The Job and What it Involves
Creating stories involves thinking, planning, gathering and researching. The key to good writing is ‘simplicity and clarity’.
The Main Areas of Work
There are many different areas of writing you could go into depending on what area interests you the most such as academic writers, novelist, play writers and screen writers to name a few.
Qualities Required
Determination and confidence is key. The first thing to do is actually call yourself a writer – you must acknowledge you are a writer to write successfully.
Qualifications
There aren’t any set qualifications needed to be a successful writer; GCSE’s, A-Levels and a Degree are useful as well as writing courses available to take but it depends on how confident you are as a writer and how much you need to improve. Good, clear writing skills and the determination to succeed are the most essential qualities.
Training
You must have a special place to go to where you can write, that could be a comfortable desk in a quiet room, where you can focus on your writing.
It is essential you put the time aside to dedicate to your writing, don’t get up too early when you don’t want to or do it at the end of the day when all your chores are complete as you will begin to resent it.
Aim to write as often as you can -the more you practise the better you will become.
Check out the Internet for Writers workshops and further education courses.
Salary
The majority of writers up to 25 years old earn around £5, 000 a year and therefore have to have a second job.
Salaries vary depending on their experience and publications it could be anything up to £120, 000 or even millions depending on success.
Writing includes irregular, long, unsociable hours; to be available when an idea springs to mind and be willing to stay at your desk for hours into the night until you are satisfied with the outcome. There is little job security as you really don’t know how successful your publication will be until published. For that reason it is important to get yourself a good agent to help promote your work.
Star Player
J. K. Rowling is a successful writer of the Harry Potter books; she first outlined all ideas to her Harry Potter books on a train to London from Manchester one afternoon and for the next five years wrote each in detail. Rowling’s books include Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets, Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire and the final book Harry Potter and the half blood prince; all have been released at the cinemas and have be a success across the globe. Rowling is able to write in a way her characters come to life, both children and adults are devoted to her books and she is the most successful female writer in the world.
Useful Links
http://www.askaboutwriting.net/
Writing/author sites
· Authors Den
· Nothing binding
· 1 free Chapter
· Writing.com
· Writerface
· Authortree.com
· Squidoo.com
· fantasybookreview
· Published.com
· Createspace
· Weread.com
· authonomy.com
· writerswrite.com
forums/book clubs
· Borders
· Createspace
· bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com
· bookclubforum.co.uk
· fanfiction.net
Tags: Female Authors, job profile, writer
This post has been commented once
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January 11th, 2010 at 3:26 pmdee blick says:
What an interesting article. I’m a writer, of books, blogs, articles and press releases. From an early age, I was captivated by the power of the written word and how a few beautifully constructed sentences and paragraphs could spellbind the reader. My school stories have been replaced by business writing, which although equally rewarding and enjoyable does not have quite the same freedoms as creative writing. Writers are crucial in the business development process. In my experience, a business can positively differentiate itself in a crowded marketplace simply through the power of the written word. And the simpler we writers can communicate what a business has to offer to its audience, the better. There is not a day in which I don’t write, although ironically, having been afflicted with RSI for a number of years, it’s more a case of dictation punctuated by the odd bit of handwriting! Thank you for posting a thought-provoking and enjoyable article.