Do You Have What it Takes to be a Successful Writer?
Writing makes the world go round if you don’t believe that take a look around you. Everywhere you look, words are being used to tell a story, describe something, show us the way, provide legal protection, provide you with news, and the list goes on. Even when you are watching television, the storyline is made up of words ñ scripts someone, somewhere, has put together.
Writers are in high demand. Itís a career move thatís never going to be diminished regardless of how technology changes or advances, regardless of where the future takes us words will always be needed if youíve been thinking about a career as a writer youíve likely been questioning if you have what it takes to be a successful writer.
Becoming a successful writer goes farther than just having the right education. Some people never go to university and have a natural gift for writing. Others make it through university earning a degree in Journalism or English, and while they have the technical skills, they donít have the natural abilities to tell the story. So do not make your decision on becoming a successful writer based on your education.
Let’s begin with a tough question. Have you written anything in your life that was published? Drew attention? Told a story that others liked and engaged in? We arenít talking about paid gigs here and just writing in general. Are you a good storyteller? Do you do well at collecting facts and sharing that information with others? Take a minute to analyze your strong skill sets and your weak skill sets.
Some people are excellent fiction writers, while others are outstanding journalists. Find your niche and follow it. Don’t try to be all things to everyone. To have a passion for your writing that will draw readers in, you need to write about things that interest you.
Finally, it’s time to get your feet wet. Don’t be surprised if you have a tough time getting any client projects initially. There are thousands upon thousands of people calling themselves writers from around the globe, and so potential clients tend to be cautious when hiring, especially with no track record.
One way to begin to build a portfolio is to write articles for one of the many article banks. They’ll provide you with constructive criticism along the way.
Not everyone is good enough to be a professional writer, but who think they cannot be a successful writer could be if they just believed in themselves.