Saturday, January 16, 2016

If you're like me... Working in Writing

If you’re like me, you’re in the middle of this interesting journey called “looking for work.” Not just a job, but work – the “I am what I do” kind of work. The kind where something you love puts food on the table and vacations in your memory.

If you’re like me, your work is creative.

If you’re specifically like me, you’re a writer. The feel of the keyboard is like the sound of waves to a surfer. The ideas come thick and fast. And, it turns out, so do the possibilities.

Almost too fast. Way too thick.

Because, if you’re like me, you started with the certainty that to be a writer meant to be published -- in magazine or book form -- and peddled through bookstores. But you’ve recently discovered just how many opportunities there are for your special skills. Options beyond finding an agent. Options that don’t take a year to reach fulfillment. Options that are actually being actively sought by people who will pay.

But so many options! Copywriter; blog writing; travel writer, greeting cards, and oh, what about editing? Where should we put that precious focus? How do we decide where to start? Because, really, what am I going to like or be good at, besides crafting my stories?

The good news is, most of these options are just another form of sending stories for publication. We can sift through the advertisements like we sift through publishers and agents, gleaning clues about voice and genre and experience. We can see what each company is about, and view samples if they’re provided.

We can pick something that sounds like a fit.

And then we can do the work. Jump in and apply and submit and, praise be to the Muses, write.

If you’re like me, it will take practice finding where and how (and for whom) you want to work. But it’s practice we need as writers anyway. And while we’re winding our way through the possibilities, we’ll be building our portfolios and sharpening our skills.

And at the end of the path, the table and the memories will be full.

I hope you have a great day!

-L

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