Why I still have a day job
May. 22nd, 2013 01:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pbrayC.E. Murphy explains the economic realities of a writer's life, e.g. contrary to popular opinion, most authors aren't spending their free time rolling around on piles of cash. Then Laura Anne Gilman chimes in to agree.
It takes courage to live the life of a freelancer. Many of my friends who are full-time writers are backed up by partners who have a more reliable stream of income, but even that is no guarantee of financial stability. All it takes is one health crisis, one natural disaster or family emergency and the whole house of cards comes falling down. And let's not mention the other perils of a writers life--publishers going bankrupt, checks arriving months after payment was due, option books being declined, series canceled, publishers merging and slashing acquisitions, being orphaned, well I could list more but frankly it's too depressing.
When coworkers learn I'm a published author, the first question they ask is generally "Why are you still working here?" The perception is that I'm rich, and no matter how much I explain otherwise, I'm not sure I've changed anyone's mind. Instead of accepting that this is the reality for most writers, they then assume that I'm simply bad at it :-)
It takes courage to live the life of a freelancer. Many of my friends who are full-time writers are backed up by partners who have a more reliable stream of income, but even that is no guarantee of financial stability. All it takes is one health crisis, one natural disaster or family emergency and the whole house of cards comes falling down. And let's not mention the other perils of a writers life--publishers going bankrupt, checks arriving months after payment was due, option books being declined, series canceled, publishers merging and slashing acquisitions, being orphaned, well I could list more but frankly it's too depressing.
When coworkers learn I'm a published author, the first question they ask is generally "Why are you still working here?" The perception is that I'm rich, and no matter how much I explain otherwise, I'm not sure I've changed anyone's mind. Instead of accepting that this is the reality for most writers, they then assume that I'm simply bad at it :-)
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Date: 2013-05-22 09:27 pm (UTC)Dave
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Date: 2013-05-24 10:57 am (UTC)And yes in the US healthcare is a nightmare for freelancers-- at least once a week I see a fundraising effort for a member of the extended sf&f literary community who doesn't have health insurance or is underinsured, and is now facing financial disaster.
Giving up the day job paycheck is theoretically possible, but the day job benefits such as healthcare and a retirement savings plan is a whole nother ballgame as they say. (Defined benefit pension plans went out of style a while ago, so even at major corporations you're only given the "invest your savings and hope Wall Street doesn't screw you" option).
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Date: 2013-05-24 11:00 am (UTC)Maybe not generational, then :P
DB pensions plans are very nearly a thing of the past up here, too, which is why I feel very lucky to have access to one.