Do you aspire to be a writer? Do you find it easier to pen down your thoughts than to speak it aloud? If yes, you should know that a good author not only expresses themselves through their work but also has the ability to immerse their audience into their imagination. If you want to pursue a career as a writer, this blog is for you! Read on to know the details about how to become a writer.
“Writing- the art of communicating thoughts to the mind, through the eye—is the great invention of the world.”- Abraham Lincoln
This Blog Includes:
What Does a Writer do?
As obvious it appears in its name, a writer writes. That’s it! Writers are professionals in a particular language or various languages. They use their skills to write creatives, narrations, articles, reports, informative, or any other composition. Being an extremely versatile profession, writing involves different genres, types, methods, etc. In contemporary times, writing is extremely crucial to each organization. Writers don’t just write but also edit and review articles, blogs, or manuscripts for companies/clients.
Types of Writers
Writing has no bounds. The profession includes various types of writers that people can choose from, without being restricted under one particular type of genre. A person who narrates well can become a story writer, while another person who also narrates well but with facts and figures can become a journalist or news writer. For better understanding, here are a few popular types of writers.
- Screenwriter
- Blogger
- Content Writer
- Copywriter
- Critic
- Translator
- Research Writer
- Financial Writer
- Story Writer/Novelist
- Academics Writer
- Poet
- Lyricist
Skills Required to Become a Writer
Apart from having skilled hands and an imaginative mind, writers must also possess a few other skills to help them succeed in their careers.
- Knowledge of At least 2-3 languages
- Good Observation
- Communication
- Research Skills
- Discipline
- Adaptability
- Good Memory
Step-wise Guide on How to Become a Writer
Students who aspire to become writers must use their early days of preparation to read as much as they can. Right from newspapers to books and novels, reading can help you gain deep insight into various writing styles and also enhance your vocabulary. To make your journey easier, here is a stepwise guide on how to become a writer.
“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” ~ Stephen King
Familiarise Yourself With World Literature
If you are wondering how to become a writer, the best way is to familiarise yourself with the world’s literature. One of the best ways to do so is by pursuing a course in English literature, which will not only make you aware of all the literary trends across various timelines but also strengthen your notions of good writing. Here is a list of the top universities around the world for studying English language and literature according to the QS World University Rankings 2020:
University | Country | QS Ranking 2022 |
University of Oxford | United Kingdom | 2 |
University of Cambridge | United Kingdom | =3 |
Harvard University | United States | 5 |
University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | United States | 32 |
Stanford University | United States | =3 |
Yale University | United States | =14 |
Princeton University | United States | 20 |
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | United States | 40 |
The University of Edinburgh | United Kingdom | 16 |
University of Toronto | Canada | 26 |
Read this blog to know the History of English Literature
Study the Right Course
The next step towards how to become a writer is to opt for a course in creative writing. These courses will not only familiarise you with different styles, but you can also choose to focus separately on different genres such as fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction etc. You can choose to get either a master’s degree or a diploma in creative writing to attain the necessary skills
Find Your Own Style
The starting point of a career in writing is to have a unique style. All writers have different topic choices and style of penning that sets them apart from others. To make a successful career in this field, you need to find and develop your own unique style of work, which will put you apart from all other writers in your niche. Your personal style of work will define your unique identity in the world of writing, therefore this is one of the first steps you should be taking if you want to know how to become a writer.
How can creative thinking help you in interviews?
Create A Global Audience
Your success as a writer depends on your audience. Reaching out to a global audience is one of the best ways to make a start in this career, and it’s not a difficult task in this era of the internet. Social media gives you an option of connecting with people all around the world at no extra cost except for the internet charges. Make the best use of your social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram etc to increase the reach of your writings to more people. A good social media presence can help you in getting feedback from your readers along with solidifying your position as a popular writer.
Curate A Portfolio
Creating and maintaining a writing portfolio is quite necessary if you are aspiring to be a great author. So make sure that you build up an awesome portfolio of all your work. This will not only help you map your journey in creative literature but also be beneficial in case you apply for any job position as a composer. Having a portfolio with your best works will make the employer aware of your experience and expertise in the field and will thus increase your chances of getting hired as a writer at any company.
Top Universities and Courses Offered
Here are some of the popular universities in the world offering courses in creative writing:
University | Country | Courses Offered |
University College Dublin | Ireland | MA in Creative Writing MFA in Creative Writing |
The University of Hull | United Kingdom | MA in Creative writing MA in English |
University College, Cork | Ireland | MA in Creative Writing |
University of Sheffield | United Kingdom | Creative Writing MA |
University of Technology Sydney – UTS | Australia | Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing Master of Arts in Creative Writing |
Western Sydney University | Australia | Master of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing |
The University of Alabama | United States | Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing |
University of Leeds | United Kingdom | Creative Writing and Critical Life MA Writing for Performance and Publication MA |
University of Auckland | New Zealand | Master of Creative Writing |
University of York | United Kingdom | PGDip Creative Writing (online) |
Explore Different Career Opportunities
Now that you know how to become a writer, let’s look at the different career opportunities that are available in this field. Although writers are often self-employed, it is a good idea to explore other career options along with it since it provides some financial security. Some of the jobs most suitable for writers include:
- Content
- Academic
- Copywriting
- Editing
- Proofreading
Checkout these creative career options
Salary
As mentioned above, writing comes with various genres. A person can choose to freelance or can also work under a particular organization. The salary varies depending on the job position and role of the writer. The average salary for a writer in India is INR 365,171 p.a. Apart from the base income, the writer can also write their own blogs, articles or books and earn royalty money. An experienced writer can between INR 380,000- 4 Lakhs p. a.
An Ever-continuous Path
“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”- Richard Bach
Last but not the least, nobody becomes a great and well-known author in a day. Establishing your career in this domain needs both time and extensive practice. There is no shortcut in this field, the best way to improve your style is to keep working on it more and more. Reading a variety of topics is a good option since it will add to your knowledge and benefit your writing. The key is to remember that every piece of your work contributes to making you better at your job.
Hope this guide on how to become a writer was useful in making you aware of the process of starting on this career. Want to pursue a creative course? Let our experts at Leverage Edu help you in deciding on the perfect course and university as per your requirements. Sign up for a free session today!