Working For "The Man"

Growing up, I always wanted to be a writer. In my tender mind, I thought all writers lived in fabulous places, like oceanfront beach houses or in luxurious cabins in the mountains. So, all I had to do was write some books, sell them and I’d be living the high life, right?

Excuse me while I catch my breath. I think I started choking from laughing so hard.

No sooner did I step one inch into research about the publishing world, did I realize the average first advance is just slightly enough to put brakes on your car, pay off a few bills and go out for a nice steak dinner. Nothing to sneeze at, but not exactly buy-oceanfront-property-with-cash kind of money, either.

So, I still have a day job. Which, thankfully, allows me some free time to write (and blog!). And most days, I really enjoy it. It also helps that the nature of what I do—fundraising—provides more writing fodder than I’ll ever be able to use.

But then there’s days like today—days when my “To Do” list is a mile-long, my email box pings every five seconds and my phone will not shut up. And all I want to do is run away to the nearest Borders with my laptop and snuggle into some hardcore revisions on my newest WIP.