Comments on: Is a College Education Necessary to Be a Successful Freelance Writer?

By: How to Eat Your Way to a Freelance Success — Productive Writers

How to Eat Your Way to a Freelance Success — Productive Writers — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:11:34 +0000

[…] have a science background (biochemistry degree from the University of California, Davis, plus biochem research in […]

By: John Soares

John Soares — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:06:27 +0000

In reply to Pinar Tarhan.

Sounds like you’ve made good use of your education.

I often mention my education when I’m querying new editors, but that’s due in large part to my specific field — writing for higher education companies.

By: Pinar Tarhan

Pinar Tarhan — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:42:43 +0000

I have a BA in Business and a second BA in Advertising. I used my Business degree to get one of my fist paid gigs in business writing, so it does depend on what you want to write about. Sometimes it is wise to emphasize related degrees/work experience when you don’t have any clips, or you don’t have related ones. It can also be used to strengthen your queries. But my degrees also helped with my blog writing, my perception and they gave me ideas for fiction writing. So I guess if I had to go back and do it all over again, I’d still get the degrees:)

By: John Soares

John Soares — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:37:18 +0000

In reply to Mike Paice. Mike, I'm a strong proponent of young people going to college, but only when they are truly motivated to do so. I taught college for several years and dealt with many people age 18-21 who didn't really want to be there and were just spinning their wheels. Usually the parents were paying and also providing money for food and shelter, so there was no strong incentive to excel at school, or to get a job for that matter. And I loved Sir Humphrey and the actor who played the role, Sir Nigel Hawthorne.

By: John Soares

John Soares — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:32:43 +0000

In reply to Leslie.

Leslie, I’m glad your career worked out well and that you didn’t need a formal education for it. I think that’s the case for many freelance writers — their clients just want high-quality work.

In some writing fields, though, having the right education can crucial for getting hired. Engineering comes to mind…

By: Leslie

Leslie — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:06:29 +0000

Not only don’t I have a college degree, I don’t have a single day of college and barely graduated high school. (Not because I was unintelligent, only maladjusted.) This intimidated me when I first started my writing career, which by the way, I started in my fifties. But to this day, no-one has ever asked me about a degree and my business is thriving. Don’t let lack of a degree stand in your way — if you can write, you can be a successful writer. (Unless of course, you are still maladjusted, LOL)

By: Jim Jenks

Jim Jenks — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:31:52 +0000

Having an education definitely helps but not 100% necessary to be successful. As long as your driven I think anyone can learn to write, with time and practice. It also depends on what your writing. Do something that you know and can love to write about.

By: Mike Paice

Mike Paice — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:37:57 +0000

Without intending to offend anyone here, I would like to suggest that for the younger writers their degree is still able to open doors for them but for the more senior people (like me) a degree is, perhaps, less significant. In fact, since my hair has turned grey and a lot of it fallen out, nobody asks about my education anymore – my career and experience seem to be of more interest to them. I would still advise any young person to obtain the best education they can but if they are not the academic type not to worry – after all, I know more highly successful entrepreneurs who dropped out of college than who stayed the distance and gained their degree.

The joy of writing is that you are learning all the time and I think that most writers recognise (as Amelia wrote) that they can always improve their art and aim to do so. It is also one of the few jobs in the world that justifies spending a lot of time enjoying eclectic reading lists – which is where Anne Wayman and I clearly have something in common.

John – I’m so glad that you enjoyed “Yes Minister” etc. Despite wanting always to use language in my writing that anyone can understand, I still thoroughly enjoy (and almost envy) Sir Humphrey’s masterful command of bureaucrat-speak.

By: Anne-Sophie

Anne-Sophie — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:32:10 +0000

In reply to John Soares. Thanks for the encouragement, John.

By: Cristina (hypopnea chick)

Cristina (hypopnea chick) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:16:28 +0000

Hi John,

I think this is a very interesting topic you have here. I love to write and I love to read but due to lack of finances, I was not able to get my college degree. I’ve always wanted to come back but since having a family and all I just couldn’t find the time. I’d like to think that the lack of a degree shouldn’t stop anyone who has the passion to write. Like you, I also know a couple of freelance writers who are doing quite well without a college degree. However, I think that a degree is still an advantage in today’s competitive market especially where I’m from so a lot of people still want to make sure they have it.

– Cristina