answers1:You don't need to take any specific courses to be an author -
it's not like being a doctor or a lawyer or an accountant where you
have a clearly-defined career path. You just have to be able to write
a book that people think is worth paying to read. To do that, most
people just need to spend about ten years writing books that aren't
worth paying to read, gradually figuring out what they're doing wrong
and how to do it right.I wouldn't recommend it as a career. A few
people at the top make megabucks, and a few more below them make a
pretty decent living, but the rest don't earn enough to live on. Plan
on having another job and writing in your spare time.I don't know that
I'd agree that colleges actually *want* you to be in debt, but it's
true that getting a degree is obscenely expensive nowadays. Don't go
to college to learn how to write unless you can afford to throw away
the money that you'll be spending....Show more
answers2:1. What courses should I take (anything to do with
education)?Home study. Read books on how to write. Take courses only
if you know the instructor, the instructor is an author, agent,
publisher, or all of the above--someone you know that both writes well
AND can teach. Teaching is an art. Not all of us were made to teach.
Likewise, most teachers aren't writers and never studied how to write
books. Once you learn, hanging out with a group of writers is good,
healthy and helpful.2. How much do authors make?$1 to over $1 billion.
Usually a couple thousand. Rowling's the only one to ever hit over $1
billion. How much will you make? It depends on what you want to
author. Bylines in a newspaper? Steady income, but that one you really
do need a college degree and those teachers do know how to teach
journalism. (The only thing English teachers have a chance of learning
what to teach, other than how to write for academia.)Assuming you mean
novelist, as of this decade, you should get an advance of anywhere
from $1000-$7000 (usually about $3000), but it is an advance, and
"advance on royalties." If you go commercial publishing, the
publishers get 85% of the price for each book and you get 15%, usually
shared with your agent, who gets 15% of your 15%. Most times the
advance is all the writer gets, because most books don't get sold
much. (Now you're also responsible for at leas some of the marketing
chores, if not all.) Oh and it takes 3-20 years to get your first
novel ready for publication, but usually 3-5 years. You can
self-publish, but if you want to make money on it, you need to learn
the ins and outs before hand. (You get 85% of every book, but you HAVE
to do ALL marketing too. Marketing is a sore subject now, since
commercial publishers want authors to do their own marketing too.)3.
Is it a good job?Great job, just not likely your money-making job.
Most writers write in their spare time. Most authors (author is when
you are published and make money on the published writing) write in
their spare time. Successful authors often count it as their side
income. Great job though. After all, if you're not doing it because
you love it, you're not doing it. Just assume that's not how you'll
make a living, and, who knows, maybe some day, you'll be one of the
few who does do it as a full time job. (I know an author who has
published over 16 books--mostly novels--who still does it as part of
his income, not his income.)4. What do I need to do to get
published?Umm, about what you'd think you have to do--study how,
practice what you learn, keep studying, keep working on it, keep
getting better, get other writers to help you while you help them,
and, oh yeah...a good story. lol...Show more
answers3:1) To be a published author you actually don't need a college
education! You just need an agent2) It depends on how popular their
book is3) I would say so, you can make your own hours and work where
you want to.4) An agent
answers4:- You don't have to take any courses. They can help you with
grammar, punctuation, formatting and so on but it is not essential. -
This should, honestly, be one of the last things on your mind. Sure,
being paid is good, but remember than authors very rarely make enough
to live off. It's impossible to say how much exactly - it depends how
many books you sell - but unless you're a best selling author with a
movie deal it'll be a small amount.- Is it a good job? As a
stand-alone career, not really. As something to do as well as another
job it can be quite rewarding. - What do you need to do? You need to
write a damned good book! That means being someone who has a story to
tell, not someone who begs for ideas just so you can write a story,
publish it and wait for the pennies to roll in. The best kind of story
is one that comes from your heart. Until you can write a story like
that, you will have very little chance of being published....Show more
answers5:Writing is an unreliable career. All you see if the authors
who make a living from it. You have more chance making a living as a
actress than a writer, and acting is brutal enough. There are more
writer's out there that work and writing is a hobby and brings in
bonus money.I'm on a writing forum with lots of people who are
published. The most successful is a crime writer who has written a
whole series of crime novels. One being the Bone Cage. Her name is
Tania Carver. Ever heard of her? Nor had I. The point is most writers
need a steady source of in come.Your best bet would be to go to
college and study for a decent job, something you could do everyday.
That is your income in case you never get published.As for getting
published, I can't answer that question on here there is simply too
much information to tell you, if you wanted it that badly you'd have
found the answers on your own by now. Like I did. I think next month
you'll want to be something else. I think writing is a popular idea
with teens because it gives them total freedom, and they think it
isn't hard work. If writing isn't hard work then you're not doing it
correctly. The truth is writing is not a nice job to have. I've tried
it, it's not. Go to college. Get some foundation for a career that
would interest you. write as a hobby, learn about publishing and how
it works. Then start sending your work off to Agents. Just getting an
Agent is 100/1. My friend has been trying for 25 years and she's an
amazing writer.Just don't plan for a route in writing. Don't put all
your eggs in one basket.Best of luck...Show more
