How To Kick Start Your Writing Career

If you want to turn your passion for writing into a paying career, you can't spend all your time at the keyboard. You need to get out there and connect with other writers, editors and potential clients; you might not make a lot of money in the beginning but writing, like any other business, has a "who you know" component that's worth pursuing.

And before you say you don't know anybody or you've been out of the game for so long you've lost your contacts, consider the benefits of volunteering. It's a great way to kick start your career.

I know. I've been there.

When Susan and I received our advance for The Mad Hacker, it didn't take me long to realize that if I seriously intended to make my living as a fulltime writer, I had to look beyond book sales and fifty-percent of a six-percent royalty!

My first step was to join a local writers' group looking to host their first-ever conference. They weren't sure what they wanted but I'd just returned from Detroit where Susan and I had been guest presenters at the Detroit Women Writers' 25th annual conference. They graciously allowed us to use their format, and I ended up organizing the speakers, co-writing the brochure and generally doing whatever it took to make our event a success.

Did I make a lot of money? No. But my efforts paid off in spades when another board member offered me a short-term contract. The following year I was asked to co-convene the conference again, only this time the job came with a hefty honorarium. And another spin-off. The university we'd joined forces with to host the conference, asked me to submit a course proposal on writing for children. It was approved and I taught two nights a week through their continuing education program for several years.

While there's nothing new or earth-shattering about my story, it does illustrate what can happen when you approach every project in a professional manner regardless of how little, or how much, you make. People notice.

It's called selling yourself, even if it means working "on spec".

Something I'm still doing. And, having taken Susan's most recent blog entry to heart, I am trying hard to stick to my own deadlines; one day at a time.

f & f Anne