Emily
Is college needed in order to become a professional writer?
#writer #professional #author #writing
3 answers
Christy Marx
Christy’s Answer
No, it isn't an absolute necessity. I only spent one year at a university and my career as a professional writer has endured for decades across many forms of media: tv, animation, comics, games, and books.
That said, a lot depends on what type of writer you want to be. It's a lot harder to break into many forms of writing now than when I started out. Having a college degree can help to open doors. It won't make or break your chances. It doesn't guarantee you anything. It's simply a good thing to have.
I would consider it more vital for some forms of writing than others. If you went into journalism, for example, I suspect it would be more important. If you want to write novels, it's irrelevant. No one is going to judge your novel on whether or not you've gone to college. But if you want to write novels, I strongly advise you to have some other occupation that will allow you to earn a living, because it's highly unlikely you'll do it from novels alone.
Decide on what type of writing you want to pursue. There are schools that have courses on writing for games or writing for comics or animation. There are schools that have degrees for journalism. Research jobs in the field that interests you and see what sort of job requirements are listed (leaving out something like writing novels, which doesn't apply here). Most will probably list at least a BA.
No matter what type of writing interests you, one thing will be as or more important than college courses -- living life. Have varied and challenging life experiences. Learning about people and why people behave the way they do. Live the kind of life that gives you experience to draw from, and that gives you something to write about.
Lindsey Flagg
Lindsey’s Answer
If you are in high school now, get serious about your current writing projects and see if there are any clubs or elective classes you can take to improve and practice your writing skills. I took a class in film literature, one in web design, and another in creative writing during my senior year that helped shape my college path and my eventual career in marketing communications. Even if you don't go to college, your high school work can help you gain real-world skills and get ready for a writing career.
To quote Christy above:
"Having a college degree can help to open doors. It won't make or break your chances. It doesn't guarantee you anything. It's simply a good thing to have."
In today's market, any advantage you have in the writing field can be helpful for landing work. A bachelor's degree in English, Writing, or Communications could possibly help you stand out among candidates who don't have that education. However, you also need to decide what type of writing you want to do. Your path and education will look different if you want to be a script writer versus a journalist versus a freelance blog writer. These decisions can help you determine if a college degree will be an appropriate time and cost investment for you.
If you choose to go the college route, make sure the degree and classes you choose support your professional goals. It's also a good idea to get involved in extracurriculars such as student newspapers to get some more experience. I didn't choose journalism for my writing career, but I got paid for my contributions to the college paper as well as experience in research, interviewing, writing on a deadline, and collaborating with editors.
Above all else, start writing and keep writing. I've kept blogs since before I even started college, and I also write random drafts about topics in my head and save them to my computer and phone.
Lindsey recommends the following next steps:
s c
s’s Answer
I particularly agree with the last part of her answer, and add something my daughter gave me: a paperweight with this profound inscription:
"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."
- Ben Franklin.