Does Anyone Else Turn Down Job Opportunities for Writing?

Alpha Echo said:

Well, I am a Fed. I'm all ready in the DC area - Northern VA. We wouldn't move closer to DC if I took a job there. I'd have to commute - either 90 min. on the train (after 15 min. to the train), an hour on the metro (after an hour to the metro), or 2 hours in my car. I'm just not thinking that's worth it.

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Ninety minutes on a train is ninety potential writing minutes, twice every day. That's a decent amount of writing time.

Beth

90 minutes writing with people all around you, asking "What are you writing? Can I read it?"

90 minutes of other people's kids screaming and bawling?

90 minutes of trying not to kill someone?

Alpha,

Sounds like we are close. I'm in Manassas Va...

As to the writing on the train, I have to agree with Scarletpeaches.

Now it it was 90 minutes non stop, that would be different. But the VRE stops about every 10/15 minutes at a new station to pick up new passengers or drop others off. It's also loud, crowded, and sort of rocks side to side. I have watched guys on the upper deck working on their laptops and they get jostled - a lot. Not sure this type of writing would be very worthwhile.

Alpha Echo said:

Does anyone else...suffer at a low-paying, annoying job because the benefit of having the time to write is worth more than a possible, small raise?

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God, yes. I work in a mail room. The work is so simple, so boring, I run out of things to do all the time because I get everything finished too fast. So I write. I'm nervous about it doing it though because I'm afraid of getting into trouble, but in all honesty, sometimes there really is NOTHING for me to do around here. It's either write or go on the net.

I wish the prospect of a raise was on the horizon but I've been told I'm probably going to get the chop early next year because they are dismantling the mail team. So I'm here to fund my wedding. Nothing else. I've had so much spare time in this job I've written 22k of my novella since starting here ;-)

I've always worked jobs that gave me the time and mental energy to write and have taken the lower pay on the chin. No regrets. Genteel poverty has equalled freedom for me.

scarletpeaches said:

90 minutes writing with people all around you, asking "What are you writing? Can I read it?"

90 minutes of other people's kids screaming and bawling?

90 minutes of trying not to kill someone?

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I've done long commutes for a lot of the last five years (college and work) - generally 45mins each way, and never once had anyone ask me (other than if I was travelling with a friend) what I was writing, or have someone bug me to write it. If I did, I would probably swear at them until they went away, or say it was a theory of xenogenesis and protein replication within low gravity environments. Something to confuse them.

As to the noise, that's why you always carry an mp3 player.

As to trying to kill someone...you just ignore the voices.

I never gave up a job so I could write, but I was a teacher. Ahah, summers off! Not really, not with three children, one of whom is autistic/retarded. But I always found time to write. Some days it seemed my life was correcting papers, but I also wrote. I prepared lesson plans and worked late at school to set up labs, but I also stayed up late at night and got up at 4:00 AM to write. I wrote on weekends and holidays. I wrote every day unless I was ill and even then I wrote.

I managed to write and have published 25 short stories. (I wasn't published until 1993.)And they were just short stories, but I wrote. I am now retired and writing every day like a maniac.

If you need/want to write, you'll find a way. You'll write late at night or get up early. You'll carve out time even in a busy family life and write. If you're a writer, you have no other choice.

I never shorted my career path. Instead, I followed a path I loved and made choices that resulted in excellent earning potential. What I *did* do, however, was choose to work as a contractor rather than as an FTE (permanent employee). Not only does it pay (wayyyyy) better than the comparable FTE salary, but the majority of the time my hours are capped at 40 per week. When I go over 40, I get overtime pay. Having my hours capped at 40 per week leaves me plenty of time for other activities -- like writing.

amlptj said:

I kind of had that problem. I'm a college student and really needed a job this summer or my mom was literally going to ship me off to live with my grandmom down the shore so i could get a job on the boardwalk. I searched and searched sadly for jobs that didnt require much work. I had the chance to become a waitress but i turned it down because well you cant write and serve people at the same time. Thankfully a job from my school poped up and i now sit at a desk doing pretty much nothing. I was really lucky because all i do is write now... even got my 6th book finished last week.

So i say your making a good choice. As long as you can handle being paid what your paid, and it doesnt cause you many problems in life and your not in constant angony having to work at a job you hate then congrates on being able to relax at a nice job where you can do what you love, write.

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I know how you feel about student jobs getting in the way, but I'm a waiter and I still have time to write before/after shifts.

Though I realise there are considerable differences between the NZ and American hospitality industries. I don't think I'd want to be a waiter in America.

NoGuessing said:

I know how you feel about student jobs getting in the way, but I'm a waiter and I still have time to write before/after shifts.

Though I realise there are considerable differences between the NZ and American hospitality industries. I don't think I'd want to be a waiter in America.

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If it's a choice between sitting at a desk and waiting tables, I choose observing people and their behaviour than placing myself in a lofty tower any day.

I love talking to strangers. Why they are at such-and-such hotel/cafe/restaurant, who they are with, and getting life stories. I normally end up running home with a head fill of ideas!

Yep waiting can be pretty fun on a good night. Tiring, but fun.

It helps remind me human beings exist too.

NoGuessing said:

Yep waiting can be pretty fun on a good night. Tiring, but fun.

It helps remind me human beings exist too.

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There is nothing more hysterical than weddings, particularly when they've had a fair bit of drink in them.