epablov的部落格

Can you make a living as a writer$%: I mean a "real" living. Or do you have to settle for being a starving artist$%:

I'm a freelance writer supporting myself and my family on my writing income.
I think you can do it, if you have these 5 things:

1. Perseverance. You can't let the rejections weigh you down, because you're going to get plenty of them. You have to have a mindset of, oh, this rejection is one more step toward getting published. This doesn't always work, because occasionally you'll get really upset over yet-one-more-rejection slip. But it helps if your attitude says. "Okay. Next$%:"

Certain samples:

2. Organization. If you don't have an organized manner about your writing, you'll never make it. Sometimes you can query someone and they'll write back more than a year later. If you aren't organized, you'll be left wondering what the heck they're replying "yes" to!

3. A business attitude. Writers spend a large portion of their time marketing their services; many of us, including me, weren't gifted with marketing skills. You must learn them and then promote, promote, promote.

4. A willingness to learn. No writer was born great. You're probably pretty good, or you wouldn't be thinking about writing for a living. Be willing to hear what the editors are telling you. Join critique groups and listen to what your friends say. Read your writing out loud and see how it sounds. Read books. Subscribe to writer's magazines.

5. Writers write. If you are surfing the net, chatting with friends, and making 10 million excuses why your butt isn't in that chair, writing probably isn't your thing.