I recently met my favorite and probably the youngest fan I've ever had. Sadie is nine years old and tells me she reads everything I write. What a thrill this was for me!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Why am I a writer?
I've heard a lot of reasons from others on why they write, some of which are "because I have to" and "to make a living doing what I love".
I guess I would have to say it's both of those for me. I write because I have to. It's like an addiction. If I don't get a chance to sit down at my computer at lease once a day, it feels like something is missing in my life. If I crawl into be having not touched a keyboard, I feel like I should get up and write something - anything.
To make a living doing what I love has been a real challenge. When my first novel, A Love Like That, was published I decided to quit an okay-paying job as the Director of a library to pursue writing full time. I figured if I didn't take a chance now, I may never do it. I soon discovered the revenue from sales of my book wasn't going to be enough to pay the bills, so I took a job writing for Evans Printing and Publishing, owners of six newspapers in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. Then about a year ago I met an editor from Womeninc magazine (www.women-inc.com), pitched a couple of story ideas to her and am now a feature writer for the magazine. I am also putting the finishing touches on my second novel.
So, between all of this, I really am making a living - not getting rich, mind you - but making a living doing what I love - writing.
I guess I would have to say it's both of those for me. I write because I have to. It's like an addiction. If I don't get a chance to sit down at my computer at lease once a day, it feels like something is missing in my life. If I crawl into be having not touched a keyboard, I feel like I should get up and write something - anything.
To make a living doing what I love has been a real challenge. When my first novel, A Love Like That, was published I decided to quit an okay-paying job as the Director of a library to pursue writing full time. I figured if I didn't take a chance now, I may never do it. I soon discovered the revenue from sales of my book wasn't going to be enough to pay the bills, so I took a job writing for Evans Printing and Publishing, owners of six newspapers in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. Then about a year ago I met an editor from Womeninc magazine (www.women-inc.com), pitched a couple of story ideas to her and am now a feature writer for the magazine. I am also putting the finishing touches on my second novel.
So, between all of this, I really am making a living - not getting rich, mind you - but making a living doing what I love - writing.
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