Comments on: 5 reasons having a ‘day job’ helps your writing

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 11 May 2009 04:58:23 +0000

I think it depends a lot on what your day job is. I write at my day job, and I write at home. It is so hard to get the creative juices flowing after a long day in front of the computer at the office.

I would love to have a job that didn’t involve writing to give me the benefits without the creative brain drain.

By: Week in review « Publishing Renaissance

Week in review « Publishing Renaissance — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:29:55 +0000

[...] Five Reasons Having a ‘Day Job’ Helps Your Writing at Creative Penn. ( “An American author who sold over 75,000 copies and made the Times Bestseller list shows a net income of $0 from her books.”) [...]

By: Kristina

Kristina — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:27:59 +0000

It’s so true about being busy makes you more productive. I can’t write without the pressure. I had a paper due today, had the topic for over a week. I did a little fiddling around with it each day, but didn’t really get do to it until Friday night. Why must we have that writing frenzy?? Great post!

By: Bobby Revell

Bobby Revell — Sun, 03 May 2009 03:42:04 +0000

Great post Joanna. I say write what you love and write because you truly love to. To become a mass sensation through the old channels of being noticed by the right publisher and your book taking off like a rocket is becoming increasingly unlikely. It is up to each individual to create their own success and use the endless tools now available. Like all writers, I have dreams, but even if I never make a lot of money, I will still write and work towards my dreams. You never know what will happen and I want to be in it just in case it does:)

By: Meriall Blackwood

Meriall Blackwood — Sat, 02 May 2009 21:43:43 +0000

Not having another source of income isn’t even going to be an option until I write something that isn’t outrageously noncommercial. My major work-in-progress at present is epic poetry, which has the commercial value of a three-armed t-shirt.

That writing is so bad as business is one of the reasons I haven’t been writing commercial fiction and chasing publication with it.

By: Eric

Eric — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:24:24 +0000

Very sound advice. I can especially relate to the idea that having more time benefits the creative mind. Deadlines are great motivators. It’s also good to be realistic about writing for a living. I guess that means, dream big but work smart.

By: Olliie

Olliie — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:04:02 +0000

Joanna,

I knew it wasn’t crime to write. I love writing. I loved writing since the day my life changed into a whole new persona. All my writings come from what I experienced. I’ve published 2 books @ Lulu Publishers, as a self-publisher. Olliie is my new name, because I thought of changing my life and write a new novel about Olliie.

Thanks for the useful tips mentioned, Joanna

Im following you on Twitter already

Have a nice week.

By: Laurie PK

Laurie PK — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:46:57 +0000

As a full-time freelance writer, I sometimes think I accomplished more when I worked in an office part-time! When you’re tight on time, you’re forced to write — not tweet, catch up on Google Reader, or tweak your blog. Someone once said, “if you need something done, ask a busy person to do it.”

But though I agree that a day job can be helpful to writers in many ways, I’m not looking to change my situation any time soon!

By: Jason Weaver

Jason Weaver — Sat, 02 May 2009 09:02:00 +0000

It needed to be said, Joanna! Point 5 is particularly valuable. Once you’re getting paid for it, the nature of what you write changes. Some people can roll with that. For me, writing for a living took a lot of the joy away. Since then, I always try to ‘protect’ my writing with another form of income. Thanks for a great post.

By: darkened jade

darkened jade — Sat, 02 May 2009 08:40:34 +0000

Loved the second point – so definitely true. I write every day, but during the week I keep thinking, come the weekend I’ll finish that. The weekend comes and I stuff around and then nothing gets written.

All of these are great points. Thanks.