How to Find a Job in Creative Writing without Work Experience
Full Sail grad Wes Locher shares some practical career strategies on breaking into the industry.
From YouTube video scripts and mobile games to long-form podcasts, creative writers are a vital part of today's content-creation industries. If you’re looking to break into this field, but haven't had any professional experience yet, there are several strategies you can use to help you start working toward your career goals.
And, according to Full Sail grad Wes Locher, one of the first steps in the process is developing a versatile skill set – one piece at a time.
“It can feel insurmountable to climb the mountain,” shares Wes, who studied recording arts and creative writing at Full Sail and now works as a Lead Narrative Designer at mobile game developer Magic Tavern.
“I feel that I was able to step back and look at it with a very logical mind and say, ‘Okay, if I want to get here, then I need to go over here first and build this skill, and I need to build this other skill over here.’”
During his studies, Wes used Upwork to find freelance writing jobs and was able to transform some of these connections into long-term professional relationships. His early career started with roles in copywriting and journalism; however, he realized this type of writing didn’t quite offer him the creative outlet he desired.
“The most important piece of advice that I can give… is [that] the thing that you want to write and the thing that you're best at writing might not be the same thing,” he explains. “So it's important not to get hung up on, ‘I'm going to go do this one specific style of writing,’ because you may find that this other thing that you just try on a whim is the thing that just is amazing.”
He eventually found his niche in writing for comic books, video games, and nonfiction. He recommends students identify a broad topic of interest – anything from music to anime to sports – and put down ideas on paper.
“Just start writing about that topic and just train yourself to write an 800-word article about that once or twice a week. [Then] go find a website that you like, and pitch your services to them. And it may be that you can transition it into a paid gig… Get in somewhere that you're writing what you care about because then you'll never run out of things to write, and [then] you'll also get experience with working on deadline and working with an editor.”
He also suggests students write some articles on topics they’re much less knowledgeable about.
“Challenge yourself to go outside of your comfort zone and learn about things, because being able to research is also just a huge part of it,” he explains. “Even if you're working in fiction, you have to understand the research process because you need to replicate factual information a lot of times in a fictional way.”
Several key skills students should focus on to help boost their job prospects include developing patience, learning how to write concisely, communicating effectively with others, and meeting deadlines. Finding internships or freelance opportunities are a good way to help them develop these skills. Networking through online writing groups and attending in-person meetups can also lead to meaningful connections.
Wes has published a unique book series for aspiring writers titled The Writer’s Path. It features success stories from numerous Full Sail creative writing grads.
“I can share my story, but [it’s not] going to necessarily resonate or speak to everybody because everybody's situation's very different,” he says. “[These] graduates basically just told their story of where they started, how they got into writing, how they found out about Full Sail, why they're passionate about writing, and then the steps that they took that ultimately got them to where they are. And I really wanted people to focus not only on the success part, but what were the challenges that they faced along the way?”
Once students get a little experience – or even publish their own content on a blog – they should build a writing portfolio that showcases their most recent and relevant work. He says creating a website is an easy way to present it. Writing cover letters that demonstrate creativity is important as well.
Overall, Wes believes setting the groundwork for a career path is all about building a solid foundation.
“Everything that you can do to prepare yourself for anything is only going to benefit you,” he says.
Whether you’re ready to apply or just want to learn more about Full Sail University, our Admissions Representatives are here to help. Call us or request more information.