Apollo Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 I am in my late twenties...I live with my loving parents..but I am miserable inside. I graduated university last june with a BA degree and yet...I want to be a writer. My work has been published in my city's newspaper, and internationally..but...I am so unhappy...I guess I thought after graduating everything would fall into place... This year though my first book a collection of poetry was published...but I mean no one buys poetry...anyhow..my dream is to be a writer..and I have had work published in my country and abroad in America...but...things aren't going the way I want them to go. I had a job interview with a prominent newspaper in my city and yet...I didn't get that job..I turned down a job in Jan that paid $8 an hour for some internship...but I didn't want to do it...I guess now I learning the hard way that a BA degree means i have to start from the bottom up. I know what I want to do...its just that my attitude I think and my laziness is what holds me back. Its like why am I a snob? I am thinking of applying to a journalism program..and try to see...from there...and I have been to ten million job workshops for young people...its obviously me..Maybe I am insane or maybe I need to see a shrink? Or maybe I self loathe too much..I know I need a plan of action..to save some money and move out...but I guess I am struggling to get this plan together... Link to post Share on other sites
JS17 Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Bachelors degrees are the new High School degrees. You need to accept that you're going to have to start at the bottom. Take a starter job at a newspaper that you want to make connections at and move your way up. btw, I'm in my late 20s and need to get a life too. i guess just different reasons Link to post Share on other sites
brashgal Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 I think it is very cool that you have actually been published. I think everyone starts to take stock in their late twenties as they approach *gasp* 30. You feel you haven't accomplished enough, aren't going anywhere, etc. It seems pretty normal. Keep applying, keep interviewing and YES, you are probably going to have to start at the bottom but you don't have to stay there long if you have the right attitude and work-ethic. Be positive - better times are ahead - go out and make it so. Link to post Share on other sites
westernxer Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 It's true, writer's make next to nothing. Same goes for journalists, unless you're on television. Whatever you do, keep writing. I stopped, and I'm afraid lightning will strike me dead before I get things moving again. I, too, need to get a life, if I only knew what that meant. Link to post Share on other sites
cosmogal Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Bachelors degrees are the new High School degrees. You need to accept that you're going to have to start at the bottom. Take a starter job at a newspaper that you want to make connections at and move your way up. btw, I'm in my late 20s and need to get a life too. i guess just different reasons JS17 does have a point there. So many people have some type of a degree or certification out of high school that they don't mean much anymore. Now it's having a Master's is equivelant to having a BA or an AAS degree in most industries. I know I went for Communications & Media for both my AAS & BA, yet my job is being an AA/Receptionist at an Advertising agency. You really need to start at the bottom in most fields, especially the whole Communications field. It's a tough industry and require a great deal of skill and experience. On the other hand, sounds like you have accomplished quite a bit as a writer at this point in your life. You should feel good about that. Maybe see if you can get a job as an assistant in a publishing company...maybe look for Editorial Asst, Admin Asst, Marketing Asst, Receptionist,etc. These are entry-level positions that don't pay much, but keep trying. Sounds like the issue here is you need to get your foot in the door somewhere and get some experience & sharper skills under your belt. Don't worry, it'll come, you just have to be aggressive and keep trying with these people! Don't give up! At worst, get a job entry-level in any field and keep looking, even if it means getting basic skills(i.e. computer skills, professionalism, understanding office politics, general business , etc). Pursue yoru writing as a freelancer on the side and work full-time and see what you can do with that. You never know what your efforts may bring:cool: Link to post Share on other sites
Neptune Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Starting at the bottom is the least of your problems as long as you are doing what you love. Just do what you love, and in time the money will follow. Don`t be concerned about living with your parents or whatever, the most important thing is to pursue the work you love. Link to post Share on other sites
beesknees Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Times and job opportunities are not what they used to be. I'm also in my late 20's and feel like I need to get a life even though I run my own business. I HAVE to run my own business because there aren't enough jobs available in my field, even with a Master's. These days, people are getting lower paying jobs just to get by and also have "something on the side." 80% of my late 20's friends still live with our parents because the price of real estate is just not affordable for us, and those who don't live w/ parents are going broke paying rent every month. So, you are not alone in feeling you need to get a life, but all you can do is the best you can do for now. Writing is a TOUGH field, but what isn't? You may need to get a job in an alternate field to support yourself, but keep writing... everything else will follow. Link to post Share on other sites
JayKay Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 Apollo You need to take a job that is available to you right now. That may mean something other than writing. Many writers start out working in a field unrelated to writing and they write on the side. If you don't land the prestigious newspaper position, it's not because life gave you a bum deal. It's because for every writing job out there, there are 500 hungry writers clamoring for that job. Continue to build your resume with freelance gigs and whatever else you can land. In the meantime, don't turn jobs that you think are below you. One of my friends wrote a sci fi novel while bartending. Another friend-of-a-friend works as an alcoholism/drug counselor and works on her short stories at night. Eventually, you may be able to support yourself soley by writing. I'm not saying it's impossible. But as with all arts, nobody is going to just pay you for being creative. It's called 'paying your dues' and everyone, unless they are extremely lucky, goes through it. By the way, other fields put young people through the same rigors; first-and-second-year lawyers work 70-hour weeks if they have any hope of working for a prestigious firm. Entrepreneurs often spend the first years of getting a business on their feet working 80-90 hours week, and frequently experience grinding poverty while they do it. I think one of the shortcomings of a university program is that students are often given unrealistic expectations of what 'real life' is like; it's hard! You are lucky to have loving parents who are willing to let you stay with them while you figure things out. I think what you are lacking is gratitude. You were provided a home, education, support, food and the opportunity to follow a dream. What you need to do now is take every opportunity out there, no matter how small it seems, and WORK. Link to post Share on other sites
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