How to Become a Writer or Author

One of the best ways to become a good writer is by practicing and getting resources on how to improve.

Before sending your written work to publishers, you should spend a few years practicing your craft. This enables you to become a better writer. For example, if you plan to specialize in crime stories, you should read the works of other crime authors such as Patricia Cornwell and John Grisham to get an idea of how a crime novel is written. Another way to do this is by subscribing to "Writer's Digest" magazine because they may have some articles on how to write good crime stories.

Instructions

1. Start writing articles in school publications. If your high school or college has a literary magazine, join the staff. Write in a variety of genres because this will expose you to the many styles of writing that exist and you'll learn to develop your own style. For example, if you're writing a short play but you also enjoy reading about social movements, you can build your own style by writing plays that deal with political unrest, economic issues and race relations.

2. Enter writing contests. This is especially a good idea if you want to earn extra money for college. If a few nonprofit organizations or universities in your state are sponsoring annual essay contests about specific topics, visit their websites and print out the applications so you can fill them out and begin writing the essays. Before writing the essays, do research on the different topics so your writing will be coherent.

3. Write for websites. This is especially beneficial if you want to increase the number of published clips you have as well as your income. Visit websites such as JournalismJobs.com and FreelanceWriting.com, which often have daily listings of the latest freelance writing jobs.

4. Write for your local newspaper or independent magazines in your area. For example, you may know about an independent magazine that focuses on Asian and African current events and how they affect entrepreneurs on the two continents. If you're knowledgeable about these issues, you can send a query letter to the magazine stating your article idea, why the article is relevant to the magazine's mission and why you're qualified to write the article.

References

• Writer's Digest: 8 Writing Blunders

Resources

• WritersMarket.com
• Writer's Digest
• JournalismJobs.com