November’s Career of the Month: Writer
This month we celebrated National Authors Day, which recognises the work of Authors and Writers.
Have you ever curled up with your favourite Harry Potter book and thought ‘I would love to write a book?’, well if so, a career as a Writer might be for you.
First things first, let’s look at the different types of Writers. We may not all be the next Stephen King, but there are plenty of other forms of writing, from newspaper articles to poetry to script writing.
Writers are creative, organised, disciplined, and have excellent research skills. They can be involved in the creation and development of works of fiction and non-fiction.
What is the difference between fiction and non-fiction?
Fiction is not based on facts (Harry Potter, Roald Dahl). Writing a piece of fiction will require you to use your own imagination to bring a story to life!
Non-fiction writing is based on facts, so things like autobiographies. They usually require more research to make sure the facts are correct.
Writers can be involved in several different forms of writing, including:
- Magazine & newspaper articles
- Web content (for example a blog)
- Novels
- Poetry
- Children’s stories
- Scripts for the theatre
- Screen and radio
Writers are typically self-employed or work on a freelance basis. Freelance means you work for yourself. As a freelance Writer, you will look for business yourself and work on different projects, managing your own time and workload.
However, if you work as a Writer for a magazine or newspaper, you could be employed full-time.
Job Description:
Writers complete extensive research. They often gather research, using it to form the context of written work. You will need to work to tight deadlines and be highly organised to manage your workload.
Writer Average Salary:
£18,000 to £80,000 (depending on experience)
Average salary will also depend on whether you are freelance or work ‘in-house’ for a business.
Qualifications:
The good news is there are no specific qualifications required to become a Writer. However, an undergraduate degree in communication and media studies, creative writing, English language/ literature, journalism or performing arts would be beneficial. It’s also worth doing things to develop your writing skills. Does your school have a writing group? Or is there a young-Writers competition in your local area? All these things will help you build experience and master your writing skills!