A Career in Creative Writing:
have you got what it takes?

Find out if you have what it takes to have a career in creative writing. (But don’t worry if you don’t have it yet, because this website is all about helping you get it!)

I’ll tell you in a minute exactly what you need to have a career in creative writing.

But first, know this:

People often think that you have to be published to be an author, but that’s not true. Once you have written a piece of fiction - long or short - you’re an author. Likewise you can think of yourself as a writer as soon as you are writing.

And don’t say, or even think, “I’m trying to write a novel”. That statement has the seeds of failure within it. Instead, say and think, “I’m writing a novel”. (Or, of course, your screenplay, or play etc)

 The most important piece of advice I’d give you is this: don’t wait for permission to become a writer. Don’t wait for somebody else to tell you that it’s okay to do this, or that you’re good enough or whatever.

Unfortunately our culture teaches us that we need to wait for experts to tell us it’s okay to do  something, or that we need their endorsement before we can do it. This is one of the basic premises of our school system, but it’s also pervasive in our whole culture. I’ve even read posts on writers’ forums that ask if it’s okay to start writing a ovel unless you've got a creative writing graduate or even have a creative writing masters degree!

Don’t fall into this trap. All you need as an education in creative writing is a) fiction writing resources which are freely available (such as this website) and b) down to your own practice of your own fiction writing skills. There are lots of good writing resources too, such as Holly Lisle's books (very much recommended) and excellent software for writers.

Fiction Writer's Mentor aims to give you all the fiction writing techniques you will need.

Think of this website as a free creative writing class!

This website is also very much focussed on getting your thoughts and beliefs to support you - to give you the confidence you need to write. (See the pages on EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), and Creativity in Writing).

I invite you to have a look at my page on Creative Writing Tips for more suggestions on this.

Now, having said all that, what do you need to have to launch a career in creative writing?

You need:

• To know why you're doing this - is it for the riches?
  
• Writing talent
  
• The techniques of fiction writing. Most of the rest of this website provides those.
  
• Persistence
  
• Nutrition and exercise (This isn't usually mentioned, but it's hugely important.)
  
• To make time to write
  
• To know that life is your raw material, and how to mine it.
  
• To know you can have a guarantee of success
  
  

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