Writers and Authors

Did you maintain a diary when you were a child? Did you ever weave a story for your college magazine? If you think you have a J. K. Rowling or a Charles Dickens hidden within, unleash it with your pen. Choose a career of a writer and author and develop original stories or content for advertisements, magazines, online publications, books and movie and television scripts. Most writers work independently and send their manuscripts to publishing houses for printing. Some even contribute regularly for magazines, newspapers or blogs and websites.

A writer can be a:

Copywriter in advertisement and public relations firms
Creative writer for movies, theater, books or magazines

Role of a Writer

Though there are no pre-defined roles for a creative writer, who writes mostly out of his or her imagination; a copywriter or a writer working for any magazine or publication has to follow some set guidelines.

Researches for the right subject matter that can keep the reader enthralled.
Conduct research to get correct factual information.
Presents drafts and manuscripts to editors for final approval.
Work with editors and clients to shape the material so it can be published.

Skills of a Writer and Author

Creativity: Developing, creating, and writing content for books or magazines should come naturally to the writer. A writer should have the skill to come up with new ideas and develop characters and plots with ease.

Writing Skills: ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’ and you can achieve it only through your writing skills. You should have impeccable grasp over your language skills and ability to play with your words smoothly.

Determination: A project takes years to be completed. One should have that perseverance and determination to continue with the project and not leave it midway. A writer should develop patience and not be frustrated with things like multiple drafts or lack of feedback from clients and publishers.

Interpersonal Relationships: An author should have excellent relationship with his or her publishers and editors.

Subject Knowledge: A writer should be a subject matter expert as well. One cannot write authentic content without having prior knowledge of the subject.

Computer Skills: Like most of the media careers, writing too has gone digital. Gone are the days when paper manuscripts are submitted to the editors and publishers. A writer should have adequate computer knowledge about page layout and design.

Pros and Cons of a Writer and Author

Pros

Writing is a wonderful way to unleash one's creativity. Whether it's a poem or an advertising copy, writing is always fun and creative.
A writer feels a sense of satisfaction to see his or her work being published.
You are your own boss. You can work according to your own time and decide to take off as per your wish.

Cons

All writers are not J.K. Rowlings or Stephen Kings. Most writers suffer from poor financial condition till they become commercially viable. Publishers are reluctant to publish works of first-time writers.
Income is not stable for most writers, even if they are established writers. You could be without work for months. As a result, writers need to have a stable source of second income.
Most writers lead a lonely life-style. They spend a lot of time on their manuscripts by staying away from family and friends.
A writer should be ready for rejection. Their work could be rejected by publishers and could be required to rework on their manuscripts. Many a time, writers are also required to curb their creativity and write scripts or stories on the whims and fancies of the publishers and editors.

Media, Communications and Entertainment Careers

Actor	Announcer
Art Director	Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technician
Dancer and Choreographer	Editor
Graphic Designer	Interpreter and Translator
Music Director and Composer	Photographer
Producer and Director	Public Relation Officer
Reporter	Set Designer
Technical Writer	Writer and Author