The WMF Archives

By Angela Atkinson

When I decided I was a writer (I believe I was six or seven), I was in it for the art, the craft of it all. Even at such a tender age, I envisioned myself writing some insanely important something that the whole world needed to read. Over the years, I would scribble in a notebook I kept in my purse when I was out and about and got a good story idea. I filled notebooks with every event, emotion and concern that I dealt with in my day-to-day life. Later, I bought a little tape recorder and babbled endless deep and philosophical thoughts and story ideas into it.

Back then, I said didn't believe in "selling out", and if you'd have suggested to teenage me that an editor might ask me to cut out my favorite line or a pivotal point in a story, I'd have told you that I'd rather not have it published. In fact, I'd likely have gone on some crazy rant about how the publishing industry clearly didn't understand my work,listing several reasons why they were in just plain wrong in their assessment. I'd have said that no amount of money was worth ripping apart one of my stories. Poor me, I'd lament, a misunderstood artist (who, coincidentally, could have been labeled a starving one had it not been for the graciousness of my parents who fed me in those days.)

Even in college, I found myself writing dramatic short stories (some even got published) about dark subjects, often featuring girls who seemed to be just like me, only with better apartments and cooler wardrobes. I had amazing professors who encouraged me to write, who took special interest in me. I had classmates who were equally passionate about their crafts, and together we breathed in all that the muses had to offer.

Through it all, though, I studied my first love, journalism. Of course, that's about the time I started envisioning myself traveling the world with my non-husband and kids having self. I wrote for a little regional magazine, interviewing local business owners and writing on health and insurance topics.

After that, hubs and the kids showed up in my world and changed it forever.

So, as I spent several years in corporate hell a corporate job while attending to this beautiful family I'd been given, I continued to scribble in my notebooks and pound out stories on my PC. I shared them with no one, save for a writing class I took for fun one year. I wrote letters, business plans, manuals, training programs, articles for the company website--I was the "go-to" girl when something needed to be written. It satisfied me, for awhile.

Then one day, I got the chance to leave my corporate job.

This would be great, I thought, and I wasn't wrong. I could focus on my writing, make a full-time career of it. Of course, it wouldn't be the world-traveling with no kids kinda career--but a writing career nonetheless.

But the writing world had sort of moved on without me. There were all kinds of new things to learn--social networking, web writing and SEO skills and more.

I found my way to a certain website (which shall remain nameless, because I don't recommend it) that would publish my articles. They offered me next to nothing in pay and (I learned later) would let anyone publish nearly anything on the site. I accepted assignments and wrote articles that were, to say the least, uninspired.

Over the next several months, I learned a lot about the world of online writing, and found some higher paying gigs. I created an author website and started working with private clients, and actually started bringing in a decent income.

Finally, I thought, I had officially re-started my writing career! And it has been good--plenty of work, decent income--recession be damned!

Now, here's the downside--as I got deeper and deeper into the business, the passion waned at times. So what, right? I was making money doing something I loved, and wasn't that the most important thing?

Well...the thing is, writing ONLY for money was a sure-fire way for me to forget that I loved writing. And when that happens, the best case scenario is that productivity can slow waaaay down. In the worst case scenarios, writer's block and other ugly confidence issues can crop up.

So what's the answer? How can one maintain passion while still bringing in the big (or little) bucks?

Make Time for Creativity

Being a professional writer doesn't mean never writing for yourself. Make room in your schedule for a little passion. You can do this by starting a personal blog, writing in a journal or even working on the great American novel in your spare time. Feel free to write about something that makes you passionate. Use a bunch of gratuitous 50 cent words if you want. It's just for you. It doesn't have to be much--ten minutes may even be enough to get your creative juices flowing. Try some of the writing prompts in our WM Freelance Connection community group to help you get started.

Network

Getting involved with other writers can help fuel your writing fire. You'll share ideas and teach each other new things. You may find a critique partner or even someone with whom you can check in each day to discuss your progress. Join local writing groups and online writing communities to stay up to date with the haps in the writing world.

Love the One You're With

Develop a passion for the business end of writing. The fact is, if you want to make a living doing what you love, you have to understand every aspect of it. Why not learn to love the publishing business, warts and all? After all, contrary to what teenage me might have told you, it is literally our bread and butter. And what's not to love? (Ok, we'll go there another day...)

Change It Up

Try a new writing style, even if only for yourself. If you're a journalist, try writing a short story. If you're into novels, pound out a poem or two. It doesn't have to be great, just have fun with it.

Crack a Book

Read books, blogs, articles, poetry--whatever floats your boat. Just keep reading. Read stuff you love, and read stuff that pisses you off. (If it makes you too mad, why not write a contrasting opinion piece?) And remember what Jane Evershed said:

"To read is to empower
To empower is to write
To write is to influence
To Influence is to change
To change is to live."

Write Like You Mean It

Strive for excellence in your work. Even if you're taking an assignment to write about underwater basket weaving, research it and write the crap out of it. Don't just pump out substandard drivel because you're not interested in the topic--really write it. Make it the best damn underwater basket weaving article ever written. And if you can't do that, then don't take assignments that don't call to you. Fact is, somewhere out there, there's a writer who would love to write about underwater basket weaving. So leave the jobs you don't really want for writers who do--and maybe you'll open yourself up to those opportunities you really want.


What do you think? What are some techniques you use to keep the passion going in your own writing career?

Bring Home the Bacon (With a Side of Passion)