The Writer's Guide to Writing Platforms - by Amy Davies
The world is overflowing with budding creatives. Many of us have dreams of becoming the new J.K Rowling or Stephen King but how many of us are willing to put in the work? Gaining success as a writer won’t happen overnight, and you must be prepared to undertake a long journey that will test your resolve.
For any ambitious young writer, there are three key parts to making people pay attention to you and your work: commitment, promotion, and perseverance. Practicing these three objectives is fundamental for any aspiring writer as they work in unison to help you achieve a platform, a writing routine and a thick skin (this last being the most important part of any writer).
Starting out can be daunting, and there are a lot of demons ready and waiting to set you back on your writing journey. The most important thing is how you behave in the face of setbacks. As a writer trying to make a name for yourself it’s vital you grow and maintain an audience, and that you fight to make people notice your work. The way you conduct yourself in the early stages of your writing journey will determine your future success. For those putting in the work it will soon become clear there are writing opportunities all around just waiting to be snatched up.
The internet has transformed the way that we write. Its emergence has offered writers an abundance of new ways to reach and create audiences. It’s given us access to creative outlets that wouldn’t have been feasible a few decades ago. But where do you start? Hopefully, this post can provide you with some clarity on some of the options available to you.
Blogs
The popularity of blogging has rocketed in recent years, to the extent where it is now a serious career option for many people. But curating a successful blog is no easy task and it doesn’t happen overnight. As the owner of the blog, it’s down to you to manage, nurture and grow it. You have complete creative control over every aspect of it from the design, images and content, which makes blogging a great way to express your creativity without fear of censorship. But the competitive nature of blogging means that building an online following will take time. Writers considering going into blogging must be prepared to dedicate a great deal of time to regularly producing quality content to keep an audience engaged and interested.
Competitions
Writing competitions existed before the internet, but since its evolution, they have grown exponentially. Finding and entering a writing competition is only a quick google search away. Competitions are a great way of getting your work published and earning some quick cash, (assuming you win or come close to winning). Winning also looks great on your CV as it shows potential employers that your abilities have been recognised and praised by a successful publication. Bear in mind victory is not guaranteed so, by all means aim for it, but be prepared to accept defeat. There are free competitions, however many charge entry fees, so you could end up paying a lot of money and gaining little from the experience. Competition guidelines and requirements are useful for practicing writing to a specific brief, but they can restrict your writing, not allowing you to focus on what you may interest you most.
Fanfiction
Fanfiction has grown in popularity over the last decade, and sites like Wattpad, ao3 and fanfiction.net allow writers to take characters from their favourite TV series, books, movies and more, then place them in worlds and scenarios of their own imagining. Whilst fanfiction can be fun, cultivating a successful career from writing it may be difficult (although not impossible - Fifty Shades of Grey started off as Twilight fanfiction). Writing fanfiction is a fantastic way to build a following and connect with a community of like-minded people who share your interests and admire your writing. The biggest drawback of utilising fanfiction as a way to establish yourself as a writer is you may pour a lot of time and hard work into creating something you don’t own; whilst the idea is yours, the characters you’re writing about are not.
Amazon
Some writers grow impatient trying to get published and decide the best choice for them is to become an independent author. Websites like Amazon allow indie authors to publish their work through them, whilst other free sites like Reedsy and Canva provide the tools necessary to create a book; from cover to copyright. These sites have everything a budding self-publisher needs should you decide to take the route of the indie author. Self-publishing can be a great decision because, just as with blogging, you have complete control over the process. However, e-books are a competitive market, so it can be difficult to ensure your book stands out from the crowd.
Open Mics
Open Mic nights are often held to give poets, comedians or musicians a chance to perform to a live audience. They offer writers the chance to meet their audience face to face and interact with them in person. That said, the idea of an open mic may be terrifying if you’re the type of writer who finds satisfaction typing on your laptop from the comfort of the sofa. However, if you can face your fears, it really is a great opportunity to network and meet people who share your passions, interests and ambitions.
Out of the Vortex
Put on by the University of Winchester and hosted by Winchester Theatre Royal, Out of The Vortex is an event where students previously published in Vortex, the University’s literary magazine, will have their work performed on the stage. For many of the participants, this event will be the first time their work is being shown in front of a live audience, so it’s a brilliant opportunity for these young writers to promote themselves and play a active role in Winchester’s writing community.
Back to blog