Full Time Authors

I'm not a full-time writer, but, good luck! (Especially as you're a stay-at-home dad as well - two jobs!)

I've been a full time writer at various times, including now, for the last year or so. One of the big fantasy questions you get to answer is: what great projects or assignments did I miss out on because I was too busy with my full time day job and unable to have the time or the energy to compete for it?
Often, the answer is very disturbing.
Like, none of the above.
However, depending on your need for immediate income, the pleasures can be immense (once the kids are out of the way, napping, in school, necking in the next room).
I once wrote a novel in three months working on it every day, all day. And it was published.
But also, at about the same time, I found I had to move out of the house and into an office, just to get the feeling I was really working. I worked out of the basement of my dentist, and then at a local arts center--very cheap rents.
If you've got kids at home, that's impossible.
As far as real tips: you've always got to be looking forward to your next assignment, since you can't guarantee when they'll come or how long it'll take to get paid. It helps if you've got some regular gigs or customers or royalties from previous books.
The downside is, sometimes you've got to do things just for the money and an assignment in the hand becomes awfully hard to turn down. Often getting the assignment is the high point, writing the piece is just work.
You've got to avoid being taken for granted at home, too, especially if you've got a working wife who might expect you to take care of everything relating to the house and the kids.
On the other hand, this is a risky balance that will make or break either your career or your marriage--or both.
Good luck to you, my friend.

1) How many of you are full-time authors? As in, that's your job?

As of about four months ago, I work about 30 hours a month as a writer for an online company... and the rest is just me and my novel. The income I get from my 30-hour job is not terribly significant, but it gives us some extra money and I can work more if I want.

2) What was the biggest adjustment you had to make when you went from rest of the world to world in my head. And I mean aside from not having to wear pants?

The lack of social interaction, I think. When I quit my full-time job it suddenly became very apparent that I don't have any close friends in the area, outside of my husband. Fortunately, I have AW. (Hopefully the friend situation will change when we move next year.) On the other hand, that's pushed me to try new things such as taking a Chinese class, just to "get out."

3) In hindsight, what advice do you offer up to someone who's just gone full-time?

Set a schedule, a deadline, something. I told my husband I was not to be allowed to do anything "fun" until I had completed 2,000 words per day. I stuck to it, and it worked. If it's just open-ended, you wind up spending all your time... er, here.

PeeDee,

I haven't any advice to offer as I haven't had the opportunity (yet).

Just wanted to wish you well!

I'm not currently a full-time writer, but there have been brief stints in my life where I've been able to say, I have no outside commitments. For the next few months, I'm writing exclusively. During those stints, I've learned things about myself and about working from home.

1) Be brutally honest with yourself about who you are and what your habits are.

2) Learn your own natural flows and rhythms. This includes figuring out whether you're more of a task-oriented or time-oriented individual.

3) Set goals, deadlines, and tasks. Stick to them as much as possible.

4) Understand that in order to make money next month, you have to work now. Starting out, you're not going to have money coming in, which can make it difficult to motivate yourself, but you need to get assignments and queries out there NOW, so you will have an income in the future.

5) Set time to play and recharge and be off-duty, too. But don't use this as an excuse to not work.

I write full-time and handle my writing career as I did my previous careers. It’s a business, and I treat it that way every day.

Set your office hours and stick to them. Plan what you intend to accomplish for each day and work overtime, if necessary, to complete what you set up for that day. It’s very easy to think you have all the time in the world because no one is watching over your shoulder. You have to be the mean boss who is cracking the whip and meet your deadlines.

Advise anyone who comes a knocking or calling that you are working and do not let them distract you. Family and friends thought because I worked at home and I am retired from the “real” working world, that I had time to run their errands, do chores, chat on the phone, etc. I made it clear right from the beginning that this was as serious a job as any of my other jobs, and I am rarely interrupted anymore. I think it may also have something to do with my Irish temper...

I have always been a night owl, so I write a great deal in the wee hours of the morning. I plan my day with three breaks (must get my AW time in ) and when the clock strikes the appointed hour that my business is closed, I step away from my desk and rejoin the real world.

You have to be dedicated and responsible. If you start goofing off, you’ll find more and more excuses every day not to write.

Good luck!

EDIT: The interruption exception in your case would be your new wee one.

The only advice I have for you right now, speaking as a SAHM, is get as much work done NOW while that little one is still little enough to nap during the day, and keep that crib AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

One that critter gets legs under 'em, you're toast. Good luck!

Something I just thought about...

Be sure to thank your wife often for allowing you to follow your dream. She's going to have to make sacrifices right along with you, until a steady income materializes, and you should let her know you don't take that for granted.

Although I don't know you very well, somehow I have a feeling you probably don’t need to be reminded of this…

brianm said:

It’s very easy to think you have all the time in the world because no one is watching over your shoulder.

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That's what I thought about my upcoming deadline. It sneaks up on you.

The thing I would worry about most is the isolation. I need lots of contact with the outside world to spark ideas -- I don't have much imagination of my own. A job, for good or ill, provides that.

But I'm impressed, Pete. I wouldn't have the nerve.

I am a full-time writer, and my biggest problems are distraction (doing anything but writing or researching, like right now) and the isolation. I agree with JoNightshade that setting up a schedule and sticking with it is really key. If your kids are school-age, then take advantage of a good chunk of time during the day to get writing done. Don't get sucked into household chores during your writing time.
It's a pretty great life.

PeeDee said:

I used to write about 10,000 words a day.

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If I do 2000 it's a major achievement, not an everyday thing. Perhaps since you're just lolling around unemployed, you could take a few days and finish my book for me.

Full-time

From my experience, popmuze nailed it, so I'll add just a bit.

The best advice I can give is Do Not Let Writing Full-time Turn You Into A Hermit! The temptation to spend all your hours inside writing is very real, but it's the worst thing you can do, at least over the long haul. You have to make time to get out on a regular basis to refill the well, etc.

But the opposite is also true. A very big adjustment for me was going from being told what to do by someone else, to being my own boss. With no one around who tells you what to do and when to do it, it's very easy to think you can just work whenever you want, and take as much time off as you want. Self-discipline becomes even more critical.

Keep in mind, since you're basically self-employed, you'll need to put some of those earnings away for taxes. FICA is a miserable whore. You'll be paying the entire rate, 15.30%, instead of having an employer match half.

I've been self-employed since 1991 (not as a writer) and it has its perks as well as pitfalls. Most have been stated, mainly about being a self-starter, so if you can get some good reliable sources to write for you'll probably do fine.

Good luck, Pete.

Ah, but taxes will think of you! I believe working at home you'll have new deductions, though, along with the 2.0 deductions.

Isolation is a big issue. AW is my sole source of adult conversation from 7AM to 6PM Monday through Friday. Now you know why I'm always here.

I have three kids. One is a teenager who is into practically every sport his school offers and takes all the advanced placement (college level) courses he can, which this year is like 5. That means *I* have a lot of sports related stuff to do, can't expect much help around the house from him anymore (when he's not gone he's doing homework), and sometimes I get roped into helping him do research.

I also have 2 little ones that aren't school aged yet. They don't nap. I can force them to lay down for an hour, but I have to force them and they usually won't nod off. I'm pretty much always carrying a baby or doing something baby related (I'm nursing one right now).

Add to that the simple needs of the family: clean laundry, four meals a day (tiny stomaches, you know), a house that isn't a *complete* disaster area, and I don't have much time for writing. If I get 1,000 words in a day, my husband says, "Wow! Good job!" He also helps out around the house once he gets off work.

Not all spouses are this understanding, and I consider myself truly blessed, but I do get lonely. And tired. My kids needs don't stop so that I can sleep, and frequently they take turns waking up.

The "set a time for writing and don't let it be interrupted" advice simply cannot be applied to my lifestyle. It won't be possible for me to do that for at least 4 more years. Still, I *can* write, talk to the adults on AW, and manage my household.

Here's what I do:

1) I've started a collaborative project, so I can add input without having to do all the work.

2) I keep more than one iron in the fire so that I can never tell myself that I don't have anything ongoing that needs my attention. (It also helps keep the creative juices flowing, in my opinion)

3) I expect interruptions. The kids could do something drastic at any moment. I have to be ready, willing, and able to stop midsentence, go fix the problem, then come back and complete the thought. Expecting this, rather than being exasperated by it, has really helped my mood.

4) I edit when my husband is home. Not every day, but about once a week (sometimes less). I'll ask him to take the kids to the park or something, then I'll actually have utter peace in which to go over what I wrote earlier. This means that the hard part - putting down the words - happens in little bursts, but at least I have quiet when making those words shine.

5) I remind myself and my husband that I can't do everything. Yes, he's worked hard all day. But so have I. And when he comes home, we both have it a bit easier, because then we can *split* the work. Neither of us gets to kick off our shoes, turn on the TV, and call for our pipe. (Not that we watch TV or smoke, but you get the idea).

6) I count my blessings. I'm doing what I love.

Monkey said:

AW is my sole source of adult conversation from 7AM to 6PM Monday through Friday.

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You don't visit the politics board often, I'm guessing.

PeeDee said:

My challenges are balancing taking care of him with a LOT of writing, with taking care of the house. Not the end of the world. Certainly not on your level, monkey. But still. Ooof.

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That sounds lovely

I'd recommend making the baby a safe place to sleep right next to your computer. Then put some nice, soft toys, and a few clean diapers near by. That way, even when baby wakes up or needs a diaper change, the disruption to your writing time is minimal.

I also really recommend keeping at least two projects going at all times. If you reach a block on one, go to the other. On a good day, given more than one project, I can write 5-6,000 words even with some major distractions.

The housework is much easier to handle before the baby becomes a toddler! Write, write, write before that happens, 'cause it won't take long!

You don't visit the politics board often, I'm guessing.

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Actually, no. That's the one section of these boards that I try to avoid.

I don't mind frivolity, so the banter that goes on here doesn't bother me, but those boards get downright *mean*. Also, politics is one of my passions, and I'd rather not let differing political views get in the way of meaningful discussion...which I'm afraid could happen if I reguarly vented on the politics threads.

That is, I'm scared that some of the people whose politics are radically different from my own may treat me differently on other threads after things got heated between us on the politics threads.

Umm...I'm still not making sense, darn it, but you get the idea!

1) How many of you are full-time authors? As in, that's your job?
I've been writing full-time for over a year. But I don't make a living at it--my books earn royalties, but not equal to a salary. Yet.

2) What was the biggest adjustment you had to make when you went from rest of the world to world in my head. And I mean aside from not having to wear pants?
Still working on the self-discipline thing--floundering is a problem. When I worked full-time and wrote on the side, I wrote every free minute. I gave up TV completely, and wouldn't allow myself to read for pleasure. Ten minutes before work, fifteen while the oven heated up. My family life suffered. Going to half-time at work, I was able to write the same amount and still spend time with family. Quitting the day job meant I got to watch TV again. The output hasn't increased, and thanks to a recent slump has actually gone down lately. In fact, I've never matched the pace at which I wrote my first book (72,000 words in under six weeks). But then again, I haven't had to be so focused.

3) In hindsight, what advice do you offer up to someone who's just gone full-time?
Don't forget to get some exercise!

Try to set a routine--since quitting the day job, I've had my best success when I deliberately structured my day as it had been at work: got dressed and started work at the same time, took my breaks and lunch at the same time. I've let that go, and am trying to reestablish it.

Best of luck!