For many of us who write for a living, as in providing professional content writing services, it’s a great inspiration to read in our spare time. After all, getting better at writing requires a whole lot of reading. So, on the menu today is a list of my current favorite article writers, bloggers, and content creators in general. Hint: not all of them have something to do with marketing.
#1 Enchanting Marketing
Тhe enchantress of copywriting
About a year ago, one of my colleagues forwarded me one of Henneke’s emails. It was a bite-size “snack” of content writing knowledge with tips and examples of her own career. It was a quick read and it had a great flow – enough to make me explore her blog for more. With a curiosity that’s never soothed, I dove into the blog section of Enchanting Marketing’s website and I learned a lot through Henneke’s wise, kind, and quite interesting articles.
Why check her out: If you would like to expand and improve your skill set in terms of content writing, you might find her tips, tricks and techniques a great starting point.
Where to start: Whether you need to juice up a dry topic or learn why businesses should talk about their success without bragging, give Henneke a chance.
#2 Seth Godin
The content master himself
Did you really think this list could have been complete without him? Seth is one of my favorite content marketers because he knows how to turn the most simple words into a ground-breaking concept and give it a new meaning.
Why check him out: A simple layout, easy-to-read but full-of-meaning posts, and all the content marketing juice extracted right from the source and served for you to drink.
Where to start: Anywhere really, but if I have to be more specific: this piece on compromise and success or his beautifully-put urge to take the initiative.
#3 Maria Popova
The interestingness hunter-gatherer
Even though one of the pieces of advice she gives to new bloggers is to never look at their content as “content”, she makes this list of my favorite content creators on the Internet without a doubt. Maria definitely has a way with words and knows how to use language to portray and distill some of the most timeless and abstract ideas.
Why check her out: Her “one-woman labor of love” as she calls the Brain Pickings blog is exactly that: a place that welcomes you with evergreen pieces by some of the greatest literary and artistic geniuses. Maria’s interpretation of their work is worthy of exploring and her belle-lettres expression makes it an even bigger pleasure for the reader.
Where to start: Her piece on spending time alone and what can be learned in the process or the one about what she learned after dedicating 13 years to her craft.
#4 Talking Shrimp
Laura Belgray and her colorful personality and words
The reason I started reading Laura’s blog was two-fold: she works in the industry of copywriting and that’s where a large part of my interests lie but also because she is hella funny. No, I mean it, I sometimes laugh out loud when I read her email newsletters. However, in the meantime, I learn a lot. Actually talking about her entertaining and engaging email newsletters, I can’t go without leaving you with a subscription link. You would like seeing them in your mailbox, I promise.
Why check her out: She offers tips and insights from her successful screen and copywriting career that you can use in your own content writing. She teaches you how to get paid to be you.
Where to start: This piece about writing for the creative industries is a good starting point and of course, her own break-down on successful email marketing.
#5 James Clear
The productivity and time management guru
As an old-time fan of time-saving and self-improvement tips, I felt the need to include James Clear and his prolific work on time management and many other subjects. As a best-selling author of a few books, he has been relentlessly following up with his one new article per week promise for years.
Why check him out: If you enjoy thinking about self-development techniques, creativity, building better habits, and you want to read about these things in a language that’s easy to grasp and straight to the point, then James Clear is the next writer to get obsessed over.
Where to start: Depends on what type of goals you have set for yourself. If it’s about understanding the science behind procrastination and not following up on our ideas, you can start here. If you want to learn better decision-making, start here.
I truly hope you enjoyed reading about these beautiful minds who put so much out there for free. Good content writers are those who know where to seek inspiration. It helps them be better at the craft and bring value to their clients.
I, for one, am sure that everyone who provides professional content writing services and everyone who hires writers will find value in this list. Tell me about your own favorites in the comments.
