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Starting Your Career in Writing
By
So you want to be a writer? One of the most important things to be aware
of before you begin your writing career is that writing requires a great deal
of discipline. If you want to do
anything well, you have to practice…and practice, and practice, and
practice. Great writers write every day,
whether they think they have anything to say or not. You’ll never get anywhere if you just sit
back and wait for inspiration to strike you.
Writers write. Learning to enjoy
the process of writing—creating a story out of nothing, editing it over and
over again, sometimes agonizing over every word—is essential to your success
and your fulfillment as a writer.
There are, of course, other ingredients that are vital
to a successful writing career. Another
thing writers must do is read.
Although you may think of a “writer” as someone who
writes books, there are in fact many different types of writing careers you
might pursue. The ability to communicate
effectively in writing is essential in virtually every business and
profession. Besides authors of books,
plays, and screenplays, there are journalists, television script writers,
speech writers, technical writers, people who write for websites, newsletters,
brochures, greeting cards, and more.
Writers work for advertising companies, banks, charities, museums, and
universities—sometimes as staff and sometimes as freelancers. To make a living as a writer, you will likely
need to develop your skills in more than one area of writing, so don’t be
afraid to explore various genres and styles.
There are many valuable resources available today to
help you begin a successful writing career.
Take advantage of classes and workshops for writers, books on writing,
websites, and networking events to continually hone your skills and expose
yourself to new people and ideas.
Although it will require hard work and discipline to be successful, your
writing career can be as exciting and fulfilling as you want it to be, so dream
big!