Writing

What's it Really Like being a Writer?

What's needed to Succeed?


People dream about a career as a writer.

It's a wonderful dream and certainly a rewarding career; but for most the dream and reality are two different things.

As with any career, success comes through hard work, experience and being prepared to compromise and take the jobs that are offered in order to get experience. There are of course the occasional Geoffrey Archers who through luck and persistence combined with skill, manage to strike it big with their first book. For most people however who are paid to write; they begin small writing such things as occasional articles in low circulation publications or advertising content for a web site or brochure.

Here are some facts you may not be aware of regarding professional writers:

1. Most successful writers are part time writers (They hold down a part or full time job in something else and earn extra from writing).

2. The hardest thing is to get your first piece published. Editors have so much work submitted, that many will only look at work submitted by people who have already been published.

3. The most common reason why a writer does not succeed professionally, is because they refuse to compromise and write what is required by a publisher (instead, they persist with writing about what they want to write about. This can become a vicious cycle, as until they write about something they don't want to write; they don't break into the industry and get an opportunity to have their ideas considered seriously).

4. There is relatively little paid work for fiction writing, and lots of people who want to write fiction. There are far more opportunities to write things like non fiction, advertising material and web site content.

5. A commercially viable writer must not just write well, but also reasonably fast.

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June Colbert B.A., Dip.Ed., Dip.TESOL, Dip Bus.Mgt, Cert.Childrens Writing Author and teacher with extensive experience in childrens writing and community education. June has, among other things, published two childrens novels with Lothian/Time Warner Books. She also has an extensive background in writing tenders, contracts, quality procedures and other technical documentation. June was contract manager for 10 years in Network Design and Construct at Telstra, and a quality auditor.	Karin von Behrens - M. Arts and Media, Grad Cert Communication and PR, Hons. Screen Studies and B. Creative Arts. Karin has an extensive background in Creative Arts and Media including animation, film production, radio, journalism, visual arts and creative writing. Having attended six different universities, Karin has a diverse knowledge of the arts both nationally and internationally and has spent a number of years travelling the globe. Her undergraduate degree included a year of exchange studies at the University of California Santa Cruz. Karin has worked on feature films, short films, festivals and spent four years with the City of Sydney Council doing everything from teaching creative writing to the elderly to event management and administration.	John L. Mason Dip.Hort.Sc., Sup'n Cert., FIOH, FPLA, MAIH, MACHPER, MASA Mr Mason has had over 35 years experience in the fields of Horticulture, Recreation, Education and Journalism. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. He has held positions ranging from Director of Parks and Recreation (City of Essendon) to magazine editor. John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over thirty five books and of over two thousand magazine articles. Even today, John continues to write books for various publishers including Simon and Shuster, and Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing).