Looking for an entry level job or internship in writing? This is an overview of how to approach the search and a list of companies that might have relevant entry level and internship opportunities.
One of my favorite authors of this decade is J.K. Rowling. And what a story she has! She went from sketching a rough outline of a series of stories on a napkin to selling millions of books and having an entire portion of an amusement park dedicated to her characters and story. Grab a butterbeer while we delve into her career–and more generally, that of a writer.
Photo Credit: Flickr user Colin ZHU
A writer is a person who produces literature or nonfiction, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, essays, news articles, blog posts, or other literary art. In doing so, writers use language to portray ideas and images. There is a wide range of opportunities available to writers, everything from working at a local newspaper, to content development for websites and social media, to writing comedy for Jon Stewart, to penning your own book or blog on a topic you’re passionate about.
While a typical day for a writer generally revolves around writing, here are a few things you might devote time to:
A writer on average makes between $14,000-$97,000 yearly. You can switch into editing, taking on a Senior Editor gig ($39,000-$99,000 yearly) or work as an editor at a magazine ($27,000-$93,000). Or perhaps copywriting interests you (they make about $26,000-$76,000 yearly).
While there are no definite requirements for being a writer, you’ll have a solid background if you’ve got a college degree (or even better an MFA) in writing, English, or journalism. You also might need to be well-versed in APA or Chicago style. Beyond that it’s most important that you do a lot of writing! Getting your work into a couple publications is always a good start. Maybe there’s a newspaper you could freelance for, or you could start your own blog.
Check out the latest job and internship postings in writing.
