There
are many people with writing talent out there who have fears that hold
them back from asking how to become a writer.  Following is a
discussion of how to become a writer, including the fact that there are
many different paths to that career. 

If you want to know how to
become a writer, first you have to decide whether you're interested in
fiction or nonfiction, short pieces or long, and print vs. new media. 
These questions are not exclusive; you can be a writer and dabble in
all of the above areas, but first you have to strategize and decide
which are the best applications for you.  There are many university
programs that will teach you how to become a writer, whether it's
creative writing, poetry, or journalism, but the great thing about
being a writer is that it's a field people can break into even if they
don't have a college degree.  If you're interested in writing but come
from another professional background, you can always take a course at a
local adult education program to see if writing is for you. 

If you want to become a
writer, you will need to know basic spelling and grammar rules, so if
that area presents difficulties for you, take a refresher course in
grammar and buy a helpful style manual that you can keep on your desk. 
Don't rely on your computer's spell check, as they often present
inaccurate results.  If you want to know how to become a writer,
proofreading your own work is absolutely essential. 

The next step in how to
become a writer is to get some writing credits.  If you want to be
published (or work on the web), you'll need references, which of course
is a Catch-22, because if you've never been published you don't have
any.  The solution to this problem is to submit some work for free,
whether it's to your local community newspaper, a website that's
looking for contributors, or a friend's blog.  Some writing positions
will state that they'll accept raw copy as examples of your work (raw
copy is simply something you've written that's yet to be published or
posted anywhere), but it's far better to provide a professional-looking
clip or link.   

Once you have some writing
credits under your belt, the final step in how to become a writer is to
build a writing resume and to set your rates.  There are many links
online that will show you the proper format of a writing resume, and as
to your rates, only you can decide what your time is worth.  Be warned
that there's always someone out there who will do it cheaper, but if
you want to make a living wage as a writer you'd best pass up those
gigs that offer fifty cents per one thousand words, unless you're doing
it merely short term to get a positive reference for your resume.