'Don't Quit Your Day Job' and Other Naysayers

How many creative writers are out there right now working dead end jobs just to pay the bills, simply because it allows them time to toil over their as yet unpublished manuscripts? How many security guards, and parking lot attendants, and overnight morgue delivery guys are really just frustrated writers pushing forward until they make their first sale?

And how many times have these same writers wanted to punch some well meaning family member, friend, or even a published author in the face when they delivered that all too familiar advice - Don't quit your day job?

To all those brilliant, but as of yet, undiscovered authors out there putting in the writing hours and paying your dues, I say ditch the lousy 9 to 5 (and yes that can be 9pm to 5am) and stand up and say, "To hell with you. I AM quitting my day job!"

Here's how.

Freelance.

You've put in enough hours, so you can clearly write. Why not get paid for it while you're finishing, finessing, flogging, or otherwise torturing your own creation. The harsh reality is that it often takes years, sometimes decades, to land a book deal, and that's just way too many shifts validating parking passes for any one person to bear.

Many writers don't even consider this as an option because they see it as word whoring, as if it somehow cheapens their work or takes creative energy away from their own project.

Wrong. Any writing you do makes you a better writer. And anything that makes you a better writer is worth doing. Will it suck all the creative juices out of you? On the contrary. Forcing yourself to spark creatively for outside projects will add new dimensions to your own work and keep you in the writing headspace.

If that's not reason enough, think of this. Publishers and agents love, LOVE (have I emphasized this enough???) experts, and freelancing give you the perfect opportunity to build a reputation as an expert. Let's say you're writing a legal thriller. Imagine being able to say in your kick-ass query that you've been the online blogging voice of a particular law firm, or that you've written dozens of articles on the exotic locations where your story takes place. Or maybe you're working on a modern romance. How could a publisher resist requesting the manuscript from someone who has written hundreds of dating articles? You see where I'm going with this.

Freelancing doesn't just put money in your pocket. It elevates your craft, gives you credibility when you're ready to sell your own work, and is a whole heck of a lot better than asking people if they want fries with their meal.

You've got the gift. You've got the skill. Stand up and say, "Yes, I am quitting my day job!"

What are you waiting for?



image by Gep