The world is a big place. There are lots of ways to find your niche, and for those who love being creative, there are plenty of opportunities to be found. One such field is writing. If you’re passionate about telling stories and putting them on paper, then there’s no stopping you! Now might be a good time to jump in and see how it feels.
The Benefits Of Being A Writer
Being a writer is a great opportunity to travel, to meet new people, and to see new places. If you can land a contract to write something for money, you can put that money towards your travels or the purchases of a new camera.
There are plenty of benefits to being a writer, but perhaps the biggest one is that it can be a very lucrative career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the average salary for a writer is around $60,000, those who are fortunate enough to land a contract can expect to make a lot more. Forbes has ranked the top 20 paying freelance writing careers and author Elle Kelleher has made over $100,000 per year from her freelance career as a travel writer and editor.
The Risks Of Being A Writer
Of course, there are risks associated with becoming a writer. The biggest one for emerging authors is putting your name on something you haven’t proofread or didn’t edit properly. You want to make sure that your manuscript is as flawless as possible so that your editor doesn’t have to cut a lot of corners to make it work. Once your book is published, the risks become even more heightened. If you’re not careful, you could end up in a whole lot of trouble. One wrong move and you might find yourself being sued for libel or slander. You might also find that your story is completely fictional and you’ve been duped. To avoid all of this, it’s essential that you take the time to research the information you put into your story and that you prove to your readers that the story is true. This way, you’ll protect yourself from any legal action and you can rest assured that you did your research.
Where To Begin?
If you want to become a writer, one of the most important things to do is to begin writing. Even if you’re not sure where to start or what type of story to write, just start by doing it. Getting your name out there is the best way to start attracting potential clients. One important thing to keep in mind, though, is that you should never be afraid to try new things. If you have an idea for a story, even if you’re not sure where to begin, give it a try and see what happens. Chances are, you’ll end up somewhere you never expected, and that’s when the charm of writing begins.
As with any career change, there are a few things you need to check off before you can begin moving about freely. First and foremost, you need a job. No, we don’t mean a job at Starbucks! We mean a legitimate job that pays you money to write. If you can’t afford to hire an editor or proofreader, at least have someone look over your work before you send it off to a publisher. Sometimes we don’t see the issues with our own eyes, but someone else can and will, and it’s your responsibility to make sure that what you write is as clear as possible. Even a small amount of editing will make a massive difference in the quality of your work.
Once you have a job and you’re beginning to save some money, it’s time to move on to the next step. That step is to begin researching potential publishers or agents. There are dozens of options out there, so it’s very important that you do some research and find the right fit. Before you make any kind of contact, however, it’s important to write a short biography about yourself. This is going to be your pitch to the publisher or agent. You need to be able to sum up your entire professional career in a handful of sentences. Ideally, a publisher or agent should be able to see themselves in your work. If they can’t, then they might not be the best fit for your projects.
What Will You Need To Succeed?
Obviously, you don’t need to have everything to succeed as a writer. All you need is the desire and the dedication to improve. There are lots of resources available to budding writers, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t immediately start making money. Take your time and find your audience. If you want to become a well-known and respected writer, then you’ve got to prove yourself first. The best advice for anyone wanting to succeed in any field, regardless of whether it’s writing, acting, or singing, is to just keep at it and eventually, you’ll find your audience.