The Way of A Writer

McKenna Martin

English III Honors Pd. 2

Mr. Piatak

February 23, 2017

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Writing has shaped history for centuries by creating a way for individuals to express

themselves and document life-changing events. Documentation throughout time has covered

major world events such as wars and natural disasters. Writing has also allowed historians to

understand ancient civilizations and cultures by passing along ideas and information from

generation to generation through history books. Folklore from all different cultures continuously

pass down vital information to keep a certain nation's customs alive. History books relay these

past experiences and phenomena to students informing them of what life consisted of thousands

of years ago. Literature has completely changed the way individuals think by providing extensive

knowledge and diverse points of view. Experts share their wisdom to inform those out there on a

topic unfamiliar to them. People use writing to educate, persuade, and entertain others through

novels, plays, poetry, essays, and reports. A career as an author or a journalist allows for a

creative outlet for many; writing careers intrigue many due to the history of writing itself, the

interesting literature courses offered, and the countless different careers that derive from writing.

Ancient writing systems led to the development of the modern day alphabet used all over

the world.The phoenicians did not invent writing, but they invented the original original alphabet

which dates back between between 2000 and 1500 B.C. Early writing systems tremendously

lacked the structure and development of the writing systems and alphabets used today. Letters

did not exist until years later, since pictures represented words. With the use of so many pictures,

it became extremely difficult to decrypt their meanings. Most of these writing systems lacked

crucial parts of the alphabet used today, such as consonants. The first writing systems, Sumerian

cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Chinese ideographs, consisted mainly of pictures

representing words (Varnum). These writing systems helped individuals by giving them a way to
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relay their message and to correspond over long distances. Writing systems introduced thousands

of years ago mainly recorded commerce information and trade as new civilizations advanced

(Marble). People finally had a way to write down their activities and merchants could record

their sales. In 2016, historians discovered Sumerian Cuneiform, written centuries ago by

Mesopotamians. The tablets displayed the advances of the Mesopotamians. These ancient clay

tablets allowed historians to decipher letters, recipes, laws, maps, and medicine used during sixth

century. Cuneiform writing, first introduced around 3200 B.C., required the use of a wooden

stylus to make symbols into the clay which came together to form words (Worlds Oldest

Writing). This form of writing founded by the Sumerians recorded the studies of

Mesopotamians. Cuneiform writing later led to the use of Egyptian hieroglyphics, which

incorporated bi-literals and tri-literals to express sounds. Bi-laterals consisted of two sounds

while tri-literals consisted of three sounds (Five Original Writing...). Hieroglyphic images

helped represent objects such as animals and ideas. These pictures came together to construct

words. Over 1,000 pictures helped the Egyptians explain their stories and studies. Hieroglyphics

used symbols for consonants which differentiated the Egyptian hieroglyphics from Cuneiform

writing (History of the...). Regardless of the differences between Cuneiform writing and

Egyptian hieroglyphics, both of these ancient carvings led to the beginning of the writing used

regularly today.

Since writing has spread across the globe, publishing has advanced tremendously.

American literature began after adventurers traveled to the New World and wrote down their

experiences in journals. Early settlers came to America curious about their new land and felt

anxious to share their thoughts with their families and friends overseas. After the American
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Revolution, literature became much more popular across the United States. During this time,

many more people learned to read and write. America became a free nation and nationalism

skyrocketed. These nationalists could not wait to put their thoughts to paper and discuss their

newly-founded great nation. During this time, literature explained the political views of brilliant

leaders such as Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson (American Literature). Writing

today still displays the controversial political views of individuals. The first books written and

shared with the world did not get completed with the technology used to publish books today.

These books came about after writers put pen to paper (Marble). The existence of printers and

other digital copiers did not appear until centuries later. The Gutenberg Press allowed an

abundance of pages of text to print at seemingly lightning speed. Literature and writing have

become much more accessible nowadays (The Gutenberg Press). This press replaced the

hand-written works of the time. Handwriting stories could not compare to the efficiency of the

Gutenberg printer. Writing and publishing have gone from pen and paper to strictly computers.

The highly effective publishing process known today presents writers works more efficiently

into the world much to a wider audience.

Writers pursuing their education by going to college have many different options

regarding courses and colleges. First, students must have a high school degree as the minimum

level of education in order to gain a successful career in writing. Employers typically require

proof of some English background before allowing an individual to write for their company.

Employers make sure a potential employee has the ability to construct decent sentences. All

writers in search of a job should search for an internship to improve his or her writing in a

professional environment. Writers within business, marketing, or healthcare should keep their
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eyes open for internships. Writers planning to establish a career should create a portfolio filled

with an abundance of past works to show to future employers the quality of their work (How to

Become...). Portfolios prove extremely helpful when writers search for a full time job. Those

attempting to become successful writers could have a portfolio filled with poems or possibly a

few novel drafts, along with short stories. Writers usually major or minor in English, while also

earning a degree in another writing focus such as creative writing or journalism (Writing

Degrees & Careers). Students should definitely earn a college degree if they plan on pursuing a

career in writing. Future employers want to see that the student took challenging courses to

enhance his or her knowledge of writing.

A wide range of colleges provide an excellent English program aspiring writers would

highly benefit from. University of California Berkeley, Harvard University, Stanford University,

Columbia University, and Princeton University offer some of the best English programs.

Although writers usually major in English, they should participate in a variety of literature

courses to become experts of their craft. An abundance of colleges have a wide selection of

literature courses and programs. University of CaliforniaBerkeley (UC Berkeley) offers many

different literature classes which include 18th through 20th Century British Literature,

African-American Literature, American Literature After 1865, American Literature Before 1865,

Gender and Literature, Literary Criticism and Theory, and Medieval/Renaissance Literature

(Best English Programs). UC Berkeley offers many courses that would benefit potential

writers. Students interested in attending this university must have a remarkably competitive

application and they also must have exceptional standardized test scores. UC Berkeley has an

acceptance rate of 17.5% which makes the college more difficult to get accepted into ("UC
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Berkeley ACT...). UC Berkeley searches for students with an ACT score around 30 and prefers

a grade point average of about 3.8. Many other colleges offer different courses to help students

discover the career path they plan to take. Colleges recommended for aspiring journalists include

Syracuse University, Northwestern University, University of Missouri, and University of

Southern California (Marble). They gain knowledge from these schools that they will use in all

of their future endeavours. Potential journalists would definitely benefit from Journalism 101,

Editing basics, Ethics in journalism, Magazine writing, and Newspaper reporting (Marble).

Students should explore these and many other courses for the purpose of making them more well

rounded in his or her field. These additional literature classes will help them develop a deeper

appreciation for literature and the skills necessary to write effectively. After students complete

their initial degree, some may want to go back and pursue his or her masters degree. Writers in

graduate programs could earn a Master of Arts or a Master of Fine Arts. Graduate programs

allow students to get more in touch with literature and the use of writing techniques. Students

interested in eventually pursuing a doctorate degree must work extremely hard and earn their

masters degree beforehand. In college, students may also gain inestimable experience by

becoming involved in school newspapers, school magazines, and local radio stations (How to

Become...). Students can experience what it feels like to have their work noticed in the world.

The students can also see how others respond to their pieces and how they can improve.

Some writers did not major in English or creative writing. These successful writers

majored in other subjects such as science or history and made a living as technical writers by

publishing and spreading his or her wisdom. One of the top paying writing professions, Science

writing, has a salary of around $64,000. These individuals make a living by sharing their
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professional knowledge and informing their readers about their specific topic. Science writers

invest their time in writing articles, which analyze advancements and discoveries such as climate

change (Writing Degrees & Careers). Their writing may become published almost anywhere

from articles, print or online, to novels or textbooks.

Salaries for writers can vary widely. In 2015, writers in the United States made around

$60,000 a year (Writing Degrees & Careers). The writers salary can fluctuate depending on

how often they write and if they work for a company or work independently. Freelance writers

do not have a fixed salary since they get paid for each assignment they complete. Salary may

also depend on the quality of ones writing. James Patterson makes around $95 million per year

due to his famous works and popularity (Robehmed). Writers who work hard and complete

numerous novels in a short period of time make more money than those who waste years

between novels. Not only does James Patterson write fascinating novels, he also writes and

publishes them very rapidly.

Job availability for writers and authors will supposedly increase by 2% between now and

the year 2024. Technology has completely changed the number of jobs available for writers; as

almost anyone can become an author due to an increase in online writing positions. Individuals

can become bloggers, journalists, or editors, right from home. Even though lots of writing

careers exist, a great deal of competition exists for those in search of writing jobs, especially in

print magazines and newspapers since the industry will soon start to die out ("Writers and

Authors"). Although people can still purchase physical newspapers and magazines, most media

outlets publish their news and information online to reach a larger audience.
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Writers typically have fairly flexible schedules which allows for the writer to plan their

daily routine. Those employed by large companies may have a deadline, but the majority of

writers work for themselves and write on their own schedule. Two out of every three writers

decide to work for themselves. Self-employed writers have no one to answer to and may work on

whatever articles or pieces they choose whenever they would like and may do so at their own

pace. In 2014, one out of four writers worked part time ("Writers and Authors"). A number of

writers keep a schedule and have a routine while other authors sit down and write on a whim.

Some writers have a fixed schedule because their job may take place from nine oclock in the

morning until five oclock at night. Journalists typically commit to writing about three to four

pieces per week (Marble). Some writers have the ability to write their work whenever they please

while other writers have to work with others to establish deadlines and make certain that they

meet them.

Social media has completely expanded the writing world. Individuals can describe their

whole day or exactly how their feeling in a tweet composed of approximately 140 characters.

People pour their heart and soul into a Facebook post without even thinking of how it affects the

reader. Social media helps expand businesses, because social media has such a broad audience

and targets almost everyone reading. Media writers must fully understand their audience in terms

of what the audience wants and how the audience decides to respond. These writers make sure to

use language individuals will understand. Many writers outside the realm of social media use

words and expressions that may confuse their readers. An important job for social media writers

includes promoting health and pushing towards bettering society. These writers try to discuss

positive aspects of life to attract readers into wanting everything life has to offer (CDC Guide
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to...). A few examples of different social media networks popular today that incorporate lots of

writing includes: Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. Twitter allows people to write as much as

they want and receive reactions from their audience. Twitter helps authors promote their work or

give their readers a sneak peek into their next project. Snapchat has a discovery page, which

provides news from different broadcasting companies and magazines to keep snapchatters

interested and updated on what happens around the world. This provides many online writing

careers for aspiring writers due to the large variety of magazines and articles.

Individuals with a burning passion or talent for writing have many options when it comes

to choosing a career. Professional writers or anyone who enjoys writing can work as bloggers,

editors, publishers, playwrights, librarians, or even teachers. Writers not only have the option of

the kind of writing they do, but also where they would like to write. Some writing careers do not

focus solely on writing. Plenty of occupations involve writing that seem completely unrelated to

English or other literary works. Court reporters record everything that happens in the courtroom,

providing as an example of a career for writers that would like a job in another field, such as law

(Court Reporters). Writers can work just about anywhere including publishing houses,

libraries, government agencies, media companies, or newspapers/magazines (English and

Creative...). Writers have endless career paths and environments to choose from and should

explore the many different options to find the one that best fits them. A multitude of writing

positions remain available anywhere, but especially within social media. Social media has such a

wide range of accessible jobs for writers due to how much advertising and writing takes place in

all the different outlets.

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Writing feels necessary for many people. Some individuals write to put his or her name

out there and write for fame, while others simply write because they feel a need. Others have

trouble functioning if they have not written anything whether in regards to their job or

themselves. Writing has the ability to improve an individuals thinking and learning process. It

offers a place for people to scribble their thoughts and organize them. Writing helps people think

completely outside the box and imagine things they never knew they could. It helps people look

deeper inside themselves. It also helps them discover new things about themselves and have new

realizations. Writing helps people make connections between people and ideas. It pushes

individuals to become active learners in a majority of subject areas (A Message from...).

Writers can explore different time periods and different studies. They can learn and write about

past inventions or past wars. Writing can also help individuals cope with personal struggles.

After a traumatic experience, writing helps people express their feelings and give them peace of

mind. Dr. Pennebaker from the psychology department at the University of Texas, Austin, asked

46 students to write about their intense personal struggles. After these students wrote about their

experiences, they visited the health center less often and did not use pain relievers as much

(Writing About Emotions...). Every individual has their own writing style and their own

insight to share. Writing helps individuals share their thoughts in a healthy and constructive way.

People write to influence others on a certain topic they find important. The multifarious reasons

people write depend on the individual and how much enthusiasm the individual has for writing

itself.

Writing has definitely impacted the lives of many by the writer speaking of their own

experiences and feelings in a way that speaks to his or her readers. Famous writers have written
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books that many fans seem to absorb and live by. Writing has advanced colossally since the

beginning of time. Ancient civilizations created many different alphabets and languages as a way

to communicate and create stories about their culture. The languages and alphabets created

centuries ago lead to the alphabet used on a daily basis across the globe. The stories documented

in history books allow people today to learn from past events and to not make the same mistakes.

Writing has come along way from pen and paper to the extensive use of laptops, tablets, and

other electronics. Publishing stories has become much faster and a much easier process for many

writers. Many new writing careers have formed solely because of online news outlets and social

media. Lots of writers developed an undying passion for the English language by learning how to

create wonderful works from this language. Aspiring writers have many different universities

from which to choose from with extraordinary writing programs along with insightful majors.

Authors and journalists can find plenty of job opportunities within newspapers, blogs, and

magazines. Writers have a myriad of professions in which they can explore and thrive. Writing

careers have changed immensely over time, but the demand for writers has never died down. As

a journalist, there is always pressure to do more and more, and as much as love what I do, it is a

grind (Marble). Without writing, no one could communicate rather than just talking which

would not work over long distances. Without writing, no one would know what day, year, or

month currently took place. Writing has made everything much easier over time and the

publishing process has flourished substantially. As writing evolves, stories evolve, and history

evolves along with it.

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