Writing for a Living

By Canadajobs.com Staff

job, jobs, career

If you are considering a career in writing, you've got a lot of choices open to you. You can write for yourself or for others in a variety of different industries. Education in the field of writing is very important. There are rules and conventions on how to write for various industries. If you think this career is for you, getting the proper education is vital. Since you will be judged mainly on your writing skills, they need to be perfect.

Copy and Ad Writer:

If your great at coming up with ideas and you have a creative way of looking at things, a career in ad copy might be for you. Writers in this field work with marketing and ad agencies to write up product descriptions that sell. You can have your work featured on web sites, and ad campaigns that appear in television, print, and on the radio. As well, you could work in the creative department of a radio station, putting together ads for commercials.

Journalism:

If you've got a nose for news, this might be for you. Writing for the news and journalistic reporting requires specific education and training. Many colleges and universities offer journalism programs. You'll learn how to write objectively and with the proper formatting for television, radio, and print reporting. If you are considering this type of career, you need to be detailed oriented, accurate, and be able to work on a deadline. If you've got an interest in people, events, and trends, this can be a very rewarding career. There are opportunities to work in all sorts of media, from small community newspapers and television stations, to overseas assignments for national news organizations and wire services. If you are thinking of a career in journalism, consider learning another language or two. You'll be an attractive asset to an employer.

Writing for Magazines:

As a staff writer, you'll be writing articles on various subjects for a specific magazine. Writing for magazines takes excellent research skills and the ability to write in a style that helps readers relate to the information you provide. If you are interested in this as a career choice, pick up a few magazines and look at the writing style. You'll likely notice that most articles in the magazine are written in the same style, though the subjects of the articles will vary. Magazines are targetted to very specific audiences and you need to adapt your writing style to the audience that a magazine is made for.

The great thing about writing for a magazine (either online or offline) is that you can write what you know. If you are interested in gardening, cooking, animals, there is a magazine out there on nearly every subject. Magazines also hire freelancers.

If you learn basic photography skills, this can also go a long way to helping your writing career as some fields like magazine and journalism often require accompanying photos.

Technical Writing:

If you've got a knack for making the complicated seem easy, technical writing might be for you. Usually, technical writers work for companies such as software or high tech companies and write manuals, handbooks, and guides on how to operate software and programs. If you've got a background in high tech or you can learn computer programs easily, you'll be valuable to a potential employer.

The great thing about writing for a living is that opportunities exist in virtually every area of the country and around the world. From working at a small newspaper in the country, to working in a busy city office writing for a national magazine, writers have a wide spectrum of choices and venues in which to write. Sometimes, it doesn't matter where you are because a lot of writing work can be done by telecommuting. To be a successful writer, you need skills, training, creativity, and the desire to work hard.