How to become a Writer

Writers plan and write literary or other written work for publication or performance. Writers may create original pieces of written work, which can take the form of poetry, novels, short stories, biographies, blogs, plays or film, radio and television scripts. They may also write for multimedia distribution.Writers may specialise in fiction writing, general interest non-fiction, journalism, children's books, educational textbooks, historical writing and transferring oral histories into written form, corporate or training videos, technical writing, magazine writing, documentation preparation, freelance editorial services, helping others to prepare manuscripts for publication, scriptwriting, documentary writing, humour, copywriting, editi

Personal requirements for a Writer

Observant and inquisitive approach to people and their environment
Able to think and write creatively and clearly
Excellent understanding of English, particularly grammar and spelling
Concentration, perseverance and dedication

Education & Training for a Writer

You can work as a writer without formal qualifications. Skills are usually developed through practice and experience. However, you will improve your chances of employment by undertaking some associated formal training.Relevant courses can range from part-time interest courses to university degrees. As subjects and prerequisites can vary between institutions, you should contact your chosen institution for further information.Alternatively, you can become a writer by studying a degree in a related area at university. Entry to these courses usually requires you to gain your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education. Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study. Contact the institutions you are interested in for more information.

Duties & Tasks of a Writer

Writers:

Choose themes or subjects for written work, conduct research into the subject, assemble background material and obtain other necessary data
Plan and organise material and write the work
Revise or edit the work, making sure that the style is consistent; that there is proper development of theme, plot and characterisation; and that referencing is correct
Set out the original manuscript so that it is clear and legible (typed or word processed, for example) and submit the work to a publisher
Work with other specialists such as scriptwriters, software developers, graphic designers and illustrators, to create multimedia works.

Tasks

Plans, organises and writes material.
Researches subject matter through original and secondary materials, interviews and other media.
Creates and develops ideas and themes for written works, such as novels, plays, musicals, screen productions, educational texts, information texts and multimedia products.

Employment Opportunities for a Writer

People interested in writing should consider related occupations until they are able to establish themselves in this occupation. This may be in areas such as journalism, editing, teaching and advertising.Writers are usually self-employed or work under contract. Many publications will have a bank of regular freelance contributors they rely on to provide content. Business writers may be employed by government departments and private businesses. Technical writers are usually employed under contract to publishers. New technologies have increased the expectation that writers have multimedia skills and work on personal computers, submitting their work electronically.

Specializations

par - Writers may specialise in fiction writing, general interest non-fiction, journalism, children's books, educational textbooks, historical writing and transferring oral histories into written form, corporate or training videos, technical writing, magazine writing, documentation preparation, freelance editorial services, helping others to prepare manuscripts for publication, scriptwriting, documentary writing, humour, copywriting, editing text into accessible 'plain English' form or writing text for musical works. Work may be commissioned by a book or magazine publisher, a theatre company, a film or television production company, or a radio or television station. Alternatively, work may be sold by the writer or a literary agent acting on the writer's behalf. Writers often work with visual or performance artists. In the business environment, writers can work as communication specialists. They may design training seminars or packages, facilitate workplace discussions, identify problems in documentation and conduct communication audits.

Technical Writer

A technical writer researches and writes manuals, textbooks, online user guides and other information-based material. Technical writers need to understand and explain complex technical information. They may specialise in IT, engineering, finance or help documentation.

Ghostwriter

A ghostwriter researches and writes books, articles, stories or other texts on behalf of another person. Celebrities and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft autobiographies.

Blogger

A blogger researches and writes web content to publish online.

Writer

Average age
48
Future Growth
N/A
Gender Share
63% female
Average full-time
45 hours
Weekly Pay
N/A
Skill level rating
Very high skill
Unemployment
Lower unemployment
Full-Time Share
48%
Employment Size
3,700
Employment by state
ACT: 2.6%
NSW: 38.9%
NT: 0.5%
QLD: 16.6%
SA: 4.3%
TAS: 2.5%
VIC: 28.4%
WA: 6.1%
Age brackets
15-19: 0.7%
20-24: 3.1%
25-34: 16.2%
35-44: 22.6%
45-54: 23.9%
55-59: 10.2%
60-64: 7.8%
65 and Over: 15.6%
Education level
Advanced Diploma/Diploma: 9.1%
Bachelor degree: 42.7%
Certificate III/IV: 3.9%
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 29.6%
Year 10 and below: 2.5%
Year 11: 1.2%
Year 12: 10.9%