falling_rain
New member
because i dont know if i want to go to college, and i reallly want to be an author, and im good at writing.
do you have to go to college to become an author?
- Thread starter falling_rain
- Start date
Nope. You don't have to.
However, sometimes you can gain deeper understanding of literature or improve your writing skills by going to college.
Remember that writing isn't something that will constantly pay the bills--you have to write something before you can be paid to have it published. Don't assume that your first book will land you J.K. Rowling fame.
Keep on writing and good luck!
However, sometimes you can gain deeper understanding of literature or improve your writing skills by going to college.
Remember that writing isn't something that will constantly pay the bills--you have to write something before you can be paid to have it published. Don't assume that your first book will land you J.K. Rowling fame.
Keep on writing and good luck!
I'm an author (as yet unpublished, though I've tried to get an agent). I stopped studying the English language and its literature formally when I was 16, which was the youngest age you could do that where I live. However, I thought I might get paid for writing fiction one day, so I kept reading and writing for my own enjoyment, slowly getting better at both.
I subsequently went to university and got a bachelor's degree in computer science. I don't think I would've been much worse as a writer had I not gone there, though I did get the opportunity to write some plays for the university's radio station.
You can do a degree in creative writing, but I don't think this is necessary if you want to make a career as a novelist. Those courses didn't exist when I was at university. I don't feel that not having that qualification has held me back as a writer. What's helped as much or more is being in a critique group with other writers who are better than me.
Tip: if you claim to be good at writing, show us that you know where capital letters and apostrophes belong. Don't make excuses about "it's faster without them" or "it's only an ephemeral message" or "that's what editors are for." These things are tools of the writer's craft, and you should take every opportunity to keep them sharp.
I subsequently went to university and got a bachelor's degree in computer science. I don't think I would've been much worse as a writer had I not gone there, though I did get the opportunity to write some plays for the university's radio station.
You can do a degree in creative writing, but I don't think this is necessary if you want to make a career as a novelist. Those courses didn't exist when I was at university. I don't feel that not having that qualification has held me back as a writer. What's helped as much or more is being in a critique group with other writers who are better than me.
Tip: if you claim to be good at writing, show us that you know where capital letters and apostrophes belong. Don't make excuses about "it's faster without them" or "it's only an ephemeral message" or "that's what editors are for." These things are tools of the writer's craft, and you should take every opportunity to keep them sharp.
silkyeggsalad
New member
No. Some of the most famous and influential authors of the 20th century never went to college.
Write some short stories, poems, essays, etc. and submit them to magazines and writing competitions. During this time, you can work on a book.
It is difficult for unheard of authors to get their first book published; but, if you find the right agent, well...
Write some short stories, poems, essays, etc. and submit them to magazines and writing competitions. During this time, you can work on a book.
It is difficult for unheard of authors to get their first book published; but, if you find the right agent, well...