You’re retired and want to start a writing career. What’s the best way to prepare?
You’ve always dreamed of becoming a writer, but life got in the way. Now that you’re retired, you have the time and freedom to pursue your passion. But how do you prepare for a writing career after decades of doing something else? Here are some tips to help you get started.
Before you dive into writing, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. What kind of writing do you enjoy and excel at? What are the areas that need improvement? You can take online tests, ask for feedback from friends or family, or join a writing group to get an honest evaluation of your writing skills. Knowing your skill level will help you set realistic goals and choose the right genre, format, and audience for your writing.
Writing is a craft that requires constant learning and practice. You can’t expect to become a successful writer overnight. You need to study the basics of grammar, punctuation, spelling, style, and structure. You also need to learn the specific techniques and conventions of your chosen genre, whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or something else. You can enroll in online courses, read books and blogs, listen to podcasts, or watch videos to learn from experts and improve your craft.
-
One of the great things about the internet and social media is that you have direct access to readers, rather than having to find a publisher for long form content. And since you are writing short posts (LinkedIn limits to 1300 characters) you can write frequently in bite size chunks and get immediate feedback (likes, comments, reposts). When I was in #pretirement, I wrote an article and took several days to revise it, and asked friends for feedback. I got like 14,000 views. The next week I took 30 seconds to write something with no review, and I got twice as many views. The best way to learn the craft, is to do the craft, and use the feedback to course correct. Write early, write often!
To attract readers and clients, you need to showcase your writing abilities and demonstrate your value. You can build a portfolio of your best work by creating a website, blog, or social media account where you can publish your writing regularly. You can also submit your work to online magazines, journals, contests, or anthologies to gain exposure and credibility. A portfolio will help you establish your brand, voice, and niche as a writer.
Writing can be a lonely and challenging endeavor, especially when you’re starting out. You need to connect with other writers who can support, inspire, and mentor you. You can join online communities, forums, groups, or platforms where you can share your work, get feedback, exchange ideas, and find opportunities. You can also attend events, workshops, webinars, or conferences where you can meet and learn from established writers and industry professionals.
To succeed as a writer, you need to market yourself and your work effectively. You need to identify your target audience, understand their needs and preferences, and communicate how you can solve their problems or entertain them. You need to create a compelling pitch, query letter, or proposal that showcases your unique value proposition and hooks the reader’s attention. You also need to research and contact potential publishers, agents, editors, or clients who can help you reach your goals.
The most important thing you can do to prepare for a writing career is to keep writing. Writing is a skill that improves with practice and experience. You need to write every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes, to develop your discipline, creativity, and confidence. You need to write for yourself, not for anyone else, to express your voice and vision. You need to write for the joy of writing, not for the fame or money, to sustain your passion and motivation.
-
Having retired has deep connotations for everyone and they can vary culture to culture. I have got three tips for the retired/retiring audience, even if I am only in my 30s! 1. Don't let the rules of today decide your fate as they were different 5 years ago and also 50 years ago. 2. Hope and pray that like Jamil Ahmad, you have a loving partner, friends and family. If it had not been for the wife of the civil servant from Pakistan, the story he wrote 30 years ago would have remained in their trunk and not have won the Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011. 3. Rather than learning writing, which can be a task, a more practical solution is to hire a professional ghostwriter, which is cheaper than working with a coach to get a book out!
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
WritingWhat can you learn from other writers to improve your skills?
-
WritingWhat do you do if you want to gain writing experience as a beginner?
-
WritingWhat are the best ways to learn about the writing industry?
-
WritingYou're looking to take your writing to the next level. What's the best way to get there?