I really wish I hated my job.
Things are really busy at the 9-to-5, so much so that I haven’t been nearly as committed to writing as I should be. I’ve been setting time aside to write, but I’ve been so mentally beat up, I can’t seem to focus when I’m sitting down in front of the computer. If I hated my job, it would be so easy to quit and to find something else less draining. But I’m good at what I do, I get paid pretty well to do it, and I really like it.
I wonder how authors force themselves to take the plunge and commit themselves to writing full-time. Some authors have turned away from very lucrative careers in order to pursue their real passion – writing. I must be a coward, because even if I hated my job, I don’t think I could abandon it to write full-time. I’ll be honest; I like a steady paycheck. I like writing checks and not worrying about if they’re going to bounce. Mind you, a lot of authors that write full-time make enough money so that they don’t worry about bills. But being that Red Polka Dot isn’t on anyone’s best seller list, I don’t see my royalty checks covering much more than a few combo meals from Popeye’s.
I may be a coward, but at least I’m not a hungry coward.
Nope, you’re no coward. There’s a lot to be said for not prematurely putting the pressure on your writing to keep your tank filled and your health insured.
And in my case, my salaried job became much more enjoyable when I stumbled into children’s writing, because I could finally stop resenting my job for not providing me with all my creative jollies.