Becoming A Full-time Writer

Becoming a full-time writer and making money from writing is for many a life long dream. However, making the switch from a responsible ‘nine to five’ that’s paying the bills, to a more unpredictable life choice, is a big leap. One that in my choice should definitely be taken in a series of smaller steps, no matter how frustrating or tiring it is.

Yes there are people who have made the switch to becoming a full-time writer and found themselves earning respectable money from home within a year, but there are also those that don’t. Even if you start writing as soon as you arrive home from your last day of employment, even if you have your best-seller written, everything – especially money – takes time in the writing world.

Many magazines pay on publication, not on acceptance. Which means you could well be eating the last pack of 2-minute noodles surrounded by ‘Overdue notices’ by the time you have waited the predictable months it takes for your article to go from idea to print on a glossy page. (And just to answer your next question, payment for magazine articles can range from around AU$75 upwards in my experience, although on the upside I have also been paid over AU$1000 for 1000 word articles.)

The story is even worse if you are planning to live off of the royalties from your best-selling novel. Once your book has become part of the 3% to be accepted by a publisher, it’s not unusual to wait over 12 months for your book to be on the shelf even after you have found a publishing house to take it on. Then your cut of the recommended retail price will be less than 10%, which you would normally be paid every three months once you have sold enough copies for your royalties to cover the amount of your advance.

So have I totally put you off your idea of making money from writing? If so, it wasn’t my intention, I promise.

There are, after all, many people in the world making a living from writing and there is little tangible reason why you shouldn’t be one of them, if that is what you want.

My reason for this article is purely to give you insight into a career that is often viewed incorrectly. However with realistic information and forward thinking anything is possible.

So if you are thinking of becoming a full-time writer here are some suggestions to do before you make the change:

>> Thoroughly research the area you plan to write in.

>> Keep your ‘nine to five’ and work on your writing in your spare time. (If you can’t find any spare time consider if writing is really what you want to do.)

>> Decide what it is about the life of a writer that really appeals to you.

>> Attend courses on the subject so that you will get a clear idea of what you need to do and how to go about it.

>> Consider if you can manage financially on a part-time job or if you cut back your hours in your present job.

>> Decide on your goals and make up a goals list to keep you on track.

>> Find a support network of people to keep you focused. This could be an online blog, a local writer’s group or writing friends.

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