There are three main sources for you to get the content you need.

They are:

Write it Yourself
Hire a Ghostwriter
Use Other Writers

There are pros and cons to each source but by using a combination of sources you can accumulate a well-rounded body of content for your use. Here are some of the points to consider when using the different methods for creating content. What works best for you will depend on your level of writing ability, what the content will be used for and your budget, among other things.

Write it Yourself

Writing content yourself is not only the least expensive method, but allows you to inflect your personality into the content. This can be very useful in attracting a loyal customer, especially through newsletters and articles.

Writing content yourself can also be beneficial when writing about a topic of which you are particularly knowledgeable about. If you can inform your customers on a topic it may be difficult to find another writer who can impart the same information accurately.

However, if your writing skills are extremely poor you may need some assistance. Whether you simply need to hire a proofreader to catch grammatical errors or an editor to rearrange your thoughts and point out where your information needs clarification, you may still be able to create your own content for less cost than hiring a writer while maintaining the originality of your content.

Hire a Ghostwriter

When you need more than just a little assistance, whether it’s because of time restraints, lack of writing abilities or you need a writer with knowledge of a topic you aren’t familiar with, you should consider hiring a ghostwriter.

Ghostwriters are individuals who will write content for you (website, articles, ebooks, press releases etc.) and give you all the rights of the original author. You pay them for their time and abilities and in exchange you claim ownership of the material.

Ghostwriters are valuable to businesses that need quality content on topics that are easily researchable by the ghostwriter.  You may also find ghostwriters who are experts in their own field but hire themselves out as writers as a side business.

For more detailed assignments you can also hire a ghostwriter to use your knowledge or research and compose the information in a manner which reflects your own ‘voice’. The ghostwriter will need to work very closely with you and develop a style of writing that will emulate the way you express yourself. Ghostwriters have often been hired by famous people to assist them in compiling their autobiographies.

The cost of hiring a ghostwriter is variable depending on the level of expertise required, the amount of research needed and the nature of the assignment. When hiring a ghostwriter you should make a ‘work-for-hire’ agreement which means that the writing cannot be resold to another buyer or used by the ghostwriter for other purposes.

If you regularly need access to a variety of information you can use a service such as www.InfoGoRound.com which gives you access to a large database of articles written by ghostwriters.  This service also permits you to request articles on specific topics that one of their professional writers may undertake writing for you.  While the content may be used by other members you are entitled to use them without crediting the original author. You may also change the information or add to it without special permission as would be required if using free to reprint material. 

Use Other Writers

There are really two categories of other writers you should consider. Writers who offer their content for free and paid writers.

Paying for a writer to create content for you is not common for small businesses unless the expertise of the author is needed for the material to be useful. Secular magazines often pay writers for their work which can vary in cost depending on the background of the writer and the size of the publication. Fees for writers can be found in the ‘Writer’s Market’ book which is a resource for writers looking for paying jobs.

Writers can be found through associations, recommendations by other people and from freelance websites like www.elance.com. When hiring a writer you should ask for samples of their work and have them make an agreement for permission to use their work or the exclusive rights to the work.  Without an agreement in place you may be facing copyright infringement claims or find the writing published in another place without your knowledge.

Working with writers, proofreaders or editors is just another part of doing business online. Making use of these services can help you project a polished, professional appearance to your visitors and readers while still giving you control of the information presented.

As with any contract work you should be careful to choose individuals who respect your needs and deadlines and can provide quality work while at the same time recognizing the value of the services these individuals are providing to you by giving them enough time to finish your projects and adequate pay.

If you are planning on writing your own content, where do you start?