Help Desk: Is Grant Writing as Good as Writing-Writing?
Q: I’m looking for a job where I can write for a living and am applying for gigs as a copywriter, editor and reporter but I’m not getting any bites. Somebody told me that grant writing is a good way to write and also earn money. What is the actual writing like?
A: This was something I wondered when I first learned about grant writing. I think deep down in my soul I wanted to believe that this sounded more fun than it actually is, but from one honest, anonymous grant-writer who writes fiction on the side, it may not be every writer’s cup o’ joe:
I do not-for-profit writing. This includes grants, proposals, and pretty much all development, PR, and communication pieces. In short, I feel fortunate to have a profession that incorporates writing. Professional writing comes easily to me and I’d so much rather be in a position that I enjoy and am “good” at then something totally unrelated like accounting or something.
However, my professional writing does not enhance my creative writing in any way, shape or form. Its formulaic and repetitive. In essence, its not creative. I compartmentalize my work-related writing and really don’t think about it in relationship to my fiction. Still though, at least I’m writing as opposed to crunching
numbers.
It’s up to how you work: some people who have drab writing-related dayjobs feel tapped out by the end of the day and don’t have it in them to write anything else. Others, on the other hand, don’t. But no, grant writing is probably not going to be as much fun as trying different fruity martinis and writing them up for the entertainment section of your local newspaper. But like anything, ask around for other perspectives before you either write it off or plunge ahead with those applications.
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