Where can someone who wants to become a writer go for their work experience?

[EzmeHaywood]

I would like to become a novelist but I can't think of where to go for my work experience. Suggestions are very much appreciated!

 

[Ashcan]

If you mean a writing workshop, they usually charge.

I take it you are still at School or College, in which case start writing. Look at writing a couple of short stories. Then you need them critiqued.

Google your local Town/City/Village/County and see if there are any writers groups in the area.
Your main problem is that they may meet in a Pub, and if you are under 18 certainly under 16 there may be a problem, but many meet in the Local Library or even each others homes.

Look them up and take your story/stories/article/essay along they are often a friendly bunch.
To do a full time job Journalist is the best way, or perhaps copy-writing for an Ad agency.

 

[ChelseaTaylor]

A publishing house or a editting company? This would help you understand more about what happens after you've written a book.

 

[Vad]

Newspaper maybe.
A column writer isn't a bad starting place, you will need to be earning money to live on in the years before you publish your first novel.

 

[~tJaBBaFiEdt~]

I want to! I want to become a writer because i write off of my life and my dreams.
Im going to do this
Send a short story to the news paper n magazines as samples
It might take 5 yrs i will wait till then

Answer mine..plz?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Am_q_eAP6tDxobo_Ll0Is0_ty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20110603001334AADxXG7

 

[DaveC]

Work experience isn't really an issue for novelists. if you want to be a novelist your best bet is to get an everyday job and then do your writing in the evenings/weekends.

Most novelists have a normal job whether it be working for walmart/ asda or running an ebay company. the first thing they told me when i started doing writing courses was "keep your day job" this is because 99.9% of writers DON'T make it, and even if they do that doesn't mean they make allot of money. Unless your rich you need to support yourself through the process.

Set aside an hour a day to work on your novel, if you can go do some short courses on writing at your local college. the difference between those who "make it" and those who don't is persistence. don't give up, don't expect big money, write for the love of writing and nothing more. and if you do make millions then fantastic. i can count the number of writers who have done this on my fingers and toes.

Sorry to shatter the illusion of grandeur which people see because of people like J.K.R but it is that, an illusion

oh and also see about joining a writing group, they always help, a quick Google will show you some online ones but i personally recommend this one http://www.writingforums.org/

 

[LolitaB]

I would suggest a literary agency (if one will agree to take you) as your best option. A literary agent is the gatekeeper between the great unwashed masses of wannabe published authors, and the publishing houses. You could learn a lot from an agent about what constitutes a good book, and what makes a good book good enough to stand out from the hundreds of queries they receive a week, for them to consider representing it. You will also learn invaluable lessons about how to craft a query letter and synopsis, and see how agents network with those in the publishing biz.

If you want to try working for a literary agent, you will have to show discerning taste, be able to tell good writing from bad, you will have to love books, and you will have to be able to converse intelligently about the current literary market (books you like, genres and authors etc), and you should research a the publishing industry. Try some blogs like Miss Snark and Nathan Bransford.

While shadowing an author may seem like a good idea, as another answerer mentioned no author worth their salt wants anyone else hanging around bothering them. Besides, if you think about it, novelling isn't a spectator sport. A novelist only wants to focus on writing, not on teaching a writing class.

As someone else mentioned, a newspaper is a also a good (and possibly more achievable) option.

 

[MhairiArchibald]

At our school, they gave the people doing English Lit. a list of options for work experience.

Bookshop (though that is just more to show willingness to be around books)
Library (Reading to the elderly/children and getting to know which books are suitable for which people)
Tailing a journalist
Joining a writer on their book tour (a very little known writer who sold a ridiculously small number of books was the only person they could get to take us on but still)