Jobs for Part-Time Writers

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RainyDayNinja

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If, hypothetically of course, someone decided to throw away his/her college education, and pick a job solely on the basis of how it would give them time to write, what should it be? What would give you a livable wage, but also allow you to either keep short hours, or write on the job (preferably without getting in trouble)? I'm thinking substitute teacher: you get done at 3, you can write while supervising kids, and you can choose not to work if a deadline is looming.

What do you think?

**P.S. This is just for fun. Please don't call my parents and tell them I'm going to drop out of college ;-) **
 

Kryianna

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I've heard working the overnight shift in a toll booth is great. The money is good, and depending on the booth, there's a long time between cars.

Depending on where you live, I wouldn't anticipate that a substitute teaching position would pay a living wage.
 

johnstmoonpie

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i'm not dropping out of college, but i am looking into trying to get a job at Half Price Books.

I'd think that would be a great place for part-time writers. You spend your day at work absorbing the feelings of books, and you can come home and translate those feelings into words.
 

katiemac

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Just an FYI: Substitute teaching usually requires a teaching degree or certified credits of some sort, especially if they're asking you to fill in for a teacher long-term. You'd be expected to teach the subjects like the regular teacher.

Now, if you mean substituting a day or two when someone is sick, that's different. But in my area, they call you off a list in the morning and hire for the day whoever is first available. It's not guaranteed work, you're dependent on someone not being available.

So, I'm thinking pretty much anything part-time like reception work.
 

Clair Dickson

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I don't know how you and your classmates acted when there was a subsitute teacher in the room, but my classmates always pushed, tested, and made things hard on any subs! Hardly a good writing environment, even under the best circumstances.

I'd say a midnight shift in some place that doesn't see much midnight traffic. Maybe a hotel check in person in a place that's off the beaten trail. I can't imagine much traffic in some of those places on your average weeknights. Something like that.
 

Siddow

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Outside sales! Yeah, sure, you have to work your asterick off, but make a grand by 11am, and take the rest of the day off. Nobody knows. :)
 

Barb D

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I'm a computer scientist. The very large company I work for only requires you to work 20 hours a week to get full time benefits. Flexibility can be a payoff for working in a high-demand field.
 

FennelGiraffe

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I remember reading about someone who worked as a night watchman. He mostly just needed to be there, so he got a lot of writing done at the same time.

Also a couple of others who said factory assembly-line was good. They didn't have to think about what they were doing, so they could plan out their stories instead. Once they got home, they hadn't been stuck behind a desk all day, so sitting down to write was a refreshing change of pace.
 

bsolah

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Great thread, as I'm hating my job at the moment for the emotional stress it takes up and just for the sheer time it takes up. The only thing that is keeping me at work is the money. I kind of need it to pay the rent ;)

Interested to hear some real stories about quitting their job, finding some mundane part-time job and spending their days off writing.
 

Alpha Echo

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I'm an admin assistant. Sometimes, the office is busy, but most of the time, I have at least a couple hours during the day to write. Sometimes my husband doesn't understand - I'll come home and complain about so-and-so who doesn't do their job or complain about my boss...but I don't look for a new job because I have time to write. It's a fulltime position, but since I don't have much time at home to write, it's perfect. And there are a lot of parttime admin positions. Or receptionist positions. Usually, receptitionists do even less. I was one for about 3 years - but I didn't even have a computer, so I had to handwrite stuff. But they didn't care what I did at my desk as long as I answered the phone. I read a lot too.
 

RainyDayNinja

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Hmm... interesting ideas. Unfortunately, I could never work a night shift anywhere. It would mess up my biological clock too much. But the place where I'm interning, they have to do QC in the lab around the clock, so there are a few people that work the evening and late night when nobody else is around, and they have lots of down time. If it wasn't in the middle of nowhere hundreds of miles from home, I might try to get the evening shift there.
 

bsolah

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I'm an admin assistant.

I'm working in admin too, though a more technical role that would require me having a fancier position title if it wasn't for the lesser title meaning they could pay me less.

Working at the computer the whole time has it's advantages, being able to surf the net and write, and plan, and blog can sometimes be easy, especially given that my supervising manager is in another state, only keeping in contact via email and phone.

Though at times, like now, we're so under the gun with deadlines that it sucks up my time and my mind energy even outside of work.
 

Siddow

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But the place where I'm interning, they have to do QC in the lab around the clock,

Quarter-columns?

/end lame advertising joke.

*sighs wistfully, knows she will use this experience for a character*
 

scheherazade

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Postal worker on a route. Not sure about the US or other postal services, but in Canada, Canada Post pays quite well, and you're paid a full-time salary for however long it takes to get the route done... which can often take about 6 hours rather than a full 8. Plus, I remember the days when I delivered a paper route... all that walking around gives your brain lots of freedom just to think about story and character development, to brainstorm scenes, etc. By the time you get home you'll probably have at least a thousand words' worth of ideas to write down.

There are some disadvantages to postal work, most of which are not a big deal with the right attitude. It's not the most prestigious job. You can't be afraid of dogs (or you have to learn how to deal with that fear). You have to deal with all the extremes of weather - but the more you're out in it the less of a big deal it realy is. The real disadvantage is that the heavy bags can cause back/neck/arm injuries - especially to females, for whom the bags are not properly designed. I think I've seen more carriers using push carts these days, so they're probably paying more attention to ergonomics.

The other hidden benefit is that you'll probably come across a lot of random inspiration on the route - witness interactions between people that you wouldn't normally associate with, deliver really unusual magazines and postcards, and meet new people. Plus, all the exercise and fresh air can't hurt!
 

Straka

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I don't know if I write at work, too many distractions that would drive me nuts. Doing marketing and project management has weird busy cycles.
 

AnneAtWordHustler

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I worked at a small, non-chain book store part-time and that was great for writing...sometimes it was quiet and I could write, plus you get a nifty discount on books!
 

Spiny Norman

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Tech support, late afternoon. I had the 2-11 PM shift. Took less than 20 calls after 4. For the rest of the night I was free to write.

Even when I moved to the day shift it was easy to write during calls. You tell someone to reboot something, they go off and do it, it takes a while, you write and read in the meantime.

I've written three novels this way in two years.
 

jennontheisland

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I'm working in admin too, though a more technical role that would require me having a fancier position title if it wasn't for the lesser title meaning they could pay me less.

Working at the computer the whole time has it's advantages, being able to surf the net and write, and plan, and blog can sometimes be easy, especially given that my supervising manager is in another state, only keeping in contact via email and phone.

Though at times, like now, we're so under the gun with deadlines that it sucks up my time and my mind energy even outside of work.

Ditto.

But when you're taking minutes in a really boring meeting you have to be careful not to drift off into plot-land.
 

geardrops

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I'm a codemonkey on what is prettymuch the most aggressive, challenging, and overworked teams at my company. I can't think of a week I haven't worked at least 4 hours overtime.

This requires a lot of time-management tricks and conscious allotment of resources. Not recommended for the faint of heart. I achieve this by being single and living alone with a low-maintenance lifestyle.

I don't know how I'm going to swing it come January when I start my coursework for my MS.
 

s.w. Gamble

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I worked at a small, non-chain book store part-time and that was great for writing...sometimes it was quiet and I could write, plus you get a nifty discount on books!

I couldn't do that I would look at the incoming books and spend my whole paycheck on books instead of food or clothing.
 

seun

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Work full time in a library, have no social life and you too could be as good a writer as what I am. Innit.
 

Straka

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I'm a codemonkey on what is prettymuch the most aggressive, challenging, and overworked teams at my company. I can't think of a week I haven't worked at least 4 hours overtime

Only 4 hours? I'm surprised for a programmer. I average 45 to 46 hours a week and occasionally 50.

My GF's sister has been doing 80 hours a week for the past 7 years... stay away from the fashion industry if you want to write...

Personally I get writing and editing done by staying up late every night and getting only 6 hours of sleep, as well as no being as social as some would prefer. There just aren't enough hours in the day.
 
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