The definition of creative writing services varies from agency to agency, but they normally involve some sort of freelance writing for magazines, blogs, or other forms of content creation for businesses. Sometimes this can even be done pro-bono for charity events!
If you’re interested in pursuing creative writing as a career, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to become a creative writer and the types of jobs you might end up doing.
Why Should You Become a Creative Writer?
Writing is a very personal and subjective thing, so it’s quite difficult to give a definitive answer to the question of ‘why should you become a creative writer?’
However, there are a number of compelling reasons why you should consider a career in creative writing.
- You like to write. Being able to express yourself through words and create something out of nothing is very exciting. And what could be more exhilarating than seeing your work appear in print and online for the world to see?
- You want to write for publication. Nothing can be more satisfying than seeing your words in print and knowing that others are reading your work. Even if you don’t want to become a famous author, every aspiring writer wants to see their work read by people, whether it’s a hobby or a part-time job you’re doing while you pursue your other passions in life.
- You have a unique voice. Everyone has a voice, and no one can write for you. Being able to uniquely express yourself through your writing is extremely satisfying. Even if you don’t think your voice can be heard, you’ll feel confident that you can at least engage with the audience that you’re writing to.
- You have a good command of language. Just like with any other job, you’ll need to take care of many details and be good at communicating with your collaborators. Your vocabulary will be tested throughout your career, so make sure you’re prepared for anything that can be imagined.
- You’re curious. Storytelling and investigation are essential skills for a creative writer. You’ll be exploring topics and presenting them in a new way for the reader to discover, so being curious about everything that happens in your stories is key. Being open-minded and flexible will also be valuable qualities to have as a creative writer.
The Types of Jobs You Might End Up Doing
As a creative writer, there are many different jobs you might end up doing, as the industry is quite diverse. Notable agencies that offer creative writing services are:
- Anchor / Advertiser / Agencies: This is the traditional model for creative writing. You’ll be assigned a certain number of story pitches a month and spend the rest of your time doing research or finishing articles for the ad agency.
- Consulting / Editing / Mapping: If you enjoy coming up with ideas and helping others with their content, you could end up doing some consulting for businesses or even a marketing agency.
- Features / SEO / Content Strategy: If you love to write, but also like to keep your options open, you might consider doing features for publications or businesses. These are stories that are usually between 400-600 words long and involve an extensive research phase before you start writing. Typically, you’ll be asked to come up with ideas for a specific topic or area of interest.
- Short-Stories / Social Media / Content Creation / Blogging: If you want to write for magazines or popular websites, you might consider doing short-stories to make your mark. These are often between 100-200 words long and can be really light or fast-paced. You may be asked to write for a specific platform (e.g., Snapchat, Instagram, or TikTok) as these are the places where most people are now consuming content.
- Travel Writing: If you’ve always wanted to travel, but never taken the time off work to do so, this might be the job for you. You’ll be traveling around the world to write about your adventures and meet new people. Of course, there’ll be times when you have to take a break from your travels to do some work. But the majority of the time, you’ll be basking in the moment and enjoying yourself immensely.
Where Do I Start?
As a creative writer, your first port of call should be your local library. There, you can find a wealth of books on writing and numerous magazines and websites that you can read to get inspiration and guidance. There are also lots of amazing competitions and grants that you can apply for to help you on your way.
Writing is a very competitive industry, and it pays well. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between jobs in 2018, wages were up 9% ($20.62 to $27.92 per hour) for people whose primary job was journalism, and 11% ($21.25 to $27.93 per hour) for those whose primary job was non-fiction writing. For more information, visit this site.