Writing full time - is it work?

Posted on 30 January 2008
Tags: Uncategorized

Why is it when you tell people you’re writing full time they think you’re not working. I had to paint my house recently and do some of it myself. When I told my neighbor that I couldn’t come over during the week because I have to work – “he asked me if I got a job?” Recently, I tried to hook up with an old friend for lunch. She asked me, “how did it feel to be retired.” What the..#$%..?

I’m working my arse off people. Let me help enlighten those who don’t know - writing full time is a business. Yes, I don’t have a paycheck every week but that doesn’t mean I’m twirling my fingers. Because I hope to get paid some day for my work.

Here is everything a writer does or what I do:

Write every day on my short story for Romantic times book lover convention;
Write every day on my manuscript — Seduction of Terror;
Create character sketches for my next work;
Enter contests
Update myspace (get friends, update events, check emails, comments, etc.)
Update my site and blog
Weekly update a blog for the Butterscotch Martini Girl site
Work on my portion of the speaking program for the BSMG’s at the Glendale Chocolate Affaire
Work on Valley of the Sun program - I’m the February speaker
Work on Valley of the Sun publicity chair program
Attend chapter meetings - twice a month
Attend VOS office meeting - once a month
Do critiques - could be as much as 7 chapters in two weeks
Attend critique meetings
Getting ready for conventions (promotion stuff, business cards, register, get hotels, etc.)
Check emails, loops (I have 8 so far) daily
Work on getting my name out there - promote and market me as a product!!!!
Setup yearly goals and make sure I’m doing them

These are activities that are just off the top of my head. Writing is a career and there is a business side that goes with it. As Tina Gerow speaks (she has a great program) about - It’s not just eating bon bons all day. Just because I can work in my pajama’s, get up at 8am, do laundry at lunch doesn’t mean I’m not working. There is a down side too, which is I don’t have set office hours. I’ll be doing emails at 10pm at night, or writing on the weekend to make up for not getting enough done during the week. I’m a lucky one because I don’t have a family to take care of while I try to do all the above.

So yes, writing is WORK!!!

Isabella