Becoming a full time writer is pie in the sky for me, and probably for most people who are just starting their writing journey. I was thinking today about what it would actually be like. On the surface I can't imagine anything better, but realistically,the following points which could be a problem for me:
- I would have to motivate myself. Or I'd need a really mean agent to give me harsh deadlines. I don't work well without deadlines because...well let's face it, there's always a new book to read or a rubbish but entertaining TV programme to watch
- It must be quite a solitary life. Unless you're a very cool writer living in a hip urban apartment in a fashionable area of London (I'm so unfashionable that I don't which areas are cool) and manage to go out for coffee and cocktails on a regular basis with other mediaaah friends
- I would miss the kids I currently work with. But I suppose if I ever manage to be a proper published children's author I'd do things like writing workshops for kids (ooooh that sounds like loads of fun!) and school book tours.
But the advantages...
- Working in your own home
- Drinking A LOT of tea
- thinking a lot and loads of re-drafting (I really love doing that)
- creating your own characters full time
- Drinking A LOT of tea
- Being able to work in bed/on the sofa/in the garden etc
Can you think of any more?
Another con to consider is pressure. Others expect more from you as well as you expecting more from yourself when you do nothing but write. As in, "What do you mean you can only finish one book a year, all you do it write?" and "Shouldn't you be done by now/figured that out by now/started *fill in blank* by now, after all, it's not like you work.(No one outside of the writing and publication industry considers writing as 'work', just so you know. Kinda how stay at home moms don't 'work' either. Yeah, right.)
ReplyDeleteThe thing that scares me the most is the deadlines that writers talk about - I don't normally miss deadlines when there set but they still scare me to death!
ReplyDelete@Marian -As if I need to put myself under more pressure! I'm guessing you can't think/write solid for 8 hours a day. @Jesse - noooo I'm too lazy not to have deadlines :-)
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