Career as a writer

[Jack7]

I'm pretty demolished but then again im not exactly a proper writer, i dont even know what i want to do yet, so you guys are propably right about all that. I would have said that for my age that i had a pretty good vocabulary, im definately not that interesting though (i read it myself afterwards and got bored), from what i compare myself to at school. Life experience is pretty much nill in my case, not only because im young but also i dont do much. Meh, i probably shouldn't have asked if i didnt expect criticism and im not even of working age. Ill just leave my writing skills in email form and try other stuff. One thing i definately was trying to know was if, even though i would get derailed if working on writing at home or something, i was good enough not to have sympathy marks. This came out pretty garbled, so think of reading this post as a challenge. Thanks again for the links and the time, now i think the topic should be locked lest a troll walks in.

You shouldn't be demolished, or discouraged. Just have a healthy respect for the amount of work and effort that will be involved to become really good at writing. Don't mistake someone saying that something will be hard for them saying it is impossible, or not worth doing.

And if you really think that you're not all that interesting then go out and get involved in the world. Whatever interests you and whatever is appropriate for your age. Nothing can stop you from being as interesting as you wanna be.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Right, thanks for all the comments guys. Im pretty demolished but then again im not exactly a proper writer, i dont even know what i want to do yet, so you guys are propably right about all that. I would have said that for my age that i had a pretty good vocabulary, im definately not that interesting though (i read it myself afterwards and got bored), from what i compare myself to at school. Life experience is pretty much nill in my case, not only because im young but also i dont do much. Meh, i probably shouldn't have asked if i didnt expect criticism and im not even of working age. Ill just leave my writing skills in email form and try other stuff. One thing i definately was trying to know was if, even though i would get derailed if working on writing at home or something, i was good enough not to have sympathy marks. This came out pretty garbled, so think of reading this post as a challenge. Thanks again for the links and the time, now i think the topic should be locked lest a troll walks in.

The main thing you should ask yourself is, "why are you considering a possible career as a writer?"

If the answer is; because I enjoy writing or because I think I could be really good at writing, then don't give up writing just because you aren't yet reaching your expectations. As others have said, it takes time and effort. You are 15, you have time to work towards your dreams.

If the answer is; because it is an easy career path or because you think you can make a boatload of money at it, then you might want to think again.

I remember it was hard at age 15, but if you are looking toward career choices, try and figure out what you love, what you are passionate about and see if there is a way to develop that into a career choice. No matter what, unless you are a Mozart-like prodigy, it will take time and effort. Better that time and effort is spent on something you enjoy than slogging through something you don't care about.

 

[RangerWickett]

Addendum: You can publish young if you're a Mozart-like prodigy, or if you have filthy rich parents who are in the publishing business already.

*shakes fist at Eragon*

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Right, thanks for all the comments guys. Im pretty demolished but then again im not exactly a proper writer, i dont even know what i want to do yet, so you guys are propably right about all that. I would have said that for my age that i had a pretty good vocabulary, im definately not that interesting though (i read it myself afterwards and got bored), from what i compare myself to at school. Life experience is pretty much nill in my case, not only because im young but also i dont do much. Meh, i probably shouldn't have asked if i didnt expect criticism and im not even of working age. Ill just leave my writing skills in email form and try other stuff. One thing i definately was trying to know was if, even though i would get derailed if working on writing at home or something, i was good enough not to have sympathy marks. This came out pretty garbled, so think of reading this post as a challenge. Thanks again for the links and the time, now i think the topic should be locked lest a troll walks in.

Dude, for 15, your writing is pretty good.

I write myself- nothing published, because I'm my own harshest critic- and before getting into law, I went to a prestigious private HS, and among other things completed minors in English lit and writing in college.

And I haven't seen many people who can write as well as you did at your age...or even a bit older.

Hell, most kids your age don't have the patience (remember how I mentioned that as a virtue to cultivate?) to write what you did, much less take the time to edit it as well as you obviously did.

Other options I didn't mention that may or may not be an option where you are:

1. Get involved in some kind of school activity that focuses on writing. In most cases, that means the school newspaper. If you're lucky, your school has some kind of literary or poetry journal.
2. Talk to your English/Literature teachers- they may know of some kind of local publication that may take you on as a student contributor. Some newspapers do this for editiorials, HS sports reporting or advice columns. You may even be able to get some kind of school credit for this.
3. Check your local community colleges. They will have summer school classes that teach literature and/or writing, and they're likely to be open to anyone willing to pay the enrollment fees.
4. Find organizations that are involved in activities you enjoy- many of them have newsletters, and may be interested in your POV.

 

[Fridayknight]

Thanks again for the comments, ill try to get some answers out. Firstly perhaps demolished was exaggerated in my first post, maybe dissilusioned would be better. Im interested in writing because i enjoy writing fiction (however as you said it is very different to enjoy your english classes and to do writing for the rest of my life). I have definately looked back at my earlier stuff and thought that it was very bad, so thats a good sign. There used to be a school newspaper done by the students but i havent heard about it for a while but i should get some experience in writing soon. Thanks again.

 

[Jack7]

Firstly perhaps demolished was exaggerated in my first post, maybe dissilusioned would be better. Im interested in writing because i enjoy writing fiction (however as you said it is very different to enjoy your english classes and to do writing for the rest of my life). I have definately looked back at my earlier stuff and thought that it was very bad, so thats a good sign. There used to be a school newspaper done by the students but i havent heard about it for a while but i should get some experience in writing soon. Thanks again.

FK, I started out as the student editor of my school paper in the First Grade. I was either a journalist or editor for school papers all through my elementary (you'd probably say primary), middle, and high school educations. I wrote in college.

I started out as a journalist and it's good practice. But being a journalist didn't stop me from writing poetry, and essays, and science articles, and white papers, and children's stories, and even fiction.

And being a writer didn't stop me from playing soccer, pursuing science, attending church, pitching baseball, running track and cross country, vadding, working jobs as a delivery driver, becoming a detective, becoming a psychologist, starting my own business, getting married, having kids, raising animals, buying a house and lands, investing, studying to become a priest, becoming a staff officer for my squadron, going on missions, and so forth, and so on. I became a non-fiction writer not in spite of my other pursuits, but because of my other pursuits I became a much better writer and had a far wider and deeper base of experiences about which to write.

At your age (and this was true for me too, and I'm from a much older generation than you) you're likely to be dozens of different things over the course of your life. There's nothing wrong with that, nor is it anything to be scared of or concerned about. Being other things will not interfere with you being a writer, even one who makes a good living at it. (Though eventually you may have to give up other things or at least dedicate less time to them if you want to end up making the kind of living you desire as a writer.) You'll just have to learn to dedicate about an hour or maybe up to three or four a day to practice 'til you get really good at it. That'll be easy to do when you're young and single.

When you get older you'll have to learn to more properly budget your time towards writing, but that kind of thing can be done at any age, it needn't interfere with the rest of your life, and will probably add value and opportunities to the rest of your life (and vice-versa, the rest of your life will add value to your writings) rather than detract from it.

If you like I can post in this thread the study and practice program I used to become a writer. If not then develop your own study and practice program, if you're serious about becoming a writer (or, for that matter, anything else you want to become).

In any case the chances you're gonna be just a writer, and nothing else, are pretty slim. Especially at the beginning. But that's nothing to worry about. Being other things will in all likelihood just make you that much better a writer. Over time. However as you're doing other things you can also be (and should continually be) studying and practicing to be a writer. I listen to or attend a lecture, read a book on writing, or in some other way study writing, literature, poetry, languages, and so forth at least once every month, and I've been writing for about 40 years all told. Then again you should do that for anything you pursue. Study, learn and improve all of the time, I mean.

But you're young and just starting out. That's all to your advantage.
So take advantage of it. And don't get discouraged because you're not gonna win the Noble Prize for Literature with your first book, or internet posting. You're probably gonna build your life slowly, like most folks. There's nothing wrong with that.

And I'll also say this. I don't know why kids nowadays think they have to chart the course of their entire life at 15. Or even 25. Chances are it won't turn out the way you think at your age anyways. I'm not saying don't prepare. Always be prepared. To the best of your ability. But relax a little too. Over time you will gain experience. You will gain allies. Opportunities will come to you that you could have never expected, anticipated, or imagined. Things will work if you keep your eyes open and exploit the opportunities that come your way.

So yes, prepare. Get involved (which is also one of the very best ways to prepare) in things, take chances, go out into the world. Don't look at writing as excluding other things in life, or as excluding other pursuits, but rather as one pursuit among many possibilities than can add to, rather than detract, from other pursuits. But also relax a little, and be patient with yourself. You're not gonna become whatever it is you're gonna become overnight.

And if you think writing for a school newspaper or a local newspaper, or whatever the case may be will be good experience for you, then go do that, and enjoy yourself as you go. Then come back and let us know how you're progressing. It's nice to see young people succeed. And you will succeed at anything you undertake with a plan, some patience, practice, perseverance, and work.

So good luck and Godspeed.
You've got your whole life ahead of you.
Prepare for it, but also enjoy it.
In that way you'll do just fine.

 

[Fridayknight]

Thanks Jack, thats some good advice there. Everyone thinks they have to have decided because the schools want definitive subject choices that have to fit together and because there are a few people who have decided. First thing ill do is my exams then ill try to become superman over my massive summer holiday. Ive set out, rather foolishly, to learn computer programming, now writing, getting more musclular, doing charity work and learning loads more science (to become a doctor).

 

[Janx]

I like writing. I don't write as often as I should (other than posting on ENworld it seems).

A writer is someone who writes.

that simple. You are a writer if you have something to say, words that need to be written down. Maybe even shared with others.

So write.

Preferabbly, write what you know. That's the best advice I was given in my writing classes. All the greats did. If they didn't research their subject, they lived it. And those that lived it breathed life into their words.

To write what you know, you're going to have to do stuff. By the time I was 15, I had killed an animal with a bow, shot animals with guns, cut down a tree with an axe, made my own bow and arrow, hiked around a lot of land, and taught myself to program computers, and read a ton of books. Yet there was still tons more to learn and do, and now 20 some years later, there still remains more.

I believe it was Winston Churchill who advocated that a young man do some travelling before settling on a career. You''ll meet people and make connections, and when you're older, you'll have anecdotes to tell others that show how worldly and knowledgable you are. Work within your means, but get out and see the world beyond your bedroom window, even if your travels never take you out of the city, there is much to learn and see.

Can you make a living at writing? Probably not. While it takes skill to make it, it also takes luck, and patience. There's only so many chairs at the table so to speak, and too many hungry diners looking for a seat at the table. You should write for writings sake, and network and submit for the exercise in being ready to take a seat when one opens up.

Even if you don't make a career out of writing, having skill at writing will help you in most other careers. As a software architect, I have to communicate to a lot of different people. Being able to write well, in a variety of tones and styles to suit my audience is a good skill to have.

Don't give up on writing, and your words will never fail you.