tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post9026689444356834095..comments2024-03-27T23:59:01.850-07:00Comments on Writing About Writing (And Occasionally Some Writing): Writing for Income (Mailbox)Chris Brecheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-66711668774911688222016-08-10T18:35:28.907-07:002016-08-10T18:35:28.907-07:00For some reason, that's probably the most depr...For some reason, that's probably the most depressing thing I've read in a long time.Geek Ramblingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15243735458957955818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-81187129165984133062016-06-20T22:11:04.692-07:002016-06-20T22:11:04.692-07:00Oops!
"I didn't want to be a professional...Oops!<br />"I didn't want to be a professional writer because then I'd have to write every day and writing would become a chore. So I quit." should have started with "When I was in my 20s." And "I spent a whole year writing every day" should have started with "When I was in my late 30s."<br /><br />This is what happens when you're still learning how to write and don't bother to edit first. D'oh!Terranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-59467847149880886632016-06-20T22:09:09.590-07:002016-06-20T22:09:09.590-07:00Hey Alex,
I didn't want to be a professional ...Hey Alex,<br /><br />I didn't want to be a professional writer because then I'd have to write every day and writing would become a chore. So I quit.<br /><br />Big mistake.<br /><br />I spent a whole year writing every day. I took 13 total days off due to unforeseen circumstances, but I wrote even on days when I was traveling between countries. And I got better, and it never felt like a chore.<br /><br />Creativity comes when you're in the right mindset for it. If you're not in the right mindset, change your mindset. Don't wait for it to descend upon you from On High. It doesn't work that way.<br /><br />And here's the other thing: People who write every day still don't make all their money from writing until they've written for years. I've been writing steadily for 2.5 years and have yet to make a cent. Most of the authors I liked had 5-10 year long unpaid "apprenticeships" before they sold their first book, and they weren't able to quit their day jobs until book 8 or 9. If you decide to wait until the muse strikes you, that 5-10 year apprenticeship will be more like 20-30 years. And that's fine if you don't want to make a living as a writer, but if you do ... not so much.<br /><br />Now I'm 41 and I'm hoping to hit my stride about the time I'm between 55 and 65 and looking to retire from my day job. I'm doing that because writing, like saving for retirement, is a long-term strategy and one that doesn't always work out.<br /><br />Good luck!Terranoreply@blogger.com