According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition, careers for writers, authors and editors are going through a shift in nature. As the demand for online publications and web-based content continues to grow, those of us who write for a living will adjust accordingly. And happily. For me, personally, acquiring a Master's Degree will help with said adjustment.
The employment outlook for us is expected to grow about as fast as average. Competition is extremely stiff in this field, as many people are attracted to it, especially with new media, online publishing, and web content management areas. With the poor state of the economy and current high unemployment rates, it's not surprising that people are drawn to the writing field.
As a graphic designer and business owner (undergrad Art major, English minor), I have worked with many corporate executives (Presidents, small business owners, managers, etc.) who had no writing skills whatsoever, totally taking me by surprise. Twenty years ago, I was so shocked by written correspondence from a few extremely highly paid executives, that - by default - my design business grew to include corporate marketing and communications. I offered them help and was able to get paid for it. That is a beautiful thing.
I have been creating newsletters, brochures, advertising copy, and press releases for many years now and am ready to venture out. I am looking forward to offering the clients in my marketing business new options and services (new media, SEO, etc.), while entering into a realm I haven't yet explored ...fiction. I have several creative ideas I'm hoping to develop, but - at my age (non-traditional, even for grad students!) - there isn't enough time or energy in a day to achieve all these and manage the business. But I will do it. It will take a little time, patience and energy.
I have always had a love for the printed word. I haven't yet bought a Kindle and I'm not sure that I will. I love the feel and smell of paper in a book or newspaper (remember those?) and turning the page as I read. It is not for the money, but the passion for words (and images) that I have chosen the writing field.
So, to my fellow MAPW students, let the courses of nature shift our business. May the words and sentences flow. And may you find your passion and make a decent living along the way!
Ginger, you chose a direct and simple "theme" for your blog: wonderful you!! :-)
ReplyDeleteAs a former graphic designer myself, I know exactly what you mean about the attributes that paper can bring to an experience with the written word. Writing is more than language, I also believe that the entire experience of interacting with text can have an impact on the way we respond to language. Nonetheless, times they are a-changin', and the upcoming generations are more about the electronic/digital experience.
I think we are witnessing a profound evolution in the English language because of the technological explosion that has occurred over the last ten to fifteen years; perhaps languages in other societies are being equally impacted as well. If you think about it, it's really quite exciting to be a part of evolution. However, I think we more, ahem, "mature" folks will always hold some nostalgia for the "good ol' days" when words were spelled out in their entirety and then presented to us on a fine stock of creamy smooth paper.
Ginger,
ReplyDeleteAfter graduating with my first degree, I landed a job at a law firm here in the Atlanta metro area. There, I encountered a similar situation in regards to coworkers, managers, clients, and even lawyers who frequently sent e-mails that I had a difficult time understanding due to the senders' complete lack of basic writing skills. What is especially shocking is that these "college-educated" people often wrote e-mails that did not have punctuation marks or upper-case letters, nor did the language in the e-mails even remotely adhere to standard grammar rules. I hate to sound like a curmudgeon, but I think you may be onto something in regards to a correlation between the popularity of new technology (like txt mssging, idk) and the degradation of writing skills in the workplace...
LAE