“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” — Ray Liotta as Henry Hill in “Goodfellas” (1990)
Now, I never wanted to be a gangster. I always wanted to be a writer. Like Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese’s classic film, however, I could not conceive of doing anything else with my life. Thing is, I was working one day job after another to get to where I needed to be. It was not the least stressful journey I could have taken … but it certainly was necessary.
How to Be a Financially Impoverished, High-Achieving Writer
I knew I had to write, as many of you had told me about your own overwhelming professional passion. Writing for me is not a want; it is a need. Writing is in my blood, as perhaps it is in yours. It is part of my identity.
Perhaps you would do anything to publish a bestselling novel, or write a screenplay for a film that would nudge you from your computer to the stage of the Oscars.
Keep those dreams. Act on those dreams.
They’ll work for you.
If …
During my journey, I worked 100 distinct day jobs unrelated to my writing. Let me know if you can relate:
I was a telemarketer for medical billing software.
I was a telemarketer for PBS memberships.
I sold bottom-of-the-barrel action and soft-core films to video stores nationwide.
I worked for Life Alert as a salesperson.
I worked as a launderer for a mental hospital.
I was a stock boy for a department store.
I was a special education teacher on and off for ten years.
And so on.
Save for teaching special education, not a one of those jobs was of value to me. As to the teaching, it is certainly a noble profession and I stay in touch with some former students to this day, but in the end I’m loathe to say it was just another job.
I noted above to act on your dreams, and they will work for you if …
About that if … here’s what I learned.
I learned specifically I could make money writing while working towards my legitimate writing career. I also learned I could replace my job income with writing income.
Here’s what I mean. Websites such as Craigslist (you may be surprised), AuthorsPublish.com, NetworkISA.org (for screenplays), and more are worthwhile pages to find writing assignments, and submission information, while working on your screenplay or Great American novel.
See 501 Days of Writing and 499 Days to Go: The Sequel to 501 Days of Writing, two collections I have shared here before, for numerous articles about how to do exactly this.
Before I started writing for a living over 15 years ago, I was working “safe” day jobs to bring in enough money to pay the bills while working towards the living I needed to earn.
And then I woke up.
One day I realized … I needed to quit. It was time to jump off without a net, and give up the non-writing day job routine.
If I have to work like most everyone for a living, I was going to take a chance. I quit my last teaching job, and jumped into the world of freelance writing with no net.
All these years later, I’m a proud member of the Writers Guild of America, Pen America, the Horror Writers Association and other highly-regarded writing organizations. I write and sell books, articles, screenplays and television pilots for a living.
You can do this too. Sometimes, sincerely, the road to get to where I am today has been a nightmare, fraught with financial uncertainty and other stressors.
Take a look at some of the articles in the links above.
You can do this, with a thick skin and some serious persistence. We all have lives. We all have obligations. But if you need to write for a living, consider there is really no reason why others can make it while you cannot.
Regarding the time requirement to make this happen? Well, as Steve Martin once said (paraphrasing), “Every public figure who has ever been successful has had the same 24 hours in a day as you.”
Get to work. And work hard. You’ll get there.
To Your Success …
Joel Eisenberg
Writer-Editor, Writing For Your Life