The pursuit of writing as a career is often scrutinized by those who don’t understand the countless opportunities within this field. In reality, many, but not all, of the challenges that come with following a career in writing are similar to those found in the majority of both small and large business positions. When narrowed down to the basics, technically, everything is a business, even an individual working for themselves. The typical positions attached to modern writing and modern business similarly deal with complications as a result of competition, work complacency, and attempting to be continually strategic when it comes to understanding target audiences. However, writers additionally face unique encounters with writer’s block, how and where to get work, and “finding a voice” on a daily basis. Degrees based in writing, and in a broader sense, communication, actually provide students with the tools they need to hone a specific set of skills that could help in proficiently overcoming all such obstacles. These skills would give anyone who can master them the ability to garner success through a multitude of career paths.

Similar to the world of business marketing, the world of content writing battles with conflicts surrounding cut-throat competition, getting stuck in a rut of “going through the motions,” and staying on top of creating the best strategy possible to target a specific audience. Content writers have very little room for error when it comes to producing the best in their respective fields. In an article entitled “11 Big Content Marketing Challenges (and How to Overcome Them),” Dan Shewan explains that “it’s better to publish one truly excellent post per week than post five mediocre posts every week… with so many publishers vying for attention, the only thing that will differentiate you from other publishers in your industry is quality content.” An English degree prepares writers to think outside the box and be creative in terms of setting themselves apart from the rest. Effective content writers understand the importance of an enthusiasm towards creative thinking. Writers, for the most part, write to be heard. If they are writing for the readers, then it stands that they must know people because their content has to connect with others in order to be successful. Ben Allen is a freelance content creator and digital marketer who aims to help increase the success of small businesses. He points out how the ever-evolving nature of target marketing has become a challenge for content writers in an article entitled “The Marketers Approach to Overcoming the Content Writer’s Block”. In the article, Allen elaborates saying “as new research, technology, and tactics are developed, you need to have spot on personas that actually represent your target market [now], not… a year or two ago” (Allen). In order to understand people and content writers, one must persistently seek out what will persuade or entertain their intended audience and in today’s world of many options that means not only knowing what an audience wants to consume, but knowing how they want to consume it. For content writers especially, Inbound Marketing advises that McNerney 3 “writing compelling, actionable posts is completely pointless if your audience would rather listen to a podcast or watch a live broadcast on Periscope or Facebook live… and even if your target audience does love reading blog posts, adding visual content greatly increases its effectiveness and makes it that much more compelling.” Students with an English degree have spent a significant amount of time honing their analytical skills and critical thinking, two key components any marketing position would require in achieving the optimal comprehension of a target audience. Writers from all subtopics of the study of language have the chance to take a variety of courses that would seem to be elective but still fall under the core curriculum. Courses based in creative writing typically participate in group workshops in which students get the chance to critique their classmates and to respectively listen to several peers critique their own work. Internship courses connect students with career environments of interest. Modernized writing courses connected to digital media teach students how to take advantage of the tools technology provides to become better writers and understand how to better market themselves in today’s world. English degrees arguably have more options now than ever before when it comes to turning one’s education into a fulfilling career through various means.