Expert: Susan Rand - 5/4/2005

Question
What is the best way for me to start a career in writing? I have no experience and am almost 50. Everyone says I should write, I do write well.  

Answer
Hello Laurie:

The best way for you to start a career in writing is the way we all start: by writing, studying, reading and writing some more. I have heard it said that the more you write the better you get, but that is only true if you study at the same time. Witness: I've been practicing breathing all my life but I've never gotten any better at it. It's also not true that you have no experience: you've been writing nearly all your life! And you say you're a good writer - if you don't have to start by studying spelling, grammar, usage, you're already one step ahead of most!

If you have the time and money, you might consider enrolling in a writing class at your nearby community college or trade school. Plenty of instruction is available online, too, some free, some paid. Search out the free ones and download what you can for a kind of homemade textbook. Start with the elementary stuff and work your way up the scale.

Get hold of a copy of ELEMENTS OF STYLE, by Strunk and White (White has passed on, so it might be just Strunk). You can find a link to it on my website at http://www.webspawner.com/users/rand49/index.html (You will have to cut and paste as this site does not support hyperlinks). If you can download there, do so, otherwise, buy the book. You can get it cheap at amazon.com. It's a small book but it's the bible for writers.

Check out some other good writing books at your library. HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL by James Frey is an excellent choice. Writers' Digest Book Club also has some good "how to" books, many of them under $10. Start building a library.

Join some of the helpful writing forums online. You can find plenty at groups.yahoo.com and on the Microsoft site, also at geocities.com. As you practice, post your work there for general comments by readers. You'll also make some good contacts - they'll help you and you'll help them.


I hope this helps. If it does, a nice rating would be greatly appreciated. I am proud of my high score over 450 + questions.

And good luck with your writing!