What do you wish you had known about writing professionally as a recent graduate?
It’s just about that time of year when students will turn their tassels and venture toward whatever comes next, with the additional challenge of COVID’s persistent shadow.
Lots of them want to be writers.
So let’s share some advice for the soon-to-be graduates, shall we?
For the journalism students, and the late-night-essayists, and the “aspiring writers” who don’t feel like they can embrace the title just yet. For the finance majors whose parents told them writing isn’t a career but they still wanna give it a shot. For any one of us, because to be a writer is to be a lifelong student.
Please share the things you wish you had known—the things they didn’t teach you in school—about making it work (or refusing to give up, even if it doesn’t feel like it’s working) as a writer. It can be about anything from finding your first job to how to keep up your confidence while pitching into the abyss. Any nuggets of wisdom you think a graduating student who wants to be a working writer would find useful.
And students! Do you have questions for people who are doing this writing thing? Ask away!
***Most threads are for paid subscribers only, but I’m opening this one up to everyone so we can get LOTS of advice in here.***
I never thought about becoming a writer in school, but my biggest piece of advice would be to find one thing that PAYS. Whether that's a content marketing niche (mine is personal finance; other good ones are tech, healthcare, etc.) or a side gig or a full-time job. You don't have to be a starving writer -- being a well-fed one is much more enjoyable.
This one is so important, Susan! I majored in ARTS journalism which is basically the opposite of picking a lucrative niche. Of course, it's never too late to start specializing, and I think most people can find an interest that segues into that one thing that pays well and can support the other work. It's so much easier to focus on the kind of work you really love when your bills are paid.
The best advice I ever received was from my mentor who told me: "Journalism is like a Walmart parking lot — there's a spot out there for you, but you might have to park kind of far away." I've spoken to a lot of soon-to-be grads or recent grads that want to stay in one specific city. That can be really tough to do, especially when you're just starting out.
I took a job as a daily newspaper reporter in Missouri for my first post-grad job. I was from Seattle and I never imagined moving to the Midwest. It was the best thing I ever did. Your career will take you to so many physical and metaphorical places that you never thought you'd be. Embrace it. It'll help keep you in the industry.
I love that! I lived in New York City when I first started freelance writing, and despite it being this place where everyone thinks they should live to be a writer, it all felt so inaccessible. Moving to Portland was huge for me. The writing community seemed more welcoming and the publications felt more approachable. And Portland is still a pretty big city. Looking back, I think moving to a smaller city or town away from those coastal hubs—especially to places that don't have nearly enough coverage—is an excellent way to make big strides forward in a journalism career.
I'm only ~4 years out from my own college graduation, but I think I have some wisdom to share! One of the big ones is: don't be afraid to start small. Your first gig does not have to be at the NYT or WaPo. My first writing job out of college was in a 10-person newsroom in upstate New York, and it was amazing — I learned so much, got to try my hand at lots of different things, and had incredible mentors/editors. It gave me the confidence and, crucially, financial security to launch into freelancing this year, which has long been my dream. So go forth into the small towns and tight-knit communities that need your skills and your brilliance!
Excellent advice, Mike. The experience you gain at those entry-level jobs is crucial down the line. And surrounding yourself with mentors/editors who can show you the ropes is so important.
I'd say I'm still in the "aspiring writer" to "almost making it work writer" camp, and my main takeaway over the last year is not giving up. I wouldn't still be trying right now if I wasn't very stubborn about giving up (because let's be real, as soon as I threw in the towel and got a 'normal' job, I'd just immediately go back to planning how I could quit and try again).
Hey, everyone, a grad student here. I came to grad school after 7 years out of school to hopefully transform myself into a form of a writer. I did lots of education, humanitarian, art programming before. I always felt guilty for wanting to write, or do journalism work because I didn't have role models and there wasn't money, so it was frivolous to go into such a career. Instead I chose civil service gigs such as Americorps, Peace Corps, a children hospital nonprofit. Now, I have interred at Alabama Public Radio, written for a local paper, and working on a book about my the mom I didn't know and how diabetes changed both our bodies. I still feel like I haven't turned the corner. Like, I guess I don't know what making it is? More bylines, consistent work, finding good stories locally or otherwise, finding a home/agent for the book. How do you turn that corner? I also have this fear it's too late to be trying to do this, or that I am missing opportunities, etc. I am 32 and feel like the older person trying to get into this at times. The comments so far are great. I love the Wal Mart Parking lot metaphor. Everyone can find a spot. Anyways, thanks, hope everyone is having a great week.
It's never too late! And you have such an interesting background with the Americorps, Peace Corps, and nonprofit work.
I'm 34 and took a three-year break from journalism that just ended about a year ago when I quit my editing job at a startup and returned to freelance writing. There have been moments when I've wondered if that time away from the industry set me back in a way I won't be able to recover from. It's hard not to compare yourself to people who are a decade younger and regularly contributing to the publications you'd love to write for. So I've been there, too—asking the, am I too late? question. But I can honestly say those three years of working elsewhere were what I needed to KNOW for sure that I want to be doing this work. It also gave me a ton of valuable experience I can apply to my freelance writing. So you're not late at all. You just took a route that is uniquely valuable because it's yours. And those years elsewhere gave you life experience that will surely be a part of the writing you do in the future.
Britany, I am late on the thank you here, but thank you so much. These words mean a lot, and I feel tons better, and will be sure to remember this. I heard an interview on Longform podcast from Carvell Wallace, I think, who spent 15 years working at a nonprofit before he got into writing and he said something similar, if I am remembering it right, to what you said. Something like: "everything I have done helps me be the writer I am today." So, thank you for the reminder.
Hi all! I have a day job I love but there is this itch in me to become a writer. My parents told me to get a "real" career/job. So now at my current job as a market researcher, I get to tell marketable stories to our clientele to increase their brand awareness and/or sales. However, there are stories in me that I want to put out there that are not marketing-related. I am almost 30 and I want to transition into writing more and more. Here and there I started to write and get published for smaller publications which I love and am very grateful about but balancing work and my writing is tricky. I want to write 1 hour every day and have a consistent schedule but it seems impossible with all other adulting stuff. Do you have any tips/advice on this sort of balance? and finding the motivation to write for an hour every day? Also, love the thread so far thank you for your openness!
Thanks for sharing, Selin! It sounds like you're already on the right track, pitching some publications on the side while you work your regular job. If finding one hour a day to write feels difficult, why not start with 20 minutes? Committing to those smaller windows of writing time can make it feel a lot less daunting. And if you actually do it consistently, 20 minutes every day will add up to a lot more writing than 1 hour once a week because you couldn't find that big a window on the other days.
this is really helpful thank you :) I think I will start waking up 30 minutes earlier everyday and give that a try indeed! because the daily guilt I feel when I do not write also acts as a shadow when I do want to write. Really appreciate this!
I never thought about becoming a writer in school, but my biggest piece of advice would be to find one thing that PAYS. Whether that's a content marketing niche (mine is personal finance; other good ones are tech, healthcare, etc.) or a side gig or a full-time job. You don't have to be a starving writer -- being a well-fed one is much more enjoyable.
This one is so important, Susan! I majored in ARTS journalism which is basically the opposite of picking a lucrative niche. Of course, it's never too late to start specializing, and I think most people can find an interest that segues into that one thing that pays well and can support the other work. It's so much easier to focus on the kind of work you really love when your bills are paid.
The best advice I ever received was from my mentor who told me: "Journalism is like a Walmart parking lot — there's a spot out there for you, but you might have to park kind of far away." I've spoken to a lot of soon-to-be grads or recent grads that want to stay in one specific city. That can be really tough to do, especially when you're just starting out.
I took a job as a daily newspaper reporter in Missouri for my first post-grad job. I was from Seattle and I never imagined moving to the Midwest. It was the best thing I ever did. Your career will take you to so many physical and metaphorical places that you never thought you'd be. Embrace it. It'll help keep you in the industry.
I love that! I lived in New York City when I first started freelance writing, and despite it being this place where everyone thinks they should live to be a writer, it all felt so inaccessible. Moving to Portland was huge for me. The writing community seemed more welcoming and the publications felt more approachable. And Portland is still a pretty big city. Looking back, I think moving to a smaller city or town away from those coastal hubs—especially to places that don't have nearly enough coverage—is an excellent way to make big strides forward in a journalism career.
Shelby, thank you so much for this. That Walmart quote will stay with me forever. I'll keep all this in mind. I appreciate it.
It’s stuck with me too! I’m glad it helped :)
I'm only ~4 years out from my own college graduation, but I think I have some wisdom to share! One of the big ones is: don't be afraid to start small. Your first gig does not have to be at the NYT or WaPo. My first writing job out of college was in a 10-person newsroom in upstate New York, and it was amazing — I learned so much, got to try my hand at lots of different things, and had incredible mentors/editors. It gave me the confidence and, crucially, financial security to launch into freelancing this year, which has long been my dream. So go forth into the small towns and tight-knit communities that need your skills and your brilliance!
Excellent advice, Mike. The experience you gain at those entry-level jobs is crucial down the line. And surrounding yourself with mentors/editors who can show you the ropes is so important.
I'd say I'm still in the "aspiring writer" to "almost making it work writer" camp, and my main takeaway over the last year is not giving up. I wouldn't still be trying right now if I wasn't very stubborn about giving up (because let's be real, as soon as I threw in the towel and got a 'normal' job, I'd just immediately go back to planning how I could quit and try again).
I've "thrown in the towel" a couple times and keep coming back myself. A determination to stick with it is definitely necessary in this field.
Hey, everyone, a grad student here. I came to grad school after 7 years out of school to hopefully transform myself into a form of a writer. I did lots of education, humanitarian, art programming before. I always felt guilty for wanting to write, or do journalism work because I didn't have role models and there wasn't money, so it was frivolous to go into such a career. Instead I chose civil service gigs such as Americorps, Peace Corps, a children hospital nonprofit. Now, I have interred at Alabama Public Radio, written for a local paper, and working on a book about my the mom I didn't know and how diabetes changed both our bodies. I still feel like I haven't turned the corner. Like, I guess I don't know what making it is? More bylines, consistent work, finding good stories locally or otherwise, finding a home/agent for the book. How do you turn that corner? I also have this fear it's too late to be trying to do this, or that I am missing opportunities, etc. I am 32 and feel like the older person trying to get into this at times. The comments so far are great. I love the Wal Mart Parking lot metaphor. Everyone can find a spot. Anyways, thanks, hope everyone is having a great week.
It's never too late! And you have such an interesting background with the Americorps, Peace Corps, and nonprofit work.
I'm 34 and took a three-year break from journalism that just ended about a year ago when I quit my editing job at a startup and returned to freelance writing. There have been moments when I've wondered if that time away from the industry set me back in a way I won't be able to recover from. It's hard not to compare yourself to people who are a decade younger and regularly contributing to the publications you'd love to write for. So I've been there, too—asking the, am I too late? question. But I can honestly say those three years of working elsewhere were what I needed to KNOW for sure that I want to be doing this work. It also gave me a ton of valuable experience I can apply to my freelance writing. So you're not late at all. You just took a route that is uniquely valuable because it's yours. And those years elsewhere gave you life experience that will surely be a part of the writing you do in the future.
Britany, I am late on the thank you here, but thank you so much. These words mean a lot, and I feel tons better, and will be sure to remember this. I heard an interview on Longform podcast from Carvell Wallace, I think, who spent 15 years working at a nonprofit before he got into writing and he said something similar, if I am remembering it right, to what you said. Something like: "everything I have done helps me be the writer I am today." So, thank you for the reminder.
Hey Tucker, I'm definitely not a seasoned writer by any means, just want to say 32 is definitely not too old to try!
Isak, thanks for the reminder! I appreciate it.
Hi all! I have a day job I love but there is this itch in me to become a writer. My parents told me to get a "real" career/job. So now at my current job as a market researcher, I get to tell marketable stories to our clientele to increase their brand awareness and/or sales. However, there are stories in me that I want to put out there that are not marketing-related. I am almost 30 and I want to transition into writing more and more. Here and there I started to write and get published for smaller publications which I love and am very grateful about but balancing work and my writing is tricky. I want to write 1 hour every day and have a consistent schedule but it seems impossible with all other adulting stuff. Do you have any tips/advice on this sort of balance? and finding the motivation to write for an hour every day? Also, love the thread so far thank you for your openness!
Thanks for sharing, Selin! It sounds like you're already on the right track, pitching some publications on the side while you work your regular job. If finding one hour a day to write feels difficult, why not start with 20 minutes? Committing to those smaller windows of writing time can make it feel a lot less daunting. And if you actually do it consistently, 20 minutes every day will add up to a lot more writing than 1 hour once a week because you couldn't find that big a window on the other days.
Keep at it!
this is really helpful thank you :) I think I will start waking up 30 minutes earlier everyday and give that a try indeed! because the daily guilt I feel when I do not write also acts as a shadow when I do want to write. Really appreciate this!