4 Myths That Deserve to Die About Writers
Some elements of the writing profession never change. The books or other pieces of content we write are always our babies. Tears are shed over lost files. Rejection letters hurt even when they’re nice. These elements are tolerable specifically because they hold enduring truths about what our work is like. Those who react to them are revealed as our wordsmithing kinsmen, and we have empathy for them. But over and over again, I’ve encountered the same myths about writers, and I have lost patience with them. It’s time to set the record straight on those myths so they can die and never come back.
1. Writers constantly work in coffee shops.
If there’s any artistic, carefree stereotype about how a writer spends their day, it’s this. It’s probably the most popular of the writing myths. But I can count the number of times I’ve worked in a coffee shop this year on one hand. Why? Simple. Have you seen the price of anything in a coffee shop lately? It’s pretty easy to spend $10-15 on a muffin and smoothie. With the typical freelance hourly rate sitting around $23, that muffin and smoothie cuts into profit pretty hard. Some newer writers are lucky to make $10 an hour. If you ONLY write books and work based on advances and royalties, you’re fortunate if your advance hits five figures, at least until you have some reputation in the industry. And books can take years to do.
So, if I work in a coffee shop, it’s a treat, not the rule. I’m much more likely to pack my own lunch from home and camp out with my tablet in the park. And even then, it’s not all the time. Some tasks, like hopping between many Chrome tabs when I’m researching or creating marketing materials on Canva, are easier when I have a more stable connection and a larger monitor. The need to do meetings online also limits the degree to which I’m able to work somewhere other than home.
2. Writers are just writers.
Yes, we are writers. But we have always also had to be marketers. We are business professionals, doing interviews about our work, negotiating contracts with clients, learning self-publishing formats and processes, and much (MUCH!) more. Don’t even get me started on the time spent on social media to have a platform just to be considered as relevant to agents, publishers, or clients. Just this month, I checked out two mammoth volumes on WordPress. Why? Just so I could start two new websites for my work. So, add a little coding and plugin knowledge in there. And don’t forget about administration. Most writers don’t have their own personal assistants, so peripheral tasks like collecting data or billing are on our plate, too. The skill set writers have to have to be successful in the profession is huge.
3. Writers have financially stable partners to support their craft.
Many writers have partners whose income allows them to focus on writing full time regardless of whether their content earns a profit. Those writers often have very serious discussions with their partners about shared responsibilities, expectations, and separation of roles.
But just as many writers are earning their own way 100 percent. They hold down full-time day jobs if their writing income isn’t sufficient to pay the bills. Then they haul you-know-what to try to write whenever they can outside of work. Writers who know how to manage multiple income streams, such as books plus doing webinars, subscriptions, or downloadables, might not make enough to buy a penthouse. But the idea that everyone who writes depends on someone else to do it is bogus. Perpetuating this myth hurts writers because it gives outsiders the perception that writers are merely pursuing a hobby while someone else does the heavy lifting of “real” work for them.
4. Writers need an English or journalism degree to have a professional career.
Having an English or journalism degree certainly isn’t going to hurt you as a writer. But the number of clients I’ve had that have asked about my degrees (or lack thereof) is exactly zero. What do clients and agents ask for? Writing samples. They want to see a consistent long-term portfolio, a submission package with chapters, or a previous publication history that proves you have the capacity to write in the tone or area you’re working with them in. I’ve gotten hired over university professors before because my materials sufficiently did that job.
Another element here is the way the publishing industry is networked. If you have someone who can put in a word for you, it makes all the difference. As a ghostwriter, I’ve been published in multiple top-tier outlets, so I know my writing met their standards. But I wasn’t able to get my own bylines at those publications until someone introduced me.
Then consider money. With self-publishing available to virtually anyone, degrees aren’t stopping people from sending content to print. They just have to have enough money to cover the costs of marketing and, if desired, professional services like cover design or platform formatting. Many publications also are going to membership models. Instead of paying their writers for content, the writers have to pay the publications for access to their platforms. The writer can tap all the clout those platforms have with virtually no experience. They can gain a following based on that clout and be off and running. They just have to be able to cover the fee. I have serious concerns about how this is influencing quality. But cash has become the access doorway, eliminating previous requirements for certifications or expertise.
When you can, set the record straight about writing myths
Considering the points above, the only way myths die is if enough people stand up and say what the reality is. If you are currently a writer, or if you hope to enter into the profession, take a stand. The more we tell others what the writing life is really like, the more we’ll get the respect and support we need to succeed.