30
Oct
2007
Best Jobs for Writers
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Category: Writing
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Here’s an interesting question. If you’re a writer but need to take up a full-time job to make money, what kind of job would be the most beneficial for your writing career?
My top 5 picks:
1. Librarian (Access to books and research material, free time to write.)
2. Psychologist (In-depth understanding of the human mind.)
3. Security guard (So much time to think and plot.)
4. Journalist (Opportunity to hone your writing and story-telling skills.)
5. Teacher (You only work half the year!) (My mom’s a teacher; you can rest assured I will get punched in the face.)
What else?
Wednesday, 31. October 2007
I would totally choose working in a library. I love, love, love books. Though I might get too distracted by reading the backs of them to actually do my work, lol.
Wednesday, 31. October 2007
If you have teacher on your list, then training (trainer) could be an alternative as well.
Technical writer is another option and one that I put forward because you suggested journalist. Plus, tech writing generally pays more than a journalist’s job.
Maybe a customer-facing job, where you interact with customers could be useful in learning about the dynamics of human interactions.
Wednesday, 31. October 2007
I sometimes think of taking up a desk job like editing. Wouldn’t looking at and critting other writers’ copy help you improve your own writing as well?
We like to joke that in India, even if you are minimally qualified, doors of the call center industry are always open for you.
Wednesday, 31. October 2007
Ooh, I forgot one. And this has to be my favorite: I think I’d work in a bookstore. You get to be around books AND you deal with all kinds of people.
Dinsa, a call center job may seem easy, but you have to be on call a lot, and won’t get time to think or write. Might be good if you’re planning to write a sequel to “One Night at the Call Centre” though.
Wednesday, 31. October 2007
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend a customer-service job, unless you’re an extrovert who feeds off the energy from others and who wouldn’t otherwise feel the exact opposite, i.e., customers suck the energy out of you. I say this having worked in various CS jobs for years, and as an extrovert, I found them terribly draining, both emotionally and physically. It was enough to just turn on the telly when I finally got home at night; forget about doing any writing.
As an introvert, being a librarian might be a good option. However, I’ve worked in a few libraries over the years, and the latest trend (at least in the US) appears to be a heavy focus on providing the kind of customer service you would normally see in fast food joints and retail shops. (Ever heard of the FISH philosophy of customer service? Fun to watch but exhausting to execute.) Librarians are becoming more CS-savvy and are expected to be such. It’s not a matter of sitting behind a desk, reading a novel and answering the occasional research question. In fact, in our local public library, librarians are not allowed to read anything but work-related publications (trade journals, newsletters) while on the clock. And “free time to write” doesn’t exist. In today’s world of the professional librarian, if it’s not job-related, you can’t do it. And like all other white-collar jobs, there’s an unbelievable amount of administrative paperwork that will suck up whatever time you don’t spend answering those aforementioned research questions.
Editing would be cool. A friend of a friend has the best job in the world at the national film archives in Mexico City. Almost no actual work involved but with access to thousands of art films from Mexico’s vibrant cinema industry. He gets a lot of writing done, I can tell you.
Cheers,
Marjorie
Wednesday, 31. October 2007
Technical writers get paid to play with their computer. You can’t beat that.
Thursday, 1. November 2007
I would suggest working with or becoming a politician. If you are a fictional writer than you can constantly produce new material for your campaign..since most of it is make believe. Or, if you are a non fiction writer you can simply design your own platform and tell the world how fabulous you are!
Thursday, 1. November 2007
Thanks Marjorie! That’s some fantastic information. You make some very valid points about libraries. Very different from here in India, though (not that we have that many libraries in the first place.)
I did some technical writing once, Tim. Hated, hated, hated it. It wasn’t as playful as I thought.
Ap, stay away from the libraries. You’ll never get anything done. Trust me.
Thursday, 1. November 2007
Sun, I’m not sure I got that. Isn’t that the other way around? Fiction helping the day job, rather than the day job helping fiction?
Heh, just thought of this. What’s common between a politician and a novelist? They both tell lies for a living.
Thursday, 1. November 2007
I view all politicians as cartoon characters and the fictional bull**** they represent is written for entertainment purposes only. The fascinating thing is millions of people will support said fictional charcters. Maybe we ought to put Harry Potter in a suit.
I think we are on the same page with this……not sure?
Thursday, 1. November 2007
Yep. Don’t like politicians. Love novelists.
Thursday, 1. November 2007
Er, I was a teacher for six years, during which time I got /no/ writing done. That is, unless you count lesson plans, assignments, and report cards, which I don’t.
I didn’t get half the month off, though — one month at most. I found that during that one month all I did was a) sleep and b) start planning for the following school year.
Thursday, 1. November 2007
Yep. Bad joke. Mom’s a teacher and she keeps quite busy. I’ve noticed that her work pressure has increased a lot during the last couple of years. These days, when she’s not teaching, they’re having her attend trainings and seminars. Good thing, I suppose. Just not if you’re a writer.