A Writer’s job entails working on many projects, from creating engaging articles and blog posts to crafting captivating stories, screenplays, books, and informative web content.
Writers can collaborate closely with editors and clients to refine their work, adapt their style to different formats, and meet specific deadlines. In this article, we spoke to seven writers who kindly provided insights into what their daily working lives entail.
Table of Contents:
Relaxation and Perseverance
As a children’s and young adult author, I get up to do the regular things of life like wheeling Violet Rose to pre-school, putting on a load of washing, a quick tidy up and then focus. I try to aim at three hours of work, although get side tracked by calls and emails. I need to be disciplined and not answer them until I complete my work.
Coffee breaks too frequently and lying on the couch thinking about the project. I work furiously, then stop, then edit. I feel exhausted from the creative flow. Go for a walk, then return to my desk for another two hours. There are other demands with writing including responding to editors, pr, updating website and socials. It is much more complex than just writing.
Key skills include persevering when you don’t have a direction. Writing is exercising your creativity muscles. Let the words flow until you find the next step in your project.
Find inspiration and walk in the park or go to the gym. Get time to think and research. Even when you know the project, it is not enough. You need to research. However, once you discover the information, take only what you need. You do not want in the end, to write a fact sheet, which bores readers and you.
Be brave and cut out ‘pearls’ in your work. You can leave them in another file and use it later or maybe not use it. Seek advice from others. Critique groups are useful. Go to launches. Build your network and join key writing associations like Australian Society of Authors, Society of Children’s Writers & Illustrators, writing centre. It is important to develop relationships where you can talk ‘writing’.
Susanne Gervay, Writer and Regional Advisor
Stay Organised and Embrace the Journey
I usually write during the morning on weekends. I’m up before everyone else and I head out to a coffee shop where I settle into my corner and write on whatever project I’ve got at the time. I find getting out of the house distracts me less because I’m not constantly looking at all the things that need to be done or books I can read etc. I know it sounds backward, but it works for me.
Organizational skills are key for me. I’m always taking notes on every chapter I write so I can refer to those notes later on when I have a question. Was the character standing or sitting? When did a certain event happen? Despite this methodical documentation, I still find pretty egregious errors when I’m editing. Which leads to the second skill I use a lot–editing. I often edit as a write, but that’s never enough. When I sit down to write, I’ll usually reread the chapter I’m working on and make changes. This also helps me reacquaint myself with the material.
I’m not sure I’d recommend pursuing a career as an author. I would never discourage anyone from exploring their creativity in any aspect, especially writing/publishing, but only a select few writers are fortunate enough to be able to pay the bills through their craft.
My advice in general, however, is to find what works for you and embrace it. You need not do what other authors tell you to do (or not do), even if they’re rich and famous. What they do works for them and that’s great, but everyone’s writing journey is different and personal. Listen to advice and follow only that which helps you. Feel free to try new things but don’t force them into your routine.
Sean R. Frazier, Actor and Writer
Ghostwriting and Storytelling
If I’m working on a client’s ghostwritten book, as I am today, I start by reading through my current draft of a chapter, to reflect on where I left off writing-wise. Then I’ll pull up my transcript and notes from our last interview and will re-read that, to get back into my client’s mindset. Then it’s a matter of telling the client’s story or explaining a concept in their words, from their perspective. I’m going back and forth between reading, thinking, and then conceptualizing the best way to make a point. I’m drafting sentences and then editing them to polish and refine them. Here and there I may Google an idea or a statement, to find a statistic that backs up a point.
After I finish a chapter draft, I re-read it and do some more editing as needed. Then, I typically put it aside for a few hours so that I can review it with fresh eyes later before sending it on to my client for their review.
Some days, I have Zoom meetings with my client to talk about their next chapter to gather information and determine if supplementary research is needed.
If I’m writing an article or blog post, my day might start with an interview with a subject-matter expert and then be spent organizing the material to match the general outline I’ve developed for myself to ensure I deliver what my client has requested within the word count maximum they’ve specified. Because those word counts are often short, I spend a lot of time cutting those pieces back.
No matter what kind of writing I’m doing – ghostwriting books or writing articles and blog posts – the skills I use most are interviewing, organizing material in a logical way, and storytelling.
Anyone interested in exploring writing as a career should first make sure their writing skills are at least on par with other professional writers. If not, enroll in some online writing workshops to build those muscles. I didn’t earn a journalism degree, for example, so that’s not a requirement to get started. Then, write. Write your own blog, write pitches to paying media outlets, write letters of introduction to editors and clients, and network with fellow writers. Writers are some of the best sources of new work, I’ve found.
Dr. Marcia Layton Turner, Executive Director & Founder, Association of Ghostwriters
Variety and Creating Connections
As an author, humor blogger, copywriter, ghostwriter, and writer, my day-to-day is a blend of structured creativity, problem-solving, and deep empathy for my audience. While each role brings its own nuances, there’s one common thread: I’m always focused on my reader or target audience, tuning into what will resonate, engage, or move them.
Let me break that down. As an author, my goal is to craft a story that immerses readers. Whether itās fiction or nonfiction, Iām constantly striving to deliver a compelling narrative that grips them from start to finish.
When Iām working on a blog post, especially in the humor space, I aim to find the funny side of lifeās quirks, adding value by sharing insights that readers can relate to on a personal level.
Copywriting requires a deep understanding of emotional triggersāitās about connecting to the audienceās needs and inspiring action, whether thatās making a purchase or clicking on a link for more information.
Ghostwriting is a unique role that calls for empathy and careful listening; itās all about authentically capturing my clientās voice and message.
And when Iām crafting an article, I consider the readers of the publication, whether theyāre parents looking for practical tips or industry professionals seeking insights.
Behind every piece of writing, thereās a lot of thought, research, and often interviews, all of which require skills in organization, adaptability, and empathy.
My tip for anyone considering a writing career? Cultivate your curiosity and invest time in understanding people. Writing isnāt just about putting words on a pageāitās about creating connections.
Mona Andrei, Award-winning Humour Blogger and Author
Fiction and the Magic of Imagination
In memoirs, your stories are drawn from real life, so the events and characters are supplied by your own experience. That sounds a lot easier, but it isn’t. Our actual, nonfictional lives are messy, with lots of intersecting stories happening at the same time, too much of everything going on all at once. Your job as a personal essayist is to weave a story out of the raw, undifferentiated moments of ordinary experience.
You have to figure out what fits into the arc of the story you’re telling and cut out the rest.
Most of my personal essays could accurately be described as comediesāalbeit bittersweet onesābut not everything in those stories is supposed to be laugh-out-loud funny. What Iām shooting for is that Iāve told you a well-written, engaging, entertaining story about my life, one that will stay with you long after you close the book.
Fiction is about imagination. I think the kernel of wisdom behind āWrite what you knowā is that you can draw on your own life experiences and emotions to bring depth to your fictional characters and the imagined world they inhabit. That doesnāt mean that your fictional world has to resemble your real life. If all fiction writers limited themselves to their actual lives, weād never get to read about hobbits or time machines.
Better, I think, is the famous line attributed to the Roman playwright Terence: āI am human; nothing human is alien to me.ā Draw on your human experience to create characters who are different than youāor even nothing at all like youā to create worlds which do not resemble your own, but which nonetheless have their own internal logic and are terrifyingly real to the characters who live inside them.
Tyler C Gore, Writer and Author
Multitasking and Meeting Expectations
Every author has a unique process that suits their individual style and lifestyle. As an emerging self-published children’s picture book author/illustrator, my days are hectic!
Writing and illustrating are the fun parts. During these creative phases, I can spend up to 10 hours a day totally immersed in my craft. Hundreds of hours are dedicated to creating, revising, and editing drafts. I often neglect housework and other chores as I’m lost in my web of creativity. If it weren’t for my husband, I probably wouldn’t eat all day!
The behind-the-scenes work for a self-published author/illustrator is immense and time-consuming. Now that my debut book has been released, my day typically starts with checking emails for overnight orders and fulfilling them. The rest of the day is spent on various tasks:
ā¢ Navigating social media marketing
ā¢ Maintaining my website
ā¢ Keeping the accounting up to date
ā¢ Communicating with potential stockists and centres about story-time sessions and author talks
ā¢ Undertaking regular writing and business courses to upskill and streamline my processes (I tend to be a bit clunky!)
With the first draft of my second children’s picture book now complete, it’s time to commence the revision phase. I’m scheduling creative hours to ensure I’m not a one-book wonder! It can be tricky to fit everything in and hard to make money this way, but I am happier than I ever was in a nine-to-five day job!
Rachael Shields, Author/Illustrator
Research, Pacing and Patience
A self written book of my own has its own timeline, one I create and one it creates. In contrast, a writing project where I am working for a client, has a timeline of my creation, as approved by the client and must be adhered to to complete the project on schedule. That also includes providing rewrites to the client and receiving them back in a timely manner. There is a finesse to the process, believe me!
Typically I write in the morning, when my creative consciousness is fresh and open to what the day holds. Then I allow the drafts, whether personal or for a client sit awhile to percolate.I then move on to other tasks or activities, exercise and revisit later or the next day, depending on my deadline.
The writing itself, requires several things, one of which is research and fact checking to begin. A draft may be part of the rewrite, so having the best version of that is essential. Motivation and being clear headed are important in order to write well and efficiently. If I don’t feel I can write my best, I don’t even attempt to.
On a daily writing project, the skills employed in my world, consist of organization, creativity, thick skin and patience. There are always client relations to attend to, and that is an enjoyable part of my day because of the creative connection, and understanding what goes along with knowing the voice you are portraying.
Whether it is a copy writing project, a ghostwritten book, or a business interview for a client, the most fun is creating a product that aligns with the common goals we agree on. Once the project is complete, it is turned over to the editorial staff for approval and the client. At that point, the process is basically complete, so the job is finished depending again, on the timeline, whether it is a day, a week or several months, a writer paces themselves knowing the timeline and the way the client or editor works. That way, there are no misunderstandings.
If you are considering a career as a writer, know your topic or specialty, love writing and the creative process and understand client relations or your office politics, if you work in a firm. Make the creative product as good as it can be and it will be a fun way to make a living!
Susan Nefzger, Author/Ghostwriter, Snefzger PR
