Dreaming of days at your laptop, sipping coffee, and staring broodingly out at the rainy grey skies? Here’s how to officially get your Hemingway on.
There are ways to become a writer, you ask?
Yes, yes, there are.
And while I’m always an advocate for just starting to write, I bet you’re looking for a more concrete answer than just putting pen to paper, aren’t you?
I get it.
I was the same.
I longed to be a writer and had this whole idea in my mind of what it involved, what it took.
(The intro kind of spills the secret on that one, huh?)
And in some ways, I’m still trying to figure it out.
But… I have been a writer for well over a decade.
Fifteen years freelancing, eleven full-time.
So, without it sounding any kind of way, I guess that means I know my stuff.
If you want to know what you need to do to become a writer, your girl’s got you.
In this post, I’m sharing five pretty easy ways for you to get started.
5 ways to become a writer
Let me caveat by saying that I am technically qualified to write this post because…
i. I’ve done everything on this list
and
ii. gone through the process of trying to get started.
But also, this list is far from exhaustive.
If you want a quick snapshot of a few solid ways that you can build a career as a writer, here you’ll find it.
No fluff. No dodgy suggestions. No pay to play.
Just you and your budding writing career.
Let’s get into it.
1. Write your own stuff
First of all, I highly recommend just writing your own stuff.
By this, I’m largely referring to the creative kind. But honestly, anything will do.
Being a writer is very much about flexing that muscle. If you want to build it, you’ve got to use it.
It could be stuff you stash away for years, it could be stuff you want to start pitching. It doesn’t really matter.
Fiction. Essays. Articles.
Anything and everything in between.
Just build the habit.
This is going to help you to get better as a writer, but also give you the bones of stuff you can work on, improve, or add to at a later date.
And like I said, if any of it is good, you can always pitch it to publications.
2. Start a blog
No, blogging is not dead. I wrote about it here.
I might be bais, but blogging is the best.
If you want to write, starting a blog is an excellent idea.
There may be new platforms you can look to join, and believe me, I get the allure. But I’m also a fan of doing it the old-school way.
This way.
I started to get experience and use it as a portfolio.
Okay, I also kind of started because I wanted to be a blogger too.
Plus, there is such a wide range of ways you can monetize a blog, that even blogging can become your full-time writing career if you want it to.
3. Go freelance
Love the idea of writing for your favourite newspapers and magazines?
Want to write on your own terms?
Freelancing might just be for you.
Just bear in mind that you don’t get a set salary unless you’ve secured some longer-term contracts.
Freelancing is notoriously inconsistent.
But it’s also a creative’s calling.
A lot of freedom and flexibility come with being a freelancer.
But again, you still need to start somewhere.
I’m going to go deeper on this in another post.
4. Be a staff writer
You’ve also got the option of being a staff writer.
For some, this is the dream.
For me, it’s not.
No shade against being a staff writer. I know a lot of them, and I know it might just be your dream too.
However, for me, I like to float around, do my own thing, and shake things up whenever I see fit.
This is why freelancing suits me.
But for you, getting a permanent writing job at a newspaper, journal, or magazine might be exactly what you want.
Get it, girl!
5. Get into content writing
Then, we have content writing.
Or copywriting.
Basically, more of your commercial writing.
This, I have done a lot of.
Like, a lot.
I’m a seasoned pro, if you will.
It can be great if you want long-term, consistent gigs that pay well.
There’s a lot of business in the content and copywriting market.
If you want to write about fashion or tech or finance or sustainability, you can. I think that’s what I love about it the most.
You get to choose your niches based on what you’re passionate about and interested in, then work with brands and businesses that need a good writer.
It’s a win-win!
And the very best way to become a writer?
Just start.
No, seriously. If you want to be a writer, you have to write.
You don’t need an official I’m a writer badge or any kind of accolade. You just need to write.
Sure, you might need an in or experience to get started and officially be paid or make a career of it. But to get there, you have to just start writing.
Once you’ve got a few solid pieces to pull together a portfolio, nothing’s stopping you.
So, what are you waiting for?
Get your write on!
What else do you want to know about becoming a writer? Leave a comment and I’ll be sure to cover your request off in another post.