Is Writing for a Living a Job? Do you Suffer If Making Money Is Hard?
I’ll ask this question today: If you are writing for a living and enjoying the process will it ever become a job?
Would you feel that by making money you won’t suffer from others who complain you don’t have a true job? (Personally, if someone complains to me about writing, I simply ignore them. Sometimes it is not worth turning an explanation into an argument with them.)
I think that no matter what, there are times when writing does feel like a job, but for me this is often not the case. I love the process of writing and publishing.
The truth is that making money as a writer is not always the easiest thing, and I have read in many places that it can take up to a year to see success with a self-published book. There are exceptions of course, but I think this is a pretty good assessment. After all, I have to write, edit, design, publish and market that book. I also have to learn what works well for my book and what does not.
It also holds true for any format of the book which I decide to publish in, but the key is working towards improving my next book and writing again. The same ideas hold true for you. If you are passionate about writing, it will show and people will buy your book and spend their money.
If you want to write… I know that there will be days when writing just feels like a job, but it’s still wonderful and fun to write. Money is money and it will come in time.
One Comment
Damaria Senne
I've been making a living from writing for so long that everyone in my family and my friends see it as a legitimate job.It helps that I seem to be earning more than some of the people who actually go to "real jobs" each day. In that respect, I'm fortunate to be spared comments that I should get a real job.
So, to address your question on whether writing ever feels like a job to me. The answer is yes, it does. Many times. Even when i work on my own projects that I feel passionate about, there are days when the lustre doesn't shine so well. But I see that as just part of the process of doing something that I love overall. It's like falling in love and marrying your love – there are times when you argue, times when you don't like them so much. There are times when you have to reach deep down to find the love and passion that you felt for them at the beginning. You know it's there and overall, the relationship is worth the occassional conflict.