I often get asked from readers if it’s feasible for them to quit their day jobs and make writing their full-time career. The answer, of course, is: I have no clue! The reason I don’t know is because everyone’s situation, desires and goals are different. Some folks have a mindset for writing 70 hours a week and trying to sell. Others prefer to have the security of weekly paycheck. And some actually like to sleep from time to time.
The best way for me to answer this is to point everyone to this excellent piece by Jeff Yeager called 10 Questions Writers Must Ask Before Quitting Their Day Job. It forces you to answer the key questions and determine, for yourself, if you have the wherewithal and determination (not to mention anti-ulcer medicine) to survive as a full-time writer. A few of his questions include:
1. DO I REALLY NEED TO WRITE FULL TIME TO BE SUCCESSFUL?
2. DO I REALLY WANT TO WRITE FULL TIME?
7. WHAT’S MY PLAN FOR HUMAN INTERACTION?
So check out 10 Questions Writers Must Ask Before Quitting Their Day Job. If you’re considering this path, you’ll be thankful you did.
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I just wrote my own blog post (http://wp.me/p2veQt-dK) two days ago about the notion of considering one’s writing as a GIFT because it is so rare for writers to make a living wage at their writing. However, the comments on the post did make me reconsider. I’m now toying with the idea that genre/commercial writers may well be able to quit their day jobs IF THEY’RE READY TO PUT IN 30 TO 40 HOUR WORK WEEKS. It’s not easy to find the discipline for that pace when you’re not receiving a paycheck weekly, or even monthly. I’ve been traditionally published for 30 years by such houses as HarperCollins and NAL/Penguin, and I’ve just jumped into the self-publishing/indie movement — writing is hard, and unlike many careers, no amount of savvy, intelligence, even brilliance, will necessarily translate into a lucrative, successful career. That’s the way it is.
War and Bacon; Pride and Bacon; Hail the Conquering Bacon;
(I tried to add these to the Twitter feed but couln’t get it to work.