How can I start a career/side hustle in writing?
Hi all,
A little background about me: I graduated from college in 2017 with a degree in English. Most people equate that with wanting to be a teacher, which is something I am not interested in doing. However, with that major and a resume with educational experiences, it has been hard to convince companies and organizations otherwise. As such, I have struggled to find work post-bacc, working gig jobs and PRN positions in customer service, event planning, and caregiving. I am now working in banking.
My current dilemma: In my heart of hearts, I've always wanted to write. However, I never thought that was enough. While I was an English major, I followed a pre-med track for a couple of years, then focused on research. Through internships, co-curriculars, and part-time opportunities, I also have a vast range of experience in other industries. I am now three years out of college and wondering each day how did I get so far from my dream of writing.
Bottom line: I've applied to many writing positions (full-time, part-time, and internships) since graduating but am now more compelled than ever to find something in that industry. I don't have very much official experience i.e. a portfolio, so how do I get my foot in the door? When I apply to opportunities, they are looking for people with years of experience or a portfolio exemplifying their work; I have neither. I've read that I could start a blog to have that as my experience before being able to get other opportunities, but I'm not that interested in having a blog, nor do I have the luxury of time to basically start my own business. I can and will however make time for writing that is assigned to me by an already established business or entity, but how do I get them to take a chance on me?
Hi Everyone,
I am the original poster here, commenting four years later. Wow, time flies! Thank you all for taking the time to respond to me back then. For those who suggested a blog, I finally started one! If anyone would like to check it out, it is at https://bkthecreative.com/. The blog consists of book reviews, work wisdom, life lessons, inspiring quotes, reflections on daily living, and more. I'd love to know what you think. Let me know here or on the blog!
Have you considered creating a portfolio? I know, you said you don't have one. All it takes to have a writing portfolio is to write. Put together five pieces.
You can post them on LinkedIn or Medium. (I hear Medium pays, although very little to start.)
You can also ask startups if they need help with their content. Don't go after big dollars. Go after experience. If they can't afford to pay you anything, you can request payment on the back-end based on your performance--Is your work making the business money?
If you haven't already done so, join writers groups on LinkedIn and Facebook. Connect with successful writers--have informational interviews to find out what they did to get started.
Thanks so much for this advice, Lynne! Although it sounds simple enough, I honestly hadn't thought of just putting together some pieces and publishing them on my own via platforms like LinkedIn. As for the startups, I've been asking a local boutique publishing agency to come on as a volunteer but have been getting the run around. I will have to look into some other opportunities virtually. Informational interviews are also a great idea that I will be sure to look into. Thanks for giving me some starting points.
You're welcome. FYI: As crazy as it seems, it is illegal to be a volunteer for a for-profit business. However, you can work there for minimum wage.
Actually, working for free is a bit more complicated than that. And is a bit of a conversation.
The very basics. As an employee, you have to receive at least minimum wage. But employees can receive commissions (and overrides, etc.), so that you could be paid on the back-end--being paid for performance: what you did for the organization.
A freelancer can charge whatever she wants, including $0. But the Department of Labor has specific guidelines about who is a freelancer (independent contractor) and who is not.
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A blog is a good start depending on the type of writing you want to do because most writing job are blogs, copywriting or technical writing. So what type of writing do you have in mind?
I'm interested in content writing. It seems like blogging may be my best bet for building a portfolio. Blogging sounds like a lot of work to build and maintain, and I'd rather write for someone else's established brand. However, I realize if writing is something I really want to do, then I need to put in the work necessary to make it happen for myself.
Having a blog is like having a portfolio of work especially when you are trying to get established. Although you will need a BA in a writing field like English or journalism.
I know some people who write training manuals for large corporations. These can be technical or new hire instruction. I wish I had a 'how to do this specific task' written in a manual for a couple jobs in the past, where the training was almost nonexistent.
Thank you for your response! I will be sure to look into that. I do have some entry-level technical writing experience.
I would love to hear if any of your contacts had advice on starting here. I have 7 years of technical writing experience but was unable to find work in this field after I graduated (BA in English), so I have mostly administrative experience in a wide range of fields.
These people and myself are from an older generation but many large corporations have Learning and Development departments which are usually connected to HR. Try doing a search on positions posted for L&D.
User deleted comment on 06/29/20 at 3:04PM UTC
Thank you for the advice!
Start by writing. Start a blog or something. But you've got to write a lot. A favorite author of mine said that your first novel is probably not going to be a best seller. But if you keep writing one of them might be. Be prolific!
I'd also recommend attending a writing conference occasionally, not necessarily to learn about writing but to get to know the editors and publishers who also attend. I've attended one in Utah for several years. LTUE.
Thank you, Jessica! Great advice. I like the idea of attending conferences to get to know editors, publishers, and other writers. I attended a conference as a bookseller once and definitely learned a lot!