When you tell people you’re a writer, one of two things will happen. Either they instantly assume that you earn big bucks or they give you that look of pity and ask when you’re going to get a ‘real job’.
The stereotype
There’s a romantic notion that writers have to go through struggle and strife before they can make anything that remotely looks like a career out of their words. The portrayal of the writer at their desk with a slightly crazed look in their eyes has often been used in film and television, a bottle of brandy never too far away.
Like any film trope, however, this portrayal tends to characterize the writer rather flatly, and does writers no favors. Writers need not be a victim of circumstance, or even suffer from substance abuse issues.
Writers know that underneath the misconceptions of a starving artist, there are ways to earn a living with your writing. It’s not easy and it can take time to build a strong portfolio, but the opportunities are always there. That bottle of brandy can easily become a thermos flask of herbal tea. As a writer, you can take your life and career into your own hands, and seek the many opportunities that are out there. You can network, build your portfolio, strategize, and all the while learn as you are emerging.
The reality
The opportunities to make a living as a writer today are plentiful in 2018. From blogging and copywriting to editing and freelancing, we are able to write on a daily basis. You may feel confused and overwhelmed about which writing path is for you, but be open-minded.
It helps that you eventually find a niche for yourself. Being good at a certain thing in a specific area will lessen the competition and can garner you more jobs. You may not feel that editing is your bag, but until you try it you’ll never know. Editors can be paid quite well, and if you work at a newspaper or magazine, it is as real a job as any.
The perks of being a writer include never having to punch in for a 9 to 5 schedule, and having the ability to write wherever and whenever you choose to. You can be your own boss, not needing to put up with gossipy, annoying co-workers or domineering employers.
The resources
Writing can be made less stressful when you have ProWritingAid at your side. ProWritingAid highlights key issues such as overused words, sentence structure, repeated phrases, consistency, dialogue, pacing, and readability.
The infographic below by Global English Editing shows you all the possibilities you have as a writer. It provides you with a detailed summary of your options and shows you just how far your writing skills can take you, if you’re prepared to put in the hard graft. And, if you’re a little nosey, you can also find out how much some of the top earners make. If that’s not inspiration for you, what is?