9 Reasons This Is the Worst Time to Be a Writer
by Rhett Ahlander, Try Club
I recently posted The Best Time To Be a Writer Is Now. I’m feeling less optimistic today. This may be the absolute worst time in history to be a writer.
1) Everyone is a Writer
As the saying goes, everyone’s a photographer. Everyone is also a writer. Most humans can put pen to paper, or fingertips to keys, and write.
This isn’t a good thing. And, it is becoming more common for every Jane and Joe to pick up a writing gig.
Many people can write books and run blogs, but writing a captivating story that is meaningful — and compels action — is a completely different animal.
2) The Writing Field is Very Competitive
There’s plenty of fantastic writers. The problem is, the bad ones aren’t willing to quit.
Companies are constantly searching for great writers and must be very selective. There are too many people proclaiming to be writers who don’t come close to the job description.
And yet, they still apply – making the hunt even harder for real pros.
3) I’m Worth More Than That
Let’s say you finally get a job offer. The hiring manager goes through the spiel about the job, and the offer, in detail. Then you come to the compensation, which isn’t what you were expecting.
You are worth much more. The thing is, writers regularly deal with poor pay rates and small hours.
Employers generally don’t pay what a person is truly worth. It rarely happens.
4) A Robot Washed the Dishes and Then Took My Job
Artificial intelligence (AI) — whether it is understood or not — is here to stay, and will be an essential part of how people do business.
And, AI is getting smarter. Through machine learning, the technology we have is becoming more human.
The fears people have had about losing jobs to robots may come to fruition very soon.
5) Social Media is the Great Distraction
Social media is a huge distraction. While working on a project, you might stop for a break. “I’ll just jump on Twitter for a few minutes,” you think to yourself.
Nope, you have no self-discipline. Few people do, when it comes social media. Minutes can quickly turn into hours if you’re not careful.
Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms are great for specific uses, but try not to spend hours on there — unless it’s your job.
6) Clickbait Is The Bane Of My Existence
“When She Places a Mug Over an Egg, It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This.” This is what readers — and writers – are dealing with now. It may be the worst headline ever, but editors seem to think a headline should be written this way.
A lot of jobs these days are to make titillating clickbait. Why, oh why, did I decide to become a writer?
7) These Insights Are Making Me Thirsty
It’s great that writers can monitor and measure their work with analytics tools, but it is necessary for them to see how poorly they’re doing?
What if no one reads your latest post? That can’t be helpful to analyze, whether the work was decent or not. But most blogs have this feature built into the software. Writers can’t dodge analytics any more. If I wanted to do math, I wouldn’t have become a writer.
8) The Comment Section Hurt My Feelings
It isn’t easy to be a writer. The world is a tough audience, full of critical and cynical people. Negative feedback can only be ignored for so long.
Blogs and social media accounts with the biggest followings engage with the audience. Acknowledging comments and hearing people out is important, but comments can be hurtful and personal at times.
Trolls only want to see the digital world burn. These types of people can make writing very difficult.
9) One is the Loneliest Number
One thing that has remained the same since the beginning of time is the company kept during the writing process. Most writers can’t be around other people when writing. It throws them off their groove.
But, it can get lonely as a writer. The best setting when writing is most often a secluded space, where the writer is alone. This is how it’s always been.
Although, a visit every now and then would be nice. Maybe a brainstorm session? Please? Workplaces are becoming less about the creative process, and more about getting work completed on time.
Maybe robots should run the world.
There is one place where creativity is still valued. Try Club is where small businesses go to find real creative talent.
