The Ideal Job?

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Fri, 2012-07-06 13:25

The Ideal Job?

My ideal job, and I'm sure a LOT of other people here would also agree, would be to work for a company where I came to work in the morning and wrote.

It might be website content, writing for an industry specific publication, technical writing or any number of things, more or less creative than the aforementioned.

Problem is, when you search 'writing jobs' on google, all that comes up are jobs where writing is a small portion of the job, and, say, 60% of your time would involve being a salesman, keeping clients happy and generally doing the business relationship/networking thing, which I hate - I can't be anyone but me, and me is not conducive to doing business with people.

Am I looking in the wrong places? Is it massively to do with who you know? Or is it my fault for not narrowing down my search to something more specific?

It's not about money - I'm happy with just enough money to survive and pay rent, with a job that would allow me the time to try and develop my creative writing skills on the side.

I will search for some older forum topics on this, but would love to hear from people who have been/are in the same boat.

Fri, 2012-07-06 14:55

Denzella

Look at the BBC's Writer's Room website. Scriptsmart Gold then look for opportunities.

Fri, 2012-07-06 15:43

alex_tomlin

I guess I'm the lucky one as writing is a big part of what I do, although not all. Depends on your experience or qualifications I imagine but there are a fair few editorial/marketing agencies out there. Or freelance writing could be an option? Although it can require a lot of networking to get you the work in the first place. I do have moments though when I'm writing for work but I'd much rather be writing up the amazing (in my mind) idea I just had for a story, but my employers frown on that for some reason. But maybe I should myself lucky that I can write in my job...

Sat, 2012-07-07 00:06

blighters rock

I say get out there and target certain publishers that you love. On the eve of my 25th birthday I called the evening Standard and asked to speak to a Features editor. i told him I'd kill myself if I wasn't published by 25 and he asked me when I was 25 so I told him tomorrow. He told me to come in at 10am, which I did, still pissed, and he bought three 1000-word articles there and then. Do something different to what every other starstruck numbskull's doing. It's so nepotisitic these days but it always was really. Those at the top love to be surprised and it's only as easy, or difficult, as you make it for them to hook onto your line. Write a pertinent story to your favourite publication every week and send it every flippin' week to two features editors (or similar). Just send it with love and see what happens. I tried copywriting but quickly tired of it and I get the impression you might do too. Blogs are good but it's hardly earth-shattering. Shock and be damned, I say. Pride's worth dispatching as quickly as possible. Get at it.

Sat, 2012-07-07 17:20

alibob

Until quite recently I would have said my ideal job would be one that involved writing, but now I'm looking for a job that's interesting without being too demanding, and that I can do alongside my own writing. That's why I love volunteering in a charity shop - it gets me out into the real world, but it doesn't exhaust my brain. Just a shame I don't get paid for it! But I find employers tend to be a bit suspicious of people applying for jobs they are, on paper, 'over qualified' for. At the moment, I do tend to think of my writing as my 'job'. But I think ultimately, if I did just that for ever, the isolation would be my undoing!

Sat, 2012-07-07 19:54

Denzella

Retirement is the best job I've ever had. Holidays can be a problem though...difficult to fit in!

Sat, 2012-07-07 20:31

blighters rock

There are paid jobs at charity shops, Alsion. A friend of mine has a dream to open a rehab that charges 20% of the cost of The Priory but he needs to pay bills and keep busy so he's taken up as manager at a charity shop in Guildford. He's free to go to meetings and there's very little commercial stress in what he does at the shop so he can concentrate his energy on the dream too. As a result of him taking over, profits are up 30% and everyone's a winner. That could be a good option for you too maybe.

Sun, 2012-07-08 10:17

alibob

That's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for, in an ideal world,Richard. Maybe one day the right opportunity will turn up! Thanks

Mon, 2012-07-09 01:34

ItsSteveDave

Wow, lots of food for thought there, lots of you guys and gals have flitted and flirted with full time writing over the years. It seems the lack of job security and the pressure to produce consistantly are the main obstacles. I agree with FTSE in that you can't fill the creative coffers as fast as you take from them, I mean, I run out of things to say after posting work on ABC a few times a week, I'm ashamed to admit... Alibob, I was told by my GCSE English teacher that getting a not-too-demanding job with a view to writing on the side was the way to do it, but I did always wonder if he was referring to himself, as his job looked pretty demanding from where I was sat. Is there much need for a lighthouse keeper in this day and age, Stan? Just a case of texting 'light on' to 693334 I reckon. Although how many writers would it take to screw in one of those massive lightbulbs?! Alex, if you're writing for work and still chomping at the bit to get your story ideas down, then you've got a good thing going! Thanks guys for the benefit of your experience, I'll be thinking about it in 6 hours when my alarm goes off.

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