I'll have to be honest and say I don't know much at all about today's hijacker Sydney Aaliyah. She first fell into my radar during the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. She reveals bits and pieces of herself in her blog posts. Like from what I gather on her blog she lives and works in China. There must be a wealth of story fodder in that. In any case, if you want to learn more about Sydney you'll have to visit her blog Happiness, Passion, Love & Faith. In this guest spot Sydney ruminates on writing careers.
I am a Hijacker. What? Be careful what you ask for, I guess. Ok, well, here we go.
I am a Hijacker. What? Be careful what you ask for, I guess. Ok, well, here we go.
Looking for Direction – Writing Careers
I figured that giving the opportunity to reach an audience considerable larger then my own, I would seek some advice on writing careers. I have been researching careers in writing for some time now. And, all I need is something to tide me over until I become a famous author. The choices are a little confusing or maybe I am lazy, but they didn’t seem to find a job that quite suited me. You be the judge?
Ghost Writer - I live my life now doing all the hard work and watching someone else take the credit. And, I get paid for it, but not nearly enough and the person I work for gets paid a hell of a lot more, so I couldn't do that with something as precious to me as the creative words I write. Even if the idea is completely someone else’s, I don’t think this is the career for me.
Editor - If you look through my blog, you would quickly come to the conclusion that editing may not be my forte. I have typos, and bad sentence structure and I have no clue where the appropriate place is for this comma, or that comma. I just don't see what editors see in order to make someone’s writing better. (Should that be s’ or ‘s) Ask me if there is hole in the plot or if the story doesn't flow or if there is a confusing dialogue, I can recognize that. But, don't ask me which version of the word amoeba to use. Did you even know there was two ways to spell ameba?
Copywriter – To tell you the truth, I am not quite sure what a copywriter actually does. From what I have learned, a copywriter writes sales copy for websites and brochures and such. Well, I don not like sales people. Pushy people who try and get me to buy something that I can’t afford and I don’t need. I am not a sales person. If I like a product I will buy it. No amount of persuasive language is going to make me want to buy it more.
Blog Writer – You mean, I am supposed to get paid to do this. Where is my check? I have been writing blog posts for over 6 months, now and haven’t’ seen a dime. Yeah, well it has been for my own blog and I have no money to pay myself, but why would I waste all this great content on someone else's blog. (Yes, I recognize the irony in that last statement).
SEO Specialist - I have read numerous articles, read blog post, seen video seminars (waste of an hour of my life) and still I have no clue what it means. I am a smart girl. But, seriously, have you seen articles about Search Engine Optimization. They tell you to do this and this and then they say, but you don’t really need to do anything different. I am so confused and I am sure you are, too. Bonus points for anyone who can explain it to me?
I am probably ruining my chances of ever being offered a writing job by this post, but I am just kidding. At this point, if you pay me, I will write whatever the heck you want me to write. I will have plenty of time to be picky when I become a famous author.
Any other writing careers out there you think I should consider?
Twitter: @sydliyah
I'm the same Sydney, I've done a lot of blogging and got no money at all from it but ah well haha, I'm with you on ghost writers too, I mean knowing that somebody was getting fame and fortune for my work would damage my pride a lot!
ReplyDeleteI love the sounds of your blog too, a bit of mystery is always good in my eyes at least.
Hi Lee. The post looks great and you are right; Live and work in China. I have enough content on the subject to last a life time. Thanks so much for this opportunity.
ReplyDeleteThanks YeamieWaffles, I could picture myself being at a release party and making a huge scene letting everyone know that I in fact wrote the book. But, I would probably get sued and that career would be over pretty quick.
ReplyDeleteWhat about obituararies!
ReplyDeleteHugs and chocolate,
Shelly
http://secondhandshoesnovel.blogspot.com/
You write so witty and clever, maybe you should be a speaker on a writing panel.
ReplyDeleteCo-author, journalist, screenplay writer - there are a lot of writing careers.
ReplyDeleteAnd they say CDO (Content Discovery Optimization) is now taking the place of SEO.
If there's a way to get paid for blogging, I'm in!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, Syd. If you aren't making money off this by the end of 2012, and the Mayans and Quetzalcoatl haven't killed up with space rocks (or whatever is supposed to happen), I will commission your for a series of blog posts over at http://amschultz.com .
ReplyDeleteHeck, I'll even let you use the star-face guy AND that weird, googly-eyed other-face thing that is lurking around there (not @SocratesPug).
-A.M.
Shelly - Obituaries, huh? Sounds interesting. I did ask for options. haha.
ReplyDeleteSusan - Thank you so much, but public speaking makes me nervous. But, maybe.
L. Diane - I could do co-author. I like to share. Great, then I don't have to pretend to know what SEO means anymore.
Alex - If I find out, I will let you know. BTW, Sept. Blogfest idea, awesome.
AM - I am going to take you up on that offer. You know, if we are are still alive and all. Let's negotiate.
I think you could write comedy...this post is quite humorous. I agree with you on ghostwriting. I don't think I'd want to write something and allow someone else take credit for it. Writing is too hard for that. :)
ReplyDeleteGhostwriting puts food on the table and while it's not fun to let someone else take the credit for your work, a writer can't take a byline to the bank to the pay the mortgage. It's not for everyone but it is a job.
ReplyDeleteSEO optimization boiled down simply means that you optimize your website so that you get high ranking in search engines. Raise your visibility, get seen by more people, that sort of thing.
Copywriting is not always about sales. The plant tags stuck in the container telling you how to care for the plant are written by copywriters. It just means writing copy.
Enjoyed your post, thanks for sharing!
Amoeba without an o looks terribly wrong!!
ReplyDeleteI love my other job (teaching), but I'd loved to be paid for this one too one day :)
Freelancing non-fiction pays well, especially after you find an "in" with an editor or two. The downside is it isn't fiction.
ReplyDeleteI've never met an actual ghost writer. I don;t think I'd want to do this as you said you do all the hard work and someone else takes the credit.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, if it pays the bills, yeah I would do it.
I'd like to be a ghost writer. then I'd never have to worry about not coming up with the next story idea :)
ReplyDelete.........dhole
I have several friends who make a nice living writing books for hire. That allows them time to write their own books, too. I'd have a hard time doing that, but for some it's perfect.
ReplyDeleteAs to other careers, I don't have a clue. I'm still working on what to do when I grow up.
yeah i thought i could make money with ads on my blog--hasn't been going so well--good luck to you :)
ReplyDeleteis there such a thing as a paid writing career? ;)
ReplyDeleteYes, don't forget journalist! And blogging can pay, usually if you write for a company blog. Social media/ social marketing jobs are great for writers, too -- as an applicant, you're competing with marketing people, and your writing skills can knock the socks off the hiring managers!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog, Sydney. You gave us some fun food for banter. And thanks to all of you who bantered.
ReplyDeleteLee
Hey, one benefit to ghost writing is getting to meet a famous person (if you're ghost writing for a famous person). Someone from one of my writer's groups is getting paid to write for someone famous (rather, their wife), so she's gotten to meet both of them and have lunches with them and such.
ReplyDeleteBut no, I wouldn't want to do it, either.
Linda - thanks so much. I like to think I am funny, then I wake up. No really. I am funny. haha.
ReplyDeleteMagnolia - That is an idea about copywriting. I could write the directions on something might be fun. I would have to be confident in knowing how to do it myself. Something to consider.
Jemi - It does look weird. That is great that you love your job.
Carol - the thing about fiction is it all comes from my head. Non-fiction, means research. But, might be fun.
Stephen - I have meet a few ghost writer. One guy I know well, also has several titles published under his own name, too. Best of both words. I guess.
Donna - that is a good point.
Cleemckenzie - you and me both.
Lynn - I have looked into this, too. But, you have to have the traffic first. I am pleased with my followers and hits, but it's not going to break any records any time soon.
Lynda - haha.
Dana - I have an idea in the social media arena. It is the hot thing right now. Worth looking into.
Shannon - Famous people are strange people. It might be fun to get an inside view into their lives for a while.
Arlee Bird - thanks so much for letting me take over. it was an honor. I really enjoyed doing this and the comments from everyone have been super cool. I appreciate everyones comments and support.
ReplyDelete