What Makes You a Professional Writer
Is there such a thing? I’ve seen this question on three different forums that I frequent and I am really beginning to wonder about the definition of a "professional writer".
What does it mean to be a professional writer? Does it mean that you’ve had 150 articles published? Been featured in national glossy magazines? Written a few e-books or even published one in print?
I think that in order to call yourself a professional writer you really have to look at the two words separately.
One of the definitions of professional is "a person who is expert at his work" while the definition of a writer varied from "one who writes, especially for a living", to "a person who writes or is able to write." I think the one that most fits this discussion is "a person engaged in writing books, articles, stories, etc., esp. as an occupation or profession; an author or journalist." It so closely matches the first definition that I listed.
But that still begs the question, can you call yourself a professional writer? Can you call yourself an expert?
I know that I cannot clearly call myself an expert in any field. Not even in parenting… just because I have kids doesn’t make me an expert on them. More over it gives me field training and experience if anything else.
The same goes for writing. I am not an expert in any one field yet I can research enough information to write on any number of topics.
I think that many freelancers throw the phrase "I am a professional writer" around too loosely. Yes I am professional at what I do -I always try to remain professional and give my work the utmost attention and detail. I take pride in what I develop and print (even the snarky stuff). But I don’t think I can claim the title of PROFESSIONAL WRITER. Can you?
I think of myself more as a working writing. I am working towards being a professional writer if that makes sense. I think many of us are more working writers than professional ones and I am sure stones will be thrown as I go so far to claim that this includes many of the work at home moms who are writers.
In fact, Laura over at Work From Home Momma poses a similar question to her readers: Do you need a college degree to work at home?
I think that Laura’s question and mine are both valid questions. Regardless of what you are going to be doing as a WAHM, you should consider how you think of yourself and whether or not you need the extra training to be professional and successful.
This is an interesting question, Nikki. I remember when I started working in the corporate world as a technical writer. I felt really hesitant to call myself a “professional writer,” because I was just starting out.
An older mentor from the Society for Technical Communication quickly corrected me. “You’re getting paid to write,” she said, “that means that you’re a professional writer.”
So, in answer to your question, if you get paid to write, then I think that you should consider writing to be your profession. If writing is your profession, then you are professional writer.
(The alternative is that writing is your hobby that you occasionally receive money for doing.)
I began calling myself a professional writer as soon as I had several articles published in a local magazine and I began writing for pay online for others. Now, I have written hundreds of articles used both online and elsewhere and I do feel that I do this with a professional quality. I still get funny looks when I say I’m a writer, but I don’t have a book published, but hey you can’t please everyone.