Anyone doing this for a living?

[litfan10]

True, but one of my favorite authors (I think it was Clive Cussler, but may have been Spider Robinson) said they couldn't quit their day job until their 6th novel was published.

They still had to do book tours etc.. for the first several books, despite also working a full-time job and having family obligations.

That was with having a major publisher (Random House or Pocket Books) doing marketing, editing, etc...

Doing it yourself requires a much bigger investment in time and cash, and of course, the return is a lot lower. Unless you become a celebrity author like George RR Martin or JK Rowling you probably will never be able to make a living writing fiction...unless you ghostwrite celebrity and politician autobiographies.

During the early phase of my professional writing career, I had a note regarding John Grisham's progress as listed in the author bios in the back of his books for inspiration.

With his first book he described himself as a full time lawyer. About his third or fourth book he was a part time practicing lawyer. It was around book seven or eight that he described himself as coach of his kid's little league team for his main non-writing job.

 

[Salacious_Scribe]

During the early phase of my professional writing career, I had a note regarding John Grisham's progress as listed in the author bios in the back of his books for inspiration.

With his first book he described himself as a full time lawyer. About his third or fourth book he was a part time practicing lawyer. It was around book seven or eight that he described himself as coach of his kid's little league team for his main non-writing job.

Until I started writing, I never understood why people said writing is a job. Now I understand it and am not sure I would want to rely on my next meal coming from my stories.