Does your spine tingle when you read a majestic metaphor in your local paper?
Or if you notice a sublime simile in a new novel, does it send you into spasms of deep satisfaction?
And do you spend your lunch breaks crafting coruscating limericks about your manager’s lack of social skills?
Then put down your pen and perk up, frustrated wordsmith — and feast your peepers on five fantastic writing jobs that might help you migrate careers.
Journalist
If reporting on the latest local, national and international issues of interest to the public sounds superb, you might start making headlines as a journalist.
You’ll need a formal qualification from an organisation like the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) to prove you’ve got the writing chops for this tough profession.
Completing an internship with a news agency like Talk to the Press or Sell My Story can also provide a foot in the door.
Technical writer
If you love precise product descriptions, are inspired by clear instructions and hold flowery metaphors in disdain, you might make a good technical writer.
They’re hired by everyone from international software firms to cash machine manufacturers and positions are usually reasonably well paid.
You’ll find career guidance for this role on the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (IST) website.
Digital content writer
Thanks to the explosion of the internet, websites, blogs and social media posts need to be filled with words which are witty, useful, unique and relevant — and for the foreseeable future it’s unlikely that Artificial Intelligence will compete on an equal par with human writers.
So becoming a digital content writer is a diverse job where you’ll work on everything from sales video scripts to onsite content and metadata.
Whether you’re working for a search agency like Attercopia or in-house for a retailer like Nike, it’s a challenging and stimulating role.
Tender writer
Since the Carillion debacle, government has started making it easier for SMEs to bid for portions of large and lucrative public sector contracts.
However, official tendering processes can still be tricky and time-consuming — so tender writers who take it in their stride and help businesses score points at every stage are highly sought after.
If you’d like to become a tender writer, contacting the Association of Bid & ProjectManagement Professionals (APMP) is a solid first step.
Screenwriter
With eyes for dramatic scenes and ears for dynamic dialogue, top-flight screenwriters enjoy fulfilling careers in TV and the silver screen.
If this is your destiny, as your career progresses you might move from working in a large team on a TV soap to forming an exclusive film script partnership with another talented writer.
But completing this free BBC screenwriting course is a brilliant first step when you’re dipping your toes into the water.
Pick one of these five writing jobs that might float your career boat and set sail for a new chapter of your working life.
Are you a writer? Share your top career tips in the comments section.
