Writing content is a valuable skill. Being able to write in a way that attracts readers, clients, and buyers is something that could earn you money in your free time. Here are five mistakes you might be making when writing content.

1. You go off-topic

When you’re writing content, you want to stay focused on the topic you’re discussing. It’s easy to go off on a tangent when something semi-related crosses your mind, but if it has nothing to do with your main topic, it’s better kept short. You might be able to turn that extra information into a new piece of content. If you stray off from your original topic too often, the reader may get frustrated. Learning to keep your content focused will not only help your readers but tighten your writing as well.

2. You’re uncreative

A large part of writing content that people want to read has to do with creativity. You can spend two minutes on a headline that reads kind of boring or you can spend twenty minutes formulating an eye-catching title. Your headline is what people are going to see first, so you want to spend the extra time working on it. You can also spice up the content itself by presenting it in an interesting way. Maybe all of your tips start with the same letter, which will also help you create a better headline. For example “5 Ways To Earn Money Online,” might become “5 Ts of Earning Money Online.”

3. You don’t edit or proofread

Whether you’re writing for yourself or someone else, editing and proofreading is a step you cannot skip. You want your content to be without any spelling, grammar, or other errors. It helps if you set a piece aside for a day or two so that when you look at it with fresh eyes you will more easily see what needs to be fixed.

4. You write too long

Content doesn’t have to be long to be informative. People don’t have much time to read so writing shorter will be appealing. There is no reason to be long-winded when you can say what you need to in a few sentences. Don’t explain things three different ways just to make your content longer. 600 tightly written words is better than 900 words.

5. You don’t include research

Content can be informative and interesting without including links to research, but it doesn’t hurt to include one or two. People like to see facts and research that backs up what they are reading. If you mention something you won’t go into great detail about because it will take you off-topic, offer a link so the reader can read more about it if they so wish. If you talk about something that has scientific or other studied research, sharing it will show your reader you know what you’re talking about and aren’t pulling ideas out of thin air.

Writing content is a skill that can benefit you if you own a business, run a website or blog, or want to write for others. It’s a skill that can always be honed.