The Day Job

by Dean James

Contrary to what readers sometimes think, many (if not most) writers don't make a full-time living from their writing. Among the membership of the Femmes we're fairly evenly split, I think, among those who write full-time and those who have other jobs and write "on the side."

I'm one of those who "writes on the side." In my day job I'm a medical librarian in the Texas Medical Center, the largest complex of its kind in the world. I'm the head of the department that handles the print and electronic books, journals, and databases that our library acquires or licenses. It's an interesting, sometimes challenging, job, and I enjoy it tremendously. I work with great people in a supportive environment, and the job brings excellent benefits, like health insurance and a regular paycheck.

I would love to live the glamorous life of the full-time writer (and already I'm hearing the snorts of derision from the Femmes who are full-time writers), but I'm not near that point yet, despite having published seventeen novels in the past twelve years. Someday I might get to the point where I can say goodbye to being a medical librarian and focus completely on writing, but it might never happen.

I'm actually okay with that, because I've been operating this way for the past twenty-seven years. Working full-time, having a part-time job or two in addition, and writing when I can. Two-day weekend? What's that? I'm fundamentally a lazy person, and I could happily be a kept man with the right inducements, but since no one has offered, I have to do it myself.

Every writer has to find what works, and what the budget will allow. This is my own peculiar way of doing things, and I didn't share this for sympathy or pity (although if someone wants to buy a few extra copies of my recent books, I wouldn't say no). If you keep telling yourself "well, I'll get around to writing that book when I can find the time," trust me, you can find the time.

Comments

[Deb Romano]

Dean,
You are hardly a lazy person! You work your demanding "day" job PLUS you discipline yourself to write very entertaining mysteries. I don't know how you find the time. I can barely find time to work AND clean my house! (Well, okay, not a lot of cleaning gets done.)I'd love to have more time for my hobbies; I'll have to look to you authors for my inspiration.

[Charlaine Harris]

I was very, very fortunate that my husband offered to be the sole income while I worked on my writing career. Eventually it paid off for him, but there were many years our lives would have been easier if I'd had a "regular" job. Dean, my hat is off to you.

[Dean]

Charlaine and Deb, thanks. Need I say that the house-cleaning chez moi is usually low on the "to do" list? LOL

[Kris Neri]

As one of the Femmes with multiple day jobs, I must say I would miss some of the rewards I derive from being a bookseller and a writing instructor, as well as a writer, and while it is hard to do it all, I'll second that it can be done. But I sure wouldn't argue against it if someone could add several extra hours onto every day.

[Deb]

It's a question that comes up so often: how do you find time to write? I think the most illuminating reply is: how do YOU find time to clean house/attend meetings/shop for shoes?

In other words, we all find or make time for the things we truly want to do. Thank goodness Dean really wants to write!