Which jobs are good for writers?

There are two camps, generally speaking, in the "fame and fortune" writerly thing: one believes in the "go for broke" approach of sacrificing health and comfort for X number of years, before emerging on the other side victorious and triumphant; the other believes in the "steady on" approach of trying to stay reasonably healthy and enjoy life every day that it's possible to do so, and become a star if the gods will it.

I used to be in the "dash to victory" camp, but now I'm in the sybaritic camp and of course it now seems to me to be the most self-evident approach*. However, good luck with the dash to victory approach, it has worked for some. And thanks for mentioning the important books, I'll definitely be checking out Isamil Kadare's works.

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* But seriously. In this day and age 50 is the new 30 and 70 is the new 50. If one doesn't squander health, that is. And not infrequently a writer writing A Big Book at 60 is way better qualified in the human condition department, than the one doing it at 40. I'd probably focus on technique first, working on that while wisdom accumulates.

FWIW, I work a 9-5 right now, most of which entails data entry. It can be dull at times, but I get to listen to podcasts all day and it's not too draining. After work I eat dinner and usually get to my desk around 7:30 or 8:00.

It's not ideal, and it takes a lot of discipline to plant yourself in a chair after sitting at a desk all day, but the job doesn't sap all of your energy and it pays a decent salary.

I'm hoping a short-term alternative is an MFA. I applied this year and got a full ride plus a small stipend (which, full disclosure, amounts to a pretty major pay cut for me) in exchange for some light teaching work.

My previous job allowed me to work from home several days a week, which gave me the flexibility to work 5-1 and write for a couple of hours before dinner. I had also gotten that job down to a routine, so I had the mental capacity left to write.

I got a new job about a year ago, and it's great. I'm appreciated, paid what I'm worth, challenged on a daily basis and really enjoying my work. However, I have to work in the office, with other people, 8-5 Monday-Friday. It's a challenge to find time and energy to write. Most weeks, I only get to write on Saturdays. I've been looking for a way to get more writing time in. I keep thinking I'll do it in the early mornings, since I still get up by 5:00 every day, but I always seem to find non-writing things to keep my mind occupied.

That sounds potentially disastrous, Alb.

Wait until you've established a living income from your writing, and make sure you have enough money saved to live on for a couple of years because there are always times when there's no money coming in.

Albdantesque said:

Lately I came up with the idea to save money, by the next year buy a mobile home and to retire at my 35 (I will work only 20 hours a week and in the meanwhile will see what money will come from books and plays). Does that sound as a plan, or am I missing any details?

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I'd say that is definitely missing a few details.

Albdantesque said:

Does that sound as a plan, or am I missing any details?

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How's your health insurance?

Albdantesque said:

Lately I came up with the idea to save money, by the next year buy a mobile home and to retire at my 35 (I will work only 20 hours a week and in the meanwhile will see what money will come from books and plays). Does that sound as a plan, or am I missing any details? lol I am thinking Connecticut as an option. People there complain about the cost of living also, but from lot rents, CT seems more affordable to me than NY; it is also close to many interesting places.

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Unless your retirement includes a secure income and full health insurance, and/or your books and plays already produce a steady income stream, it sounds an extremely risky plan.

And while CT may be more affordable than NYC, it is a high cost state by any other measure. I love my state, but I can't recommend it as a good place to retire cheap.

I work as a technical writer (which is just writing fiction in another form *almost sarcasm here*) and then do my "for me" writing in the evening.

As I like to describe technical writing, it's six weeks of boredom followed by two weeks of panic. The projects I'm on tend to be on eight week "spins", so outside of some small projects, there's not much I can do in the writing phase until the code goes final on week six. That gives me two weeks to update the users manual, write the change report, update the requirements, and test/screenshot all the new changes, plus get it to review and then make the corrections (also add in new stuff as you spot things the programmers/testers missed while you're taking your screenshots) and get it delivered three days before the product goes live. Oh, and occasionally, I''m stuck doing the internal web site too. Luckily, these tend to be just basic sites where we store electronic versions of all the documents.

Given the six week/two week rhythm, I tend to get a lot of writing done at work. I sell it as "typing practice" to keep my skills up and as long as I'm at my desk, answer my phone, and handle the stray writing job that comes in, my management has never seemed to care.

Albdantesque said:

Anyway, I landed a job with a state agency (here in the US) and I do not feel that it is the right job for me.

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Then quit. Let someone who wants the job have it.

Though your story sounds simply like an excuse to leave a job you found you don't like.

Albdantesque said:

Now, I am wondering which jobs would be great in my case? I need something that pays me without wasting my brain & sight with things that I am not interested at all or, at least, a job where I can make enough money (1100$ a month) with working just 20 hours a week.

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Marry rich or become a serial lottery winner. $1,100 a month at 20 hours a week you're looking at any minimum wage job. Loader or stocker at your local box store or supermarket. Dishwasher. Janitorial crew. Roofer's assistant. Many jobs are in the range of your stated desires. My guess is you'll quit any number of those in a short time as well.

Figure out what it is you want to be and what you really want to do and go make it happen. If that's writing, then put the effort into it to write for money. If writing is a hobby, at least it's cheaper than fishing.

Jeff

I'm studying to be a journalist. I've written articles freelance and also done multimedia stuff. I think it meshes well with fiction writing because you can talk to people, learn stories, and become a more well rounded person.

My suggestion is to find a job that satisfies you, at least enough to keep from slicing your wrists open. Then take advantage of it, especially in observing and engaging the people you meet. People are the subject of every story. The more variety of people you meet the richer your stories will be.

Also try to pick up useful skills which will help to become a better writer. Writing reports can be an opportunity to practice writing clearly. Learn to organize your work space. What works for an office on the job often will work for your office at home. Take any short courses your company offers its employees if you find some which can also support your writing obsession.

I was very lucky with my job. For forty-plus years working in aerospace I helped create the future, learning all sorts of skills and knowledge that later proved helpful when I got serious about writing. Even more I met all sorts of people, including some extraordinary ones.

Jobs aren't the only source of material and skills. Almost every activity you engage in can provide them. Your hobbies especially are a good source. You will meet a greater variety of people. You will master useful skills, though it may not seem so at the time. Researching sports stats, for instance, will help train you in researching the stuff you need to weave into the tapestry of your stories.

It sounds romantic to become a hermit and just write write write. That may work for a rare few. Most likely that will turn you into a narrow smelly bore whom nobody likes. Writing at its core is about life. Live it as fully as you can. It may make you a great writer. It will certainly make you a better one. And if your writing obsession fails you will at least have a shot a becoming a greater person.

Albdantesque said:

Hello,

I do not see any money coming from writing in my native language (and I do not see myself writing fiction in English). Nonetheless, by all accounts, I will keep writing till my death. If I fail becoming a good writer, I will probably realize the fact by critics & reviews, not by poverty.... some great writers in my country were rich, but the majority lived and died in total poverty.

Anyway, I landed a job with a state agency (here in the US) and I do not feel that it is the right job for me. I am a prolific writer (in five years I have written 3 novels, 5 shorts stories, a play, an MA thesis, and many essays), but I think that the office position I hold is killing day by day the writer I knew. I will probably wait to complete the probation period and will switch position or even disappear from NY Unfortunately, my options are very few. I am almost deaf and I cannot perform many job-related tasks. For a writer, I think teaching, bartending and reception would be great jobs, but all these positions need excellent hearing skills, which I luck.

Now, I am wondering which jobs would be great in my case? I need something that pays me without wasting my brain & sight with things that I am not interested at all or, at least, a job where I can make enough money (1100$ a month) with working just 20 hours a week.

I hope I am not asking too much I am still wondering if a hard of hearing person can become a good lecturer (I have two MA from the USA) or a good receptionist/doorman? Are there other options for hard of hearing writers?

Thank your for your support!

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I think a novelist would be a good job for a writer.

Laer Carroll said:

My suggestion is to find a job that satisfies you, at least enough to keep from slicing your wrists open. Then take advantage of it, especially in observing and engaging the people you meet. People are the subject of every story. The more variety of people you meet the richer your stories will be.

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This is very true, and no matter what job you have, you're seeing a slice of life, and in that slice there could be all kinds of inspiration for stories or characters or even just the little details that make a story more real. Some writers may look down on certain jobs as "not inspiring enough" but any job can provide a wealth of inspiration for writers. If you work at McDonalds, I'm pretty sure you'll have seen some things in your time. If you work as a cleaner, you may not see so many people as if you worked in retail (say), but you're going to see the random junk people leave behind. I bet cleaners have plenty of stories to tell of things they've seen. Little things like a left-behind item can inspire entire novels. If you work with the same people day in day out, they can show you quirks and eccentricities that can flesh out your characters.

Sooner or later, I'm going to write a hapless mortgage broker into one of my stories (not as an MC, just as a minor, background character), as a kind of Easter egg to my day job. And possibly a very ridiculous argument to the effect of said hapless mortgage broker not understanding why a lender won't accept a bank statement that doesn't have the applicant's name on it.

Right now I'm fortunate my wife is supporting me, although I do sell some games/collectibles on the side when things are tight.

If I could go back to stocking at TRU or maybe work at a movie theatre, I think I would be happy.

A few years ago, I worked as a wedding photographer. I've always thought it was the perfect job for someone who's trying to write.

Pros:
-You mostly work weekends, so your weekdays are largely free, unless it's the wedding season. But for the rest of the year, your weekdays are largely okay.
-You charge low, low prices at first, and work your way up. If your goal is only to earn $1,100/month, that is incredibly easy to reach. Towards the end I was charging 250GBP/hr, and my wedding packages started at 1,500GBP. Add into account additional things like extra albums, prints, engagement shoots etc, and you're looking at a tidy little earner. And I was nowhere near the most expensive photographer in my area.
-You meet lots of people.
-Your writing skills will come in handy for when you post couples' photos up on your site and write about how they met, how they fell in love, what was special about them as a couple and so on. This is a great way to test your skills as a writer, as you have to accompany your beautiful pictures with interesting content so people would actually share them. Make your readers laugh and cry along with your clients, and your posts will get tons of shares on social media, thus leading to more clients.

Cons:
-You probably won't have time to write during wedding season, which is usually in the summer months. But I think that's a pretty good trade-off.
-You have to deal with very, very difficult people sometimes. I don't get why "bridezillas" is a thing but "groomzillas" isn't. I've come across some preeeetty difficult grooms in my time, including one who insisted that I Photoshop all 800 of their wedding pics to make him taller. But this should give you great ideas for your books.
-As with all other businesses, you'd have to invest: money (camera equipment, insurance, marketing), time (learning the art of photography, learning the business side, learning how to protect you and your clients), research (learn how to pose people naturally, learn how to play with lighting, look up successful photographers and learn from them, look up other photogs and see how much they're charging in your area, what are current wedding trends etc), and effort (marketing is a bitch). Your investment, especially in terms of time and effort, depends on how big you want your photography business to get.
-Ten hours spent mostly on your feet while carrying heavy equipment means that back pain is a Thing. I don't know how good your health is, but you're going to want to work out to strengthen those back muscles.

Overall, I would recommend it if you're at all into photography, although it does get pretty tiring sometimes, but it's probably not as bad as other jobs out there.

rwm4768 said:

Fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson took a job as a night clerk at a hotel. Very few guests came to the desk, and it gave him time to write quite a few books while at work.

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Yep, something like this. ^^^ A job that's often slow and your employers let you do what you want during slow times. I'd think jobs like teaching and bartending would be the opposite of that.

Best with your search.

CJ

Travel agent.

Beanie5 said:

Travel agent.

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Is that even a job anymore?

I work construction, which is known for short hours (overall, but not in summer) and good pay. You have to be able to budget since your income is irregular, you have to be reasonably fit, and you have to have some decent fine motor skills. A lot of trades can just go off and work solo, so I don't think the hearing thing would be a problem. Caulking comes to mind right away. As long as your back is good, you take your bucket and your caulking gun and knives, and you just go off into your own little world. It's kind of relaxing, in a mental vacation sort of way. Everything is all about texture and filling the space correctly, and it's rather wordless.

In my case, it helped that I already knew how to sculpt. Interestingly, I know of several sculptor/artists who also caulk.

Or there are the traffic workers--CalTrans in California, but you've got to have them wherever you are. You know the ones--they wear the orange vests and stop the cars for the roadworkers. In my state, they make very good pay, but I'm uncertain of the hours. Usually rain knocks out road work in California, but other states may be tougher. We have a real tendency to try to squeeze it all into the dry season.

Just a couple of ideas.

Perhaps Travel Guide is a better name now, There are many outfits now days based around giving clients a travel "experience" , some adventure some not.
Abercrombie and Kent springs to mind.