First of all, what kind of writing do you want to be doing? It's all very well and good to say "I'm a writer" but what do you mean by that? Let's look at a couple different types of writing:
- Article Writing - writing non-fiction articles on a specific topic, e.g. travel, food, movies
- Columnist - writing opinion-based columns on trends, rather than the news
- Copywriter - writing marketing copy, designed to attract attention to a product
- Novelist - writing novels, usually fiction
- Poet - writing poems
- Short Story - writing short stories, usually fiction
- Reviewer - writing reviews about a product
- Technical Writers - writing manuals and documentation for systems
Of course, there are many more ways one could apply writing skills in a job. These are just a few example.
So, how do you become a writer?
Read
If you wanna write, you gotta read. Doesn't matter what kind of writing you're doing - it is absolutely non-negotiable that you read all the time. You cannot expect to be a good writer without reading frequently and often.
Write
Just as reading is a necessity for writers, so too is actually writing (this is the part I struggle with in my daily life). If you want to be a writer, you have to exercise your writing muscles and the best way to do that is to write every day. Set a target - so many articles, however many words - and do your best to hit it.
Studying?
You don't have to study writing to be a writer, but it can't hurt. I did a course in Copywriting and, while I didn't really learn anything new, it looked damn good on my CV.
That being said, there are plenty of great writing courses out there and if you feel like it's right for you, go for it.
Finding Work
Okay great, you want to be a writer: you're reading, writing and maybe you've even studied something. What next?
Well, if you want to be a fiction writer, start looking for publishers and/or magazines to send your stories/poems/novels to.
Thinking of something a little more business-oriented? Hit up a jobs board, like our very own Jobs Portal. Search for things like "Copywriter" or "Technical Writer" and see what you get.
Not really into the whole desk jockey vibe? That's cool - we live in the gig economy and freelance work is a great way to make some extra cash.
