<p>How hard is it to become a novelist? Do you work for anybody?</p>
<p>Anyone can become a novelist; what’s difficult is getting published and reaching an audience wide enough so that you will be financially supported by your writing. Unless your mom is JK Rowling or you have other ridiculously awesome connections in the literary world, achieving that level of success is very, very, very difficult. Many people fall to the wayside and certainly this is where the “starving artist” term comes from. You can get your own work published through certain avenues if you are resourceful and patient enough, but published novelists who have found some level of success often times have literary representation through an agency or publishing firm. But even with a literary agent, novelists don’t really have a boss to direct them as in other occupations. It is largely an independent profession, and that is part of the danger because you are rather on your own and responsible for your own success. I think it would be a great side hobby while you have another day job and pursue your own writing on the side. It could take off one day and you could be a great success, but on its own I wouldn’t rely on novel writing for a stable income, so anyone considering pursuing this path shouldn’t be under any false delusions about this.</p>
<p>I think when people are young they consider all manner of impractical fields of study. It’s great to be optimistic, but you should always think in terms of future opportunity, and I know that at 18, foresight is not something everyone has, but it’s very important. You don’t want to skip to five years later, struggling for a writer job. I’m not a novelist by the way, but I’m a recent grad English major who quickly learned that you have to find a way to merge your degree into a more practical skillset if you want to find a stable career that won’t cause you endless frustration down the line. 
So just take your time and make the right choice.</p>
<p>If you are set on a writing career though, there are definitely more practical writing careers to consider (science / technical / medical / marketing / PR writing, etc.), because in these areas you can gear your writing towards more industry-applicable fields, so if writing is your dream you certainly don’t have to close off that avenue altogether.</p>
<p>I still think Computer Science majors have it easiest when it comes time to finding a job, lol. Ok, now I’m just rambling so I’m going to stop, haha.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I definitely want to write novels. Should I double major then so I have a stable job and then writing on the side? I also have been thinking about trying to become a screenwriter… if becoming a novelist and a big time screenwriter are both longshots then I figure I have a better chance at succeeding in one of those longshots</p>
<p>Hey there!</p>
<p>Yeah, I actually at one point wanted to become a screenwriter, but changed my mind very quickly in college (for the reasons stated above). Yes, double majoring would be an excellent idea- so would doing the writing or creative writing as a minor and another more practical area as a major, if you prefer not to do a double major. Undertaking two fields will also give you more room to explore career options, just in case you happen to change your mind about becoming a writer. I am not trying to discourage you, because taking risks in life can be very worthwhile, but just remember that screenwriting will be as equally a tough road to pursue, if not even more so because the entertainment industry is the most fickle area I can think of, and particularly in the entertainment industry, as you must know, the most talented individuals don’t always rise to the top, because merit alone doesn’t count for much in Hollywood. But if you are really interested in screenwriting and can foot the bill, going to a university like NYU or USC would likely give you a push in the right direction because of their focus in these areas and their close proximity to the industry and its connections. I definitely advise a back-up plan though rather than just majoring in screenwriting alone. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>