Creating content that is helpful and relevant to our audience while also producing measurable impact for the company we work for can feel more like a mathematical equation for marketers than a creative project we are inspired to pursue. 

Like any worthy challenge, however, the trial and error, inventiveness and dedication required to solve this "problem" are often the very things that drew us to this industry in the first place.

Our success lies in our creativity, ability to collaborate — both internally and externally with clients and users — and the communities we build that inspire and support us. Hence the theme for this year's Boston Content quarterly workshops: Creativity, Collaboration and Community. 

I started my career with a craving for big-city glamour — what blossoming editor wouldn’t want to follow in Max Perkins's footsteps? — but in the name of paying my mortgage, I have since edited books for self-published authors, copy-edited a fashion blog, proofread CPA manuals and food-safety guides, judged fiction contests, penned branded push notifications and so much more.

Along the way, I have learned that what I am editing does not matter as much as the story it tells. Brands and clients want to draw people in — after all, that’s what content marketing is all about. Whether you are just starting out as an editor or are transitioning to content editing from another medium, here are five things to remember.

Throughout beer-and-pizza brainstorming sessions, GIF-laden email threads, Google+ video chats and ragging on Jay for possessing a Y chromosome, our team has managed to cobble together a thriving community of content marketers on zero budget. It’s a testament to our collective event-planning abilities, for sure, but I think what makes this group special is that we truly believe in the merits of creativity, curiosity and collaboration.

Content marketing can be a lonely and stressful profession. Creation never stops, the pressure for quality is high and we often don’t have the time or resources to feel like we’re set up for success. Fortunately, our group of five has become seven — and we’re all ready to tackle the content challenges that 2015 brings in a big way.

Arestia and I founded Boston Content based on one exchange that, from that point forward, we swore we would try to eliminate from your average coffee shop. It went something like this:

Jay: I wanted to be a sportswriter, then got into business and now I have this word “content” in my title. No clue what it means.

Arestia: I hear you. I was working in Hollywood, got into business and now have “content” in my title, too. No clue what the career path looks like.

A few hours later, I got a text from Arestia: “Want to start a community group about this stuff?"