Look, I know I’m hugely biased, but I do think that what a colleague once called a “retrofitted journalist” is someone you should seriously consider hiring for your content writing needs. Don’t believe me? Check out this list of reasons:

1. They treat deadlines as sacrosanct.
2. They love to write.
3. They are consummate storytellers – storytelling is one of the first things they learn to do.
4. They know how to structure a piece for the best impact.
5. They live by the “5 Ws and an H” – who, what, where, why, when and how. This simple research – and writing – formula ensures you’ve covered all your bases.
6. They deal in facts – and know how to fact check.
7. They know how to show instead of telling – actions speak louder than words.
8. They’re sticklers for grammar – because they’ve had their copy thrown back at them by a variety of sub-editors for making mistakes. And they know that bad grammar has very negative implications for your credibility.
9. They understand how to write for a specific audience – and that the writing is about them, not about you.
10. They’re skilled in extracting information from subject matter experts and collating research into a coherent whole.

I mean, that’s 10 very good reasons – and I just happen to know an excellent journalist-turned-content-writer who has a space or two in her schedule for some retainer clients…