Writing is a profession not unlike any other. As with other professions, and with this I mean lawyers, doctors, engineers and the like, writing is a skill that requires lifelong dedication and a passion to succeed. Though there are differences, like passing the board or bar exam for doctors and lawyers respectively, there are also advantages and disadvantages. Though these will not be tackled here, instead, we will focus on writing itself as a means to an end. By this, I mean as a career, as a full-blown profession.
Those who wish to pursue writing as a profession are well aware that it is not an easy road. Maybe that is the downside for being able to become a writer without having to take a board or bar exam. For doctors and lawyers, once they pass their respective licensure exams, getting a job becomes relatively easy (I mean this in a loose sense, what I am saying is that getting a job, no matter what profession you choose is a hard trek, though some are harder than others). Moving on, budding writers who wish to pursue the craft seriously, can start out with intern writer jobs. What this means is that, the young pen pusher would look for major publications like magazines or newspapers and apply to be an intern. Becoming an intern pays very little; some internship programs do not pay at all, so why become an intern if the pay is none too good? For experience and practice and getting to know the business inside and out. Now, why is this important? Because as an intern, you are being groomed, so to speak, to become one of the top writers for that certain publication, though of course, if you perform poorly, you can forget about becoming a top writer for them. Most likely, for a poor performance, the best you would get is a reprimand to go outside the building… and staying out. But if you do your job well, who knows, after a few years, or maybe months if you are really good, you get senior writer jobs. Usually, senior writers are paid better, much better, than intern writers. This is because, in most cases, senior writers become regularized and are accepted as normal employees of the publication, whereas interns are treated as students. From becoming an intern, to head writer, you are on your way up the corporate ladder and things could only be better from there on in. Of course, this is true provided you do not do anything stupid like photocopying your face during your lunch break, wasting time and office resources just for a gag. This surely constitutes a harsh reprimand (read: shouting) from your editor or publisher or whoever runs the ship, and will end with you scouring the classifieds for another job. As I said, writing is just like any other profession, do not botch things up, and you will be fine.
That’s one way to get up in the world of writing. But what if you could not score an internship anywhere? Not saying that you do not have what it takes, but the writing world is very competitive, not only do you jockey for a position using your skill, but you also compete with others who have more connections and are more political in their tactics. So if an internship is not available, do not fret for there are a plethora of opportunities out there for budding writers. One of those jobs available is to become a specialist writer. What do these specialist do exactly? Good question. In a nutshell, specialist writers write specifically for a certain field. What these writers do is write for a certain business or organization, sometimes with nothing to do about writing as art, for whatever purpose their field requires. For example, you get specialist writer jobs for a medical establishment, a hospital, clinic or the like. Your job is to write the copy for their marketing materials for example, or for their medical journals, or whatever they made need a writer for. Usually you would be reporting and submitting your work to an editor, just like with any writing job, and basically, you write what needs to written. Sounds like a boring job? At first glance, it might seem a boring job, but when you stop and think about it, you get to practice and hone your writing style. You get to experiment what style suits you and you would not be worried what the doctors would think because all they will be after reading your work are the facts. Most likely, they would not notice any changes in style or prose. Imagine the opportunity to experiment and let loose in medical writer jobs. Ever heard of Michael Crichton? Of course you do, but incase you do not, he is the one responsible for the Jurassic Park series. Well, Mr. Crichton studied to become a doctor once, but did not pursue it. Imagine the wealth of medical information he had, and to write about it would not need him to go do research on it since he was already well versed in the medical arts. Now, with you working as a specialist writer, whether medical or otherwise, imagine the treasure trove of knowledge you would gain from it for your use when you finally get down to write the next great novel.
Being a writer is not all starvation, sure it needs hard work, just like any profession, but there is nothing to fear if ever you do decide to pursue writing as a career. There are tons of freelance writer jobs out there waiting for the nascent writer. From internships to specialist writing, the world is your oyster. Forget the stereotypical image of a struggling writer in a beat up motel room with only his typewriter as furniture and a few bottles of whiskey lying about amid the ashes of their cigarettes. Those days are gone. This is the now, and all that is left to say to you is: Write on!