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What is the most effective path I can take to get me into the writing industry after I start college?

I'm currently a senior in high school, and while my dream is to become a published writer, I know that isn't a very sustainable career right out of the gate. What options do I have to get a job within the English world that will give me connections or experience to help publish my work later on?

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Tami’s Answer

You've already made concrete plans and goals, so you're off to a great start. You know what you want to do, and that's most important. You'll need this motivation to get through the ups and downs of a writing career. Not everyone can become a published writer, but with the right luck you can do it. Of course, there's a big market for stolen material in the form of hacking and otherwise plagiarism. I've had my files stolen many times, and so on. I know the frustration and it only gets worse. So, stay true to your goals and don't feel devalued by wolves in sheep's clothing. Sorry to sound cliche, but it's really a competitive work environment that's unforgiving and sometimes outright brutal. Rejection letters, distrust, and deceptions persist and so it's a volatile field. There's a sense of accomplishment in finishing the work, but also a nagging undertone that it's never actually complete. Time management and planning can take you far, but also may undermine the nature of your work.

Tami recommends the following next steps:

Experiment with methodologies to get a better hand over your voice.
Consider educational programs that include and encourage workshops.
Practice with writing prompts that won't distract you as in feeling AI-like.
Look for internship opportunities without sham or pyramid mentality.
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jose’s Answer

If by writing industry you mean the book publishing industry, then the most effective paths to take can be: have a writing group. Write as much as possible. Read what you wrote, and rewrite it better. Share it with people whose opinion you trust and listen to their suggestions. Find work where you can write copy, write for yourself and work on your craft. Bluntly, keep writing and show it to people. There's all sorts of different types of writing. Journalism is not the same as fiction, or non fiction, for that matter. Scriptwriting is different from writing for the stage. My suggestion is to try everything and learn what you like. Once you find what appeals to you, improve in that direction. But once more: share your work and try to get an agent (this is not easy, but debatably very helpful for getting more work.)
but yeah- keep writing. Do the work. Network. Make connection and ask people if you can write for them.
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Omphile’s Answer

You can always start small and build your foundation up,when starting college you can signup for writing societies within your college or join writing clubs which will publish for your college.this will build your writing skills and can bring you recognition within your local community

You Got this!

Omphile recommends the following next steps:

Sign up for your college newspaper club
Create content
Do volunteer writing jobs
Succeed!!
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Joanne’s Answer

Rhiannon,
Why wait? Start writing now. Join a school media group, offer to write for a student group, enter contests, start a blog, post regularly, comment on other's work - get your voice out there.
Do what you love and people will start to follow and comment on your work. Research writers and those your admire and follow their paths and advice. Live the life you want now, as you learn and grow in all things.
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Juanita’s Answer

This is a fantastic question, and I am going to give you the advice I wish someone would have given me many years back. If you want to start getting the experience and knowledge you need to become a published writer, then you can start now by submitting work to magazines, newspapers, websites, etc. Nine out of ten times these publications will get back to you regarding the content you have written as well as what they think of it and how you can improve on it for future submissions. This is a great way to get your foot in the door when you start writing your own content and it will also help you when you start writing your own work because these publications can be a testament of how far you have come.
I would also suggest reaching out to other authors and having a conversation with them about what they have found helpful in their journey and what they would suggest you do to get your writing out there. I personally started with ghostwriting for a company and now I have grown so much that I am publishing my own books, which has been a massive success. Another tip I want to give you is that you should learn to edit your own work. I know this can be hard because as writers we are often our own worst critiques and we tend to tear our own work apart because we always believe that we can do better, but you need to switch off your writing brain and switch on your editing brain when working through your content. Self-editing your own work will not only help you save money, but it will also help you save time when it comes to the final edits of your content.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much for your answer, that was extremely helpful. I will definitely look into submitting my work and reaching out to other authors, and I'll keep the rest of that in mind as I move forward. Rhiannon
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