When working in the media, no two days are ever the same; it’s an intriguing and challenging job.
Even though the world of journalism is rapidly changing as new publication platforms arise, we continue to rely on it to entertain, inform, and impact people’s ideas, allowing them to see the world in a more positive light.
However, media writing has developed into a number of genres and styles. Media houses now employ the services of freelancers to help them get the job done.
These best website to hire freelancers for media writing will relieve you of the workload while assuring quality and accuracy media writing demands.
What is media writing?
Media writing is the process of writing content that will be widely distributed through media channels. It includes publications like newspapers, magazines, well-known websites, blogs, social media, and others.Media writers come from many professional backgrounds, but all require specific skills to communicate with readers effectively.
Media writing uses specific criteria and classifications to provide readers with certain kinds of information.
Audiences commonly use mass media to interact socially, enjoy themselves, and obtain information.
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Types of Media Writing
Here are eight types of media writing.
1. Writing news stories
A specific prose style known as news writing is used to report on the most important details of a particular event.
It addresses the five Ws in the first few sentences or lines, regardless of whether it is meant for broadcast or newspaper publication. This layout, known as an inverted pyramid, emphasizes the who, what, when, where, why, and how (the most important information is presented first).
There is no jargon in news writing since the language is so official and straightforward. News writers often avoid using long words or phrases when shorter ones will suffice, as well as repeating the same term inside a sentence or paragraph.
2. Feature Writing
Feature writing presents an account of notable events, but unlike news writing, it uses subjectivity and creativity to interest readers on an emotional level.
It covers many soft news, including art, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle, because its primary objective is to entertain.
Furthermore, feature works expand previously published news by trying to humanize the subject of the story and provide further context and insight.
Live-in stories, spot features, and profiles are some examples of features. While live-in stories are longer and provide readers with a more in-depth look at an area they may not have visited before, spot features are produced on a tight timeline and run alongside breaking news events.
Journalists frequently spend extended periods in the areas they cover, such as emergency rooms, hospices, police stations, and homeless shelters.
3. Reviews
Writing reviews is a popular practice in journalism and the media, to give readers a recommendation or opinion. You can be more arbitrary and casual in reviews than in journalistic writing, but establishing trust with your audience is essential if you want them to listen to what you have to say.
More specifically, a reviewer’s job is to provide information, analysis, description, and advice on almost any subject, product, or event.
Examples include movies, television shows, restaurants, live performances, publications, and goods. The Guardian newspaper is well-known for its evaluations on a wide range of issues, including television and radio, theater, and culture.
4. Columns
A columnist is a regular writer who is free to express their thoughts in the area provided for them. Columnists are commonly found in newspapers and periodicals.
A column is a common feature in popular tabloids and broadsheets, and unlike news items and reviews, it is typically written by the same journalist on the same issue or subject each time.
Columns include a wide range of themes, including music, sports, fashion, gastronomy, gossip, and advice. Proficient columnists use good language and English while writing in their unique style. Although it is important to retain an informal and friendly tone, columnists frequently have limited space to express their ideas, so avoid jargon and unnecessary material or detail.
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5. Investigative Writing
Investigative journalism frequently uncovers big crimes, corporate misconduct, or governmental corruption; so, before an article is published, the writer must devote several months to extensive research and planning. Because investigative journalism deals with sensitive themes, writers must always maintain the highest standards of truth and back up any claims they make with independently verifiable evidence.
Before deciding to perform a complete investigation, investigative writers often gather information on articles and spend some time developing ideas and planning additional study. The Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2010 exposé on the sex abuse scandal at the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an excellent example of investigative journalism.
6. Content Writing
Concise and clear content writing is extremely important in the digital world, whether for reports, blog posts, articles, or news. The basic explanation for this is that people who use the internet want information quickly and effortlessly. However, headlines should also be carefully studied. Why? Because direct headlines perform better online than indirect headlines, and if they don’t include any keywords, search engines will ignore them.
7. Sports articles
Sports writing is a form of journalism or creative nonfiction in which a sporting event, individual athlete, or sports-related issue acts as the dominant subject.
The importance of sports writing has grown alongside sports diversification and development in status, wealth, and impact. While reporting the “serious” contemporary issues that investigative or news writers cover, sportswriters may unconsciously catch the politics of the day or developments in culture and society as a whole.
The latest story between Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas, for example, demonstrates how cultural perceptions have shifted and how this has impacted sports journalists.
Some sportswriters cover matches and events in a specific location, while others focus on a single sport. Investigative journalism is an effective method for sports journalists to discover more about a specific topic in their sector. One example is Sunday Times journalist David Walsh, who exposed Lance Armstrong’s doping in cycling
8. Writing editorials
An editorial is a piece of writing, usually of an opinion character, created by a senior editor for a publication. While it can be about anything, it usually addresses a societal issue and is backed up by data and facts to build credibility. Editorials can be difficult for many writers to master, but they are usually much easier if you have a strong passion for or understanding of the subject.
Which sorts of professionals use media writing?
Media writing is for authors who work for magazines or content-creating platforms. Media writing is a frequent strategy used by journalists, digital marketers, bloggers, and other content creators. Because media writing comes in a variety of formats, writers with diverse goals and experiences can create print content.
Throughout their careers, journalists might use investigative, feature, and news writing techniques depending on the narrative and topic at hand.
Digital media writing is a common strategy among digital marketers for promoting their clients’ goods and increasing website or article visibility through search engine optimization.
Bloggers are not the only ones who can express their opinions to readers through various media writing genres such as sports, digital, articles, and reviews.
7 Best Websites to Hire Freelancers for Media Writing in Africa
#1 WritersGig
On WritersGig, you will find a list of vetted informative writers with extensive experience in various types of media writing. Whether you need reports, news, stories, entertainment, celebrity gossip, or business writing, be rest assured that every word is crafted by a seasoned writer.
With WritersGig, you’ll experience seamless collaboration through the user-friendly platform. From initial briefings to revisions, the unique interface makes every process easy.
If you are looking for a media writer, the best place to start your search is on WritersGig. You will find a vast pool of freelance media writers who have worked in different industries and have a track record of success.
How does it work?
On WritersGig, when you post an available job, qualified writers will bid for the job by sending proposals and their portfolios. When you receive them, review their profiles and choose the best man for the job.
Reviews are not forged or manipulated. What you see is what there is when it comes to reviews.
Bear in mind that the system charges a 10% maintenance fee from the buyer and 10% from the writer when he receives a payment. However, the platform doesn’t charge a dime to join, hire, and work.
Media writing is meant to be clear, accurate, and error-free. As a result, WritersGig has Grammarly integrated into its database. Once the writer or buyer has a Grammarly subscription, he can correct his work on the platform’s interface.
If you’re posting the work to a website, the text editor on WritersGig is the same as the WordPress interface. All you have to do is copy the text and paste it to your website, and all the formatting is retained.
Expect to pay a media writer between N10,000 and N20,000, depending on the complexity of the job.
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#2. Truelancer
Truelancer is a curated freelance marketplace with thousands of top-rated media writers in Nigeria.
On Truelancer, you will find & hire freelancers who are professionals offering their expertise in various types of media writing.
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#3. Guru
Guru is a great choice for small business owners who may have tighter budgets. Since it’s free to post job ads, it’s easy to get the attention of qualified freelance media writers without having to spend big bucks. Again, you’ll need to be patient and use filters to narrow down the candidates from a large pool.
Guru features a built-in project management tool. You can create onboarding documents right on the website. You can even use Guru to manage your content marketing process by sharing documents and creating tasks.
#4. Upwork
On Upwork, you can find both beginners and advanced media writers for the various types of media writing. You can use filters to narrow down the candidates and find the ones that fit your niche and business needs.
You can search for writers based on their experience and how much they charge, including their fixed price and hourly rates.
This is one of the best website to hire freelancers for media writing.
#5. Freelancer
Freelancer.com is another freelancing site in Nigeria that connects freelancers with employers. It provides a platform for both freelancers and employers to find each other and get what they need from each other.
Freelancer connects businesses and individuals with media writers who have been carefully vetted; they also offer tools for employers like job boards, project management software, payment processing services, and more
#6. Contently
Contently connects businesses directly with vetted media writers. All of the services at Contently are customized to each individual client. The platform works with only the highest quality writers to help you find the perfect writer, even if your niche is incredibly small.
The team of media personnel at Contently helps manage everything from strategy to content creation and you’ll work closely with a consulting partner to figure out your business’s marketing needs.
#7. PeoplePerHour
People per Hour is another freelance platform that you can use to find and work with media writers in many countries. You can post a project ad or browse its database to start hiring freelance writers. People per Hour will then charge fees to buyers and sellers for every project.
At the moment, the platform has about 10,000 freelance writers in its database.
Mediabistro
This is a resource for media and publishing professionals.
Mediabistro has a job board where you can find freelance media writers, editors, and other creative professionals.
This is one of the best website to hire freelancers for media writing.
See also: 7 Best Websites to Hire Freelancers for Nonfiction Writing in Africa
Conclusion
Media writing is one interesting niche that requires expertise, experience, and some form of journalistic training. Visit these best websites to hire freelancers for media writing.
References
- Copify – best website to hire freelancers for media writing
- Indeed – best website to hire freelancers for media writing
