Is academia the only option for a self help author
So my real initials are X.D. and I am trying to write self help books and I find myself doing the same number of citations now that I did when I was doing my bachelors degree. Should I return to school to get a masters and PhD? I hate stress which is why I did not further advance my education even though 95% of my contacts said I should continue to graduate school.
by 
Jennifer Bloom
ANSWERS: 1
-
Most self-help authors are not academics, frankly, though some do hold advanced degrees in fields like psychology. However, most PhDs in Psych don't write self-help books. They teach and do serious research, or they are clinical therapists. As someone who earned a PhD (not in Psych but in another field) and who does work in academia, I have to say that if writing self-help books is what you want to do, academia (which demands a doctorate) is not for you -- especially if you can't handle stress. Earning a PhD is VERY stressful. I'd suggest a master's (and licensing) in counseling, acquiring some real experience as a counselor, and THEN writing books on the basis of your experience. Why should publishers bother with you if you don't offer anything in the way of professional credentials and experience?
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC