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How does one become a writer?

  • 25-08-2010 11:59pm
    #1
    hello932
    Closed Accounts Posts: 325 ✭✭


    My dream job at the moment would be someone who sits in front a computer all day composing articles. How does one do this? is there even a market for this in terms of jobs?


Comments

  • #2
    Plebs
    Closed Accounts Posts: 285 ✭✭Plebs


    hello932 wrote: »
    My dream job at the moment would be someone who sits in front a computer all day composing articles. How does one do this? is there even a market for this in terms of jobs?

    IMO, you can't learn how to write. It's a gift that needs to be cultivated through lots of reading and practice.

    A ton of useless journalism graduates rolling off the conveyor belt who are "working freelance"/"doing a masters"/"going travelling for the year"/etc.

    My friend works for a newspaper and has an arts degree. He spent lots of time having the banter during college which is important to be able to do in any job. He has an attention to detail (bordering on obsessive) and can line up his thoughts really well. Does a lot of tabloid stuff where you have to write what the proletariat want to hear and he has great fun doing that.


  • #3
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,096 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    As Plebs has said, the only way to do this is to do it. You need a good writing style, an ability to order your thoughts and to put ideas over in an interesting way.

    For example, - and I am going to be a bit unkind and 'crit' your original post - don't talk in cliches: 'my dream job'. The whole sentence doesn't actually make sense if you read it carefully, though its obvious what you meant. It should read 'My dream job at the monent would be to be someone etc'. It needs that extra 'to be' in, but then it is still a rambling, untidy sentence. You have 'this' in the last two sentences, try not to repeat yourself.

    You should think of yourself as a word-crafter, exploring ways to improve anything you write, even a two line post.

    Ok, having said that, one of the best ways of making your thoughts public is to start a blog. See do people want to read what you write, do you make them think, do they come back for more. Yes, you could make a living at it, but don't be in too much of a rush to give up the day job :D


  • #4
    filmfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 188 ✭✭filmfan


    It's very tough to be honest. I started up my own site because I love writing about movies and the chances of that job falling into my lap are quite slim. Start your own blog while you're waiting for that job and then you'll have a body of work to show potential employers one day and you'll have shown them you're being pro-active.


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