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Creative Writing work in a limited market?

Little Rock via NYC... #creative-writing #writing #journalism #writer

journalism creative-writing writer
Thank you comment icon Can you explain in what way you feel limited? Ashley
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Alexandra’s Answer

This is a really good question. I did some freelancing as a writer, mostly for online publications. You are right that the market is limited but it also very competitive. The good thing is that you can set your own schedule, but the bad thing is that you will not make that much. So, in many cases freelance writers supplement their income with other jobs, whether teaching at a school or college, or doing something that is not so strictly writing related such as working in recruiting or advertising. I think a lot of writers find that you need some time to be able to establish yourself and support yourself entirely through writing and not other jobs. Some options that are close to writing involve working at a literary agency, where you are reading other people's scripts, or trying to be an assistant/intern to a successful writer or agency. If you are not interested in actual reporting for local media and news writing, you may be able to pitch some feature stories to newspapers. Of course, that would not be fiction writing and it is not everyone's cup of tea. There are also charitable organizations that need good writers to tell their story or even to organize contests that involve writing or teach workshops.

You can also write a book and try to work with someone to market it. If you have great ideas about creative writing, and have time to sit down and pursue them, that may be your path to success, but that would not be a 9 to 5 job. It will likely swallow up all of your time and will take a while to reap any rewards.
Thank you comment icon What a great answer! Thanks. Ashley
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Don’s Answer

I earned a MFA in fiction writing, and with that degree I have been able to obtain teaching jobs in over 20 colleges. So, that path is a possibility. Also, there are more and more writing jobs online. Start your own blog online, if you have not already done so. The objective then is to get traffic and eyes on your blog’s content, so create links to others’ blogs. Lastly, look for internships at literary magazines, theaters, or TV stations, even if it is a non paying position to make connections.
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Simeon’s Answer

You are correct that the market is flooded right now, so it'll take a lot of work to make it as an author. Find a good editor that you trust. Having professional eyes look over your work is worth every penny you can get. Be careful about posting your work online as you don't know who might try to repurpose it as their own work. Get the first edition of your work completed as quickly as possible and work on being a ruthless editor of your own work. If this is your first book, you might need to develop an online audience on YouTube, social media, or with a blog to prove to potential publishers that there is a market for your book. If you end up not being able to line up a publisher, you can use Amazon.com to self-publish. Amazon offers the service of being able to print off your book one copy at a time, so you don't have to worry about printing them off in batches.
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