Comments on: Making a Living http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/ Ten Authors. Five Genres. One Blog. Because the only thing scarier than a loaded gun pointed at your head....is writing about it. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:39:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Misa http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-28149 Misa Sun, 04 Feb 2007 16:23:00 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-28149 God, you're good! God, you’re good!

]]> By: Allison http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-27896 Allison Sat, 03 Feb 2007 06:57:53 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-27896 Maureen, you hit it--some people need to blame someone or something if things don't work exactly how they envisioned. Wendy, those doubt demons are evil, and they try to effect everyone. They get me sometimes, and most other writers as well. We just have to be stronger. Hi Margaret--I still post, but just not as often as I used to. I usually only read email in the early morning (sometimes at night) because I need to be more disciplined :) Jami, SF doesn't count . . . that's like living in NYC. :) And thanks Joyce for letting me know SPEAK NO EVIL is out there! It's still weird for me to see my books on the shelf . . . I went to lunch with Karin today and it was at Longs. Just . . . weird. And totally cool. But still weird :) Maureen, you hit it–some people need to blame someone or something if things don’t work exactly how they envisioned.

Wendy, those doubt demons are evil, and they try to effect everyone. They get me sometimes, and most other writers as well. We just have to be stronger.

Hi Margaret–I still post, but just not as often as I used to. I usually only read email in the early morning (sometimes at night) because I need to be more disciplined :)

Jami, SF doesn’t count . . . that’s like living in NYC. :)

And thanks Joyce for letting me know SPEAK NO EVIL is out there! It’s still weird for me to see my books on the shelf . . . I went to lunch with Karin today and it was at Longs. Just . . . weird. And totally cool. But still weird :)

]]> By: Maureen McGowan http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-27801 Maureen McGowan Fri, 02 Feb 2007 20:41:38 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-27801 Great post, Allison. From the attitude of some wirters out there, it's like they thought if they wrote a book, riches would automatically pour down from above, and when it doesn't happen that way, they cook up all these conspiracy theories, or the-world's-against-me theories, to explain why. Like any career, building a writing career takes time and hard work. Even writers who get that huge first advance still have to build. In fact, it could arguably be harder in those cases because it can be harder to get a "raise" when you're already at a very high "base salary" and you have higher expectations to meet. Few things in life are easy and all we can do is keep trying, keep improving, keep learning. Great post, Allison. From the attitude of some wirters out there, it’s like they thought if they wrote a book, riches would automatically pour down from above, and when it doesn’t happen that way, they cook up all these conspiracy theories, or the-world’s-against-me theories, to explain why.

Like any career, building a writing career takes time and hard work. Even writers who get that huge first advance still have to build. In fact, it could arguably be harder in those cases because it can be harder to get a “raise” when you’re already at a very high “base salary” and you have higher expectations to meet.

Few things in life are easy and all we can do is keep trying, keep improving, keep learning.

]]> By: Meretta ~ American Title Finalist http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-27761 Meretta ~ American Title Finalist Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:37:02 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-27761 Thanks for sharing this, Allison. It's a perfect way to start my day. :) Thanks for sharing this, Allison. It’s a perfect way to start my day. :)

]]> By: Margaret A. Golla http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-27759 Margaret A. Golla Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:26:26 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-27759 WOW, Allison, I love the analogy you told your daughter--it is so true. I've missed seeing your posts on the RWA loops and am so glad to find you again through Karin's blog. As much as I would love to blog surf all day--I'll never get that fifth book finished! WOW, Allison, I love the analogy you told your daughter–it is so true. I’ve missed seeing your posts on the RWA loops and am so glad to find you again through Karin’s blog. As much as I would love to blog surf all day–I’ll never get that fifth book finished!

]]> By: Jami Alden http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-27665 Jami Alden Fri, 02 Feb 2007 04:07:13 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-27665 So I'm currently in a position where I could make a living... in West Virginia. It will take a big bump in advances for me to even pay my property taxes. Luckily, I have a husband whose job pays the bills! But seriously, I think we all (or at least I) forget that writing is a very long career. And for every author who hit it big right out of the gate, there are other huge authors who took many years and many books before they made it. But what did they do? Like Allison said, they kept writing. They got to be better writers, and perhaps savvier about writing to the market (there's a reason lots of historical authors have moved to contemporary, and it's not just because they wanted to stretch their creative muscles). So yeah, maybe the idea of supporting myself in a year is unrealistic, but in 5, 10, 15? It's not out of the question, especially if that's a priority for me, and I do my best to plan and pursue my career accordingly. And If I move someplace with a significantly lower cost of living than the San Francisco Bay Area! So I’m currently in a position where I could make a living… in West Virginia. It will take a big bump in advances for me to even pay my property taxes. Luckily, I have a husband whose job pays the bills! But seriously, I think we all (or at least I) forget that writing is a very long career. And for every author who hit it big right out of the gate, there are other huge authors who took many years and many books before they made it. But what did they do? Like Allison said, they kept writing. They got to be better writers, and perhaps savvier about writing to the market (there’s a reason lots of historical authors have moved to contemporary, and it’s not just because they wanted to stretch their creative muscles). So yeah, maybe the idea of supporting myself in a year is unrealistic, but in 5, 10, 15? It’s not out of the question, especially if that’s a priority for me, and I do my best to plan and pursue my career accordingly. And If I move someplace with a significantly lower cost of living than the San Francisco Bay Area!

]]> By: Wendy Roberts http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-27657 Wendy Roberts Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:20:25 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-27657 Oh this was JUST what I needed today. Perfect. I just posted on my blog about my plague of Self-Doubt Demons. Truly, how can a writer have enough confidence to get the job done when you have negative thoughts pummelling you both inside and out? This business is tough. Without hope and dreams it just gets tougher. Oh this was JUST what I needed today. Perfect.

I just posted on my blog about my plague of Self-Doubt Demons. Truly, how can a writer have enough confidence to get the job done when you have negative thoughts pummelling you both inside and out? This business is tough. Without hope and dreams it just gets tougher.

]]> By: Natalie http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-27656 Natalie Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:16:13 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-27656 Allison, EXCELLENT POST. Wow. And so, so true. I'm sure most of us dreamed of the life of the "published author" but most of also were quickly disabused of that notion. It takes TIME to build a career. Right now I am in a hard spot with back-to-back deadlines, but not major advances, but I know if I can just hang in there, I WILL be making a living. Someday.... You go girl! Allison, EXCELLENT POST. Wow. And so, so true. I’m sure most of us dreamed of the life of the “published author” but most of also were quickly disabused of that notion. It takes TIME to build a career. Right now I am in a hard spot with back-to-back deadlines, but not major advances, but I know if I can just hang in there, I WILL be making a living. Someday….

You go girl!

]]> By: Louise Ahern http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-27638 Louise Ahern Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:36:20 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-27638 Thank you so much for this post! Thank you so much for this post!

]]> By: Jen http://www.murdershewrites.com/2007/02/01/making-a-living/#comment-27617 Jen Thu, 01 Feb 2007 21:46:04 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=384#comment-27617 Naysayers bring others down to make themselves feel better. Run fast and far from them :-) Naysayers bring others down to make themselves feel better. Run fast and far from them :-)

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