Last week I was part of a local community event sponsored by the University of Illinois. They invited people to present ways to earn money while working at home. I have to admit that when I first received the invitation I didn’t think it a good fit for me. After all, writing is more a calling, and for Christian writers it’s a ministry, not simply a way to earn money. Beside the fact that most writers don’t earn all that much, it’s not an easy business to break into.
But what the University wanted to do was present information. They wanted to present ways people have managed to do what they have a passion for and validated it by making money.
Well, information I could do, so I agreed.
Most of the people I talked to had a story in them, which happens to be true of the majority of people I meet through other means when they find out I’m a writer. Even people who came to talk to a local banker about starting a small business said they had a story in them.
Many people I’ve met over the years have admitted they have at least one book inside, just waiting to be written. Some are story ideas they’ve had, but those who want to write a memoir (either about their own life or that of a family member) win out in numbers over those who want to write pure fiction—at least those with only one book in them.
And so I presented some of the myths and facts about the publishing business. How long, on average, it takes to break in (three to five years, according to one source I checked); how difficult it is to break in (so many varieties of rejection); how little money most writers make (less than minimum wage per year); the differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing (need a platform and mode of distribution). I admit the bad news outweighed the good, at least as far as bullet points, but one of the saddest things I’ve seen is someone who has a sparkle in their eye about writing a book but expects to get into this business with minimum time and effort. After all, they’ve read at least one book that they could have written better and if that author could get published anyone could.
I ended on a positive note, which I’ll try doing here as well. The satisfaction of writing, of touching someone else through words, does make up for the wait and the frustration. Like any calling, it takes talent and passion—but just as much persistence and dedication. And in that way my presentation wasn’t so unlike the others who were there to answer information about realizing their dreams. Few people answer a calling without some blood, sweat and tears, right?
Join Me!