Mary
What advice do you have for writers who do not have writing as their full-time job?
I have always loved books and stories, and writing is one of the biggest things that I want to "do" in my life. However, I know that it is not practical to assume that as soon as I graduate college, I will publish a best-selling novel and be set for life. I am definitely prepared to get a day-job, or maybe even something that seems more "career-like" so long as I can still write at home, but I know that it can be difficult to balance those things, especially since one is giving a more immediate pay-off while writing may seem not quite as important, at least in the sense of putting food on the table. What advice do you have for prioritizing and moving ahead with writing even when life gets in the way?
Thank you so much!
#writing #creative writing #day-job #priorities
3 answers
Susan E. Oser
Susan E.’s Answer
There's nothing wrong with not having writing as a full-time job. Actually, its less stress and you can think of it as a kind of skill-building for other things in your main job. So, think about a main job you want to do or you can have several small writing part-time jobs. Either way, it's good to have a job in writing.
Rachel Sofaer
Rachel’s Answer
Rachel Resnick
Rachel’s Answer
Write a little bit every day. Start a writing instagram or blog and build a follower-base this will encourage you to write more; this will also open the door to you as a writer and allow you to receive praise and feedback on your writing on a daily basis. Take an online writing course or like a fiction writing course (they have these on Groupon) and start writing as much as possible and practice. Set time aside in your schedule to brainstorm ideas for a book and once you have one, start writing it! Regardless if you feel it is "good" or not, get your ideas on paper, and eventually you will have yourself a novel! You can also apply for freelance writing positions for online magazines and websites like blogmutt.com