The Writing Life: Income, Revisited

[rolanni]

For those following the on-going discussion of Nurture vs. Nature Hobby vs. Honest Labor (also here), I report that the last of the outstanding checks arrived yesterday, my half of which was enough to flip the score from Honest Labor by a modest lead to Hobby by a slightly-more-modest lead.  The check that just arrived would itself  have covered six weeks of the day-job’s summer take-home.

This will flip again — the day-job has four months of full-time pay to deliver (assuming inertia and the continuing failure of a reputable  film company to offer an option).  The Hobby, on the other hand, has another royalty payment period fast approaching, and, assuming we get Ghost Ship delivered anytime this millenium, there could be some D&A money coming in before the end of the year.

Yesterday, we met Steve’s brother and wife in Augusta (where they had broken this year’s edition of the annual journey to Bar Harbor) for breakfast and family catch-up, then took a lovely and leisurely drive down Route 9 to look at a house that will not, I’m afraid, Do. On the wending way back home, we stopped at a wine tasting, and at B&N, arriving home too late to do anything about those nice checks, had pizza and wine for dinner.  It was a very pleasant day.

This morning, Hexapuma has already been the vet for his third and hopefully final shot to deal with the eosinophilic plaque, Steve has fixed my printer, and I’ve got some writing to do.

See y’all later.

Originally published at Sharon Lee, Writer. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

I know I've been buried under "trying to see if I can handle up to steam" life but when you mention a house "Doing" or "not doing" I know I've missed some important posts.

I **have** tried to keep up with the Carousel posts -- want my copy NOW. MINE.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

We are beginning to get up a head of steam ourselves -- we have determined that we need to move into town; I would like to move in a southern-coast direction -- access to city benefits, like, art museums, restaurants, hospitals, trains, public buses, sidewalks... Portland acts like it's Boston in terms of its housing costs, but I'm hoping we'll be able to find something in a surrounding town -- all on one level would good. . .

So, we're starting. Yesterday's exploration was the first serious shot over the bow of the problem. Now, I know that I won't willingly return to the housing situation Steve and I put up with for the first nine years of our time together. Self-knowledge is good.

[eseme]

Brunswick is also a bit costly, but has two very nice museums, and two theaters. Also, Gulf of Maine Books. And the best selection of food north of Portland (2 Indian places, Thai, Italian, German, Japanese sushi, Chinese buffet, and Lots of American places too).

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Brunswick is a lovely town, and very walkable. It's on the short list.

[eseme]

I have a friend who lives in downtown Brunswick and has no car. It works well for her. She had considered Bath when she first got to the area, but did not like the hills.

Oh, I should introduce myself - I happen to be a certain librarian who invited you to Augusta. This is my somewhat-secret alter-ego.

[librarygorilla.livejournal.com]

I realized fairly recently that it actually costs me money to go to my day job. Or rather, if we didn't have a ridiculously good health plan.

Thanks to state budget cuts, I've only been working 20 hours a week at the day job, which is actually nice, and my income has increased.

If only I lived in Canada.

Hobby vs Honest Labor discussion

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for revisiting that discussion. It was a sobering education. I love your stories and would have thought that the financial reward to you from them would be more substantial. And some disappointed that it is not.

My comment on the 15th was in no way reflective of "so what, you'll make more money". It was more about offering a possible silver lining, however lame, at the projected increase in your workload.

This is probably best not done when one doesn't know how things work. But then I've always been quite facile at stepping in it.

My humblest and most respectful apology.

Barb in Bandon

Re: Hobby vs Honest Labor discussion

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

My comment on the 15th was in no way reflective of "so what, you'll make more money". It was more about offering a possible silver lining, however lame, at the projected increase in your workload.

No, I understood that. But, yanno, most artists are really good at divorcing "making art" from "making money" -- which, considering how much art pays, is probably a Good Thing.

This is probably best not done when one doesn't know how things work. But then I've always been quite facile at stepping in it.

Not many people know how it works. Which is why i had posted the original breakdown. At that point, there were all kinds of people on the internet making Wildly Unsupported Suppositions of how much money the typical author makes from a book. It was...fascinating, in a really infuriating sort of way.

My humblest and most respectful apology.

No need -- but thank you.

Hobby vs Day Job

[claire774.livejournal.com]

Cross fingers for film option? Also for inheritance from previously unknown to you rich uncle. Also to be paid more by publisher and quicker due to increasing fame and book sales. And so on. Would be great.
Wondering if risk of quitting day job could be balanced out in favor of volume production. That is ability to write more if didn't have day job. More published?.

Gus sends barks to Hexapuma. He says, "No more shots!"

Re: Hobby vs Day Job

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'm going to start buttonholing people on the street and asking if they happen to be a producer.

Wondering if risk of quitting day job could be balanced out in favor of volume production. That is ability to write more if didn't have day job. More published?.

I do that math a lot -- and I always break on the cost of health insurance.

Ideally, I'd have the summer schedule year-round -- 15 hours/week pays for the health insurance, the gas to and from work, and groceries. And I get five days in a row to write.

Not that that's going to happen, either. . .

Good plan --

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Do it all now while it's easy and not an imperative. I'm still on the second floor where I am, but I'm trying to get stronger so this is probably still wise. I'd rather be using my energy for ballroom dancing, but first must be able to do stairs with no effort at conventions. I am tired by the third day.

Brunswick's food selection sounds promising for me -- Indian and Japanese, yes! And Italian where I can get something simple off-menu would make it heaven.

Re: Good plan --

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

And Italian where I can get something simple off-menu would make it heaven.

Brunswick is home to The Great Impasta, which is almost worth moving for, by itself.