{"id":13580,"date":"2021-09-20T11:35:35","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T19:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/?p=13580"},"modified":"2021-11-08T01:49:03","modified_gmt":"2021-11-08T09:49:03","slug":"writing-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/20\/writing-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to Write for a Living? The 7 Things I Wish I’d Known"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many people dream of becoming professional writers. Getting paid to share your thoughts with strangers is a pretty good gig. I\u2019ve been a full-time writer for over a decade, and in the spirit of my last post on college advice<\/a>, here\u2019s what I wish I had known before I started writing.<\/p>\n

First, though, some caveats. Writing is tough. Few who write regularly make a living doing it, and many of those who do barely scrape by. As with entrepreneurship<\/a>, most people would probably be better off with a regular job than trying to earn a living writing.<\/p>\n

That said, even if writing isn\u2019t your primary source of income, it can still be worthwhile. Writing, like painting, music or languages, is fun. It can also be a great source of opportunities because it has spillover into other professions. Thus, becoming a decent writer is often a good investment.<\/p>\n

Finally, writing is a broad discipline. I make money through courses and non-fiction advice books. Therefore, what I have to say will mean little to someone who wants to be a journalist, novelist or poet. Although the underlying skill is similar, the industry isn\u2019t. Don\u2019t expect my experience to transfer if you\u2019re hoping to be the next J.K. Rowling or Tom Wolfe.<\/p>\n

That said, here\u2019s my advice to people who enjoy writing and wouldn\u2019t mind being paid for it, too.<\/p>\n

1. Your Audience is Your Most Valuable Asset<\/h2>\n
\nListen to this article<\/small>
\n