How to keep your day job from killing your writing career » Screenwriting Manifesto

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Like most writers waiting for their big break, I have a day job. I have, in fact, had a day job for a long, long time .

There are many dangers inherent in leading this double life. It’s easy to lose focus and let writing take a back seat. This is because the day job is more immediate, though not necessarily more important. Plus, in a job you often have other people depending on you, whereas in the early stages of a writing career, the only person you’re likely to disappoint is yourself. And unlike the seemingly endless process of writing and rewriting, a day job often brings the immediate rewards of cash and a sense of accomplishment, of actually having done something .

Not all jobs are satisfying in and of themselves. But even bad jobs become an excuse to not write. Because we’re tired, drained, or don’t have any time left over for ourselves.

That’s why we have make a concentrated effort to make writing a priority in our lives. Writing is not the default behavior for the human animal. It’s way down the list on the hierarchy of needs , for one thing. If we want it to happen, we have to make it happen. On purpose.

So I offer here a few humble suggestions for putting your writing at the center of your life.

Know what you want and how to get it

When you manage to scrape together a few minutes of writing time, you can’t afford to be lost in a fog. You have to know what you want to accomplish and the steps you need to take to get there. So you might spend some time planning your career before you get to the actual writing. That’s okay. You won’t be able ...

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http://davidanaxagoras.com/2008/07/13/how-to-keep-your-day-job-from-killing-your-writing-career/

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