The WR(ite) Blog

Hello! G’day! It’s your newly emancipated author here! If you want to know how the new life is–it’s great!

I’m settling into my new freedom beautifully: I’m on track with my writing schedule (though I haven’t quite got my pilates schedule on track yet) and I’m even managing to work on my business/advertising skills! I don’t love the marketing/advertising side of my business, but I’m doing it.

When I first began writing, it wasn’t like this. I began writing seriously when I was roughly twelve, so obviously as I was writing, I was also doing schoolwork. And since I did home schooling for my high school years, for a good four years, I was also working a nearly-full-time job.

I knew that if I wanted to be a full-time writer some day, I had to use every available scrap of time. So I wrote in my lunch break. On the bus going to work. On my days off. In the evenings after my school work was done.

And when I graduated high school and began to work full-time, I still had to work around the edges. Weekends, lunch breaks, after work. I gave up TV time, I read a little less–I made all the time I could possibly find. And I wrote like mad.

I learned how to self-publish, I learned how to market. And little by little, my writing income grew. I had a five year plan, but honestly I only needed four years to get to where I am now. Along the way were kind-hearted strangers, new friends, helpers of every kind (some of whom are now my best writerly friends) and companions.

And these days, I no longer have to write around the edges. I mean, sure–I’ve got to be disciplined. I’ve got to work some days when I don’t really feel like it. I have to do the stuff that’s more like work than fun. But I’m doing the thing I love the most and I’m making a living at it.

So if you’re a writer as well as a reader, and you’re stuck in the hard yakka of writing around the edges, don’t give up! I’m not a household name by any means, but I comfortably make enough money to live on. That’s what’s possible if you self publish. You just have to do the hard yakka first. And one day, with good writing, good management, and a little bit of help, you’ll be making a living at this writing game yourself.

Go for it!