Making a living at writing

It's possible, but not very likely. Many writers have a second job[or more] to support themselves. Unless your book becomes a great hit, like Smeyer and JK, you'll have to have write on the side while trying to make a living.

This is just my opinion, so of course I can be wrong. Happy writing!

There are a lot of writers here who make a living off of just writing.

Meyer and Rowling are examples of writers who have made millions. There are thousands that make a decent living off of their royalties. I can think of dozens that frequent these forums.

There are writers who do it. I did it for a year, and I found it very hard. Not just the money side, but the social side of it. I went back to a day job. More security.

It can be done, but most writers I know have a second job. You need to be really sure of your finances before you take the plunge and go full time.

ghost said:

There are a lot of writers here who make a living off of just writing.

Meyer and Rowling are examples of writers who have made millions. There are thousands that make a decent living off of their royalties. I can think of dozens that frequent these forums.

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I did it for about four years. I could have gone on doing it but I was naughty! And I was never anywhere near Rowlings stature.
You don't have to make millions in order to make a living from writing, just have decent, constant sales from a fewl midlist books out there, longsellers instead of bestsellers.

I guess it's easier when you have a stedy job, knowing that the finances are stable, it keeps you from worrying. However it also keeps you from writing, because you have less time.

It is my dream to one day only live off writing but I also need to become more focused altogether. Apparently my attention trails off too often to stay on one subject. Not helpful. It needs a lot of self discipline.

Forbidden Snowflake said:

I guess it's easier when you have a stedy job, knowing that the finances are stable, it keeps you from worrying. However it also keeps you from writing, because you have less time.

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Actually I write much more now that I have a day job again. The problem was that faced with more or less unlimited writing time I always managed to fill my day with other 'more important' things. The temptation was always there to put another load of laundry on, wash the windows, watch jeremy kyle, take the kids to the park, regrout the bathroom. Seriously, there's only so many times you can vacuum the living room carpet.

Now that I have a day job again I'm much more focused on writing. I know the half hour time slots where I can fit it in, and I make sure I do it then.

I never expect to make a living at it...but for the past few years it has definitely made my living better!

Thirty years and seven published novels down the road, I've finally got all my authorial moves together but very few ideas that interest me enough to write about them, so I've become an editor. Full-time. I don't know that I could live on my wages if I were back in the US, but here in Thailand it works. Meanwhile, recently writing my first novel in THIS century is just a happy bonus.

I'd love to make a living at it but that's just not practical for me at this point. Unless you have a breakout success, I hear it takes some time, and several published works, to be able to live off the royalties (if this ever happens).

Yeah...but you can get regular cheques in the mail if you freelance too. I can't imagine ever getting royalties...I have tunnel vision and can't picture ever having one of my manuscripts published. But I enjoy writing OTHER things and being reimbursed for them. There are so many types of writing that pay.

But freelancing is so hard *whine*. I'm not sure I have the personality for freelance work, you know, the networking, interviewing, and so on. I'm too introverted and shy.

Strictly speaking, however, as a documentation specialist, I do make my living writing, just not in any way creatively.

KTC said:

There are so many types of writing that pay.

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This true. I write alot of academic papers and training programmes etc and that pays quite well considering. Although my speciality is in a quite obscure subject area, so there are less people writing about it than if I was say, a specialist in Shakespeare or dolphins.

CaroGirl said:

But freelancing is so hard *whine*. I'm not sure I have the personality for freelance work, you know, the networking, interviewing, and so on. I'm too introverted and shy.

Strictly speaking, however, as a documentation specialist, I do make my living writing, just not in any way creatively.

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Seriously...and you will discover this at the conference...I am the MOST shy person in the world. Introverted is my middle name. I joined the WCDR and BAM I was freelancing all over the place. I'm horrible at networking...but I can fake it by doing it electronically. Even my interviewing skills suck...but I somehow and inexplicably manage to pull it off. It's scary, really...I have defied all logic. If I can do it, so can you.

Besides...I make money writing poetry too...NOW THAT'S FUN!

I write full-time. It's definitively doable, especially if you write non-fiction. Like KTC, I'm shy. No, let me rephrase that: I'm shy and I'm also probably the less sociable person you'll ever met. All my networking and interviewing is done over the internet. This is my third year freelancing full-time and it's still working out great.

KTC said:

Besides...I make money writing poetry too...NOW THAT'S FUN!

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That's AWESOME!!

KTC said:

Seriously...and you will discover this at the conference...I am the MOST shy person in the world. Introverted is my middle name. !

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You lie, sir. That's me.

Can you? Yes.

Will you? Up to you.

scarletpeaches said:

Can you? Yes.

Will you? Up to you.

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oh, dear scarlet...it must burn you so to be wrong. i do, however, suggest to you that this is one of those times, my dear.

Can you? The answer to this question is not always YES. It is sometimes---quite often, in fact---NO. Not everybody has the talent to do this. It is not up to the individual. Some could try for eons and still not pull it off. Some are chasing dreams that will not pan out. Some are too shitty to write for a living no matter how hard they try. you must consider talent, silly girl. effort is not the only factor.

scarletpeaches said:

Can you? Yes.

Will you? Up to you.

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QFT

It's possible, just not really likely at all.

KTC said:

oh, dear scarlet...it must burn you so to be wrong. i do, however, suggest to you that this is one of those times, my dear.

Can you? The answer to this question is not always YES. It is sometimes---quite often, in fact---NO. Not everybody has the talent to do this. It is not up to the individual. Some could try for eons and still not pull it off. Some are chasing dreams that will not pan out. Some are too shitty to write for a living no matter how hard they try. you must consider talent, silly girl. effort is not the only factor.

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Talent comes with effort. Effort comes with desire.

No, this isn't one of those times when I'm wrong. It happens, but not this time.

I've had conversations with people before who say "It's all right for you because..." then they give me a list of reasons why it's so easy for me to do this, that and the other.

To refuse to acknowledge desire, effort and yes, talent, is to devalue the work I've put in up to this point. It didn't 'just happen'. I worked for it.

No, I'm not making a fortune by any means, but what little success I do have isn't down to chance. It's down to me working for it.

The harder you work, the 'luckier' you get.

ETA: If it was all down to talent, none of us would have to practise. None of us would need to be here now, because it would be inborn.

Talent didn't make me spend 20 years writing shit while I learned how to write properly. Talent wasn't what drove me to take classes, read books on writing, analyze books good and bad, write ream after ream of failtacular prose and shitty story telling. Talent didn't get me a thick skin to deal with rejection (almost 200 to date) or bad reviews. Talent sure as shit didn't give me the discipline to write 5,000 words a day, 5-7 days a week.

No, that wasn't talent. That was desire. Desire made me put that effort in, and that effort is what has gotten me where I am. Am I making a living at it? Not yet. But I'm getting there.

My dream is to own a business. And to slack off so much at my business that I can write all day.

And to spend my royalties on fancy sunglasses.

I dont think I could ever live off of writing unless I had a super rich husband. And last time I checked, video game designers aren't super rich =)