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By Sarah Clarke

Photo Courtesy of Robert Ely via Creative Commons

Sometimes we fall into writing on our way to something else. In this guest post, Sarah Clarke of How2become discusses paths to a professional writing career based on her own experience.

We all have talents and passions, and for some us that falls to writing. Actually, most jobs now require a lot of writing but just don’t allow creativity to come into play.

Most writers didn’t succeed as a professional writer overnight, so there are ways to gradually make it into the writing field. More and more professional writers actually have a different full-time career, which is not writing, and then they write as time allows. Others have retired from a successful career and feel now they have time to get out the pen and pad or the computer and start typing away.

I remember back in my college days when I had my heart set on being a professional writer. The day reality sets in was when I was sitting in a writing course which was led by a most inspirational professor. Our assignment had been to go through the latest edition of Writers Market and submit a piece of work matching their writer’s guidelines and needs for material and wait for a response.

About a month had passed, so students were beginning to get responses. Most responses were, “We’re sorry but at this time…” However, these letters were very beneficial to everyone in the class. Many of the rejections included constructive criticism, which would be beneficial to everyone in the classroom as they pursued future writing assignments, whether they were in class or on a professional level.

During this process of receiving letters, the professor looked at the class and said, “I know many of you in this classroom plan on being a professional writer one day, but it doesn’t happen that way.” The professor went into further details saying not everyone who had a degree in English literature could be a professional writer and getting the name recognition and respect required to succeed in the writing world did not happen overnight.

During her college days, she too, had been determined to be a professional writer, which actually, she was at this point in her life. However, she pointed out that her regular job, or “bread and butter” so to speak, was a full-time college professor. Yes, she had been published in The Smithsonian and other highly reputable publications, but those were her part-time duties, which were completed in the evenings, on weekends, and during the summer months.

Throughout the years, I have developed a long list of friends and professional acquaintances who could be considered professional writers, but who either have other full-time jobs or who have retired from other careers. As an example, I know someone who was a tax attorney and now he has retired, he does financial and political writing.

I know a certified public accountant who is also a widely published financial journalist. There are bankers who write mortgage articles, teachers who write education columns, and lawyers who write columns about new laws being enacted. I know an antique shop owner who writes a syndicated collecting column. Magazines, newspapers, and newsletters need various articles and columns, so the odds are in your favor. Getting published wherever possible and as often as possible helps build a strong portfolio, so you can work toward higher goals.

It does take time to get established as a writer, just as the old saying about the “starving artist” implies. As I said earlier, my college goal was to become a professional writer. Right after I graduated with my degree in English and journalism, I started out in the highly competitive retail sales world followed by a position in marketing and public relations at a music theater. I then made my way into a position at a daily newspaper, a job where I stayed the following nine years.

I learned working at a small town daily newspaper was very rewarding work, but the salary was not sufficient. A career in education offered a better salary and better benefits, and I still had the time to pursue my writing passion in the evenings, on weekends, and during the summer. I then taught language arts and reading in the public school system.

Finally, I got to the place I had wanted to be for years — I had built up a strong portfolio and could pursue a full-time career as a freelance writer. If you dream of being a professional writer, don’t give up. It just requires a lot of patience, a lot of dedication, and a lot of experience.

My Top Tips

Many people have the desire to be a professional writer, but they know not everyone can pursue a professional writing career. Some people enjoy writing, but have no desire to write full-time and believe it would be a great help to add cash flow to their bank accounts during financial difficulties.

A professional writing career, however, can grow and develop from juggling part-time writing with a different full-time career. Some people put writing on hold, or don’t even consider a career as a writer until retirement draws near.

Most people who are professional writers are taking on the assignments as freelancers, or independent contractors, so they must have the ability to run their own business, so to speak.

Here are some tips for those wanting to pursue a professional writing career, whether on a full-time or part-time basis:

If you want to become a professional writer, don’t give up. Set a long term goal and focus on it.
Build a portfolio. Write for various publications and write as much as possible. Keep an up-to-date portfolio that shows your experience and capabilities.
If you are serious about writing, take the time to look for writing jobs. Whether you want to pursue a full-time writing career or just get part-time writing gigs or freelance opportunities, stay updated and apply or make a bid for any jobs you may be interested in pursuing.
Keep informed. If you want to write about a particular topic, then you should keep informed about the subject and any changes or current trends.
When doing freelance work, protect yourself with documentation or a contract to ensure timely payment.
As a freelance writer, you are an independent employee and taxes are not withheld. Keep enough money back to pay the Internal Revenue Service when you file your taxes.
Keep receipts. As being a self-employed writer, you can deduct expenses. If you have to purchase a computer or travel, keep track of all costs so they can be properly written off at tax time.
Don’t sell yourself short. I see freelancers willing to offer services for $2 or $3 per hour. You want to make money, so if a client doesn’t accept your bid, don’t fret. Many clients are willing to pay more for high quality work.
Never take on more work than you can handle at a time. You still need adequate rest and family time, so don’t take on too many jobs, which will stress you out and reduce your job performance. Most clients consider meeting deadlines a priority. If you have too much work to do, then you may not get it done on time.
Learn how to network. If you write a few great articles for a publication, the editor you work with may be able to recommend you to someone else, or provide a reference that will help you get additional writing jobs.
Be attentive and accept constructive criticism. Sometimes it is easy to take comments personally, but those comments are actually designed for your benefit so you can know what changes you need to make on future assignments.
Keep learning. Take an occasional course or attend seminars, read books and writing magazines, and go online to find additional writing tips. There are always things to learn about improving writing skills.

Sarah Clarke has a degree in English and journalism and is currently a writer for How2become.com. She has always loved tennis and also maintains a passion for horror films. You can connect with How2become on Twitter or Google+ here.

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