You probably wouldn’t go to a foreign country without a map, or at least something to help guide you to your destination. The same applies to anyone starting out with acting courses and hoping to carve a career path in acting.

Think of acting as a kind of foreign land. You’ve seen it on TV and in brochures but of course the reality isn’t quite the same. Residents of that land (established actors) know that even reading the guide books doesn’t give you anywhere near all the inside info you need.

In your acting courses you’ll soon learn about the different roles that people play in the industry and how and where you can slot into the structures. That’s part of the battle, because acting is not the easiest arena to succeed in.

The longer you spend creating your acting career, the more you’ll discover – including the unwritten rules. You’ll learn a lot as you become a part of an acting community, even if you’re only on the margins. You’ll probably get some hands-on experience of the terrain of the theatre even if you only have a part-time job manning the box office, for example.

Members of all professions indulge in ‘shop talk’. If people are talking about something, maybe you need to know about it. You never know when snippets of information about the workings of the industry will come in handy. From casual conversations you can pick up tips to help avoid the pitfalls as well as identify the opportunities for you as an actor.

I keep mentioning ‘the industry’ but it’s not a solid or unchanging thing. Keeping tabs on developments is always worthwhile. Fashions and social currents shift. Think of burlesque, which sank in the thirties and came back as humorous theatre sixty years later. Think of the openings for actors that new technologies have created.

Being an actor is more than about honing your dramatic skills. If you don’t know the lie of the land you can make mistakes and miss opportunities. You can’t start exploring too early either. You can start checking out this new world you plan to live in even if you’re a first year student at one of the acting schools.

All careers need some planning, even if there’s no guarantee that your well-laid plans will come to fruition. Getting to know the world of acting extends well beyond your acting courses, but if you’re dedicated it will be a journey of discovery rather than a chore.