Accredited online and on-campus courses from leading Australian universities, TAFEs and colleges
What does a professional writer do?
Professional writers create prose for the purposes of their specialised function. Writers adhere to the technical and creative requirements inherent within their fields to create prose that can serve many uses, whether entertaining, educational or informative. Writers can perform a number of daily duties like: conducting research for papers, generating narrative content, publishing opinion pieces, editing their own work and the work of others, liaising with specialists in and outside their field and keeping correspondence with publishers.
Tasks:
- Performing research and fact-checking tasks
- Editing and revising work
- Sourcing publishers for written work
- Meeting deadlines for print
- Generating various types of creative content
What skills do I need to be a professional writer?
Professional writers must have a thorough understanding of the specific technical aspects of their chosen form of writing. The tools you need to be a successful screenwriter for film and television will be a world apart from the skill set of a journalist, or the research and formatting skills of a technical writer. It’s important to identify where your strengths lie as a writer; you may have a vivid imagination or an encyclopaedic knowledge of grammar and spelling. Often, writers spend much of their time working independently and generating content from scratch, so self-motivation is important. Meeting deadlines is also an important part of the job, particularly in fields such as journalism where stories must be submitted in a timely fashion.
- Superb grammar and spelling
- Able to consistently meet deadlines
- Independently motivated
- Research and fact-checking skills
Specialisations
As a professional writer, there are a vast amount of opportunities to forge a rewarding career path. Choosing what field you would most like to work in is the first step in identifying your strengths and aptitudes.
Screenwriter
Blogger
Ghostwriter
Study pathways for professional writers
Choosing what form or genre of writing you are most passionate about will help you tailor your study choices.
Getting Started
Choose a course that will develop your strengths as a writer
Skill Building
Expand your understanding of form, genre and style with targeted study
Professional Development
Learn industry specific skills that will help you achieve your professional writing goals
Industry Recognition
Industry certification is highly dependent on what your chosen specialisation is. Any industry certification is usually also required to accompany a body of work and portfolio of your writing ability.
Getting a job after graduation
Put your training to good use and get the best professional head start in your media career. Emphasise your personal strengths and achievements in your resume and target your cover letter to the job description listed.
