How do you pay the bills?

[Feo Takahari]

From the sounds of it, most of you aren't making much money from writing. What's your day job?

I'm a college student, but I work part-time as an assistant budget analyst for the school dining halls. On a good day, this means matching numbers between two sheets and seeing where they disagree, with the satisfaction of knowing that I've just made life a little more miserable for someone who added the total value of checks into the total value of cash or reported that they served half a customer. On a bad day, this means entering data from invoices into a computer, and then changing it because Ledyard now sells us cilantro for $1.15 a bunch rather than $1.16. Still, I take a certain pride in the accuracy of my work, and I hope to work as a budget analyst full-time once I graduate.

 

[Steerpike]

I did make ends meet for a while doing freelance writing (mostly ghost writing). Non-fiction stuff. Now, I write all day long, so I suppose you could say I make a living writing, but it is all patent applications and responses to the patent office

 

[Ireth]

I'm a college student, currently unemployed, but with luck that will change at least for the summer.

 

[Telcontar]

Programmer and martial arts instructor. Though I did just receive my first royalties from self-publishing at the beginning of the month!

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

I'm a PHP developer who manages a small team of other developers, working for a kids' entertainment website. Some day, I'll have my own office, where no one can see my screen, and then I'll get a crapton of writing done.

 

[Kelise]

I handle travel and relocations for local Government Education Department. Lovely quiet office (in one of the cities' tallest (comes with ocean views) newest buildings) along with awesome co-workers, to write in all day. 6 weeks paid holidays and $1,000 holiday bonus.

I'd still work here even if I had 6+ books published. Currently worked there for eight years, getting close to my long service leave. They've looked after me well through one or two issues with co-workers, and my bad health - assisting me with working part days on sick leave and such.

 

[Chilari]

I'm a proposals co-ordinator for a construction company. This means I generally show off the company to entities who want hospitals, schools, houses or offices built, and when there aren't any bids in I make sure we've got up-to-date datasheets on completed and in-progress projects so I can use them to show off the company in bids. I've been doing this since January having previously been unemployed for 4 months after finishing uni.

 

[gavintonks]

I have had a long and varied career from shoe designer to store manager, interior design. I do projects and mentor small business, so my clients are varied from the food industry [I had my own restaurant, rather write] My projects have varied from animation for a local pop star and some of his shows. Currently we have a project in the wings on mobile clinics for rural communities, am estate agents training center, I am doing their year accreditation up date and finished their franchise agreement. I adjudicated some business plans for a small business competition, was on TV as a judge for a small business competition, and have work shopped over 2 000 entrepreneurs about their business.My current clients are an airport concessionaire, air flight meals caterer, a health and safety practitioner, and a first aide training coach. A new client runs a successful equine based web portal.

Through my network I have just set up a enzyme based cleaner which does away with industrial chemicals I am very excited about. I also have a dog toilet which uses enzyme powders to eat the waste.So I never really know from day to day what my work will be. but I help my clienteles with their documents and marketing stuff, so I had to learn to write so people would read what they had to sell. It has been a hard slog, and a very difficult last 2 years in recession but things are looking up which I am pleased about.

 

[Caged Maiden]

I have the job that never ends. So I'm a stay-at-home mom right now with four wonderful kids, 6, 4, 2, and 8 months, and my husband earns all the money. Luckily he has a decent job, because my own small business (making costumes and specialty clothing) isn't a real big money-maker.

 

[Elder the Dwarf]

About to enter college. I guess to answer the question I would say I ask my parents to pay them?