Jump Write In

The possibilities for writers and the writing world exploded with the introduction of personal computers and the internet in the 1980’s and 90’s. Words like “blogging” and “website content” are household words for writers.  But what comes to  mind, when someone says to you “I am a writer”?  I will guess that more often than not, you’ll think they are a published poet, journalist, or author, or any number of other common writing professions out there.    But today I’d like to open the box and shed a little light on some of the more obscure writing professions which are not necessarily related to the internet.

First on the list of unusual writing jobs is the speech writer.  Many politicians and public servants hire speech writers which allows the speaker time he or she needs to focus on other responsibilities, and more time to read and practice the speech.

Another writing profession many writers may not think about is ESL (English as a second language) materials.  I was lucky enough to land a contract job like this for a couple of years.  The Japanese company I worked for sent the vocabulary words to me in English.  I then wrote the definitions and collocations, and sent them back. The project (for which I was paid very well) lasted about two years, and it looks great on my resume.

The third possibility on my list is writing for advertising and promotional management companies. They are sometimes in need of short term writers.  Though this type of writing gig is usually online nowadays, there are still small marketing and business promotional firms that need writers for travel brochures, flyers, or event posters. Graphic artist skills are a plus for this type of job.

Last on this list, though not really an unusual gig but definitely worth mentioning, is writing the how-to and assembly manuals.  This writer needs to be able to pay close attention to detail and be precise in written description.  Along this same vein, companies sometimes hire writers to produce an employee or EAP manual, write a product catalogue, or a job description packet.

If you are a writer in search of new opportunities, remember to do your research and allow yourself to think outside the box.  Be creative when you are brainstorming job possibilities or client contact lists.

Until next time,

Walk in beauty, write life with passion!