Five Ways to Get Hired as a Writer

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The dream of writing for a living – where nothing else is required of you but sitting at your desk and creating something that people want to read. It is such an inviting career, and the dream of many, but how can you really do it? How do you get hired as a writer? There are five simple ways to begin.

Be a Good Writer

You won’t get paid to do anything you aren’t good at, so most importantly you must first be good at writing. To begin, always read a lot. Read works by writers that are admired by you and other people for inspiration. Keep an open mind. Develop your style. Some key components to good writing are that it means something and says so in an interesting and clear way. Don’t try to be too abstract or too many people might not “get you.” Make sure you refresh your grammar skills. Your writing won’t be good if its basic foundation is cracked, and people have trouble reading things with incorrect punctuation.

Find Your Niche

To start out as a writer, you want to be focused. Find your niche. Pick something that really appeals to you so you will enjoy writing about it all the time. You might find your niche in your everyday activities. If you are a crafter, you might want to write about arts and crafts. If as a child you had an insatiable love for fairytales, you might want to write romantic novels. Once you have picked your niche, develop it. Learn absolutely everything you can about crafting. Read all the romance novels you can get your hands on. The more you know about your niche the better you will be at writing about it. And all of that practice will make you a better writer, which is the most important part anyway. You can then target your search for a writing gig.

Know How to Write a Query Letter

Once you have honed your writing skills and found your niche, it is time to start looking for people who will accept your work or hire you to create for them. To do this, you should write query letters. Writing a good query letter is the key. Look for examples of good query letters online and follow their style. In general, a query letter should first have a hook to interest the reader. Second, it should have a synopsis of your idea, article or book. Third, tell a little about yourself. Lastly close with a “thank you” and offer to send a copy of your manuscript if you have written a book.

Know Who to Contact

Search for an agent who specializes in your niche. Contact editors and agents personally by name, not “to whom it may concern.” Research the editorial staff of the publication you hope to write for. Make sure your query reaches the person you want to read it. If you want, you may include a SASE to make it easier for your contact to respond to you.

Be Professional

Always present yourself and your work in a professional manner. After all, it is your craft that you hope to make money off of. Use a spell and grammar checker before sending your work, and always be polite and courteous to anyone you speak with. No one wants to work with a difficult writer.

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