How to be a successful writer
Creative Commons photo by BabyDinosaur
Someone recently asked me how they could get into the writing field. Here’s my answer, and I’ve also asked some of my professional- writer friends to add their own two bits (see comment section, below!)
Writers write. End of sentence. There’s no more to the definition of “writer” than that.
I suspect that “getting into the writing field” means something else, however. As in: making money, or getting attention of some sort for one’s writing. Oh dear. “Don’t give up your day job” is about all I have to say about the money part, and “start a blog” is all I have to say for the second.
All sorts of people get paid for their writing who don’t think of themselves as “writers.” People write reports, letters, reviews, and even email every day in their jobs. Why is this sort of writing always discounted? Writers write. Writers who want to make money with their writing most likely are already doing it.
That’s not what you meant, I know: you want to wear a beret and write in coffee houses, and to earn $100,000 advances just for being brilliantly-articulate YOU.
Go ahead and do the coffee house thing on your day off: there’s nothing to stop you. And get that $100,000 the same way other people do it, by researching and writing up a great idea for the boss you already have.
If, however, you still refuse to give up the whole, romantic, “follow your dreams!” stuff, go buy yourself the latest edition of Writer’s Market. That’s what my cousin-who-writes-articles-and-stuff-for-a-living told ME to do.
Plus also? I got my current writing job because of connections, not personal brilliance. Sound familiar? Sound just like any other kind of job? BINGO.
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Cross-posted at Blogher.com
