Writing is a business.
Think of yourself as (Name Here) Inc.
Which means, change the title of this blog to, Your Eggs in BasketS...Plural.
It's a tired cliche..."Don't put all your eggs into one basket." But you know what gets even more tired? Being broke all the time.
If you want to be a successful writer...a writer who actually makes a good living, eats, travels, enjoys life...then learn to write not only in many different styles and even genres, but don't give up the journalism either. When one thing isn't doing it for you or your wallet, something else will. By splitting up your time between several forms of fiction, be it novels, novellas, film scripts, novel adaptations, etc., along with several forms of journalism, photo-journalism, pro blogging, etc., can you ensure yourself steady and meaningful work.
Take it from one who knoweth. Back in the late 1990s, when I landed my first big book contract, I chucked journalism like a bad habit. When the book deal went south a couple of years later due to a corporate merger, I was left with zero means for earning an income. I had to pretty much beg news media outlets to give me another chance. Which they eventually did. Now, I have several new book contracts, but I still maintain my journalism chops. Never again will I be caught with my pants down around my ankles or my baskets empty of eggs.
hi vince,
ReplyDeletewise advice here, as always. my eggs are so diverse: monday might find me writing about asthma at a 4th grade reading level; wednesday: using flowery language about home decor; thursday: step by step craft instructions; and friday: a press release.
but i enjoy all the eggs so it's all good despite being a bit, dare i say, scrambled ...
elyse
That's the shit I'm talking about Elyse...You're onto something...
ReplyDeleteI've one egg in my basket. Busy working on adding another. I once, a long, long time ago, dipped my toe in reporting, so I'm out of practice on that front. However, maintaining a blog has brought some of that back and I figure if I keep at it long enough while continuing to write my stories, it might mature nicely into a whole new basket. Or not.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog posts, welcome back, btw. Oh, and yes to your Hemingway and Gellhorn example. Did you watch HBO's take on them? it came out last year.
Thanks for the welcome back...I think Google hated me for a while or something...But in any case, yes, I did see the HBO thing. Not bad, for mostly fiction. Even some soft porn in there...But in reality, Marty knew what she was doing when she went after Hemingway just like she had done with HG Wells before him. She had ambition, which Papa later scorned. He did however take her Colliers spot, but only after she cheated on him in Finland...so love and war, war and love...
DeleteV