Adam Graham's Blog: Christians and Superheroes - Posts Tagged "writing-life"

Mike Duran asks if writers really want to quit their day job. He points out that some who have made the leap have found that in the words of Spock, "that having is not so pleasant as wanting.":

I know two novelists who quit their day jobs to pursue a career in writing. One of them was forced to return to their day job because they weren’t making enough off their books to pay their bills. The other is so stressed out they vowed that after completion of their current contractual agreements, they will never again write under deadline.

That's certainly a nightmare scenario. And I have no plans on quitting my job immediately or in the near future, but it's a goal and it's a dream

It's not because I hate my job or my co-workers, or my work. There's nice people good benefits, and very generous PTO. However, while I do my best at my work, I don't feel it's what I was designed to do.

Maybe, it's like the feeling of Eric Liddell, "When I run I feel His pleasure." Writing is a God-given gift, and there are moments when I'm writing that are so amazing and rich. I believe that what I write can serve God's purposes and really bless other people. I want to do what I was designed to do: write.

Duran offers a thought on how to go pro:

But here’s the thing: It is so much less stress NOT having my livelihood tied to my writing. I know this from talking to writers who do. They are constantly working toward their next deadline. And because their last book didn’t do well, they’re forced to write something they don’t necessarily enjoy just to make ends meet. Keeping my day job AND writing is rough. But it lets me write what I want, not fret (too much) about poor sales or bad reviews, and still have financial stability. Which affords my artistic freedom. When your livelihood is tied to your writing it seems inevitable that you must

1. Write to market, and
2. Crank out novels.

I agree with Duran for the most. There's a lot of advice on how to make a living writing and it involves writing cookie cutter novels in the "genre of the moment." Writing superhero comedy novels isn't going to be a recommended way to do that.

Like Duran, I'd rather keep my day job than write either of those options. However, there are people who get to make a decent living writing and creating stories they love and care about, and it's my dream to be one of those people.