Before I enter college to study for a career in creative writing, what are other ways to expand my writing skills on my individual time along with writing stories and short poems?
I love writing fiction like fanasy and young adult. I also write short poems and am currently writing a young adult novel. #writing #career
3 answers
Ken’s Answer
The best way to embark on such an adventure is to get to know yourself better to know how you fit into the area of creative writing and then talk to people in person face to face who doing what you think that you might want to do, so that you can get their input and assistance on attaining your goal.
Getting to know yourself and how your personality traits relate to people involved in various career opportunities is very important in your decision making process. During my many years in Human Resources and College Recruiting, I ran across too many students who had skipped this very important step and ended up in a job situation which for which they were not well suited. Selecting a career area is like buying a pair of shoes. First you have to be properly fitted for the correct size, and then you need to try on and walk in the various shoe options to determine which is fits the best and is most comfortable for you to wear. Following are some important steps which I developed during my career which have been helpful to many .
Ken recommends the following next steps:
Kara’s Answer
Good luck! Looking forward to seeing your stuff published someday.
s’s Answer
Alan Watts ("Wisdom of Uncertainty") would say this to students who came to him for career counseling: "What would you do if money were no object?"
They would often answer something in the fine arts: "A writer." Or painter/artist. Or musician.
He would tell them: "Then you do that."
Do something you love.
The money will follow.
And, if it doesn't, at least you will spend your life doing something you love, rather than something you dislike or detest (in this country, close to 70% of people work at jobs they don't really enjoy).
People tend to love what they're good at.
And, perhaps to some extent, vice-versa.
I dislike being blunt, but now is the time to find out if you have the talent for writing.
Aptitude tests should bear that out.
If you do, by all means pursue it.
If not, then choose something else.
You're at a good stage to decide.
Btw, if you seek to be published, for most genres you'll likely need an agent.
Children's books are an exception.
You can also consider self-publishing.
The CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL series (not necessarily great writing) became wildly successful.