User Power
Value/Post Ratio
163%
- Dec 23, 2014
- 105
- 171
So, how to start this off?
Like many here, I'm sure, I decided to join because I read through Held for Ransom's thread. Truth be told, I never doubted that there was a market in writing. My problem for being late into the game was that I believed the entry to be much higher. See, I am one of those people who, technologically speaking, lives under a rock. My ignorance kept me out of it, and if I had taken so much as a minute to check up on actual barriers as opposed to ones I believed existed, I'd have gotten into this much sooner.
I will be working into this from the ground up, before square one. I do not have the means (currently) to outsource anything. I do not have the means to purchase stock images. I have my writing, and I'll likely have to make my covers from scratch. I have no experience with the markets. I'll be going at this blind and honestly, I think I just might prefer it that way. As far as I figure, the more screw-ups I make now mean better learning for later.
So, a little back story.
The majority of the writing I did was back in middle and high school. It was often for a grade, but I was often told by teachers and peers alike that they enjoyed my imagery. A few friends often requested stories, and I'd often comply. One time I made one up on the spot, and she liked it enough to suggest that I get into writing professionally, since I could use the money and she seemed to enjoy it.
Again, as before, I thought getting started would involve more traditional means through talking to publishers. Without any real information on the whole ebook craze, or things such as phones, Kindles and the like, I decided, instead, to do nothing.
I have done an awful lot of nothing, however. At least six years of it. No job. No income. Tons of apathy. However, I am planning on turning the consequences of this into something beneficial. To say I have free time is an understatement. I have, easily, upwards of 12 hours of free time every day that doesn't consist of the most basic household chores, sleep and various other necessities.
Plan
1. Write a lot.
2. Pen name for secrecy.
3. Prepare for a long road. From what I can tell, it takes many around a year or more to start getting the ball rolling. I have plenty of time to dedicate to this.
4. Religious documentation. That which gets evaluated gets improved. This includes the eventual math on finding out just how much I can get done in a day.
Problems
1. It's been a long time since I have done any fiction writing / reading.
2. As I have never been employed, I am incredibly ignorant about banking.
- Is it a requirement to have a business account?
- Will a regular checking account suffice?
- Will I need one of each?
- Is there any benefit to one over the other?
- Are banks necessarily required to be accessed in person?
- Can I handle all of this electronically without having to physically access a bank?
3. Perfectionism. I am prone to writing a paragraph or two, and then spending days trying to "make it perfect." I'm almost certain that even the original drafts wouldn't cause any real complaint, yet I make this a repeating problem all the same.
4. Taxes. Especially since I've never had a job, I will have to (eventually) learn how to handle this at some point down the road. This also includes that I've heard that medical insurance will be required here in the states, and I'm completely unaware of how to deal with that either.
Goal: Financial independence. However, I do not know yet where that line is. Aside from living expenses, taxes and insurance, I really am at a loss. Being able to move out and live on my own is the primary goal right now.
So, here goes nothing!
Like many here, I'm sure, I decided to join because I read through Held for Ransom's thread. Truth be told, I never doubted that there was a market in writing. My problem for being late into the game was that I believed the entry to be much higher. See, I am one of those people who, technologically speaking, lives under a rock. My ignorance kept me out of it, and if I had taken so much as a minute to check up on actual barriers as opposed to ones I believed existed, I'd have gotten into this much sooner.
I will be working into this from the ground up, before square one. I do not have the means (currently) to outsource anything. I do not have the means to purchase stock images. I have my writing, and I'll likely have to make my covers from scratch. I have no experience with the markets. I'll be going at this blind and honestly, I think I just might prefer it that way. As far as I figure, the more screw-ups I make now mean better learning for later.
So, a little back story.
The majority of the writing I did was back in middle and high school. It was often for a grade, but I was often told by teachers and peers alike that they enjoyed my imagery. A few friends often requested stories, and I'd often comply. One time I made one up on the spot, and she liked it enough to suggest that I get into writing professionally, since I could use the money and she seemed to enjoy it.
Again, as before, I thought getting started would involve more traditional means through talking to publishers. Without any real information on the whole ebook craze, or things such as phones, Kindles and the like, I decided, instead, to do nothing.
I have done an awful lot of nothing, however. At least six years of it. No job. No income. Tons of apathy. However, I am planning on turning the consequences of this into something beneficial. To say I have free time is an understatement. I have, easily, upwards of 12 hours of free time every day that doesn't consist of the most basic household chores, sleep and various other necessities.
Plan
1. Write a lot.
2. Pen name for secrecy.
3. Prepare for a long road. From what I can tell, it takes many around a year or more to start getting the ball rolling. I have plenty of time to dedicate to this.
4. Religious documentation. That which gets evaluated gets improved. This includes the eventual math on finding out just how much I can get done in a day.
Problems
1. It's been a long time since I have done any fiction writing / reading.
2. As I have never been employed, I am incredibly ignorant about banking.
- Is it a requirement to have a business account?
- Will a regular checking account suffice?
- Will I need one of each?
- Is there any benefit to one over the other?
- Are banks necessarily required to be accessed in person?
- Can I handle all of this electronically without having to physically access a bank?
3. Perfectionism. I am prone to writing a paragraph or two, and then spending days trying to "make it perfect." I'm almost certain that even the original drafts wouldn't cause any real complaint, yet I make this a repeating problem all the same.
4. Taxes. Especially since I've never had a job, I will have to (eventually) learn how to handle this at some point down the road. This also includes that I've heard that medical insurance will be required here in the states, and I'm completely unaware of how to deal with that either.
Goal: Financial independence. However, I do not know yet where that line is. Aside from living expenses, taxes and insurance, I really am at a loss. Being able to move out and live on my own is the primary goal right now.
So, here goes nothing!
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