Many people can relate to falling in love with writing as a career. For those of you who relate, congratulations! You have found the perfect career in which you can use your words to engage with readers, entertainers, and the world. Whether you call it a ‘career’ or an ‘avocation’, writing is a form of art that allows you to both express your imagination and engage with the people you love most. If you are reading this, I assume that you are either thinking of becoming a writer or have recently found your way to the site. Either way, let me give you some great news: you are home!
Although it is always exciting to find a career you are passionate about, it is also important to remember why you chose this path. This article will give you a clear idea of whether or not you are cut out to be a writer. Keep reading to find out more.
The Creative Mind
Before you start making serious plans to become a writer, take a moment to appreciate what drew you to this career in the first place. Writing is a form of art that allows you to both express your imagination and engage with the people you love most. For those of you who relate, congratulations! You have found the perfect career in which you can use your words to engage with readers, entertainers, and the world. Whether you call it a ‘career’ or an ‘avocation’, writing is a form of art that allows you to both express your imagination and engage with the people you love most.
Creativity is an important part of being a writer. If you aren’t creative, you won’t be able to produce interesting content that will engage your audience. Creativity can take many forms, including but not limited to:
- Inventing stories
- Using words to describe pictures you’ve seen
- Using numbers to describe something in a story
- Making up words or creating phrases
- Drawing, painting, or creating sculptures
Whatever your creativity levels are, you can be sure that you have the ability to write creatively. The important thing is to be comfortable with your creative side. Writing is a form of art that requires you to use your imagination, which in turn, requires you to be creative.
The Writing Process
Now that you’ve found the career of your dreams, it’s time to take the next step and develop the necessary skills to put your creativity into words. For fiction writers, this means taking classes or looking into workshops to learn how to write a novel or short story. For those of you who are thinking of creating a nonfiction book, considering getting a degree in journalism or publishing. Whatever your chosen route, be sure to learn as much as possible about the craft of writing and become familiar with the various components that make up a finished product. Learning how to write is a lifetime journey and a never ending quest for anyone who chooses this path. It takes time to find your voice, and even more time to find the right tone for your stories or novels. Writing is a combination of talent, perseverance, and most importantly, creativity.
The Audience
Even if you write the perfect story that could only be told by you and your best friend, you still need an audience. Without an audience, your story will stay just that: a story. To reach the masses, your work needs to be formatted in a way that will make the reader retain it in their mind. After all, you are writing for an audience and you want them to remember your words. Formatting your story for the best possible read is a key element of being a successful writer. Take the time to consider the reading abilities of your target audience (if you have one).
For instance, if your story is aimed at children, you might want to use simple, easy to understand language and make sure all your spelling is correct. If you are writing for an adult audience, you can choose to use a more colloquial way of speaking and you don’t necessarily need to worry about spelling as much. Of course, this is only an example and there are usually many other variables that could affect the format of your work (e.g. length, number of illustrations, etc.).
The Media
As you are learning how to write, you might also want to consider the various forms of media that exist today. With the world becoming a smaller place, thanks to the internet, it is more accessible than ever before to connect with people across the globe. If you choose to write for a general audience, you might want to consider using social media to gain support and interest for your work. For instance, if you are a fiction writer and decide to use social media, consider setting up a twitter account for your book. If you have a blog, start using it to engage with your readers and establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your chosen field. Just remember to be creative with your choices and enjoy what you are doing.
Many people can relate to falling in love with writing as a career. For those of you who relate, congratulations! You have found the perfect career in which you can use your words to engage with readers, entertainers, and the world. Whether you call it a ‘career’ or an ‘avocation’, writing is a form of art that allows you to both express your imagination and engage with the people you love most.