Becoming a writer: it's a dream held by many. Writing the great American novel and being published is something many individuals, of all walks of life-from President of the United States to bus driver-aspire to in their lifetime. Writing also connotes the carefree image of working at home, while having fame and recognition for said work.

Of course, it's not uncommon to be laughed at, told the writing industry is impossible to break into, and face difficultly getting published, let alone making a living. Such is the life for fiction writers.

But what about non-fiction? Many people are actually able to have success as non-fiction writers! Simply put, there is always a need for non-fiction. Biographies, news articles, copy writing, press releases, how-to manuals, and the majority of magazine articles (both digital and print) as well as a wide variety of book genres, are non-fiction.

As a non-fiction writer, you have the opportunity to write about what you know. If you show German Shepherds, you are well-equipped to write about dogs, showing dogs, dog health and so on. If you are a healthy living fanatic, there is no reason why you can't writer about yoga, eating a raw diet, and why a holistic doctor is the best choice. Everyone is talented and knowledgeable about something-and you can take that information and turn it into a career, profit, and fulfill a life goal.

Of course, it always helps to learn about how to write good non-fiction, and for that, I recommend the free non fiction writing course offered by Fiona Veitch Smith at The Crafty Writer. Some of the topics that are discussed include writing styles, how to write for the internet, freelance travel writing, and developing proposals.  Of course there are other resources out there if you have money to spare. One such helpful book is Successful Non-Fiction Writing by author Nicholas Corder is considered to be an industry standard that has helped many writers with their careers. Fab Job also publishes several guides for writers, including How to Become a Published Writer, How to Become a Technical Writer, and How to Become a Travel Writer. If you want to be a freelance writer, then Writing.Org is a helpful forum to reference.

Please join us the rest of this week as we continue to look at other ways of writing. Since many writers actually do work freelance AND at home, this is a career path that works for individuals of all walks of life!

To Your Success!

-Rebecca