Editor’s note: This post was written by Jennifer Parris, career writer at FlexJobs, the award-winning site for telecommuting and flexible job listings. FlexJobs lists thousands of pre-screened, legitimate, and professional-level work-from-home jobs and other types of flexibility like part-time positions, freelancing, and flexible schedules. Jennifer provides career and job search advice through the FlexJobs Blog and social media. Learn more at www.FlexJobs.com.
After years of working in other industries, you’ve made the decision to look into pursuing a writing career. Writing is truly one of those fulfilling careers that is attainable if you know how to go about it. If you are thinking how to start writing in retirement, this article is for you.
How to start writing in retirement
Jump-start your writing career during your Golden Years with these tips!
Decide what you want to write.
You know that you want to write. But what exactly do you want to write about? You might have a passion for fishing or want to write service stories about how grandparents can connect with their grandchildren on a deeper level. Unlike some other careers, writing is the type of job that you should feel passionate about in order to write compelling copy. So determine what it is that you love, and then write about that subject.
Think outside the “book.”
Back in the day, writers didn’t have many options as to whom they could work for—and get paid to boot. They either wrote for newspapers or magazines, or they were novelists. Today, writing jobs are available in almost every career field, from accounting to zoology, and in various mediums, too.
You might love non-profit work as much as you love writing and combine your two loves to write newsletters for non-profits. Or you might believe in a company’s mission and write its press releases. You may love connecting with an audience via blogging, or decide to try your hand at working for traditional newspapers and magazines—but as an online writer.
Consider your needs.
Before you begin putting pen to paper—or whipping out your laptop to type out the next Great American Novel—you need to figure out what you want to get out of a writing job. Do you want to make it into a full-time career, or something you do part-time when you’re not spending time with your family and friends?
If you’re looking to supplement your income with writing jobs, take a look at how much you would need to earn and then compare it with the types of paid writing jobs that are out there. Do you want to work in an office, or do you want to work from home? Once you figure out why you want to write, how often, and where, you can begin your job search!
Use niche job boards.
Once you realize that you want to write, well, you’ll want to write right away! So you won’t want to waste a lot of time clicking through job postings in order to find the perfect position. That’s why it’s important to use niche job boards (such as FlexJobs and Freelance Writing Job Board) to help expedite your job search. You’ll avoid job scams, which are common in the world of remote work, and find a job that you’ll love, too.
Get social.
If you haven’t already worked as a writer, you’ll need some help in order to launch your writing career. Talk to friends and family about this next phase in your career and get them on board to help you. You should also get on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Your LinkedIn profile should be up to date and include in your bio that you’re currently looking for writing work. And, of course, you should have your resume and cover letter designed to spotlight any previous writing work you’ve done (volunteer, freelance, and unpaid work all counts!).
You can write your way to a fun and exciting writing job! Take the time to prepare yourself for this next step in your career, and you can write yourself a happily-ever-after ending!
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