HENYWAYS. I got an email the other day from a young woman seeking help with her school project. This young woman wants to be a writer; as such, it was her assignment to interview a writer like the one she hopes to become. I figured I’d share the interview with you, in case you, too, are a high school junior who’s interested in becoming a writer someday, and you missed today's seminar.
1) When you were in high school, was this the career that you were most interested in? If yes, how did you accomplish your goals? If no, how did you choose this career?
I am lucky enough to have retained a copy of a vocational survey I filled out in my senior year of high school. The survey asked about my future occupations, and I listed "writer/nightclub owner/wealthy." I was interested in writing in grade school, in high school, in college, and in grad school. I accomplished my goals by having a strong, innate desire to write that I almost couldn't help but pursue.2) What is the education and training for this career?
First, you have to self-educate, by reading for pleasure as well as for study, as much as you can. Then you have to train by consistently writing new material. It will help if you also educate yourself about the writing business so you get a sense of
what the career consists of in a practical sense. Beyond that, you don't need any training, although the more writing classes you take and the more writing you continue to do, the more likely you are to successfully develop your career. As I said
above, I chose to continue the study of writing in graduate school; after graduate school I joined writing groups for "continuing education."
3) Can you please take me through a typical day that you might have?
A typical day for me begins with exercise, and an hour of writing-related administration while I eat breakfast. Then I walk a mile and a half to my writers' room, which is a shared office where I rent space so that I don't sit at home and look at the internet all day. I write for an hour an a half or two hours, I have lunch, I write for another hour and a half to two hours, then come home and do another hour or two of administration.
4) What do you like the most about your job? What do you like the least?
What I like the most about my job is the chance to communicate with people I would not have otherwise met. What I like the least is the sore forearms from typing, and the ongoing disappointment of rejection.
5) What is the employment outlook for jobs in this career over the next 3-5 years?
Not so good. The publishing industry is contracting. They're going to start publishing fewer books and paying less money for them. But writing is also an avocation, as well as a career, so don't let that deter you. The world will always need writers.
Writing less books?!?! That sounds like the end of the world to me.....don't joke :( As long as I always have access to the net & can read blog such as yours, I just might survive....
Posted by: Danika | Dec 03, 2008 at 12:06 AM
Janice,
We need creative/arts represented in a women's leadership project I'm working on right now. It's called the Hot Mommas Project. I'd love to talk to you about it if you're interested. Consider yourself nominated. I am coming to the JCC on Feb 3 to hear you. However, our contest ends Jan 31. You'll see the info on the site link. Women and girls need to hear your creative and courageous voice. Well - they already do, but, our project takes it to the classroom.
Kathy and The Hot Mommas Project team
Posted by: Hot Mommas Project | Dec 18, 2008 at 03:34 PM