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Creative writing
A degree in creative writing allows you to develop your writing, research and creative thinking skills. You'll also gain skills that are useful in a range of other careers such as publishing, marketing, PR and teaching
Job options
Jobs directly related to your degree include:
- Advertising copywriter
- Arts administrator
- Creative director
- Digital copywriter
- Editorial assistant
- Higher education lecturer
- Lexicographer
- Magazine journalist
- Newspaper journalist
- Publishing copy-editor/proofreader
- Talent agent
Jobs where your degree would be useful include:
- Academic librarian
- Digital marketer
- Film director
- Marketing executive
- Primary school teacher
- Public librarian
- Public relations officer
- Social media manager
- Web content manager
Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.
Work experience
Building a portfolio of written work, especially any that you've had published, will help to evidence your writing skills and establish your reputation as a writer.
You can gain valuable experience by writing for your student newspaper or magazine, volunteering in schools, or getting involved with writers' groups. Also, try submitting work to journals or anthologies, entering competitions, performing at spoken word events or approaching local drama groups to see if they will use your scripts. This will boost your profile and help build your confidence.
To make yourself more employable, look for opportunities to gain some solid work experience. This could be in the form of paid administrative work for a company or volunteering, perhaps with a local charity helping them to promote the work they do.
You could also write speculatively to a number of businesses, including publishing houses and marketing firms, to ask if you could complete some short-term work experience or shadowing. This can have the advantage of getting you a foot in the door in a highly-competitive industry and could lead to a permanent position.
As well as creative talent and writing experience, you will also need perseverance and determination to succeed as a writer.
Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships .
Typical employers
As a creative writing graduate you may work to establish yourself as a writer on a self-employed basis, either writing your own works, or writing for others in a freelance capacity.
Alternatively, you could find opportunities with a variety of employers, including:
- publishing houses or editorial/technical writing service companies
- advertising, marketing and public relations agencies, particularly in a copywriting capacity
- primary, secondary, further and higher education institutions
- media organisations and social media companies
- general businesses - in an administrative or general management position
- Civil Service, library or charitable organisations.
Find information on employers in marketing, advertising and PR , media and internet , teacher training and education , and other job sectors .
Further study
As a creative writing graduate you can develop your creative writing skills further by undertaking further study at Masters or PhD level. You can also specialise in an area such as screenwriting, the graphic novel, writing for young people, writing poetry, or writing and producing comedy.
Alternatively, you may want to undertake further vocational training in areas such as teaching, journalism, librarianship or publishing. Vocational courses allow you to study in an area in which you would like to have a career.
You may also want to consider further study in areas such as PR, marketing or advertising.
For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in creative writing .
What do creative writing graduates do?
One in ten (10%) creative writing graduates who are in employment in the UK are working in artistic, literary and media occupations, while 11% are working as sales, marketing and related associate professionals, 6% are teaching professionals and 5% are media professionals.
Find out what other creative writing graduates are doing 15 months after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?
Graduate destinations data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
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A ROAD MAP TO CREATIVE WRITING CAREER
Is your head stuck at creative writing and questions like What is creative writing? How to be a creative writer? What are some good topic ideas? How to acquire a long term career in creative writing? – are revolving like butterflies around your head. Then read out this article that will clear the air and detangle your confused mind.
To make you familiar with creative writing, this article talks about the active aspects, elevated elements, and effective exercises that you can go through to establish yourself in the world of creative writing and the various dimensions that you need to explore to build up a steady career in the relevant field.
WHAT IS CREATIVE WRITING?
Creative writing is a lax term that encompasses a variety of extensive writings wrapped around different genres that goes beyond the boundaries of academic or technical writing.
In simpler words, any kind of writing that is articulate, expressive of your thoughts or feelings, or shares a personal experience can come under the umbrella of creative writing.
Creative creation, reminiscent of its label, is a writing that is out of the box and certainly paints a visual in the mind of its reader. It originates straight from the heart of the writer and unambiguously allures the heart and mind.
PURPOSE OF CREATIVE COMPOSITION
From sharing a human experience (about love, friendship, hate, or any other witnessed event) to unravel the truth about humanity or the universe- creative writing has unfathomable depths. Furthermore, the incorporation of morals often forms the core of the story, along with the requisite consideration of entertainment purposes.

Another motive that you need to keep in mind is that a story without a moral often seems spiritless and usually dissatisfies the reader. Therefore, a piece of writing should be based on a theme advancing towards the climax to illuminate the audience with an evident message.
At the same time, a good piece of writing should never cut corners in terms of entertainment as people generally expect a blend of the same in the created creation along with a lookout for an escape from the worries and tensions of the real world.
TYPES OF CREATIVE WRITING
Accommodating a wide range of creations, creative writing has a wide spectrum. A few main types of writings are enumerated below:
- Fiction (short stories, novels)
- Plays and dramas
- Movie and TV scripts
BASIC ELEMENTS OF CREATIVE WRITING
A great piece of work is constructed upon the bedrock of constant and integral elements that can be molded as per the requisites of the composition. Here is a list of vital elements that need to be comprehended and incorporated to procure the knack of creative writing.
PECULIAR PLOT
Any kind of story is positioned on the strong base of a peculiar plot. A basic and unique plotline is essential to weave a story. Although remakes are also on the bandwagon, yet uniqueness often grabs attention.
Now, the ball is in your court whether you want to compose an original material or renovate a masterpiece in a whole new outlook.
INNATE NARRATIVE
Now, the plot needs an apt narrative style to be portrayed in the best possible manner. Ordinarily, the first person and the third person are often at the top on the priority list.
The details of each of the narrative style are explicated below:
FIRST-PERSON
In the first case, the narrator is the first person- “I”, i.e. the main character narrates the story. So here we look at the story through the eyes of the main character.
SECOND-PERSON
Second-person or usage of “you” and “yours” are typically pointless in case of creative writing, simply because the writer is sharing his/her own experience or perspective.
The stated narrative is generally used for instructional purposes like in exams, or in blog posts, etc.
THIRD-PERSON
Third-person connotes to the usage of “he/she/they” as the narrator. The reporter or the speaker is omnipotent and well aware of the emotions and feelings of all the characters. This type of narration is well prevalent in the writing world.
CHARACTER PORTRAYAL
Who the character is? What are the catchy characteristics relevant to him or her? How stark instances affect and transform the character? These are the fundamental questions that need to be incorporated into the story to render an emphatic character portrayal.
All the major characters should develop prominently in terms of qualities, abilities, and strength as the wheel of the story rotates and proceeds further. From start to end, the pervasive development of the character needs to be done in a manner that the reader can draw a picture. Moreover, the reader should be able to comprehend the prominent characteristics of the character concerning the story.
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PRIME THEME
A story without a relevant theme is like a bird without feathers that can never fly and accomplish its real purpose of life. The target audience of the book is looking for a relevant theme, sermon, or message concerning the story to incite interest. Unable to locate the meaning in the book can dissatisfy the reader to a large extent.
Therefore, it is inherent to have a theme along with a relevant message or lesson to maintain the integrity of the story. It not only provides relevance to your story but also hooks the reader to strive to reach the endpoint promptly.
VIVID IMAGERY
Generally, images or pictures are easier to stay and retain in the mind for a longer time. Moreover, it generates the interest of the reader.
Now it is impossible to put a lot of pictures in a novel or a book. So in that case you need to paint the picture in the mind of the reader. How can you do that?

For that purpose, you need to create visual descriptions of characters and settings in the mind of the readers by using applicable figures of speech like similes, metaphors, and other comparisons.
The figures of speech facilitate you to paint the canvas for your readers, making them visualize the vivid imagery of each character and its surroundings in the story.
In this way, you can instruct your reader to perceive the cascade of events happening in your story with the fruitful imagery that will have a larger impact on the mind of the reader.
For instance, rather than saying “Life is good”, you can say “His life seems to be a bed of roses.”Here, the latter one beautifies the ordinary-looking former clause and hence glorifies your creative creation.
DIALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Dialogues provide the essential realistic appeal to your story. It not only feeds the story with realism providing a feel of everyday conversation and making the reader feel attached; but also supports and furthers the story and character delineation.
EMOTIONAL APPEAL
In an attempt to get relief from the 24*7 busy life fraught with facts and figures, the sentimental reader is searching for an emotional connection in your story.
Therefore, you should adorn your story with the emotional appeal to allure your audience and build a connection with them. Usually, readers are intrigued by the emotional plot and thus far more interested to read the whole story.
So, don’t forget to season your piece of writing with a pinch of emotional connection.
HOW DO I START CREATIVE WRITING?
Laying the foundation is always the most substantial as well as the most difficult step in any field. Perpetually, creative writing does get better with time and experience, yet the hard nut to crack remains how to initiate and start with creative writing?
Now, as you already know what is creative writing, you can kick start your career as a budding writer with short stories, simple poems, or bare essays setting your goals from a basic few hundred-word limit to maximizing it according to your own pace.
If you are a school or college going student you can always try to get indulged in literature classes, educational classes, and extra-curricular writing-based activities like creative writing competitions, magazines, newspapers, etc.

Contemporarily, you can attend varied workshops and submit your work for peer critique. While doing that, always keep in your mind there is no age bar for learning, and therefore accept the feedback with an open heart. It will guide you about your pitfalls and hence pave the path for improvement.
CREATIVE TOPICS
As you are well acquainted with what is creative writing and how to start your writing, you may be confused and scratching your head about what topics to choose at the initial level. Thousands of ideas would be revolving around your head, yet you won’t be able to choose. Relatable?
Obviously, you want to give it your best shot but it’s better to commence with easy and simple ideas. Once you feel you have attained that aptitude and ability to write well, you can move on to complex and more creative ideas.
So, here I have clubbed together a list of 30 simple and fascinating creative idea prompts to resolve your topical confusion.
- Write a story about stranger things happenings around your house/ attic room.
- Write a story about a missing stone from the mysterious mountains.
- Write a story about a parallel world and its enigmatic impacts on the real world.
- Write a story about a trap door present in the basement of your house.
- Write a story about a secret well-wisher who knows everything about you and saves you from all the problems.
- Write a story about a blind date where a boy and a girl meet for the first time.
- Write a quarantine love story in the lockdown.

- Write a romance story where a crush turned into a lifetime blossoming love story.
- Write a story eliciting that there is no such thing as a perfect date .
- Write about love at first sight / first love.
HOLIDAY AND ADVENTURE
- Write about a visit to your dreamland/place .
- Write how a last-minute trip with friends turned out to be full of adventures.
- Write about an accomplished resolution .
- Write about a week in a village with friends (but without mobile phones).
- Write about a trip to a hill station on a bike, with a tent and a handful of food items and water.
- Write a story about a magic watch , which can pause and reverse time.
- Write about a man with some superpowers.
- Write a story about two people who are head over heels in love with each other, but one of them is immortal .
- Write a story about a person who has the power to predict the future and which turns out to be true all the time.
- Write a story about your latest fantasy .
THRILLER AND SUSPENSE
- Write a story about a priest who is trying to probe a paranormal secret.
- Write a story about secret notes that follow wherever you go.
- One day, you visit a friend and someone tells you that the friend is dead for over 5 years.
- Write about a kid who looks at the ceiling of the house and talks to two other children.
- Write a story about being stuck at an island where one by one all your companions are losing their lives.

- Write a story about a solitary girl who feels lonely even in a congested city.
- Write a story about a tiny elf that you found in your storeroom.
- Write a story about a person stuck in an elevator for a whole day.
- Write a story about a place that you are visiting as an adult, and which you last visited as a child.
- Write a story when you wake up to see there is no hair on your head.
Guys, these are just some helpful ideas for your benefit, but there is no compulsion, you can always move forward with your own out of the box ideas.
HOW TO ESTABLISH A LONG TERM CAREER IN CREATIVE WRITING?
After acquiring the knack of creative writing, you would want to convert your rousing passion into a long term lucrative profession to earn bread and butter. True?
Considering that, you may find yourself lucky as you have the opportunity to turn your fomenting passion into your profession. To have a job that you love doing wholeheartedly puts you in the category of the ones who are truly blessed.
Do you feel excited?
Great but at the same time let me show you the bigger picture. You must have heard this quote, “Rome was not built in a day.” In the same manner, you cannot become an established creative writer with a single publication or in a few days.
Even if you are good at writing, receiving recognition is a long haul which you need to pursue with an earnest belief in yourself.
Today, in the highly competitive and capitalist society, procuring a good position, without much experience is not a piece of cake, but rather exceedingly demanding and challenging.
So here, let me shed some light on how you can climb the success ladder step by step to become an accredited creative writer.
First of all, you need to speculate about a few questions- What are you writing? Who is your target audience? How are you planning to publish it? Answers to these questions will form the first step of your ladder that will shed some light on the road that you want to follow to step into the humongous world of creative writing.
Here is a list of a few options from which you can choose to procure a long term career in creative writing.
ARTICLE/BLOG WRITER
Self introspect to know your niche and passion- like travel, food, fashion, education, etc.- anything that you love doing and is irresistible to you.

As you are already aware of what is creative writing, you can start by creating your website and publishing about the same, or you can opt to publish on other online platforms.
In the long run, you can work for various companies, newspapers, and magazines and secure a stable job in a reverent company.
2. FREELANCER
Within the framework of freelancers, you have an immense scope to earn yourself a good fortune based on sheer hard work and determination.
Once you have made your presence known, you can band in with various organizations to procure work for feature news, online magazines, business portfolios, reviewing, etc.
It may take time to build up your presence on the internet so be patient and hang in there until you accomplish your dreams.
BOOK WRITER
Writing a book is nothing like a walk in the park, so it’s better to brush up your skills and practice enough compositions before you make up your mind to write a book that can be fictional or non-fictional depending upon your niche.
Writing a book is just a preliminary achievement, the main toil starts afterward when you need to publish and sell it in the market. Here, you are standing at a diversion of two streams and you can swim across any one of them – either you can band in with a good publishing house or you can self-publish yourself.
Well-established publishing house
While signing up the first contract with a conventional publishing house, don’t yearn for exceptionally high advances because if your work fails to accomplish the stated goals, the next time would entreat you lower advances.
On the other hand, if you set up for mediocre advances and your work earns well, your advances for the next contract would amplify.
Furthermore, be prepared with another book before the deadline to mushroom your career and be in demand.
Self-publication
The framework of self-publication puts you in the category of businessmen along with a writer. In this case, your work will be two-fold, i.e., first to write the book and then publish it by studying the fundamentals of the publishing industry.
SCRIPTWRITER
Are you fond of writing innovative dialogues and surprising stories, then you must give it a shot. You can make room for yourself by writing interesting and groundbreaking scripts for movies, plays, theatres, television shows, etc.
With the surging digitalization, the scope of marketing and advertising on social media and other digital platforms is mushrooming and creating ample opportunities for writers like you to sustain a steady career.
To walk this road, you can simply affiliate yourself with a specific company and write compelling product descriptions and services to break the deals.
Creating brochures, catalogs, pamphlets, etc. to advertise and oblige the target audience forms the heart of your job.
So outlay your creativeness and get going!!!
Teaching and training is another in-demand option for you if you have completely comprehended the fundamentals of creative creation. A master’s degree in creative writing along with a wide knowledge of creative writing programs is all you need to kickstart your own institute or to become a part of a conventional institute.
The crux is that there are plenty of fishes in the sea, you have to grab the right one for yourself. Also, make sure you are well prepared for stringent hard work and dedication to your work until you live up your dream to be a lucrative writer.
Further, read below to relish the additional tips to hone your writing skills.
ESSENTIAL TIPS
Never-ending appetite for reading.
A brainy and befitting quote by Francis bacon says that “Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.” It rightfully states that reading is the preliminary step to be a full man. Henceforth, you should start reading and amplify your spectrum of knowledge.
You need to understand that a plethora of creative creations by conventional writers can open the window of inspiration and interests. Moreover, it will serve on your plate a paradigm of profound references to embellish your own stories and essays.
WRITE MORE EVERY DAY!!
As we all have heard – “Practice makes a man perfect”. Hence, you need to step out of your comfort zone and start writing every day. For that, you have plenty of options from diaries to stories, anything that flashes upon your mind.
Just make sure you create short term goals of writing every day and accomplish them by day end.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Initially, to discover what you want to write, you need to know your audience. Any piece of composition cannot appease the whole population; therefore, it is always beneficial to know your target audience.
Additionally, knowing your target audience aids you to cut down the scope and extent of writing, and thus amplify your focus.
BRAINSTORM IDEAS
There is no such thing as a perfect time or space for writing. Anything-even an ordinary dog on the street could inspire you to write. So it’s better to be on your toes all the time and keep a handy notebook or a notepad on your mobile phone.

Any instance that incites or prompts your mind, pen it down and work upon it later.
Conversely, if you ever feel spiritless and run out of ideas, embrace nature for stimulating and exhilarating experiences.
REFASHION FORMER WRITINGS
It may sound unreasonable work upon the old compositions, but editing is forever a great option.
As a person gets better with time and effort, in the same manner, a written composition can be upgraded in terms of language, style, and innovation.
All you need to do is pick up any of your ordinary compositions and open up the window panes of your mind to redesign it in a whole new style.
STEAL THE THUNDER WITH AN ENCHANTING INTRODUCTION
A good start develops the requisite interest of the reader, mesmerizing him/her to reach the end of the book as soon as possible.
Therefore you have to captivate your readers with a scented beginning and set the stage for the forthcoming action.
For instance, a murder mystery novel could be given a thunder set off with the animate setting of a murder and then build up the chronology of flashback along with the resolution of the mystery.
IMAGINATIVE LANGUAGE
Imagination and innovation form the epicenter of creative writing and to create vivid imagery, you need to use the whimsical figurative language to bear a rhetoric effect in your creation.
Similes, metaphors, and comparisons along with alliterations and repetitions would facilitate you to fabricate an appropriate picture in the mind of your reader.
With all the knowledge you have gained through this article, start now and create your own path of creative writing…
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Earning a Master’s in Creative Writing Online

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Should i pursue a master's in creative writing online.
Writers can hone their craft and fine-tune their prose with an online creative writing degree. A creative writing degree teaches students the fiction writing and critical reading skills necessary to master the art of storytelling. Graduates who have an online creative writing degree often go on to teach at four-year colleges, but they also work in fields where employers need candidates with strong writing skills, like publishing, journalism, advertising, and marketing.
Students can choose to complete a traditional on-campus program or an online creative writing degree. Generally, working professionals or people with significant familial obligations opt for online classes, which allow them to study remotely without having to travel to campus. Read on to learn more about an online creative writing degree and the careers open to graduates.
Employment Outlook for Master's in Creative Writing Graduates
Master's in creative writing salary.
Not all graduates with an online creative writing degree end up in the same pay bracket. A graduate's salary depends on numerous conditions, including previous work experience, interests, and location. For example, California, the District of Columbia, and New York offer top pay for authors and writers -- authors and writers in these states receive average salaries of $85,640-$96,120. For more detailed information about what authors and writers get paid in different states, browse the table below.
Top-Paying States for Writers or Authors
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Pay by Experience Level for Writers
- Entry-Level (0-5 Years): $41,000
- Mid-Career (5-10 Years): $54,000
- Experienced (10-20 Years): $62,000
- Late-Career (20+ Years): $74,000
Source: PayScale
Master's in Creative Writing Careers
Online creative writing degree graduates do not all end up in the same career. Many graduates go on to work in writing-related industries, such as publishing, journalism, and marketing. Students also pursue an online creative writing degree to enable them to teach English classes at the college level. Others enter a graduate program to advance in their current career. Read on to see some of the careers you can land after graduation. Keep in mind that not all of the jobs listed below require a master's degree, but an advanced degree typically puts candidates at an advantage.
Writer or Author
Annual Median Salary : $61,820
Projected Growth Rate: 8%
You don't have to have a college degree to become a writer or an author. However, many published writers have earned a master's in writing online. Writers create content for newspapers, magazines, books, and advertisements. They also work with editors to implement edits and conduct research for stories. Some work on a freelance basis, while others work on staff.
Annual Median Salary : $39,484
Projected Growth Rate: -10%
Journalists work for newspapers, magazines, and broadcast news organizations. They report, research, and write stories on tight deadlines. Journalists cover different beats such as entertainment, news, crime, and housing. Their work setting varies. Many go on assignment to cover news. Journalists often pitch their own stories or cover stories assigned by their editors.
Digital Content Manager
Annual Median Salary : $56,591
Projected Growth Rate: N/A
Digital content managers need strong creative writing skills. Their daily duties include overseeing the content on websites. They write new content and edit existing copy. Other duties include planning ad or promotional campaigns. Most digital content managers need at least a bachelor's degree, and some have a master's degree in a specialized field.
Annual Median Salary : $58,770
Projected Growth Rate: -1%
Editors work for magazines, newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, and online publications. On a regular basis, they edit copy while checking for correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Many editors assign writers stories and work with designers to finalize published stories online, in print, or on air. They also manage staff and oversee new hires.
Advertising, Promotions, or Marketing Manager
Annual Median Salary : $129,380
Projected Growth Rate: 10%
In a field such as advertising, having strong creative writing skills helps. Graduates with an online creative writing degree excel in advertising, promotions, and marketing. On a daily basis they promote products and services by running ad and marketing campaigns. They also conduct marketing research and work one-on-one with clients to write marketing or advertising copy.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statstics / PayScale

What Can I Expect from an Online Master's in Creative Writing Program?
Graduate creative writing programs feature different structures and class offerings. Specific electives and required classes vary from college to college, and each accredited school requires a different number of credits to graduate. However, the core classes graduate students must take generally remain the same. Most coursework challenges students to strengthen their writing, reading, and analytical skills at an advanced level. Below you can find some sample courses.
Curriculum for an Online Master's Degree in Creative Writing
Reading fiction.
This course focuses on certain genres of fiction, such as autofiction or postcolonial literature. Students enrolled in this course must read novels and short stories to hone their advanced reading proficiency. They analyze the structure, pacing, and style used in stories to better understand their own writing. This class helps graduates improve their personal writing and instruction abilities.
Creative Writing Workshop
Every semester, students must take a creative writing workshop. The class format requires students to submit either short stories or novel manuscripts to their classmates and professor. Typically in groups of 10-15, writers critique each other's work. This course provides essential feedback needed to grow as a fiction writer.
Students interested in becoming teaching adjuncts must take a pedagogy class. This course teaches students how to create curricula and lead classes. Students often shadow college professors, who provide mentorship. Many students go on to teach composition to undergraduate students after taking this class.
A craft course teaches students how to understand techniques used in fiction. Students consider time, voice, character, and plot, all of which authors use to propel a story. This class provides essential skills to students who want to pursue a career as a writer, an editor, or a teacher.
Translation Workshop
Graduate students who want to land jobs as translators or writers can take a translation workshop course. Students enrolled in this class learn how to use technological advancements in the field of translation. Students may practice translating academic texts, literary publications, and other works.
Certifications and Licenses a Master's in Creative Writing Prepares For
Graduate Certificate in Children's Literature: With an online creative writing degree, graduates can go on to teach. A graduate certification in children's literature appeals to graduates who have an interest in teaching children. This certification allows students to study classic children's literature. Different accredited colleges provide this certification, which may count toward professional development hours for applicants who want to become elementary school teachers.
Teaching Literature Certificate: Graduates who want to become English teachers can stand out during the hiring process with a teaching literature certification. In most of these certification programs, students explore the use of different theories and strategies to teach literature.
Professional Organizations and Resources
New writers can face challenges breaking into the insular field of creative writing. A writer's career can hinge on making strong connections. After earning a master's in writing online, writers may lean on their former classmates for advice and career leads. Additionally, graduates can further expand their network by joining a professional network. Organizations often host conferences where writers, editors, publishers, and agents come together. To explore some of these programs, read more below.
Authors Guild : Founded more than 100 years ago, the Authors Guild works to support working writers, including journalists, novelists, short story writers, and poets. Members enjoy discounted subscriptions to various magazines and access to free legal services and the Writers' Research Library.
International Women's Writing Guild : This organization has supported and inspired women writers from different backgrounds since 1976. Conferences and webinars bring together members. Members also pay discounted submission fees to contests and get the opportunity to pitch to agents at the Spring Big Apple Conference.
National Writers Union : The NWU represents freelance writers, including journalists, screenwriters, bloggers, and authors. The organization gives members contract advice, grievance assistance, and help with health insurance, and offers press passes through the International Federation of Journalists.
PEN America : Established in 1922, PEN America unites writers and journalists around the world and defends freedom of speech through various initiatives and partnerships. Members receive discounts to PEN America programs and access to the members-only Facebook group.
American Society of Journalists and Authors : Founded in 1948, ASJA brings together nonfiction writers. Joining ASJA offers access to an exclusive referral service, seminars, workshops, and marketing information.
Lambda Literary : Lambda Literary offers a community for LGBT writers. The organization features awards, an annual convention, and writers' retreats. Lambda Literary's website features a call for submissions, where writers can submit their work and find links to agents and publishers.
Kundiman : Founded in the early 2000s, Kundiman aims to create a space for Asian-American readers and writers. Students can access Kundiman's paid internship program, and the organization also offers programs, retreats, prizes, readings, and workshops.
Cave Canem : Based in Brooklyn, Cave Canem began in 1996 to support African-American poets. The organization provides numerous grants, master classes, fellowships, workshops, and retreats.
CantoMundo : CantoMundo features a community support system for poets of Latin descent. Members can apply for the CantoMundo retreat, where they attend workshops and listen to panel discussions.
Poets & Writers : Poets & Writers, an online and print publication, offers creative writers access to contests, reading venues, and workshops. The website provides a variety of resources, like links to literary places and information about national literary events.

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5 Creative Writing Careers to Explore
- Content Writing
Creative writing , as the name suggests is a way to express oneself creatively through the use of imagery , narrative , and drama . Moreover, in recent years, creative writing is getting accepted widely as a full-fledged profession. You can find a wide range of creative writing careers today. But before that, let’s take a deep dive and discuss what this field is all about.
Fictional Creative Writing
Non-fictional creative writing, 1. copywriter, 3. book writer (author), 4. scriptwriter, 5. content writer, step 2 – find inspiration, step 3 – doing writing exercises improves creative writing, step 4 – share your writing and get feedback, definition of creative writing.
It as an academic discipline is still a fairly new thing going around the world. Whereas, it’s the last 10 years that creative writing exploded on the surface. That is what triggered the career opportunities for creative writing .
It is any literary piece of work where the writers or the authors engage audiences and get the readers’ attention through their imagination and creativity . Creative writing can be divided into two major categories fiction and non-fiction. Both of them offer lucrative creative writing careers.
This form of writing is where the author writes purely based on their imagination, ideas, or references taken from other fictional writing. Fictional creative writing is what someone calls a ‘fantasy’ in the genre language . This form of content writing has a huge fan base as it allows the readers to escape from the real world and experience the dreamworld and lands.
Non-fictional writing is basically writing that is based on reality. The things that we see around ourselves. From something as a real-life issue, or an instance. It is something that is much more realistic and closer to actual life. This form of writing is more based on facts than the imagination of the author.

Creative Writing Careers
The best part of a career in creative writing is that one doesn’t mandatorily need to have a degree to begin as a creative writer, although Literature and Journalism degrees are preferred in some cases.
Copywriters are the people that perform the art of crafting words for the sole purpose of conversion. Good copy convinces people to take action. Copywriting is the messaging that fuels an entire business, that is what the copywriters do.
Blogging is currently one of the most effective and used marketing strategies to grow businesses. This is primarily why people blog these days to get free traffic from Google to make money online. A blog technically is a section of your website. This is is the scope of blogging in today’s world, therefore, being a blogger is not a bad idea.
An author is simply a person who writes books or novels. For example, JK Rowling is an acclaimed author, JK Rowling is famous for her Harry Potter series that was successful throughout the world. Being an author is one of the traditional professions of creative writing but is still influential.
Those who favour writing dialogues can become scriptwriters. Scriptwriters are the people who write scripts for a movie, tv series, short films and so on. It is a very creative field and also one of the most crucial factors as it determines the quality of the show that a scriptwriter is working on. Scriptwriting has a good scope for people with interests and relevant skills.
Content writing is a profession where you create content for a client based on their set needs. With the digitalization of businesses and services, almost all companies need content writers to present themselves to the online audience. Hence, this is one of the best creative writing careers out there!
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How to become a Creative Writer?
There is no fixed pathway to becoming a creative writer. You can become a creative writer by following these steps –
Step 1 – Read More about Creative Writing
The people who read more actually tend to write better. People who have been reading often especially since they were young tend to have better expression, which is arguably the most crucial aspect. Reading widely only helps your brain to widen its range of thinking capabilities. For instance, the range includes legal, experimental, creative pieces, essays and so on.
Inspiration is all around us. Following on some reading creatively can help find inspiration in what you can create and everything around you. You will be surprised where you might find the inspiration. Think of it like any other skill, for instance, sports or music. The more inspired you are, the better and more driven you are to become.
Do short creative writing exercises. For example, you might take a few minutes every single night before bed to write about your day or just anything in your mind that comes through. Writing about your day or anything that is in your mind is called ‘Stream of Consciousness’. Or you might have to spend five minutes after thinking about an idea to write about it in your journal. Whatever it is, every single piece of writing no matter how little you get into it, no matter how long it is, can often become something amazing later. Because whatever you write, can become a basis of a creative writing piece that you might end up doing.
Just remember, there is no right formula!
There is no better way to improve than to get feedback from people. Don’t be shy and think people won’t like your piece. Any type of feedback is always positive and constructed feedback for you to use and to improve and implement into your next piece. You might ask your friends, or your teacher to help you read your creative pieces. Another way to share is to post it anonymously online through a blog, or any website.

Starting is always hard but just like with anything else, once you finally get started and do it over and over again, it will get ten times easier. Whether it is for school or just for yourself, It is an amazing way that can help you develop as a writer but also helps you grow as a person, as cliche as it sounds. Also, it is a great platform for people who love to write and want to express themselves. Most importantly, the need for creative writers will only grow with the development of the internet and multiple websites. Therefore, making creative writing your full-fledged profession is not a bad idea.
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How to Get a Creative Writing Scholarship
A degree in creative writing can sharpen your writing skills and improve your chances of becoming a successful writer. However, the rising cost of the already expensive higher education system in the US is a major hurdle in many students’ career goals. Luckily, many creative writing scholarships are available for talented students.
In this article, we’ve put together a list of ten creative writing scholarships for high school students, undergraduate students, and graduate students, their eligibility criteria and deadline for the academic session 2022 to 2023. We’ve also listed some tips on how to get a creative writing scholarship and lower the weight of your student loans.

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What Is a Creative Writing Scholarship?
A creative writing scholarship is a form of financial aid offered to students who demonstrate exceptional writing skills and academic prowess. Creative writing scholarships ease the financial burden taken on by talented students by providing them with financial support to pay for the creative writing classes they take in university.
An aspiring creative writer can apply for many different scholarships. Some colleges award scholarships in the form of monthly stipends while a very select few even offer fully-funded scholarships covering tuition fees, monthly expenses, and sometimes even airfare.
Common Creative Writing Scholarship Requirements
- GPA. Students must have a good grade point average (GPA) and an excellent academic background to be eligible for most creative writing scholarships. Many scholarships require a GPA of 3.0 or higher. An incoming student seeking scholarships should work hard to improve their grades before applying.
- Academic Excellence. Students who plan on qualifying for scholarships must have an excellent educational background. While creative writing scholarships usually don’t have degree requirements, taking AP courses throughout 11th and 12th grade can be beneficial.
- Creative Writing Sample. While filling out scholarship applications, students must showcase their artistic excellence through a selection of writing samples. A writing sample can come from the student’s published work or any other writing experience they are proud of. Although published work isn’t a mandatory requirement, especially for incoming undergraduates, it significantly improves the chances of being selected.
- US Citizenship. Many colleges award creative writing scholarships exclusively to US citizens or permanent residents. You might need to submit a valid identity card to confirm your citizenship before the selection process can begin .
- Letter of Recommendation. When applying to scholarship programs, students will be asked to submit two or three letters of recommendation. These letters of recommendation can be written by school professors or mentors. Letters of recommendation are mandatory for just about all scholarships.
- Personal Essay. Eligible students will have to write a 500-word essay about their personal experiences and thoughts in relation to writing. Students should ask for feedback on personal essays from professors, fellow students, and family members to improve their chances.
How to Find Creative Writing Scholarships
There are multiple ways creative writing students can find scholarships. Whether you are a graduate or undergraduate student, you can contact your school’s financial aid office for help. You can also look online using dedicated scholarship search engines. Regardless of whether you want to focus on creative nonfiction, original poetry, or journalism, there are plenty of creative writing scholarships.
Contact Your School’s Financial Aid Office
You can start researching scholarship programs by reaching out to the financial aid office of your school. The financial aid office can help you by providing you with a list of all the scholarships that the school offers and helping you figure out if you could be one of the qualified recipients based on your technical merit.
Sign Up for Scholarship Finder
Another way to find out about scholarships is by using an online scholarship search engine. You can sign up for the US Department of Labor’s free Scholarship Finder tool. Alternatively, you can search Google to find thousands of scholarships, grants, and fellowship opportunities. You can even filter your search based on the deadline for submissions, acceptable majors of applicants, and academic requirements.
Check Ethnicity-based organizations
Most states in the US have several ethnicity-based organizations that offer a wide range of scholarships to promote diversity and inclusivity in higher education. Some scholarships they offer might be specific to a particular region. Consider reaching out to local organizations near you.
Tips to Find Creative Writing Scholarships for High School Students
Reach out to your school counselor.
An excellent way to find scholarship programs is by reaching out to your high school counselor. Counselors will help you find scholarships that fit your goals, academic standing, and other qualifications. They might also suggest other financial support opportunities.
Start As Early As Possible
Creative writing scholarships are highly competitive, so you should start planning your applications to scholarship programs as early as possible. The first thing you should do is choose which college you want to attend. Then, you can visit the school’s official website to find out more about the financial aid they offer.
Explore a Broad Range of Scholarships
Students who are seeking creative writing scholarships should also explore other scholarships. There are scholarships for creative writing majors that are offered with specific stipulations. Sometimes these stipulations make you eligible for a broader range of scholarships such as scholarships for women, racial minorities, people with exceptional hardships, or community volunteers.
10 Best Creative Writing Scholarships in 2022: Overview
Top 10 creative writing scholarships: in detail, 1. patricia cornwell creative writing scholarship.
- Awarded by: Davidson College
- Deadline: January 2023
Davidson College offers a $35,000 scholarship to young writers who demonstrate an exceptional passion for writing. It is an annual scholarship awarded to one first-year student. The scholarship can be renewed every year as long as the scholarship recipients maintain good grade point averages.
2. University of Michigan-Dearborn Writing Awards
- Awarded by: Outdoor Writers Association of America
- Deadline: May 2022
The University of Michigan-Dearborn offers $7,500 in scholarships to students enlisted in undergraduate degree programs. The awards are granted in the Poetry, Bill Linn Fiction Prize, Researched Writing, Creative Nonfiction, Writing Through Image and Sound, Writing in the Public Sphere, First-Year Writing, Honors Writing, and Scientific/Technical Writing categories.
3. NSHSS Creative Writing Scholarship
- Awarded by: National Society of High School Scholars
- Deadline: October 2022
Every year, the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) offers three scholarships worth $2,000 for fiction and three scholarships worth $2,000 for poetry. Applications open in July and close in October. All high school students graduating in 2023, 2024, or 2025, as well as recently graduated students, are eligible. Students are required to submit an original writing piece in both categories.
4. The Reedsy National Creative Writing Scholarship
- Awarded by: Reedsy
- Deadline: April 2022
The Reedsy Creative Writing Scholarship is a biannual scholarship that rewards aspiring novel writers with a $1,000 cash incentive which is directly transferred to the recipient’s educational institute. Reedsy also considers these recipients for further sponsorship as they become novel writers. Applicants must be studying at an accredited college or university and must submit a 1,500-word to 7,500-word original chapter of an unpublished novel.
5. Bobette Bibo Gugliotta Memorial Scholarships for Creative Writing
- Awarded by: Silicon Valley Community Foundation
- Deadline: February 2023
The Silicon Valley Community Foundation offers $1,000 in scholarships to aspiring creative writing students. Only US citizens or A.B 540 students are allowed to apply. Applicants must be current graduating seniors or graduates of a high school in San Mateo or Santa Clara County. Moreover, they must be admitted to a four-year degree program as a full-time student. The application closes in February.
6. Writing the Future Scholarship
- Awarded by: DiBella Law Offices PC
DiBella Law Offices PC offers a $1,000 one-time, non-renewable scholarship for post-secondary education. Any graduate or college student enrolled in a four-year university can apply. Moreover, students admitted to a two-year college or who have earned a high school diploma can also apply.
7. Ray Bradbury Award for Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Awarded by: Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
- Deadline: December 2022
If you love writing about supernatural, magical, futuristic, scientific, and technological themes, you should consider applying for the Ray Bradbury Award. It’s open to residents of the United States and the selected qualified applicant will receive a $1,000 cash award. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is December 1.
8. $1,500 Video Contest Scholarship for Students Who Enjoy Writing
- Awarded by: Cool Club
If you like writing stories or making videos, you should consider this scholarship by Cool Club. This scholarship offers a $1,000 scholarship prize to the winner and $500 to the runner-up. Applicants must be high school, university, or community college students. IvyPanda also offers a similar scholarship.
9. Dever Award for Freshman Writing
- Awarded by: Boston College
- Deadline: December 1, 2022
Boston College is one of the few colleges to offer essay scholarships to first-year students in writing. The Department of English at Boston College awards two students with a cash prize for possessing incredible essay writing skills. Boston College also has other scholarships like the Doherty Honors Project Award and English Language Learner Essay Award, which are open to all first-year students.
10. Eleanor M Wolfson Memorial Scholarship
- Awarded by: First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania
- Deadline: Not specified
This scholarship is designed for Montoursville Area High School seniors who want to study creative writing at Yale University. Applications need a Student Aid Report (SAR) from FAFSA and an acceptance letter from the university. They also need to submit an essay, a resume, a letter of recommendation, and their school transcripts.
Should I Apply for a Creative Writing Scholarship?
Yes, you should apply for a creative writing scholarship. A creative writing scholarship can immensely impact your career by letting you finish your studies with less student debt. The creative writing field is projected to grow by nine percent by 2030 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS also reports that writers and authors have an annual median wage of $67,120.
Creative Writing Scholarships FAQ
The most common types of scholarships include merit-based scholarships, community-service scholarships, academic scholarships, and need-based scholarships.
You can start by creating an outline where you list all the points you want to include in it, then expand upon each point. You can take inspiration from examples on the Internet, but remember that your essay should be original. Once you finish your essay, you can show it to your friends, parents, or teacher for review. Feedback can significantly improve your essay.
If you are thinking of applying for a scholarship, make sure you reach out to the program coordinator. Also, remember that you don’t have to pay anything to qualify for a scholarship. Scholarships are financial aid designed to support talented students.
An excellent way to establish a career in creative writing is to practice every day. You can earn a degree in creative writing or you can enroll in online creative writing courses to hone your skills. Online courses are extremely flexible, meaning you can do while studying other subjects.
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Creative Writing courses are growing in popularity, particularly within the UK.
The study of Creative Writing offers students a wide skillset which can attract a range of potential employers after graduation. But why should you study creative writing?
This article will explore:
- What you can learn during the course
- The potential careers that graduates go on to
- What studying Creative Writing at Bangor University is like
What is Creative Writing?
Creative writing is seen by many as the ‘softer’ cousin to an English Literature degree, which may be perceived as a more academic discipline. However, this looks at it too simply and misses the benefits of studying creativity as a part of your degree.
English Literature is the study of what has already been written, whereas Creative Writing is the study and practice of new works. It explores prose, poetry, screenwriting, songwriting, short stories, journalism and experimental writing. Many universities offer Creative Writing as a course minor or as a joint honours degree, particularly in the UK.
Creative Writing degrees allow students to analytically look at existing works of literature, as you would during an English degree. Students then use this analysis to inform the creation of their own creative works.
Modules in creative writing are generally quite diverse and are often assessed through creative works. These tend to be submitted as weekly assignments, portfolios and supporting essays, rather than one long analytical essay at the end of a module.
Is Creative Writing for you?
If you are a practical person who enjoys creating original works such as stories, poems, writing a blog or contributing to magazines then Creative Writing may be right up your street. The skills that you learn whilst studying Creative Writing can make you highly employable in a wide range of disciplines including:
- Creative Industries
- PR & Marketing
- Social Media
Creative Writing at Bangor University
So, what’s it like to study creative writing at university? At Bangor University, creative writing falls into two schools – The School of English and The School of Creative Studies and Media. This means that students who are taking a course involving Creative Writing can enjoy a range of joint honours courses. You can choose to study modules with either school, depending on how you wish to focus your studies.
Creative Writing through the School of English combines more traditional analysis of prose and poetry with author studies and historical writing modules e.g. Renaissance and Reformation. The School of Creative Studies and Media offers modules including:
- Writing for Film and TV
- Digital Journalism
- 21 st Century Writing and Publishing
You can mix and match modules from both schools. However, for your final year Undergraduate dissertation, you will have to choose which school you wish to write your dissertation. This will affect who is chosen as your supervisor.
For your final project, you can choose to write an analytical piece or a creative portfolio with supporting analysis. It will be the biggest project that you have worked on until that point, so it is important to write about something you’re passionate about. It will also be up to you to find a suitable supervisor to guide you through your project.
If you are looking to carry on studying after your undergraduate degree, your dissertation will be a big selling point to prospective institutions. The School of Creative Studies and Media also offers prizes for the best critical and practical dissertations.
Find out more about studying at Bangor University .
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What can you do with a creative writing degree.

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What are good careers for creative writing majors? originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights .
Answer by Brad Porter , on Quora :
What are good careers for creative writing majors? When you're talking about being able to make a career out of doing your own creative writing, that's a hard thing to manage, and very few do, if what you're talking about is essentially being a paid novelist or screenwriter or poet or whatever. 10% in fact seems high to me, in terms of the percent who make a living at it -- I'd have guessed closer to 1.
However, if what you're asking is just "what are good careers for creative writing majors," there are many where you can earn very good livings from writing all day long and where your degree will have at least some value/pedigree. There is a lot of written word out there (even more when you expand out to include other mediums), and somebody has to write it. And that person can be you!
I myself earned my degree in Creative Writing, and make an upper middle class living writing professionally. I write all day long, in addition to doing a lot of what you might more broadly call communications work (strategic messaging, institutional marketing, speech writing, etc.). And similarly, I work with a lot of writers in varying degrees of employ, from professionals to freelancers and everything in between. And I think it sometimes surprises Creative Writing majors to know that their skills and degrees can be put to good and lucrative use in ways that don't involve either: 1. being a successful published author, or 2. being an English professor. There is no need to box yourself into that paradigm if you don't want to and are open minded about ways to support yourself with your talents and experience as a writer.
You'll notice I'm going well beyond just "creative writing" here because that's a fairly reductionist label that isn't really used outside of the college major paradigm. Really what I'm talking about are people who are skilled writers and storytellers.
So just a few big buckets worth mentioning:
Journalism / freelance article writing: I am using the slash because I think most people, when they hear "journalism," think "newspaper reporter" or some variation of that. But in truth, think of all the many many platforms you encounter on a daily basis - from websites to newsletters to institutional publications to content aggregators to whatever - and for every one of them there is a huge need for content to feed the beast. I wound up starting, in all places, by picking up work at my university's alumni magazine, and from there expanded out to other institutions and organizations who did their own institutional publications, dabbled in some media publications or like free City View papers, and it was great fun and once you're plugged in a little, can be pretty lucrative. Of course, in some cases it is actual journalism, writing for newspapers or magazines for the sole purpose of public information, and in other cases it is much the same kind of work but towards a different end (i.e. an institution hires you to write a good article about it for their own use). But there is a constant need in the world for good freelance writers or stringers who you can say "hey, this guy at our organization just made a great breakthrough in such such field and we'd like to write a story about it and feature it in our channels" and who know how to do it and do good work. And, like journalism, it typically involves interviewing, doing research, crafting a compelling narrative, etc. Sometimes it's bylined sometimes it's not, sometimes it's freelance or sometimes it's agency-related or sometimes it's an actual staff position somewhere, but if all you wanted to do in life was to be handed subjects and go off and write compelling articles about them, you certainly can do that in thousands of ways in basically every field and subject area.
Marketing / advertising: The prior category was a lot more about long-form narrative pieces, but the world is also awash in marketing and advertising, and behind all of it there are incredibly creative people doing the conceiving, the writing, the design, the production, etc. I do a lot of institutional marketing myself, and I am constantly working with writers, illustrators, graphic designers, multimedia specialists, photographers, videographers, boutique programmers, etc. They come from the professional world but they also come from art schools from random passion backgrounds from writing programs from all kinds of places. And, while it's institutional in nature and marketing in form, it can still be fun, creative, and rewarding stuff. Sometimes this is an in-house capability for a particular product or company, sometimes it's in an agency that does that work on contract basis, sometimes it's freelance or for-hire work, but there's a lot of it, and many people who make great careers doing it.
Strategic / institutional communications: Typically, just straight writing - as in being a writer, that's what you do all day - maxes out at some point as a career path. Above it on the totem poll will be the people who manage communications for institutions and organizations. Name any company, nonprofit, associations, whatever, and chances are if they have more than 20 people, they have a staff member devoted to helping managing the communications needs. It could be a single individual, or it could be a 100 person shop, but being a communications manager or executive is a career path unto itself. It involves some writing, or it involves managing writing projects, and it also entails thinking strategically about how to position an organization or what kind of stories to tell about it or how to articulate its vision. This is basically the sort of work that I do for a living, and it is wildly varied, challenging, and exciting. You have to think of great stories but also ways of talking about things so that people hear you through the noise, or ways of differentiating your organization or product from everybody else's. And it goes beyond just writing, although there is a lot of that too. It can involve crisis communications, media placement, marketing, fundraising, all kinds of stuff. I might be writing a speech for a public figure one day and directing a video shoot the next, or I might be creating a fundraising appeal one day or overhauling a website the next. I might be pitching something to media in the morning and helping problem solve some new initiative in the afternoon. It's all over the place, but every organization needs a good, creative, nimble person who oversees or assists their communications. Note, similar to marketing, there are also plenty of agencies that just do this, just work as for-hire communications experts.
Education: Beyond joining the academy, there is a lot of need in education for people who know how to write and how to communicate effectively and can help teach, tutor, or mentor others in that regard. You might not think of this as "creative writing", but sitting with a student and helping them learn the rules of writing and then learn how to start putting themselves into it is something that is very rewarding, and very marketable. My sister, for instance, teaches English abroad, and makes a great living at it despite not having a background in either language or teaching. It could be private tutoring, test prep, writing center sort of stuff, continuing education, whatever, but people who can help others gain a fluency and mastery of written communication are always in demand somewhere.
Content specialists: A sort of a grab-bag bucket, but in essence if there's a topic or subject area you are particularly taken with, you can often earn money by being a sort of roving expert, a sort of professional explainer. I work with a lot of people who just specialize in writing about medicine, for instance - they might freelance for a medical school one day, pitch an article on the subject to a local newspaper the next, or offer their services to a trade publication or whatever another day. They might come in as ringers to help script or consult on a television project, they might be hired to be a talking head, they might be in the rolodex of people in the field as a possible ghostwriter or collaborator. But really, for basically any subject you can think of, you can find a way to scratch out a living simply learning everything you can about it, telling great stories about it, translating it for the common man. Often times, of course, the people that fill these roles are actual working experts in the field, but you'd be surprised how often those guys kind of suck at explaining in a compelling way what it is they do or why it matters. If you're somebody who can, you can make a good living selling that expertise and storytelling ability, in anything from medicine to ornithology to politics to tupperware, you name it.
Being You: A final bucket perhaps worth mentioning is, depending on how good you are, it is perfectly possible to essentially build a brand around yourself and start profiting from it in a myriad of ways. In this day and age, everybody has a platform, and everybody has at least the potential to reach anybody else. If you have a strong voice and something of value in your creative writing to add, you can just start shouting into the wind and, with any luck and a lot of hard work, might start catching some ears. Maybe you start a blog about a baseball team, maybe you start publishing fan fiction about Doctor Who that starts morphing into an original voice with actual fans, maybe you start creating YouTube videos about makeup, really the possibilities are limitless. But if you are a good writer - especially if you are a good storyteller - you can always essentially just try and blaze your own trail, create your own career. Note, the odds here aren't any better than being a bestselling author, at least in terms of "hitting it big", but there are tens of thousands of people who find ways of making money just by, in essence, being themselves and sharing their passions or insights in compelling ways to audiences who are interested in it.
Ultimately, it's less about what the degree immediately suggests, and more what you want to do and how you want to/have to make a living. Creative Writing, like many artistic majors, isn't so much about directly training for a career; rather it's about giving you the protected time and the space to engage exclusively in the work you're passionate about and develop and hone your skills as a writer. And, ultimately, like many artistic majors, coming out of it you should not only have the degree itself but also the beginnings of some kind of portfolio or a string of impressive samples.
Creative writing is both bad and good in that it in no way operates on an apprenticeship sort of model, or where you get such and such degree that leads to such and such graduate degree that leads to the standard "ground floor" position that you work your way up from (in the way that law, or business, or medicine might). After you graduate with a Creative Writing degree, there is no standard career template - which is why working writers have to learn not only to be good writers, but also to be good entrepreneurs. You have to make your own way, and you have to find ways to both save some creative space for yourself but also get along in a world where things like income and health insurance are important. I'd encourage any Creative Writing major though to be open minded and not box yourself into the "I'm either a successful writer or a writing professor and if I'm not one of those two things my degree was worthless" trap.
Because make no mistake - creative writing is everywhere, and wherever you find it, there's a writer behind it somewhere, getting paid (mostly).
This question originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights. You can follow Quora on Twitter , Facebook , and Google+ .
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COMMENTS
Creative writing is a lax term that encompasses a variety of extensive writings wrapped around different genres that goes beyond the boundaries of academic or technical writing
A creative writing degree teaches students the fiction writing and critical reading skills necessary to master the art of storytelling. Read on to learn more about an online creative writing degree and the careers open to graduates
Creative writing, as the name suggests is a way to express oneself creatively through the. The best part of a career in creative writing is that one doesn't mandatorily need to have a degree to begin as a creative writer
In this article, we've put together a list of ten creative writing scholarships for high school students, undergraduate students, and graduate students, their eligibility criteria and deadline for the academic session 2022 to 2023
Creative Writing courses are growing in popularity, particularly within the UK. Creative Writing degrees allow students to analytically look at existing works of literature, as you would during an English degree
I myself earned my degree in Creative Writing, and make an upper middle class living writing professionally. And I think it sometimes surprises Creative Writing majors to know that their skills and degrees can
Careers In Creative Writing Introduction Eligibility Job Prospects Remuneration Institutes www.entranzz.com. Job Prospects To get into this prolific career, it is not mandatory to have a certificate in creative writing