When people hear that I am a Creative Writing Major, they often think I have chosen a failing career path with no benefits in the real world. Every time, I get to explain to them just how useful majoring in Creative Writing truly can be.
1. Everyone needs writers
Every job needs someone to write for them; writers are not limited to being an author or an editor. Journalism is one specific route people often times neglect. Writing press releases for businesses, billboard and website ads for a company, teaching writing to the youth, social media manager, etc. These are just a few options for the creative writing major.
2. They decide the meaning of words
From researching these opportunities, I learned of a job I have never heard: a lexicographer. A lexicographer is responsible for reading newspapers, magazines, online journals, blogs, discussion boards, etc. and recording down the meanings of words, to their interpretation, as they change from year to year. Think about it: they get paid to read everything and then to decipher words. Their interpretations go down in our dictionaries for the true meaning of words. Not to mention that their interpretations come from the pieces of writing other writers record and publish. Writers get to decide how the meanings of words change each and every year!
3. Creative and Critical Thinking Skills
Throughout years of studying, they fine-tune both their creative and critical thinking skills. Being able to properly think creatively and critically is an ability many hiring managers look for as they can help people function efficiently in the workplace. They don’t want just an average problem-solver; they want someone who can come up with new solutions that will drive production and create more fluid work environments.
4. Creative Writers are planners
Being a writer requires one to have great organizational skills when it comes to their work. When writing a novel, they need to know where they’re starting, where they’re ending, and how they intend to get there. This ability transfers over to all types of work allowing them to plan more efficiently.
5. Masters of Literacy Wars
Writers, truly, have the best words. While studying all types of literature, they pick up some nifty words, and nothing makes someone more professional than being able to write and speak using profound language. Also, if they’re ever in a debate or argument, whether in-person or online, they can almost always shut down the other by using words they have never heard of. Having a unique vocabulary makes writers sound very intelligent.
6. Art of Persuasion
In association with number 5, writers become much more persuasive people. They have their way with words, and through them, they can translate their point or goal more effectively to others. Public Speaking comes easily to them, and they don’t need more than their voice to motivate others.
7. Connections
Writers often travel the world and meet all sorts of individuals in several lines of work. Building a relationship with their college professors creates a solid link between them and all the resources their professors have under their belt, as they want to see them succeed just as much as they do. Once they get out there, they too will build connections all over the place, and it’s always helpful to know a guy.
8. Criticism
Some people can’t handle it, but creative writers are all about it. Tell us where we went wrong, and we won't ever again. Writers workshops prepare their pieces in class and have peers give them their thoughts and criticisms. Not only does this help improve their pieces for post-graduation publication, it also helps them better take in criticism and advice from others. Writers learn to get used to it and to actually pay attention to what they’re saying to learn and educate themselves for future works.
9. Expand our education
When you write a lot, you read a lot; when you read a lot, you learn a lot. Writing encourages those in the Major to read, and that doesn’t just keep them in the realm of Fiction. Writers are naturally curious and will read up on anything that peaks their interest. They sometimes find themselves on Reddit or Tumblr at 2 a.m. reading about the astronomical events ahead of us all or the roots of fascism. At the same time, we’ll be the first to open up a tab of the New York Times, CNN, FOX News, and the National Enquirer and read up on what the media is trying to sell us. Being critical thinkers, writers can decipher what’s fact, false, and in between when reading these, and truly be informed with what is going on in the world.
Being a Creative Writing Major has opened up an entire realm of possibilities for me, and it will for anyone who enters the field. The world will always need writers.
