Do You Dream of One Day Being a PAID Writer?
@SingingPsycho (343)
United States
January 19, 2007 5:20pm CST
Dare to dream!
A few years ago I never imagined that I would actually be paid to write. Like you, I have kept a journal for many years and written many, many different things - poems, short stories, songs, etc...
Although the idea of becoming the next Stephen King crossed my mind a couple times - it wasn't something that I had set in my heart to do, or to be. It was something I did in my spare time for fun. ...just for me.
But look what I ended up doing! I now write to put food on the table.
When I DID start getting paid to write - it was for something that didn't even cross my mind as a possibility until a few short months before it happened - copywriting. I write to help others sell products & services with their websites.
Though it's not quite the same as being a rich & famous fiction writer - it's a living. Ya know?
What about you? Are you doing anything (other than myLot) to put cash in your pocket with a few words of wit or wisdom? Would you like to? What's holding you back?
16 people like this
56 responses
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
19 Jan 07
I too have also wanted to be a writer/artist/craftsperson -- but I have a real job to pay the bills and do the other stuff in my spare time.
I write on epinions.com and just started writing on here.
I've written several children's books and am well into a sci-fi novel. I paint and do many arts and crafts.
I would love to be discovered, or find out where to go to be "found" without having to pay out lots of agent fees just to look over your work.
Best of luck to you!
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
19 Jan 07
Sounds like you are already on the way. Have any of your children's books been published?
4 people like this
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
20 Jan 07
no, I've had them accepted at an agency, then all of a sudden I get them back from a lawyer ~ the agency was raided and all manuscripts, etc were taken. Seems the agency was taking what was sent them and putting their own name of many of the scripts/stories!!!
Makes me very suspicious now of who is doing what with what you send in.
1 person likes this
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
20 Jan 07
Thanks for the info. I have not heard of associatedcontent -- will check them out.
1 person likes this
@creationhub (3066)
• Malaysia
20 Jan 07
I can identify with you on your post. I aspired to be an infopreneur too. Then move on to writing ebooks. I have not have much experience let alone exposure. However, this ambition still burn passionately in my spirit. I am still on the lookout as to how to start the basics. Unfortunately, no budget at all. Nevertheless, I want to realise being a ebook writer to make a living.
I am so excited because your post rekindled the fire within again.
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
20 Jan 07
Excellent. Glad to be of service any way I can. Maybe the spark I've given you will be the one that pushes you through to success.
...and if you need a copywriter to help you sell your ebooks, now you know where to find me.
;0)
3 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
20 Jan 07
I would say me being scared of being critized or being told it isn't good enough it has happened before when I thought I did a good job on something and was proud of what I did then just to have my In-laws or even family shoot me down. Its not a good feeling. So instead of dealing with it I gues you could say I put my head in the sand and forgot about it. In school I even got rewards for my writing. Since my mother adopted my little niece from birth five years ago me and her have become very close and she loves me telling her original imaginative stories I started wishing that I could write the stories up for her or even put them on tape for her to listen to for when I'm not there. I know writing a kids book may not be what you were talking about, but I think it would make me happy just taping into kids imagination and helping their imagination soar. Maybe one day this dream will come true.
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
20 Jan 07
First of all, I would say that you should never pay attention to what 'they' say. Because 'they' talk way too much. The particular 'they' I refer to is, of course, all those who try to tell you that you are not good enough. Whether they do it through ridicule or directly telling you that you suck - it's often out of jealousy or a fear that you are going to reach a dream when they never have. Besides - what the @#%& do 'they' know anyway?
Beyond that, writing childrens books is a very respectable career for a writer in my opinion. Those writers get to be among the very first people to reach the minds of the future generations. ...and yes, it fits right into our discussion because it the dream of a potential writer - YOU.
If you want to do it - do it. Feel free to contact me anytime someone tries to knock you down along the way. We'll grab up a couple baseball bats and go thrash their car.
1 person likes this
@WebMann (4731)
• Canada
20 Jan 07
Good day friend
I can talk a lot but I am no copywriter. I didn't get much schoolin' and I don't have a great grasp on grammar. I just say what's on my mind.
I put my efforts into search engine optimization and knowing where and how to place keywords and keyword phrases. I use the right keywords but structure of sentences and the flow is a skill I am still mastering.
I get along fine with my clients though. I tell them what they need to have for content based on their keywords and I build their site with the content they have created.
I will have to have you give me some tips that would improve my own copy.
2 people like this
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
20 Jan 07
No worries WebMann - I've read over your content many times and you seem to do just fine. If any of your clients happen to need a warped & twisted copywriter - you know where to find me.
;0)
2 people like this
@faylinn_chaeli (1619)
• Philippines
20 Jan 07
Last year from february to october, I worked as a writer for someone abroad. I am a work at home then, I worked as an article writer but I quit working for her because I became so busy with school work. And now I am here in myLot because I love to write anything.
2 people like this
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
20 Jan 07
I know what you mean. With writing sales copy, writing articles under various pen names to generate traffic, and posting in this crazy place (which I probably never should have discovered) ... you'd think that I'd eventually run out of things to say.
Of course, you'd also think maybe I'd like to go outside. It's been two days. lol
2 people like this
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
19 Jan 07
Well, I just read your post - and thought it was kind of interesting.
Congratulations. You are already on your way.
;0)
3 people like this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
20 Jan 07
I'm in the same boat. I always wanted to BE a writer and when I was young, I wrote a lot of fiction (pretty badly, but I wrote). Life kind of got in the way, but when I was divorced with no skills to land a decent job, I started writing again for the internet. I make my living doing that, and while I'm not rich by any means, I'm making it fine.
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
20 Jan 07
Excellent. Much like mine, it's not a 'dream come true', but a still a success story not matter how you look at it. Way to go.
Thanks for the contribution.
2 people like this
@sreedhar (576)
• India
22 Jan 07
I too have the habit of writing books ( fiction and on general topics), poems and articals. But i keep all of them for myself. I dream to become a paid writer but my lack of knowledge as how to reach to the appropriate source and fear of not appreciating or discarding my works holds me back. CAn you suggest me something in this matter.
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
23 Jan 07
I'm sorry to say, but no. I'm afraid I can't. A subscription to Writer's Digest would probably be a pretty good place to start. I used to get those. They provide a lot of good info for the aspiring writer.
As a copywriter, I don't have to deal with trying to get published. Instead I have to worry about finding new clients and keeping the cash coming in.
1 person likes this
@cblackink (969)
• United States
21 Jan 07
How does one get their foot in the door being a copywriter? It's always fascinated me and it's something I'm really interested in learning but there's so much crap on the internet about it, I just get overwhelmed.
1 person likes this
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Read a lot of good sales copy, practice writing in the same way, get yourself an account at elance.com and start bidding for jobs. Experience is the best teacher, but you will take a few lumps here and there. Not every salesletter is a winner. Then again, not every product is a winner either. Sometimes - failing to make enough sales is unavoidable.
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18366)
• Orangeville, Ontario
20 Jan 07
Since I was a teenager I dreamed of becoming a published author. Life got in the way for awhile. I have been writing in journals forever. I joined a writers group a couple of years ago. That has helped me a lot. I've gone to workshops and seminars. But the elusive dream still seems so far away. I am sorry I waited so long to get to work on this. I hate the fact that the novel I am working on is sitting untouched because I hate editing. I've edited it four times already. I've writing short stories and poems as well and looking for places to get them published for money. Some of my poems have been posted on a poetry website, but I did not get paid for them.
1 person likes this
@grammabean (74)
• United States
23 Jan 07
I am not published, no, that's not true. I did have two business articles published in a local newspaper.
But I wanted to encourage you . . . Can I make a suggestion? I don't think life got in the way for awhile. I think life gave you a wonderful opportunity to be a more creative/effective writer. And when you get the chance, pursue that with a passion!
I'm rooting for you! Have a wonderful day, and WRITE! - even if that means re-writing!
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
22 Jan 07
Sounds like you're on the right track so far though. I'm sure it's a lot of work, though I haven't gone nearly that far on the REAL writer's path to find out. Copywriting is a whole world of difference. An assignment lasts no longer than a month. When the site is making money - it's done. Then it starts over again. Articles written for traffic generation are the same. Once a topic is chosen and keywords are researched ... within an hour or two its over.
It's like the perfect job for someone with A.D.D. (which I have). I'm always learning new things, writing about them, and moving on.
@knewelle (127)
• Philippines
20 Jan 07
When I was in grade school, I used to write stories, mostly a love stories of teenage girls. I wrote different version of it. A girl from rags to riches, a naugthy one who fell in love with a boy next door, an ugly duckling that turns in to beautiful princes. Most of it is like a fairly tale with a happy ending. But as time grows by, the concept of my stories changes too. Mostly, it becomes more on realistic one with tragic ending. But then, I stop my writings when I started on my full time job. Work had eaten all my time, and makes it impossible for me to write. I just hope that, I could be able to write again and make money on it...someday.
@lovespecialangel (3632)
• United States
20 Jan 07
you should never give up on something you like to do always make a few minutes for things you like to do. Trust someone who has been there and lets life pass them by.someday is alway to late and never comes. Now is now and the past is gone and tomorrow hasnt came yet but it will and then it will be the past.
1 person likes this
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
22 Jan 07
I agree. Get back in the chair and put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Actually, if you've had time to make 99 posts here ... you've had time to write another story. So what's really stopping you? There are probably several other things you do throughout the day that are not getting you closer.
"Someday" never seems to come around, but old age does. Are you sure you want to wait?
@eyeruroma (29)
• Nigeria
22 Jan 07
I love ths topic. I hope we will get more of this. I love to write but I dont realy know how to start. I have some thing in mind to write but I dont realy have the courage to start writing.
How can I start writing from a low level state until I will become a professional?
I have beatifull ideas in my mind. Pls help me out.
1 person likes this
@SingingPsycho (343)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Do you have a blog? Starting a free blog at blogger.com will allow you to publish your writing for the world to see - and get valuable feedback on the way you write and build your confidence. Then when you do write a book you can make it available to your blog audience to generate some profit and get on your way.
Just a thought, but it's worth a shot.
1 person likes this
@hcromer (2710)
• United States
21 Jan 07
Writing is one of my absolute favorite things to do. I would love to someday be able to live off of money that I have made writing. I have not made much of an effort to become serious about writing because I feel like you need to have a college education and some money to get started and I have neither. Right now I have made a little bit of money writing on Associated Content [$87 for the 13 pieces that I wrote] and Epinions.com.
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
25 Jan 07
I have a cookbook published
Tak For Mad (title translates to Thanks For The Food)
ISBN: 1-4116-3456-X
http://www.lulu.com/content/116633
I dream of the day my book sells a million copies.
1 person likes this
@skroutz1346795 (541)
• Greece
20 Jan 07
Yes i would really love doing something like this but i dont know the way. I dont know if you are really lucky or not but i am really happy about your catching your dreams and i hope that i will catch my dream too in the future.
1 person likes this
@cutieissa (413)
• Philippines
20 Jan 07
yup! ive being dreaming of one day becoming a paid writer, and like you, i certainly wasnt expecting that it would be in mylot =) i have always been writing short stories and poems when i was a kid until my teens. i now occasionally write articles for my blog and sometimes when i need to vent out something that touched me..
@sameerzaidi07 (139)
• India
20 Jan 07
Pen has the power to kill millions in one word. Writer possess higher degree of creativity and must be paid well.
1 person likes this
@yotachan (135)
• Indonesia
20 Jan 07
Well, I want to get paid on this. I love writing poems or song lyrics, in English of course. I want to make a story based on my own imagination, but maybe I'd rather write poems.
It keeps me on rotating my mind so I could find many ideas of writing. I try to differ my writings from others so people could know which one is my writing.
1 person likes this
@abhiquest (579)
• India
20 Jan 07
I liked this discussion as it is from a positive forward looking and quite imaginative person. Dreaming to get paid for writing....yes why not?
I have always been a good critic whenever I used to read any book. I used to feel that the plot could have been better written. The writer could have been more creative. But to be in writer's shoes, was one thing I detested for a long time. Then I started with creating my own blog putting up my best readings and news articles over there. Once I have gained confidence, I would try to go for my own postings and thoughts. As they say, to be a good orator, you need to be a good listener. So is the case with a writer. To be a better writer you need to be a better reader!
1 person likes this
