Wanna Make a Career as a Writer? Or Not? Read on!

I don't want to make a career as a writer. How can writing help me?
I always tell students I work with that writing is something that will benefit you no matter what your dream career is. Writing, at is essence, is communicating. Job interviewers, no matter what career, are looking for someone with good communication skills. It makes you a better person! For example, my mother works in an engineering firm, and they are always looking for engineers who can also write well. Writing also encompasses so many different genres and fields -- you could be a novelist, a playwright, a business writer, a copyeditor, a grant-writer, a newspaper reporter, a memoirist, a medical journalist, a poet, a children's book author ... the list goes on and on. Not to mention, writing can be great therapy because it allows you to express yourself and connect with others in a healthy, genuine way.

I do want to make a career as a writer. What is your advice?
Read and write every single day. Even writing for only twenty minutes really adds up if you do it every day. Also, if you want to make writing a career, it is important to research the business of writing. Subscribe to Writer's Digest and The Writer magazines. Read writing newsletters. Get a copy of The Writer's Market. Learn how to write query letters and proposals. Attend writer's conferences. There might even be a writer's group in your area that you can join. Tap into the writing community and learn from other writers. Most of all, don't be discouraged and don't give up! Good luck!