Young Writers Society

Over the years, I've gone back and forth on my career goals. Specifically, I was sometimes certain I wanted to write full-time, while at other junctures in my life, I was sure I should focus on more "practical" options (i.e.: non-creative careers).

How about you guys? Do you know what you want to do when you reach adulthood? Or, if you're an adult already, have your plans changed since you were a kid? Do you want to do something artistic, or are you focusing on less risky alternatives? Is your dream career writing-related, or something totally different? Comment below!

A goal I've set for myself in terms of my dream job has always been an editor in chief of a publishing company or individual firm. I'm hoping to achieve this and also write on the side so that I can get the most out of my journalism/English degrees!

My career goals have most definitely changed over the years -- I've gone from wanting to be a teacher to a full-time author to a TV news reporter; it's always felt like having more choices makes it even more difficult to pinpoint where I want to take my career!

I know for sure that I want to end up doing something artistic in terms of literature no matter where my degrees take me; right now, though, editor in chief sounds like the perfect combination of practical and enjoyable for the place I am at in life right now.

I never really put much thought into a career when I was younger, and I'm happy to still not do so now. I live a really simple life and don't need much money to get by, so I work as much as I need to not go hungry, and outside of that I put a lot of my effort into projects that I want to do. Some bring money, some don't, it changes.

When I'm older and I have to start thinking about supporting a family or buying a house then I'll probably look into something with more progression, but I hope when I get there I can still have a simpler lifestyle and more time to spend with family or on hobbies.

My career goals have taken a bit of a winding path -- as a kid (from the ages of like 4-12) I wanted to be an engineer; when I was 13, I decided I wanted to be a robotics engineer, which is the same thing but slightly more focused, and then when I was 14 I took high school biology and really enjoyed that course. I began to consider a career in biology. That idea kind of sat at the back of my mind for a while, but I decided that I was young and it was okay not to know exactly what I wanted to major in.

A few months later, I saw a video of a family friend, who was 5 years old at the time, being fitted for a prosthetic. I watched the series of videos over and over again and decided that that was what I wanted to do. It was something that really interested me, it was a way to help people, and it was meaningful work. So now that's my career goal/plan.

Hey!

Most older YWSers will know that I'm a doctor. That said, my plans within medicine have fluctuated greatly, and have gone from psychiatry to surgery to neurology... all the way back to general practice. This is partly because I wanted a job where I could do a bit of everything, and partly because I wanted time to live my life as well as work, and hospital medicine just wasn't going to give me that.

My end goal would be to have a job that I can do a few days a week (most GPs work six sessions or around three days a week) and some time to write. I would love to publish my books. But I also love my current career a lot and even if I were published I just don't think I would give medicine up.

I'm already "grown up."

1. Veterinarian
2. Librarin
3. Author

If I wasn't visually impaired, I'd be a vet. In the maintime, I have already learned things by waching vet shows on TV. I'm facinated by the science as well. I'd want to know how to make animals better.

I would be a librain, but that takes collage. Collage is stressfull for me. I "might" go back to school.

PS. I recentaly posted a story about a sweet, visually impired teenager and her service dog and a shrink/growth ray. And she wants to be a vet.

Such awesome answers! It's so cool that some of you are interested in STEM in addition to the artistic stuff. I'm jealous.

tgham99 wrote:A goal I've set for myself in terms of my dream job has always been an editor in chief of a publishing company or individual firm.

This is a great goal! I was an editor-in-chief for the past few years, and it was a lot of fun. I was able to use my creative skills but apply them to a larger, collaborative project instead of just my own writing, which was very rewarding.

it's always felt like having more choices makes it even more difficult to pinpoint where I want to take my career!

Agreed 100%! I blame analysis paralysis

Tenyo wrote:I live a really simple life and don't need much money to get by, so I work as much as I need to not go hungry, and outside of that I put a lot of my effort into projects that I want to do.

This is such a refreshing perspective! I really admire people who aren't laser-focused on accumulating wealth and material goods. At the end of the day, an enjoyable life shouldn't be tethered to an income bracket, and being able to focus on fulfilling projects—irrespective of the revenue they generate—must be so satisfying.

Tuckster wrote:I saw a video of a family friend, who was 5 years old at the time, being fitted for a prosthetic. I watched the series of videos over and over again and decided that that was what I wanted to do. It was something that really interested me, it was a way to help people, and it was meaningful work. So now that's my career goal/plan.

That's so sweet! And a fantastic goal. I love stories like that—where somebody sees/hears/reads something, and then it just clicks in their brain and they realize what they want to do with their life. The people I know who are the happiest with their careers almost always have some kind of "...and then it clicked" story to tell.

StellaThomas wrote:My end goal would be to have a job that I can do a few days a week (most GPs work six sessions or around three days a week) and some time to write. I would love to publish my books. But I also love my current career a lot and even if I were published I just don't think I would give medicine up.

This is really interesting! Medicine's something I've long considered for my own career, but I go back and forth on it (mainly because I dislike math). What always appealed to me was how rewarding the work must be, and also the lifestyle you mention: how, at least with certain specialities, you can have agency over your schedule and enough free-time to write on the side. It seems like a good career path for somebody who wants to write, but doesn't want writing to be their primary job or source of income.

queenofscience wrote:1. Veterinarian
2. Librarin
3. Author

All wonderful options! When I was younger, I considered being a librarian myself. I specifically liked the idea of being a college librarian, because I've always enjoyed helping other students do research for their school papers. I'm one of those weirdos who finds research fun. XD

Yes, I love reserch, too.

I love books in general. I love how books can teach you things and can transport you to imaginary places.

This question is pretty frightening for me right now because I've just applied to college and I honestly have no idea what I want to do. :p

My dream is to have a career somehow working with literature, but beyond that I really don't know. I would love to publish a book and my dream would be to be an author, but besides writing I've also thought about working at a publishing company or being an English teacher or working in tv/film and even considered being a counselor of some sorts/careers in psychology.

At the core, though, I love both helping people as well as the art of creating, so that's what I really want to end up doing. But who knows where I'll end up!

I want to be a garbage man when I grow up. It's a stench thing.

I'm not entirely sure what I want to be when I'm out in the field. At eighteen years old and in my first semester of college, I guess I fall into the adult category. I have a pretty decent plan of what I want to do with my life. I'm currently going to school to become a high school science teacher - for my state's certification requirements, that means majoring in a subject (biology) and getting a master's degree. If I ever couldn't find a job as a teacher, I'd go into the field. I don't think that's going to happen; schools are always looking for STEM teachers. But it's a possibility I have to consider.

But, in the perfect world, I'd love to be a full-time writer. I already know that I'm going to publish works on the side while teaching - I have a novel and a podcast up my sleeve right now, and I've been making good progress on both of them. Podcasts aren't a good source of income, and the money from novels can depend on the popularity of the book. But if I did somehow hit it big with my stories, I'd definitely retire from being a teacher and get right to work on my next big story.

I've seriously considered going into either psychology or something to do with storytelling. Given an choice, I'd pick the latter, but even if I were to go into psychology, I could still write on the side.

At the same time, sometimes the thought of doing either of these things full time doesn't appeal to me at all. Sometimes, I feel like there's got to be something more to life than getting a steady job. As much as I love writing, there's a small part of be that doesn't want it to be the only thing I do with my life. I want to see the world and try different things. It's kinda scary having to choose, especially when I'm graduating high school soon and have to decide what to do with the rest of my life. I feel like once I go for a degree, I'm stuck with it, because I'll be in too much debt to change anything.

Is it weird that I've been thinking of this exact thing just a few days ago?

When I was thinking of my future career, I kept on asking people if it was stupid of me to worry about university while I'm still in grade 8. Most people said I was being dumb, but majority said I was being smart about it.

I've looked through hundreds of courses, jobs, and even scrolled through my own list of careers and decided that doing Elementary Education would be best for me.

I love teaching little kids (I teach my sisters on the weekends for about one hour per day. And there's this other kid I teach, a ten year old boy. Quick story: we we're at a party, and the kid was there with his friend, and he suddenly looked at me and started talking to me. His friend asked him if he knew me, and you know what the kid did? With so much pride in his voice, he said I'm his teacher. ♡), I love seeing them play and make friends, and most of all, I love seeing them grow in front of my own eyes.

But yeah! Definitely going into teaching!

Alongside, though, I'll be an author. Published, I'm hoping. Y'all just pray for me. So yeee, teacher! And writer! I love my idea. ^^

I'm not really sure yet, but I've started to narrow down. I used to want to be a doctor, a mathematician, but now I think I want to do research in fields like molecular biology and biochemistry (which means I'm hoping I can eventually secure a PhD *crosses fingers*)

I want to study how the interactions amongst biological molecules and within the cell and among cells etc etc and apparently the major to study is something like molecular biology perhaps BUT I also have a bit of a problem with bio classes...last semester I tried a bio class and while i had fun, I wound up kind of struggling with the studying bit. Maybe it was because I had to learn how to study for bio?

I also like chem and physics and math and because of that I want a job which combines everything which I'm not sure I've found yet. HAHAHA so I get nearer and nearer to next fall during which I apply to colleges I'm heading toward a trainwreck of indecision

#nerd

I've wanted to be a full-time writer from the first short story I finished in 6th grade. Writing fun stories that inspire as a job? Sign me up. I'd also like to make a few podcasts, especially audio dramas.

Right now I'm working on a degree in English (I'm dual enrolling in a college). It's a pretty general degree which is good cause I am always changing what I want to do. I don't think I'll be graduating college and simply becoming a full-time writer.

I think I will either work at some sort of publishing industry, at a bookstore, or as a college professor. Teaching English and creative writing at a university is probably one of my favorite options right now-to get to share a love for writing and storytelling? It's a dream.

I'd also like to learn more about economics and physics but I don't think I want a lifetime job in that so I'll probably just do some world building lol.