Becoming a Professional Writer

Last updated: April 1, 2021

What This Is

"How Sausage Is Made: Becoming a Professional Writer" is a presentation I put together, more on the business side of being a writer than the craft side. I did a lot of research for this presentation, including interning in New York at a literary agency, doing a case study on a new pro writer, and interviewing 14 pro writers for their advice and suggestions. This page includes extra resources and links touched on in the presentation.

Presentation Description

It is the dream of many to become professional writers. That dream is often elusive however, in part due to an uncertain publishing environment, an opaque publishing industry, and uncertainty around just how to go about becoming a professional writer. In my presentation I'll show you just how the sausage is made, including my assessment of the current state of publishing, my experiences interning at a literary agency in New York, a look at platform building, a case study of a newly minted professional writer, and advice from current professional writers. I won't reveal the secret formula, but I will show you ways you can make this dream a reality for yourself.

Extra Resources

List of Professional Authors

During my research for this presentation, I consulted with 14 professional authors for their advice, suggestions, and inputs. Below is a list of their names, and links to their websites, and their forthcoming/recent books.

Please, check out their websites and consider buying their books!