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How to pursue writing as a career

jay05

New member
I've always loved to write, and lately I've started to wonder if I could make a permanent career out of it. I've joined UpWork to try to get freelancing gigs, tried my hand at some poetry and short fiction, have outlined an idea for a novel, and have started to build a portfolio. What advice do you have for how to get off the ground? I'm thinking I need to start as a freelancer and accept what I can find before I'm able to "be my own boss" and write what I want and have somebody pay me money for it, but I'm open to suggestions that are more outside the box too. Thanks!
 

shrills

Member
You could try publishing an e-book? If that's not too strange.
Self-publishing seems ideal, because you can't trust anyone, and I've had people who were supposed to be my friend attempt to steal my creations. Just feels like a slap in the face, so always invest in yourself and protect your work first and foremost.


I know essays aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I often spruce up my academic essays and draft them for publishing or writing samples at the least. I highly recommend always keeping a good variation of writing samples to throw out on the fly. You could submit to online magazines or blogs that will often pay you a stipend for word count.

Make a blog, leave some writings on there.
Doesn't have to start out as a fancy wordpress or anything, just a Tumblr or Blogger or something.
Feel free to see mine (just started so nothing fancy at all):
writtenbyshrills.tumblr.com

I just apply for jobs that spark my interest. I've joined Upwork to hopefully network and create on a more professional level.
Don't be afraid to just apply and put yourself out there. The worst you could get is no, or some sort of rejection that
could be thrown away in a single trash button.


Not everyone will notice, but you are very capable of producing great content and possess your own talents that will stand out.
Good luck out there.
 

negedemeg

New member
I love to write too and started working on UpWork so I could find interesting jobs that could enhance my skills in social media, design and especially writing. I think you could start by working for online publications just to get your name out there. It's profitable and may not necessarily be what you want to do exactly, but you could develop your name and portfolio working for news sites.
 

michalaw

New member
I believe that it is possible to do writing as a career! I want to become a writer and accomplish a lot. I think it all begins when you accept that you want it full time and are working towards that every day. I think that you should start small and then go big. Write in a journal every day, write blog posts, create your own portfolio website to showcase your work, share your work online. I also think that by working for a publishing company can help you navigate your way through the publishing world. That is something I want to try next. Hope this helps!
 

btelli

Member
I would love to make a career out of writing and have recently started working on Upwork as well!

I would agree with your plan to work in freelancing until you can find your own way; I am following a similar path at the moment.

I’ve been advised to work on what I love in my spare time if I’m not able to work on it as a full-time career, which is what I’ve been doing lately. I work in Accounts Payable, and in my spare time I try to write whenever I can. One day, I started writing a fictional story using events based on my own life, and I plan to self-publish at some point.

You never know when opportunity will come knocking at your door. The only way it can come knocking is if you get your name out there. That’s what I keep trying to tell myself. Hopefully it helps you too!
 

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