I Want to Be a Writer: How Long Does It Take to Learn Article Writing?

Do you have a passion for writing? Or do you simply want to be a freelance writer to get an extra stream of income? Either way, you may be wondering how long it will take you to learn.

There is more to freelance writing than stringing words together. It involves creating unique high quality, and valuable copy that is both engaging and persuasive and optimized to drive conversions.

Learning the art of freelance writing is important for anyone who wants to excel in this field.

However, the time it takes to learn article writing varies from one person to another, depending on a couple of factors.  If you are a newbie in the freelance writing world and wondering how long you have until you can become a pro, this article is for you.

Read on to find out more about the factors that determine how long you will take to learn article writing.

Factors That Determine How Fast You Can Learn Article Writing

Learning freelance writing is a different experience for everyone. Here are some of the factors that determine how fast you can grasp article writing.

1. Mastery of Language

The good thing about learning article writing is that you can start where you are as long as you know how to read and write.

However, an excellent mastery of language makes it much easier to grasp the ins and out of freelance writing. This enables you to learn article writing within a much shorter time compared to someone without an understanding of language.

The ability to write grammatically-correct, error-free, and concise sentences gives you a solid head start on your learning journey. It also makes it easy to learn additional techniques used in article writing.

Even if you don’t have a certificate or a degree, but you have a good mastery of language, learning how to write compelling articles becomes a breeze.

Learning may take much longer if you have a poor grasp of the English language as you need to know the basics of reading and writing to build a strong foundation.

2. Practice Makes Perfect

It may sound cliché, but practice is a game-changer when it comes to how fast you can learn. The key to perfecting your article writing skills lies in practicing. It will help you put your knowledge into action.

The more articles you write, the better you get at it, and the quicker you can become a pro article writer.

Find your favorite niche or niches. Write as many excellent articles as you can on the subjects of your interest.

You can also showcase your writing prowess and hone your skills by writing guest posts or crafting copy for your friend’s website. Practice not only shortens your learning journey but also gives you experience that you can leverage when you become a professional copywriter.

3. Dedication and Commitment

When you want to learn something, you need to dedicate your energy, attention, and time to it—and the same applies to article writing.

Your dedication and commitment to writing will determine how far you go. The more resources you dedicate to your writing, the faster you can climb the ladder and become a prolific article writer.

There will be days that you will suffer writer’s block and others where it may seem too demanding to go on. If you can rise above any distraction to pursue your interest in article writing, it won’t take long before you can master it.

It doesn’t matter whether you are being paid to write or not. When learning the ropes of freelance writing, you should learn by doing.

4) Readiness to Learn

To master article writing, you must be ready and willing to learn. Your enthusiasm to learn how to craft excellent copy will keep you motivated and push you to perfect your writing skills within a short time.

A great can-do attitude, coupled with the need for personal development and growth will see you achieve your article writing goals much faster.

If you are ready to become a professional copywriter, you need to take advantage of online writing courses and resources like e-books and online tutorials.

You can also learn from experienced article writers by going through their work and adopting valuable writing tips.

Be ready for both negative and positive feedback as you learn. While positive feedback means you are doing something right, negative feedback shouldn’t discourage you.

Use that negative feedback as constructive criticism to help you correct your mistakes. Learn from your mistakes and capitalize on your strengths. You’ll meet your writing goals faster this way.

5) Innovation and Originality

One of the metrics used to measure high-quality articles is authenticity. This means you need to write unique and original pieces tailored to the needs of your audience.

If you are creative, you can easily become an excellent article writer and attain your freelance writing goals as you are bringing a breath of fresh air to your audience.

Creativity and innovation not only applies to your content but also the way you deliver your message. You can turn everyday topics into captivating pieces by adding a personal creative touch to engage and persuade your audience. 

By being innovative and creative, you can quickly scale up the content writing ladder and become a successful article writer who keeps readers coming back, driving the desired conversion.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Content Writing?

The content writing world is dynamic and always changing. As such, there is no definite time that will take you to learn content writing.

Therefore, you need to watch out for emerging trends such as advertising techniques and means of engagement. This way, you’ll keep improving your writing to match the present freelance writing trends.

You will learn faster by dedicating your efforts to writing good content and using every opportunity to better your skills.

Do you want to learn more about becoming a professional article writer? Sign up to FreelancerKenya’s regular newsletter to get plenty of tips about article writing, pitching, and earning money online…and yes, it is free to subscribe. Here’s an amazing guide on what to do and when to make your first $1,000 as a freelance writer.

How’s it going with your writing career? How long did it take you to make your first dollar? Any tip I missed? Let’s continue this conversation in the comments section.