The U. of Iew

It has always been my dream to make a living by utilizing my writing abilities. I realize that this may be a difficult dream to achieve, by some standards, but my determination knows no bounds. Of that, I can assure you. Having spent a good amount of time researching the field and marketing my skills, I feel as though I’m knowledgeable enough to speak with some authority on the subject of freelance writing. Ergo, I would like to devote some of my blog posts to this oft overlooked art form.

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: freelance writing is too competitive, the pay is not always enough to pay the bills, etc. Common grievances, from what I’ve surmised. Let me just say this: I know that the market can be terribly competitive. Writing is a field in which you truly need to prove your worth in order to reap the rewards of your labors. One thing that many people are quick to forget is this: there will always be a need for writers. Why? Because our society, on any level, relies upon communication in order to thrive. We communicate in order to make friends, perform our jobs, tell stories, advertise a product to the general public, and so on. Any way you look at it, words are a vital part of our existence. That being said, this is exactly why there will always be a market in which writers may compete. Rather than allowing yourself to be discouraged by the competitive aspect of your craft, I would recommend embracing it. Make a game of it, if you need to, because you’re going to be competing with hundreds, maybe even thousands, of writers in order to have your moment in the spotlight. To a prospective client, you will need to prove that your words, your craft, are more valuable than anyone else’s.

Cutthroat? Well, a little bit, depending on the type of writing that you’re dabbling in. See, that’s another great advantage for a writer- there are many types of writing in which they may perfect their art for public consumption. If you’re business savvy, or just an entrepreneur at heart, then you may find technical writing to be quite appealing; an imaginative individual may have a future in screenplays or fantasy novels. And we’re only touching the tip of the iceberg, here- the possibilities are (literally) endless!

My point (and I do have one) is that the writing market can be extremely profitable for a writer with the courage to face any and all challenges that may come their way. I’d like to have an ongoing blog series about this aspect of my life. In these posts, I will discuss my recommended reading (for those of you who may be interested in writing for profit, recognition, or both), my own experiences with the field, various options that are open to writers (perhaps broken down by skill level or category), and much more. This will be a helpful exercise for me, personally, as it will help me to shape my thoughts on one of the most cherished activities in my life; hopefully, the blathering that I produce will also be of assistance to some other writers who may happen to stop by. If you have any suggestions for a topic, or if you have a particular question that you would like for me to research and provide a detailed answer to, then feel free to leave a comment here. I have my first topic in mind, so hopefully I’ll be able to post about it within the next few days.