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Survey on full-time writing (Vote, vote, vote)

What are your writing ambitions?

  • I am a full-time professional writer

    Votes: 6 15.0%
  • I would like to be a full-time professional writer

    Votes: 15 37.5%
  • I would like to write as a sidejob, but wouldn't like to be a full-time professional writer

    Votes: 14 35.0%
  • I am purely a hobbyist and don't want to earn money from writing

    Votes: 5 12.5%

  • Total voters
    40

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
We've probably had one of these before, but I am curious to see what the ambitions (and current situation) of folks on this forum are at the moment. Hopefully a lot of people will answer the poll so we can get a good overview. Feel free to elaborate on your position, but this is not necessary if you do not feel like it.

Personally I've gone for option 3. Already write on the side and I don't have any personal issues with money entering the equation, but I know myself well enough to see I'm too much of a dreamer to will myself to work if I was completely self-employed.
 
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I can see myself as a potentially fulltime career writer, but I also have other talents and skills I would want to keep cultivating professionally. In my opinion, they're all complimentary ambitions... I guess the better answer is I'd like to have designated, scheduled time to write every day, but probably could not physically write all day every day. Not unless I can find a portable, hands-free (reliable) typing device that I could dictate to while doing other things. That would be a game changer...
 
I think there are one or two categories left out of the survey.

I'll bet my current condition is not unusual on the forum: I am a commercially published author who doesn't make my living entirely from writing, but I'd like to.
 

Miles Lacey

Archmage
For me, I am a part-time writer but I get paid in kind rather than money. Ideally, I'd like to become a full-time writer but the New Zealand market for full-time writers has all but collapsed so I doubt I would be able to make a career out of it any time soon.
 
Publishing is on its knees in Australia also, but I do think that opens up opportunities for independent authors...as long as they're good.
 

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
My bad, I should have included 'I am a part-time writer and don't want to write full-time'.
 
Personally I've gone for option 3. Already write on the side and I don't have any personal issues with money entering the equation, but I know myself well enough to see I'm too much of a dreamer to will myself to work if I was completely self-employed.

This was true of myself until I hit 40 Ban. Can't even begin to say what changed but, given the opportunity to make a living making things, and pulling from my childhood and imagination, I found the way to settle into balancing out the dreamer vs structure battle and will myself to carry on though on my own.

I'm still bad at making deadlines, self organizing etc but my customers are very understanding and when you are making custom items that they can't get made anywhere else, there tends to be a lot of leeway there. I imagine writing would be the same, should I be so fortunate one day. I've found a way to fit in two hours of it every day, first thing, before my "work day" begins. I've given up a lot to do what I do and don't miss any of it at all now. Not the social life, not the various periphery friends and outings. Maybe that was what changed. I've narrowed the have to's down to a select few and cut out all my social media, blogging, etc except that which pertains to what I love most to do. In the end, with less to distract, I don't find myself feeling near to as scattered as I once did. Once I may have defined the term social butterfly but I've come to enjoy our more monastic schedule and hermit-like existence. It feels settled to me. I can see writing fitting into that and being part of the fulfillment in it as well. I write best in silence and without any distractions. :)
 

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
Pretty good turnout so far on the voting! I had expected more people to opt for option 4, seeing as the presence of money might lead to writer anxiety. Let's see if the trend towards option 3 remains.
 

Svrtnsse

Staff
Article Team
I had the opportunity to go full time writer for a while, but didn't pull it off. I don't have enough self-discipline to manage the amount of work required, and my books didn't sell even remotely close to enough. I'm back to working full time again, and the writing is going pretty well, all things considered. I'd like to be able to work part-time, though, but that's for once I figure out how to actually make money off of my books. :p
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
I am (hopefully) transitioning from part to full-time writing. I have been running even or in the black in ROI for a few months, it’s (hopefully) a matter of getting the next book out along with audiobooks in order to scale up the advertising and income. I might shop the book after the one I’m finishing now to Trad, but I’m not patient with that sort of thing.
 

Ruru

Troubadour
For me, I am a part-time writer but I get paid in kind rather than money. Ideally, I'd like to become a full-time writer but the New Zealand market for full-time writers has all but collapsed so I doubt I would be able to make a career out of it any time soon.
Nice to see another Kiwi on the forum! I haven't managed to make the publishing scene yet, but I have got the feeling that there isn't a whole lot going on in the market here at the moment.

For me, I would love to have writing as a side job, partially because I'm realistic about my ability to write enough to support myself that way, but also because I take a lot of inspiration from the other things I do day to day, and I think that helps my writing.
 

Miles Lacey

Archmage
Ruru - We'd better be careful. If we find one more Kiwi here we'll probably form a committee. As Jesus said, "Where three or more Kiwis gather, they shall form a committee."
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
I guess it's a sidejob, though I don't care for the term. I write because I'm a writer. It appears to be what I do and have always done. Nowadays I can self-pub, so I do that, in hopes that others will enjoy my Altearth tales. It would be nice to break even on costs, but beyond that I have no financial ambitions. Money may not be the root of all evil, but it's one of its branches.
 
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