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Before I enter college to study for a career in creative writing, what are other ways to expand my writing skills on my individual time along with writing stories and short poems?

I love writing fiction like fanasy and young adult. I also write short poems and am currently writing a young adult novel. #writing #career

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Ken’s Answer

The best way to embark on such an adventure is to get to know yourself better to know how you fit into the area of creative writing and then talk to people in person face to face who doing what you think that you might want to do, so that you can get their input and assistance on attaining your goal.


Getting to know yourself and how your personality traits relate to people involved in various career opportunities is very important in your decision making process. During my many years in Human Resources and College Recruiting, I ran across too many students who had skipped this very important step and ended up in a job situation which for which they were not well suited. Selecting a career area is like buying a pair of shoes. First you have to be properly fitted for the correct size, and then you need to try on and walk in the various shoe options to determine which is fits the best and is most comfortable for you to wear. Following are some important steps which I developed during my career which have been helpful to many .

Ken recommends the following next steps:

The first step is to take an interest and aptitude test and have it interpreted by your school counselor to see if you share the personality traits necessary to enter the field. You might want to do this again upon entry into college, as the interpretation might differ slightly due to the course offering of the school. However, do not wait until entering college, as the information from the test will help to determine the courses that you take in high school. Too many students, due to poor planning, end up paying for courses in college which they could have taken for free in high school.
Next, when you have the results of the testing, talk to the person at your high school and college who tracks and works with graduates to arrange to talk to, visit, and possibly shadow people doing what you think that you might want to do, so that you can get know what they are doing and how they got there. Here are some tips: ## http://www.wikihow.com/Network ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/nonawkward-ways-to-start-and-end-networking-conversations ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-questions-to-ask-your-network-besides-can-you-get-me-a-job?ref=carousel-slide-1 ##
Locate and attend meetings of professional associations to which people who are doing what you think that you want to do belong, so that you can get their advice. These associations may offer or know of intern, coop, shadowing, and scholarship opportunities. These associations are the means whereby the professionals keep abreast of their career area following college and advance in their career. You can locate them by asking your school academic advisor, favorite teachers, and the reference librarian at your local library. Here are some tips: ## https://www.careeronestop.org/BusinessCenter/Toolkit/find-professional-associations.aspx?&frd=true ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/9-tips-for-navigating-your-first-networking-event ##
It is very important to express your appreciation to those who help you along the way to be able to continue to receive helpful information and to create important networking contacts along the way. Here are some good tips: ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-informational-interview-thank-you-note-smart-people-know-to-send?ref=recently-published-2 ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-tips-for-writing-a-thank-you-note-thatll-make-you-look-like-the-best-candidate-alive?bsft_eid=7e230cba-a92f-4ec7-8ca3-2f50c8fc9c3c&bsft_pid=d08b95c2-bc8f-4eae-8618-d0826841a284&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_20171020&utm_source=blueshift&utm_content=daily_20171020&bsft_clkid=edfe52ae-9e40-4d90-8e6a-e0bb76116570&bsft_uid=54658fa1-0090-41fd-b88c-20a86c513a6c&bsft_mid=214115cb-cca2-4aec-aa86-92a31d371185&bsft_pp=2 ##
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s’s Answer

I concur with Ken, but would like to add a little something.
Alan Watts ("Wisdom of Uncertainty") would say this to students who came to him for career counseling: "What would you do if money were no object?"
They would often answer something in the fine arts: "A writer." Or painter/artist. Or musician.
He would tell them: "Then you do that."
Do something you love.
The money will follow.
And, if it doesn't, at least you will spend your life doing something you love, rather than something you dislike or detest (in this country, close to 70% of people work at jobs they don't really enjoy).
People tend to love what they're good at.
And, perhaps to some extent, vice-versa.
I dislike being blunt, but now is the time to find out if you have the talent for writing.
Aptitude tests should bear that out.
If you do, by all means pursue it.
If not, then choose something else.
You're at a good stage to decide.
Btw, if you seek to be published, for most genres you'll likely need an agent.
Children's books are an exception.
You can also consider self-publishing.
The CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL series (not necessarily great writing) became wildly successful.
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Kara’s Answer

Great question! In addition to the suggestions already made, I'd recommend creating a group of peers or other interested writers to read/give honest feedback on each others' work. This will be very useful perspective on your writing and its impact on the reader, and it will also give you an opportunity to practice leadership skills by organizing and setting norms for the group discussions.

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing your stuff published someday.
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