I just learned that September is Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month. Now here's an event I really like ... and it's celebrated for the entire month! I'm a little disappointed, to be honest, that almost half the month has gone by already and I didn't even realize that people were supposed to be kind to me. Actually, I feel lucky every day to be a professional writer. Well, almost every day. Like every job, some days are not as pleasant as others, but overall, this is a pretty great gig.
What does it take to be a writer? You must be able to clearly express yourself in words so readers not only can understand what you are trying to say, but want to keep reading. You should have a lot of patience. Crafting a sentence, never mind a paragraph, an entire article or a book, can mean writing and re-writing over and over again. It's not putting the words down on paper—or on the screen—that's difficult. It's putting the right ones down and removing the ones that don't add anything to what you are trying to say that can be. Editors must decide what topics to assign to writers. They must then offer comments to improve writers' work. Some editors review book proposals and decide whether to buy the publication rights.
Many employers prefer to hire writers and editors who have earned bachelor's degrees in communications, English or journalism. Employment is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2018. Do you want to know more about this field? Read Writer and Editor: Career Information. Next, learn about the real life of writers and editors by taking a look at these Real Career Stories contributed by a few of our readers who work in the field. Finally, if you are are considering whether to pursue a career as a writer or an editor, the Should You Become a Writer? and Should You Become an Editor? quizzes can help you find out if you have the characteristics necessary to succeed in these jobs.