Writer’s Life: To Be Or Not To Be (A Full-Time Author) Part 1

There seems to be an ongoing discussion on the Internet about what’s better: To be an author with a day job, or to take the leap and become a full-time author. Tomorrow I’m going to tell you what I think about it, but first let me share a few interesting resources that might help you get deeper into this online discussion, and also into your own way of seeing this issue:

Writing and the Mixed Blessing of a Day Job by Joanna Penn
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/01/31/writing-and-the-mixed-blessing-of-a-day-job/

Writer with a Day Job
http://writerwithadayjob.com/

Abraham Verghese, author of ‘Cutting for Stone,’ describes his writing life
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/abraham-verghese-author-of-cutting-for-stone-describes-his-writing-life/2011/12/05/gIQArL6jiO_story.html

Even Faulkner had a day job
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2010/03/even-faulkner-had-a-day-job.html

Writers with a Day Job Chart
http://www.laphamsquarterly.org/visual/charts-graphs/day-jobs.php

Writer with a Day Job: Inspiration & Exercises to Help You Craft a Writing Life Alongside Your Career
http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/improve-my-writing/writer-with-day-job

Strange Day Jobs of Authors Before They Were Famous
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/18/author-day-jobs_n_1018185.html

Don’t Quit Your Day Job: Acclaimed Authors and the Day Jobs they Quit
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Quit-Your-Day-ebook/dp/B00457XMQS/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=A2M9W3KSQUCQTK

Living the Dream Checklist: How to Quit Your (Current) Day Job
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055673Z4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3/192-9866911-4474835?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=1RNXNB19HCSC634CVSE7&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1278548962&pf_rd_i=1849821089

Quitter
http://www.amazon.com/Quitter-Jon-Acuff/dp/0982986270/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329395774&sr=8-1

Comments

Aine Greaney says:

February 20, 2012 at 4:46 pm

Hi Barbara,
Thanks for mentioning my book and blog, WRITER WITH A DAYJOB in your resource roundup. I hope it proves useful to your readers. I guess we’re perpetually conflicted about which is better, but I think in this economy, the choice has narrowed. Many of us need to work to pay the bills. And sometimes … that’s not a bad thing in terms of the outcomes for our writing. I know it’s made me much more organized. Thanks again for providing this very valuable list.

- Barbara Conelli says:
  
  February 25, 2012 at 10:36 am
  
  Aine, thank you very much for stopping by! I believe the most important thing for us is to be happy with our choices and be as creative as we can be under any circumstances. How Chique!