To Write or Not to Write

[Snowman37]

I am at a crossroads in life. I am 26 years old, soon to be 27. I still live at home, I work at a grocery store. I need to make a lot of money, fast, so fast that I made it yesterday. There's constantly one crisis or road block after another. It seems that writing keeps slipping further and further into the back ground. How does one know if one should keep writing? :(

[iamnobody]

Of course you should keep writing. Do whatever else you have to do to make money.
(Don't count on writing to take care of that right away)But ALSO keep writing.

Good Luck!

[MystyrMystyry]

You're but 27

You say you need lots of money fast

On the one hand writing is about the most inexpensive hobby short of nurturing pet rocks found in the garden

On the other hand you don't say what kind of writing

'Lots-of-money making writing' isn't about knocking out an instant classic or even a script for a top rating television show - you'll still get underpaid

No, fifty percent of it's about ensuring your work is saleable by being legible, literate and interesting, and unless you've got the passion it will remain a hobby - and the other fifty percent is about a roll of the dice

Some make it who (let's face it) shouldn't, some don't make it in the field they thought they would but discover along the way they're a dab hand at another form like journalism or travel or airport bricks over shortstories

Some make it by writing just the script Hollywood was looking for, but beware, there are plenty sharks in those waters

Maybe it's a novel first, and the film rights get auctioned for a sum that'd buy a mansion on the Rivierra

But if you want to be rich yesterday, I'd suggest you're working too hard in an area that doesn't stimulate you enough and feels like a complete waste of your potential talent and time.

But whichever you choose you'll never know if you stop early


At this point I like to remind people of a little book written by a banker called Wind In The Willows (the book, not the banker, who was called Kenneth Graham). He didn't want to work in a bank - he wanted to spend his day mucking about in boats. Carefully he crafted one of the most beloved books of all in his spare time, taking as long as it took until he felt it was ready, and when so he made friends with publishers and shopped it around until ultimately he could live his dream

So don't flip and flop with different styles, fiddle with first and third person narratives, try to make it all-conquering (most readers don't believe the blurb), just sketch the plot, draw in the characters, tell the story, and rewrite as much as necessary.

You'll get there eventually.

[Snowman37]

I didn't mean that I want to make lots of money from writing, just lots of money from working. The more time I dedicate to working, the less time I have for writing.

[ZiggyStardust]

Well, if you are looking to sell a book then all I have to offer is-

Keep writing if you can take a c*** ton of failure and rejection. Maybe work with one story for a few years so you can keep focusing on making a living. Then, when you feel like you have the time and energy, keep adding on to your story. Over time you will be able to add more to it with your newfound knowledge and experience in life. So, in short, keep writing... but only if you are strong enough to handle it. :)