| Writers
pen everything from poetry to screen plays. They can write
for car companies creating auto manuals, or for producers of sitcoms like Hannah Montana. Because it's a tough profession
to break into--let alone land a steady job--the royalties (cash!) can be very unstable.
So many writers have a second job to help stay afloat. But if you express yourself best on paper (or computer), chances
are this could be the career path for you. Who knows, you
may be the next J. K. Rowling!
Writers
can work in many different areas:
Freelance
Writer—For some, freelancing is the life. Y ou can work in your own home, set your own hours, and even
work in your pajamas. But you also must be disciplined and
stay on task if you want to bring home that check...which
sometimes comes months later! Still, if you like this type
of freedom and flexibility, working for a number of magazines,
newspapers, and even big publishing companies could be the
write career for you.
Technical
Writer—Maybe you have always been good at explaining
game instructions, or how to put together the latest building
toy. This is what technical writers do. They get paid to write
directions for things from baking a cake to downloading software
on a computer. If you like matter-of-fact manuals, this could
definitely be your thing.
Editor—Are
you totally into grammar? Have a keen eye for correcting others’
work? An editors’ job is to make other people’s
writing better. If you think you can tweak a ho-hum manuscript into something
marvelous, this might be a career field worth checking
into.
 Interview
with a Writer:
Krista has loved to read and write since she can first remember.
Any adventure novel captured her creative mind. So much so,
that she rarely slept.
“I’d
get so into a book that I’d read under the covers at
night with a flash light.”
Reading
books only inspired Krista to write more. And growing up in
a close family of three other children in a small city, she
was free to let her imagination run wild. Often, her scripts had a humorous twist.
Krista’s
mother appreciated her daughter’s talents. But her funny bone wasn't always appreciated at school. “My
teacher didn’t seem thrilled reading about made up
characters called Circle Man and Square Girl, but I didn’t care because
I had a blast writing about them.”
Often
Krista wouldn’t like an ending in a book or story, so
she would make up her own. And by her teen years she had developed
a whole journal of poetry.
“I
didn’t share my poems with anyone. But one day my mom
picked up my journal, started reading, and said,
‘I had no idea you were such a talented writer.’”
Although
Krista cherished the words of her mother, she kept her writing
to herself. By the end of high school she had written numerous
stories, books, and even novellas (short novels), but she
still had no idea she’d one day be a writer.
“I
just thought that was sort of my hobby,” she says.
Krista went
to a career college directly after high school to study business.
It was there that she learned to work on a computer. And her
first job was in a medical warehouse, where she eventually
worked her way up to becoming company president.
During
that time she got married. That’s when her life changed.
“My
husband had to go to Norway for three months, so I joined
him, and decided to quit my job. I needed a change and I was
starting to realize maybe I could do something with my writing.”
While
she was in Norway, Krista made herself write 5,000 words per
day. Soon after she returned to the states, she
went online and found a great writing group.
“We
started working together to find jobs and before long, we
were all being paid by the owner of the The Stream, a writers’
newsletter.”
Although
The Stream no longer exists, everything Krista founded from
there, including www.writersmanual.com,
and her award winning newsletter, www.writersgazette.com,
are still going strong.
“It’s
been a wonderful journey. One I hope to continue,” she says.
And what is Krista’s advice to anyone wanting to pen
in her path?
“Write
what you love and know something about. Don’t write
how you’re told to, write how you write. And never write
for the money.”
What
You Can Do to Get Ready:
As in
Krista’s case, you may want to get a college degree.
English is a good major for prospective writers. But for right
now, you should read and write a ton, and submit as much material
as you can to writing contests. Maybe apply for
a job writing for your local newspaper. You might be assigned cool stories like the journalists on Kids News.
What
it Pays:
Krista
knows how uncertain writing income can be. But she also
knows how rewarding it is to see your name in print, and to know
that you’re story or article is being read by hundreds of people or more. So you might
only make on a low scale around $23,000 annually. But on
the flip side, some big time authors can earn a whopping $90,000-plus per year.
Other
Resources:
Writing
By Children: Post your own writing, and read
stuff by other kids your age.
Great
Sites for Kids: Check out all the ins and outs
of reading and writing—even how to write a book review.
Krista’s
Website: |
