6 ways to work with words

A girl reading

Whether it's poetry, journalism, or publishing, numerous careers centre around reading and writing.

I love writing because when it’s going well and the words are flowing, it’s like you’re flying,’ says author Kate Mallinder. ‘To be completely immersed in a different world is the best kind of escapism.’ You may dream of seeing your words in print or of a future role where you get to make the most of your love of reading. ‘It might seem obvious, but if you want to become a writer, start writing!’ Kate says. ‘Practise, have fun, write – and read. Research how to get into the industry and follow the advice of people who know.’

From being an author to making a living as a literary agent, here’s a pick of the careers out there for anyone who’s interested in the written word.

Author

To be a successful author, you have to dedicate a lot of time to a big project. A typical novel is about 90,000 words – that takes a while to write! Once your work is ready, you need to consider whether to approach literary agents or publishers or go down the self-publishing route. Although it can be competitive, it’s rewarding. Holding a copy of your finished book and being able to share it with the world is something that many authors find makes all the hard work worthwhile.

There are no formal qualifications required to be an author, although doing a course in creative writing or joining a local writers’ group can help develop your skills.

Journalist

Journalism covers a range of disciplines, from writing for magazines – like Teen Breathe! – and newspapers, to broadcast journalism, which includes presenting the news on TV or the radio. You need to be able to come up with ideas and enjoy getting stuck into research. Journalists often do lots of interviewing and speak to everyone from members of the public to celebrities or politicians. It can take a lot of practise to ask the right questions that really get to the heart of the matter. You’ll get the thrill of regularly seeing your words published, and it’s possible to write about a wide range of topics.

Some journalism jobs, particularly those that involve news writing, mean you need to have a qualification in journalism. You can study for this at university, where you’ll learn everything from media law to how to craft a compelling article.

Community Writer

Working with words doesn’t just mean writing them yourself. Community writers work with other people to support and encourage them to write, often by running writers’ workshops in which a group gets together to put pen to paper.

It can be satisfying to see how your guidance has helped someone else to blossom as a writer. Many community writers work with the elderly, care workers, and others who can really benefit from the chance to express themselves creatively. Some community writers have teaching experience, which helps them to communicate effectively, but this isn’t essential. It’s useful, though, to feel comfortable speaking to a group of people and to have the listening skills necessary to support them.

Poet

If your notebooks are full of sonnets or haikus, you might have the makings of a professional poet. Poetry is a wonderful way of playing with words and communicating feelings. Those who do it for a living look to have their poems published in literary magazines or as full collections.

Some poets combine their time working on their own poetry with community writer roles and many perform regularly at events. This may involve sharing their poetry in schools or taking part in public poetry readings. To develop your skills, you could investigate different forms of poetry and find which you prefer. You could also watch videos of poets performing their work to give you a taste of what other poetry is out there and to inspire your own.

Literary Agent

These are the people who represent authors and sell their books to publishers. If you love reading and have a good understanding of what makes a piece of writing effective, then being a literary agent may be up your street. Agents have to be business-savvy enough to pitch and sell their clients’ books to the right people.

Being a literary agent involves building relationships with people, from the authors you represent to the editors at publishing houses who choose which works to publish. There isn’t a set path to becoming an agent, but many study literature at school and university to help develop their understanding of creative writing.

Copywriter

The descriptions that encourage people to buy products or services – from hot chocolate to holidays – are created by copywriters. They usually work in marketing, advertising, and PR, but can be found in many other sectors, too. And they write all kinds of material, from the content you read on websites to the descriptions that accompany products in a catalogue. Many also plan and write posts for social media.

If you love crafting a great sentence or can write in a way that’s engaging and eye-catching, then copywriting could be for you. A good understanding of spelling and grammar is important, along with creative flair to come up with ideas quickly.

If you’re like Australian author Kate Grenville, interested in ‘playing with language and telling stories and doing something with the wonders of the world around’, use the free space in your Teen Breathe Magazine opposite your planner pages to get started!

Words by: Caroline Butterwick


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