Job Description: Full-Time Fiction Writer

1)   The majority of your duties are outlined in your title: You are a writer of fiction. As such, you will write some fiction each (work)day, producing significant chunks of new material each week. Your fiction may manifest in the form of novels, novellas, short stories, flash fiction, or even prose poems; any length is acceptable as long as it’s fiction.

2)   Every bit of fiction you write will need revision, most likely in-depth. Revise as the project demands.

3)   Every week, you will read at least one book; these books need not be entirely fiction. Poetry, nonfiction, and plays can supplement your fiction reading and increase the capacity of your fiction-writing brain. Reading fiction is like running; poetry and nonfiction are the stretches you do before and after.

4)   Every week, you will write at least one blog post and one poem. See item three for explanation.

5)   When applicable, you will submit your work for publication.

6)   When applicable, you will read and comment on the work of your peers; if possible you will find an editing or slush reading job for a literary journal. This will keep you apprised of what your peers are writing and keep your analytical eye fresh. The better you understand the work of others, the better you will understand your own.

7)   You will keep your workspace clean and functional.

8)   You will maintain a social life and pursue new and interesting experiences; you will stimulate your creative brain. If you are to write what you know, then you should know an awful lot.