a long time and you may not need this anymore, but I’m interested in writing for you.” And you know what he replied? “You have great timing! We’ve expanded our marketing operations and would love to have you write for us.” After 3.5 years of not being in touch and an email out of the blue, I have more business again.
The experience reminded me there is a greater intelligence at play, that I am connected to a giant web of something, and that intelligence wants to see me succeed if I only stop to listen. It can be hard sometimes when the fear voices are so strong and they tell you to just try anything, to throw spaghetti at the wall. But I bet if you get quiet enough, you’ll hear a whisper, a nudge, telling you what to do. And if you haven’t heard it yet, maybe it’s not time yet and things are still getting worked out behind the scenes. At least, that’s been my experience.
If you’re getting the nudge that you need a marketing content writer who offers SEO blog writing services or you’re looking for a case study writing service, reach out to me and see if we’re a good fit. Maybe you’ll be the person for whom I say, “Wow! You have great timing.”