Careers in writing

cardboard adolescent · 09-15-2007, 04:12 AM

With all the lab reports you have to write, I would say studying Engineering could be a pretty good way to get into technical writing. Why the hell you would want to be a technical writer I have no idea, but then I'm not really sure why I want to be an engineer. I still manage to fit Philosophy and Physics courses into my schedule though, which is what really interests me.

But yeah, I'm a first year ECE major too and I'm having my doubts. I think I'd do better with a dual degree in Physics and Computer Science or something, I think writing programs to simulate theoretical physics would be pretty cool.

The Dave · 09-15-2007, 04:36 AM

^Yeah, I'm actually really liking my Computer Science class, we've just been using Visual Studio, but I would not want to be a programmer for a living. I don't really have any electives, other than the general college classes I have to take like Chem. and English and so on, but those don't really count, and the electives for my senior year are all technical electives, so yeah, those would still have to be something to do with engineering.

The more I think about it, the more I seem to realize that my mind is geared less towards math than I thought it was/wanted it to be. I think that I just wanted to be an engineer for the sake of being an engineer, and not because I actually liked it.

Son of JayJamJah · 09-15-2007, 12:03 PM

@ Dave

Don't become a journalism major
Stick with engineering only if you enjoy the classes you're taking otherwise you won't learn anything, you'll just retain knowledge until you can afford to forget it.

If at some point you decide you really want to be a writer, like I said volunteer your time or take a bottom of the food chain job ASAP and start working your way up. It will happen so much faster then you can imagine if you are really passionate about it.

I always told all my students, the second you stop enjoy being in my class get out! You're wasting mine and your time and a lot of your money.

Another piece of advice, make a hobby of applying for grants, 0 interest student loans etc etc. My nephew went to college at the University of Michigan for 5 years and owed less then 10,000 when it was all said and done. It can become a 10-15 hour a week job hunting for finical aid but it's out there. Again without knowing you it's tough to tell you which direction to go, but I can always offer an opinion and would be glad to help in whatever capacity.

The Dave · 09-15-2007, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayJamJah

@ Dave

Don't become a journalism major
Stick with engineering only if you enjoy the classes you're taking otherwise you won't learn anything, you'll just retain knowledge until you can afford to forget it.

If at some point you decide you really want to be a writer, like I said volunteer your time or take a bottom of the food chain job ASAP and start working your way up. It will happen so much faster then you can imagine if you are really passionate about it.

I always told all my students, the second you stop enjoy being in my class get out! You're wasting mine and your time and a lot of your money.

Another piece of advice, make a hobby of applying for grants, 0 interest student loans etc etc. My nephew went to college at the University of Michigan for 5 years and owed less then 10,000 when it was all said and done. It can become a 10-15 hour a week job hunting for finical aid but it's out there. Again without knowing you it's tough to tell you which direction to go, but I can always offer an opinion and would be glad to help in whatever capacity.

That's the thing, I'm not enjoying the engineering classes which is why I'm having this shift in mind towards writing. So like, I don't want to do Engineering and I want to do writing, and I want something more than just a bachelors in "general studies." But yeah, I really need to do that financial aid thing, I keep meaning to and like the idiot that I am, never actually get around to doing it.

I understand that this is hard for you to help me but I'm really, and truly, appreciative of it.

Mouseketeer · 09-15-2007, 01:34 PM

I was thinking about going into journalism just until recently, I'm going an English A level but I'm also doing chemistry and biology. I was going to use English to go to university and maybe study journalism and not biomedical science, like the plan had originally been.

I think your advice about going for experience rather than jumping in at the deep end is really good. Experience also shows the reality of the job, and who knows you might not even like it.

I'm going to stick with my sciences and maybe write a few articles as a hobby. Who knows I could combine the two, but being a science journalist seems a little dull.

DearJenny · 09-15-2007, 01:47 PM

I was a journalism major at one point.....but then I decided psychologists make more moneys and I'm equally interested in it, in fact I'm enjoying my time on campus more in this field than journalism.

If you enjoy writing though, I suggest you take a few classes, talk to the professors about outside writing opportunities maybe write for an amatuer online journal, theres all kinds of things you can do with writing on the side.

As for a new major.....I suggest psychology. You can do TONS of things with a psych degree, you do not nessecarily have to be a counsler, even combine that with writing and join in on all the prestigious online psych happenings. Its not a hard field actually because it's not all "by-the-book" its part teachings with some of your own thoughts on things.

djchameleon · 09-15-2007, 01:57 PM

You can't go wrong with being a journalism major or even an english major. You can get into any job you wanted to. All you would have to do is get some experience in whatever field you wanted to go into. English majors are so flexible. You can become pretty much anything. Just because you graduate with one degree means you are limited to that field. People graduate with a degree and never use it.

Son of JayJamJah · 09-16-2007, 05:56 PM

That's why writers like me have (much more clever though considerably less compensated) editors like you Bane.

Very well played.

jibber · 09-17-2007, 01:32 AM

i was going to set you straight on journalism and how much money you'll make (or rather, how little), but jaymahjah beat me to it. dont choose a career based on money, its not worth it, and frankly its a waste of a life. if you love writing and you're interested in journalism, go for it. not everyone who majors in journalism becomes a reporter, you wont know what else is out there until you actually get into it. having said that, if you would like to write for a newspaper or magazine, you'd better really want to. it's a rediculously competitive field, and you have to be willing to work extremely hard. if you're still not sure, dont be afraid to take a year off to figure it out, but dont just spend the year doing nothing. try to get a job doing something you're interested in, do volunteer work, travel, just do something other than staying at home doing the same things you've been doing your whole life, you wont learn anything new doing that.

The Dave · 09-17-2007, 09:12 AM

^Yeah, I see your point, that's why I'm kinda bailing on Engineering now, the only reason i went with from the start was due to the money. I've always wanted to be a writer for a magazine, like write research based articles and such any also write books on the side, but I didn't go with that from the start because I picked money and now it's like ****ing me over.

09-15-2007, 01:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
Mouseketeer I'm kind of a big deal. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: England Posts: 202	I was thinking about going into journalism just until recently, I'm going an English A level but I'm also doing chemistry and biology. I was going to use English to go to university and maybe study journalism and not biomedical science, like the plan had originally been. I think your advice about going for experience rather than jumping in at the deep end is really good. Experience also shows the reality of the job, and who knows you might not even like it. I'm going to stick with my sciences and maybe write a few articles as a hobby. Who knows I could combine the two, but being a science journalist seems a little dull. __________________

09-15-2007, 01:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
DearJenny Raptor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 1,334	I was a journalism major at one point.....but then I decided psychologists make more moneys and I'm equally interested in it, in fact I'm enjoying my time on campus more in this field than journalism. If you enjoy writing though, I suggest you take a few classes, talk to the professors about outside writing opportunities maybe write for an amatuer online journal, theres all kinds of things you can do with writing on the side. As for a new major.....I suggest psychology. You can do TONS of things with a psych degree, you do not nessecarily have to be a counsler, even combine that with writing and join in on all the prestigious online psych happenings. Its not a hard field actually because it's not all "by-the-book" its part teachings with some of your own thoughts on things. __________________ So here's to living life miserable. And here's to all the lonely stories that I've told. Maybe drinking wine will validate my sorrow. Every man needs a muse and mine could be the bottle. Last edited by DearJenny; 09-15-2007 at 01:54 PM.

09-17-2007, 01:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
jibber Freeskier Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Istanbul was Constantinople now it's Istanbul not Constantinople... Posts: 1,544	i was going to set you straight on journalism and how much money you'll make (or rather, how little), but jaymahjah beat me to it. dont choose a career based on money, its not worth it, and frankly its a waste of a life. if you love writing and you're interested in journalism, go for it. not everyone who majors in journalism becomes a reporter, you wont know what else is out there until you actually get into it. having said that, if you would like to write for a newspaper or magazine, you'd better really want to. it's a rediculously competitive field, and you have to be willing to work extremely hard. if you're still not sure, dont be afraid to take a year off to figure it out, but dont just spend the year doing nothing. try to get a job doing something you're interested in, do volunteer work, travel, just do something other than staying at home doing the same things you've been doing your whole life, you wont learn anything new doing that. __________________ What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do -- especially in other people's minds. When you're traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road. William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways Your toughest competitor lives in your head. Some days his name is fear, or pain, or gravity. Stomp his ass. HOOKED ON THE WHITE POWDER

09-15-2007, 04:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
cardboard adolescent ;) Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CA Posts: 3,511	With all the lab reports you have to write, I would say studying Engineering could be a pretty good way to get into technical writing. Why the hell you would want to be a technical writer I have no idea, but then I'm not really sure why I want to be an engineer. I still manage to fit Philosophy and Physics courses into my schedule though, which is what really interests me. But yeah, I'm a first year ECE major too and I'm having my doubts. I think I'd do better with a dual degree in Physics and Computer Science or something, I think writing programs to simulate theoretical physics would be pretty cool.

09-15-2007, 04:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
The Dave Me and The Major Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,815	^Yeah, I'm actually really liking my Computer Science class, we've just been using Visual Studio, but I would not want to be a programmer for a living. I don't really have any electives, other than the general college classes I have to take like Chem. and English and so on, but those don't really count, and the electives for my senior year are all technical electives, so yeah, those would still have to be something to do with engineering. The more I think about it, the more I seem to realize that my mind is geared less towards math than I thought it was/wanted it to be. I think that I just wanted to be an engineer for the sake of being an engineer, and not because I actually liked it.

09-15-2007, 12:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
Son of JayJamJah Occams Razor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: End of the Earth Posts: 2,472	@ Dave Don't become a journalism major Stick with engineering only if you enjoy the classes you're taking otherwise you won't learn anything, you'll just retain knowledge until you can afford to forget it. If at some point you decide you really want to be a writer, like I said volunteer your time or take a bottom of the food chain job ASAP and start working your way up. It will happen so much faster then you can imagine if you are really passionate about it. I always told all my students, the second you stop enjoy being in my class get out! You're wasting mine and your time and a lot of your money. Another piece of advice, make a hobby of applying for grants, 0 interest student loans etc etc. My nephew went to college at the University of Michigan for 5 years and owed less then 10,000 when it was all said and done. It can become a 10-15 hour a week job hunting for finical aid but it's out there. Again without knowing you it's tough to tell you which direction to go, but I can always offer an opinion and would be glad to help in whatever capacity.

09-15-2007, 01:57 PM	#7 (permalink)
djchameleon A.B.N. Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NY baby Posts: 12,052	You can't go wrong with being a journalism major or even an english major. You can get into any job you wanted to. All you would have to do is get some experience in whatever field you wanted to go into. English majors are so flexible. You can become pretty much anything. Just because you graduate with one degree means you are limited to that field. People graduate with a degree and never use it.

09-16-2007, 05:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
Son of JayJamJah Occams Razor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: End of the Earth Posts: 2,472	That's why writers like me have (much more clever though considerably less compensated) editors like you Bane. Very well played.

09-17-2007, 09:12 AM	#10 (permalink)
The Dave Me and The Major Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,815	^Yeah, I see your point, that's why I'm kinda bailing on Engineering now, the only reason i went with from the start was due to the money. I've always wanted to be a writer for a magazine, like write research based articles and such any also write books on the side, but I didn't go with that from the start because I picked money and now it's like ****ing me over.