Worried... might be somewhat accurate, although you guys are worrying for the wrong reasons. My other business(es) that I started to recover from the last SNAFU have entered the dreaded hurry-up-and-wait stage. Which is... Yeah. That bit worries me, and you're welcome to worry/pray with me. (Although I find that, upon praying, I worry a little less.)
The thing is that, while this hurry-up-and-wait phase is ongoing, I have hours and hours worth of time that I can use more constructively. And I decided to use those hours to be a full-time writer, because I'm basically working 40 day weeks at this writing thing (even, by the way, while I'm doing the day-job too.)
So really, this foray into full-time-writerness isn't new. At least, the time I can spend on it isn't. The major difference is that I've decided to set myself up better. Instead of saying I'll wait for quiet time and then waiting for an hour or two in case day-job work comes in, I'm asking if there's anything I have to do that can be done right now.
If there isn't, I'm immediately going into full-time-writer mode until such a time that something does come up at the office. (This happened on Wednesday, which I was super grateful for. But now offers have been made and we're waiting for clients to come back to us.)
In other words: No. I'm not refusing to do anything else that could bring me a more stable income just so I can write.
It's just the case that, since I have to wait for my income anyway, I might as well spend it furthering my writing career instead of sitting around and doing nothing, waiting for the hours to pass.
Admittedly (as mentioned on Monday), pushing my writing career on a shoe-string budget is a pain in the ass.
That said, I'm not sure that it's a bad thing.
Yes, I'm stressing about money. Yes, I have to literally turn every cent I get over twice in order to make this thing work. Yes, I'm currently having to do 90% of EVERYTHING myself and there are never enough hours in a day.
But.
Turning cents over twice is good business practice. Even when I do have money to splash around on my writing venture.
It's making me so sad to think how much money I wasted being inefficient with my time and money just because I assumed there would be another salary next month.
So yeah. EVEN if -- ahem -- WHEN my clients come back and my other job brings in some money, I'm only going to put back the royalties I've earned and used to other purposes. And IF I need more money for something, I will do so on a strict loan basis and keeping track of everything.
Because I want this thing to work. And it's not going to work if I'm lackadaisical about my writing business.
Business is a serious thing.
And I think, in retrospect, that saying "oh I'll make a career of writing someday when I have money" is bad business. (Sorry not sorry.)
So I'm putting my foot down right now.
I'm saying: Writing is my career now, regardless of my other jobs/obligations/present circumstances.
I will approach it with the same seriousness with which I approach all of my other business activities.
Writing will support my writing.
And I will support my writing by writing even more.
Which is to say:
I am building an empire, even if I have to do it with my bare hands.
You go, girl!! Writing w/a day job is hard stuff, b/c you find yourself drained from it, but if you want it, you've got to push yourself through it. That's what I tell myself anyway! =)
ReplyDeleteWhen you have hours of time, the best thing to do is write. :) Take this time and run with it. Be a full-time writer. I have a feeling you'll benefit greatly by it. I know just what you mean about the income and worrying over money, but we can do it.
ReplyDeleteI'll be using your service on Fiverr next month so count me as a future customer. Anyway you should check out Upwork.com. It is a great site for writers like you with experience. You can post samples right on your profile and would be a good extra site to try and earn money on. Glad to see you pushing forward day and never stop trucking!
ReplyDeleteI often find the only voice ever telling me I'm "not a writer" is my own. Once, you've convinced yourself, you're more than halfway to your goal:)
ReplyDeleteGo, Misha! I love your attitude. I try to hav that, too, even if my marketing has been all over the place.
ReplyDeleteWishes you all the best!
Yes, writing as a business is worth taking seriously. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a good plan, and I especially like the attitude of writing that benefits more writing (practice wise) in the long run. You are one smart writer. :) Wishing you well on the journey!
ReplyDeleteGood luck building that empire with your bare hands. I'm impressed with your dedication.
ReplyDeleteI think putting your free time into writing is good... we all need to start taking more stock of where we spend our money, I know I have been wasteful... that needs to change... xox
ReplyDeleteBuilding a career does take time. It needs a solid foundation. You're moving forward and building two careers! amazing!
ReplyDeleteA writing business is a slow growing but steady one, so putting off the early stages never benefits anyone...BUT you can't kill yourself either. There's no way I'd be doing what I do if I had to work a 40 hr work week on top of everything. Burn out is real. I'm hoping a balance will come into play, that your businesses will take off, that you end up winning the cheese lottery, something.
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ReplyDeleteGood for you, Meisha! It is a business and an especially tough one today, because there are so many books out there. Every book is up against millions of others. So my matra, every sale is a good sale.
ReplyDeleteYou go!