5 Tips For Making a Living as a Writer

“When I’m not comparing my life to the lives of others, I’m content.” This is a great line!

I’m guilty of comparing myself to others and that is always a recipe for disaster. So now I try not to do it anymore. Time and time again I’ve heard that writers can’t make a living and I always wonder how much does one need to make to make a living. I can live on practically nothing. It just blows my mind that there are writers out there that have several books published yet still have a full-time job.

I live solely by my writing now, but the only way I can do this is by leading a very simple life. But then I’ve never been particularly materialistic in my ambitions. I am hoping that it will get a little easier as I have more books on the market, but for now what has mostly made it possible is the unexpected bonuses that add to the advances – the feature commissions for newspapers and paid appearances that I never really expected.

My husband is thrilled by my modest royalty checks (way out of proportion to the numbers) But they certainly couldn’t feed all these babies we seem to keep having (they come from where? NA-UH!!!!!) I think if you keep your expectations low in this business you’ll only be disappointed 1/2 the time

Thank you; I really appreciated the wisdom in this post.

“What are the biggest hurdles to becoming a full-time writer?”

Medical bills. When I had to go with COBRA insurance between jobs, it was over $1300 a month, and without insurance I’d be bankrupt.

“What are YOUR tips for writers considering it?”

Look at everything you are spending money on and be realistic about whether that expenditure category can be reduced. Food, for example–you can’t go without, and people often fail to calculate all the little ways we nickle and dime our food budgets through the roof, but that category can often be reduced. Health care–nope, you don’t have that option. It costs what it costs, so you need to go get successful while you’re still young and healthy.

(yes, that last was sarcasm–my own life proves that no amount of healthy living or youthful vigor or even serving God by being a leader of a youth ministry can ward off the demons of ill health when they latch onto you)

Capitalizing on previous experience has been key to me. When I started out writing, I write for a few newsletters and magazines about volunteerism and about Vermont since I had experience in both places. I’m moving more toward writing Christian books and blog posts for my full time work, but the steady income from my past experiences has been helpful as I navigate this transition.

I also think writers need to learn the value of asking. If you don’t ask, you won’t get very far. You can over-ask, but there is a lot of value in taking advantage of contacts and opportunities, especially the ones you ask for!

What a fantastic post… reiterates what I’ve felt for a long time. It’s hard to make a living writing– and even more, it’s scary because once you take that leap, you’re getting rid of any hope of a steady paycheck. Anyway, thanks for sharing. I want to add another tip: Don’t assume that making a living as a writer has to be only through books. I’ve signed traditional contracts on 5 books now but I can say honestly that my bread and butter comes from web writing– something I’ve done for seven years steadily. If you want to write– and want to make it your career– I think you need to be willing to expand your repertoire into various genres.

Whatever you do – don’t go without health insurance if you can possibly avoid it.

The stress of a serious uninsured illness, and the choices it forces, will illustrate the monetary value of your life.

Is life priceless? No, it isn’t. On some level we’re all expendable.

Learning that will change your ability to write, or your style, or both. While it’s a basic truth to most of the world, for an American at this point it generally isn’t – we are used to being cared for in a way that’s simply miraculous, and losing that cocoon of security on a personal level will likely shock you to the core.

Biggest hurdle to becoming a full time writer? 1) Money – Not gobs of it, just enough to exist, 2) Independence – the thought of moving in with relatives – I can’t go there.

Thanks! My favorite part was your honesty in feeling behind.
I’m not a full time writer but in making moves to hopefully becomes is leaving me feeling wwwaaaaayyyy behind everyone else my age. That leads to pressure of feeling like I HAVE to do this which stresses me out. It’s a snowball. That makes me the words of my mom saying “so few are successful at it” ring all the more true

Your cross country trip with your family is one I think many people envy but might not admit to it! I think it’s fantastic!

Your tip about ‘lean before your leap’ is a good one. I did that when I started my own business. It was exhausting in the short haul, but worth it in the long run.

Thanks for sharing!