Actually when it comes to my writing I have several dreams, or more likely aspirations, some of those aspirations are more realistic than others but all of them will entail me keeping writing, I think that’s the one thing that’s a given in any future other than a Twilight Zone one that sees aliens flood the earth with “Writers’ Block” gas leading to a shocking moment when I fall to my knees and shout “NOOOOOOOO!!”
But other than that I will keep writing. The only question remains, how will my writing ‘career’ develop? And will I even be able to look back and call it a career? I can see five options;
Option 1: Things pretty much carry on as they are. I write short stories and some end up published by Indie publishers. I make a nominal amount on each story and get the odd contributor’s copy. Meanwhile I write more novels, none of which any agents or publishers will touch with a bargepole so I self-publish some of them. Effectively writing remains a hobby.
Option 2: Similar to option one, only I get my short stories published by publishers that pay pro rates, and maybe a novel gets picked up by a publisher, or else my self-published works take off a little. I make a bit of money, not enough to remotely stop working but maybe enough to pay for the occasional luxury item, or maybe even a holiday, and enough for me to legitimately consider writing a part time job.
Option 3: Similar to option two, only several novels sell, and whilst the money doesn’t exactly roll in, I get to a point where the paycheques are regular enough and large enough that I could consider writing my full time job, or at the very least a point where I could afford to work just a couple of days a week in a ‘proper’ job and still live the bacchanalian life to which I’ve grown accustomed.
Option 4: Similar to option three, only my novels sell quite well, I become a well-known author, and maybe a book gets optioned by an independent film company to be made as a low budget straight to DVD flick starring Vinnie Jones or Danny Dyer. Quite patently writing is my career at this point.
Option 5: I become JK Rowling (or possibly just E. L. James). My books sell in the millions, are translated into every language on Earth and are optioned by major Hollywood studios who make giant blockbusters out of them starring Jennifer Lawrence. I make enough money to buy my own castle and pay Richard Branson to shoot me into space.
Of course there are probably varying shades of grey (see what I did there) between each of these options, and I think it’s fair to say that option 1 is more likely than option 2, which is more likely than option 3…and so on and so forth.
Of course being realistic, anything beyond option 1 is, at the moment, a pipe dream given the most I’ve ever been paid for a story is probably around the £10 mark. But part of being a writer is about having dreams and goals, and at the very least I believe, seriously I really do, that one day I will sit within option 2 at the very least, hopefully option 3. Four would be nice, but I’m not sure I’m that good (see, I have set myself realistic goals. I have self-belief but acknowledge I have limits…hopefully the gods of literary fate are listening and are impressed by this).
As for option 5…would you believe me if I said I didn’t want this? No? That’s ok; I wouldn’t believe you either, gentle reader, if our roles were reversed, and maybe I am deluding myself, I’m just not sure I’d ever want to be that successful, that rich
Don’t fret; I don’t think it’s ever going to be an issue…
And if Option 1 ends up being the only option for the rest of my life? Well that’d be ok…Obviously I say that with a slightly resigned, slightly disappointed sigh, because I really do want (need!) more than that (determination, see. Take note aforementioned gods of literary fate…) but if that’s the limit of my creative life then so be it. It won’t stop me writing. Nothing will stop me writing *
*aside from those pesky Twilight Zone aliens obviously.