Writing, Multitasking and Earning a Living as a Writer

The other day, I pounded out a 4000 word book proposal and got it sent off. On another project, a client and I have been discussing a contract and we've now reached an agreement. I've sent the contracts and I'll have some money coming in, which is always nice. I've been working on my editing work, which is always present. I have plenty of work to keep me busy for months, but whether it produces cold hard cash is another story.

The reality is that most productive writers are working on several projects at once. The reasons are many fold, but the primary reason is to not get stuck on something and be less productive. At any time, I have 2 books going, several editing jobs, several book reviews and at least one book proposal. Each of these projects keep me fresh so I can continue writing on my other projects.

The truth of the writing biz is unless you're golden and hit what I call the writing "jackpot," that is, getting a steady gig that pays or, better yet, getting a bestseller, you really have to make some hard choices in your life as a writer. You can choose to have a day job (as I have done in the past) and try to find time to write between lunch breaks and at home. The plus of this is that you have a steady paycheck. Or you can freelance, as I have done, and write like crazy and look for paychecks wherever you can find them.

Unless you're rich or have an extremely generous benefactor, the reality of the writing life is at some time you have to whore yourself to make a living. It's a rare writer who makes it big off the bat writing what he or she really wants to write and makes enough money at it to live off of. Whether you work as a freelancer, writing like mad to pay bills or whether you work a day job, it's all a means for keeping yourself in this business.

I used to get really angry at people who discounted what I did for a living as writing. After all, I wrote well over 20 books on pets alone, plus hundreds of articles. While other writers were still rehashing the drafts of their first three chapters, I was published and making money. But for some reason, the fiction community has the stigma against the nonfiction folks. Which is wrong, of course. You want to learn how to write well? Try paying your mortgage with your writing career. I guarantee you'll step up fast or get out.

Nowadays, I look at those dilettantes as being full of themselves and woefully uninformed. I've been published by some of the biggest publishers and my books have brand recognition. It doesn't mean that I don't want to write novels, I do. But I use the nonfiction to support my fiction habit. And nonfiction is one of the best ways to improve your writing. Don't believe me? Try writing it sometime.