HORTICULTURAL WRITER

In their articles and books, horticultural writers explore various aspects of making things grow. Because readers need up-to-date information and there is so much to learn about plants, many writers specialize in one or a few areas. Some write about plants or about certain kinds of plants, like vegetables, fruits, herbs, or ornamentals. Others write about flowers, or more specifically about perennials or annuals. Some focus primarily on writing pieces about beautifying the landscape, while others concentrate on more technical topics like soil preservation, pesticides, or how to choose proper gardening tools.

Most horticultural writers work as self-employed freelancers, writing for newspapers, magazines, scientific or technical journals, and Web sites. They might also write shorter articles, known as copy, for the advertising, marketing, or public relations departments of companies involved in horticulture, like fertilizer, gardening, or seed companies. They might prepare brochures or fact sheets about new company products or important company developments. Some horticultural writers work full-time as staff writers for these companies, or as staff writers for newspapers, magazines, or journals.

Like any writing, horticultural writing involves research. You must enjoy learning new things and be prepared to do the hard work of gathering facts. Researching an article or book can take hours, days, and even weeks. You might need to interview people working in the field, like nursery owners, florists, or botanists. To be a good interviewer, you must be curious and have a pleasant personality that puts people at ease so they're willing to answer your questions and provide additional information. You must also be a good listener. Careful note-taking is important, but for longer or more complicated interviews, you must know how to use a tape recorder.

Once you've done the research, or legwork, for an article or book, you have to sit down and write it. Some writers prefer to create short pieces of about 800 to 3,000 words. Others prefer writing longer works, such as books, concentrating on a single subject and writing thousands of words over the course of one or more years. Whatever you write, you need the discipline to stay focused on your project until it's completed.

You will also need good time-management skills. All writers must meet deadlines. You have to calculate how long your research and writing will take and schedule your time to meet your manuscript's due date.

Horticultural writing, like any writing, involves long periods of working alone. Even if you're employed by a newspaper, magazine, or company, and interact with fellow workers, you'll still spend many hours alone at your computer, researching and writing. Freelance writers lead an even more solitary life. Most of their contact with editors or supervisors is by mail, phone, or e-mail.

Writers, first and foremost, are communicators. Above all, you need a good command of the English language, including grammar, vocabulary, and spelling. You must be able to write clearly, in language that is easy to understand.