More and more websites are creating audiences rather than readers, and writers are helping them through polls, feedback forms, and message boards. However, it seems that web has not completely transformed web into a completely interactive medium yet. Content writers will create a way to force reader not to be an audience, but a part of play. As a writer, I think that we'll give audiences more and more room to interact and influence actual events and mediums.

Where We'll Take Content Writing

In future, I see nonfiction e-books allowing readers to pick and choose chapters based on their skill and knowledge levels. Students will be able to skip grammar review in an online textbook if they feel their skills are up to par or took an online skill test to "test-out". Web designers will skip HTML basics and move straight to HTML 5.0 new features and XML. Writers will be writing both for a general audience and a skilled audience, and readers will participate in process by choosing specific information they need. "Take what you need and leave rest" will be new online writing mantra. Contentville.com already did this (although they are now defunct) with a huge database of articles, thesis papers, and other formerly print media that readers pay a small fee to read. Others are following this pattern. This market will expand and readers will only pay for what they get.

In fiction market, readers will be taken to next level of participation by finding not only a choice of characters, plots, and settings through interactive websites and media, but through a Choose- Your-Own Adventure type of structure. Similar to online games, users will be able to choose Jane's physical traits and John's personality, and set story into sequence at a setting of their choice. They will choose their favorite outcomes in their online soap operas. (No more, "No! John! You should have married Mary, not left her for Margaret! She's evil!")

As for writers? We won't have to choose perfect beginning, middle, or end anymore. We won't have to decide on one specific audience. We'll be writing for all cultures, all ages, and all interest levels. Where content is king, we'll be knights in shining armor, rescuing reader from boring, redundant, or irrelevant web reading and writing of yesteryear.

Oh, yeah, and we'll be paid as well as Duke of Earl.

*This article originally appeared in Web Writing Buzz Newsletter in April of 2000.

2. Big Corporations

Big corporations either do their work in-house or hire an outside agency to implement their marketing and PR plans. They outsource because these agencies have more resources and good track records. These agencies have an account manager that delegates tasks to regular employees and freelancers.

How do you find them? If you are interested in PR or marketing work such as press release writing, brochure work, etc., check out corporation's website and see what contact name is on press release. If press release lists an agency, you'll have a contact name to send your pitch letter to. You can also call corporation's procurement office and flat-out ask what company handles their marketing, advertising, or PR work.

If you're interested in copywriting for a website, you can usually find name of web design firm that handles a corporation's online presence through a search engine. Type in company`s name (example: Timex) and words "client list" into a search engine and see what you come up with. Then pitch your services accordingly.

3. Big Web Projects through Online Partnerships

If you're interested in becoming a service provider on a service- auction website or just breaking into online industry, but you're not interested in paying a lot of fees, you may want to consider partnering with a web design firm or programming company that uses these websites for big contracts. You'll have to approach other independent contractors to do this and establish a good sense of trust. Online partnerships are becoming more popular, and more lucrative, as clients approach online marketplaces as a one-stop- shop. You'll want to have a signed contract in place and check client references for anybody you partner with.

Online partnerships can help retain customers; a programming firm can offer your user manual writing skills as part of software design package and a web design firm can include web content as a part of their web design package. Your skills partnered with another independent contractor can help save client money and help their projects become seamlessly integrated.

The key to building long-lasting client relationships is networking and follow-up. Once you've introduced yourself, you'll be able to get a feel for how your services fit in with these partnerships. If you see a big project that you don't qualify for, you can pass on description to companies you are interested in partnering in. Most importantly, you'll be able to have a few professional relationships on hand for when going gets tough. And you'll be happy to know that you've transformed your competition into powerful allies that may also have honor of writing your paycheck one day!