When Writing is More Than Just Your Hobby
Maybe writing is “just a hobby” to you but if you love writing, when writing is more than just your hobby, give it all you’ve got. Treat it like a job. Go for it. Writing takes a lot of time, energy, willpower and intelligence and anyone who can sit down and write and make that writing informative, enjoyable and publishes it for the general public deserves respect. Read more…
When WRITING Is MORE THAN Just YOUR HOBBY
Writers are a unique people who are often considered an odd lot by those who don’t really know them, those folks who don’t think writing is a “real job.” After all, writers don’t work 7 to 3 or 9 to 5; they don’t keep regular hours and most don’t get paid regular wages; you know, get a paycheck every Thursday, especially if the word Freelance or Content comes just in front of the word Writer on their resume.
They just aren’t considered “normal” by the general populous unless of course you happen to have made it onto the New York Times “Best Seller List,” or you write for a syndicated News Media like the Associated Press. By then of course, you are no longer simply called a writer; you now have the title of Author or Journalist and you are probably making a “real living” out of your presumed “writing hobby.”
Most people think of writing as just another hobby and writers are people who are involved in the hobby of writing like people stamp collectors collect stamps until they do it on a more professional level and gain the title Philatelist or you are called a Lepidopterist if you study and collect butterflies or a rock hound if you study and collect rocks and minerals until you reach a more professional level and gain the title Geologist or Mineralogist.
Well, writers collect words and ideas and bits and pieces of dreams, imagination and information and they put all that down on paper. From the moment we write and complete an article or story, essay or poem, we become an author (with a little “a”) but once we sell that work to a publisher who pays us, whether it is a penny a click or a six digit paycheck once a month or even only a couple times a year, we become an Author with a capital “A.”
When you do it over and over again even if you never get rich doing it, writing becomes more than just a hobby and I hereby authorize you to use the letters PA following your name like doctor Jones might write his name as Donald C, Jones, MD. PA equals Published Author; Annette Bromley, PA. No kidding, there is nothing wrong with it and it will keep a lot of folks from scoffing at your “just a hobby.” Writing takes a lot of time and work and energy, a lot of intelligence to take a thought and turn it into written words and those words into something people will want to know about and read. You have earned the title.
People scoff at me spending whole long weekends from spring through autumn out on some mountain in the wilds of nowhere collecting rocks and minerals too but I am in the process of writing a book about my rockhounding adventures that I hope will make the “Best Sellers” list. We’ll have to wait and see. They think my weekends would be better spent playing golf or gardening. Well I do that too but I enjoy being a rock hound and am fascinated by our earth’s dynamics and so I learn about it, study it and I write about it; thought to adventure to pen to paper to publisher; by Annette Bromley, PA, RH (that is rock hound) Photographer. A lot of research and time goes into my work and those letters behind my name look oh so professional. So, maybe writing is a hobby but it can also be your profession, your “job,” and if you love it, what a great job that is.
Maybe writing is “just a hobby” to you but if you love writing, when writing is more than just your hobby, give it all you’ve got. Treat it like a job. Give yourself permission to write. Schedule your writing work hours and don’t let family, friends, the phone or your text messenger disturb you from doing your job any more than you do with that “rut job” that is helping to keep a roof over your head, food on your table and clothes on your back while you are trying to make it in the writing world. You can do it When Writing is More than just Your Hobby.
If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy reading the following adventures and thoughts by Annette Bromley, PA, RH…
Adventures of a Rockhound (1)
http://scienceray.com/earth-sciences/geology/the-adventures-of-being-a-rock-hound-part-1/
In Search of Gold
http://authspot.com/poetry/in-search-of-gold/
Adventures of a Rockhound (2)
http://a-bromley.quazen.com/recreation/outdoors/the-adventures-of-being-a-rockhound-part-2/
Adventures of a Rockhound (3)
Rocks
http://authspot.com/poetry/rocks-4/
Are There Really Rocks In Our Head
http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/are-there-really-rocks-in-our-heads/
Social Injustice of Judging Someone by Where They Work or Their Income Level
Challenged to Write
http://writinghood.com/online-writing/challenged-to-write/
What Is Going on in Carddersville
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February 22nd, 2012 at 9:44 am
Nicely written, and well said.
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:46 am
I liked this article. It made me thing about things in my life. Thank you.
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:47 am
You are wise. Thanks!
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:03 pm
You couldn’t have said it better. Actually, and as I’m not blessed with a day job that pays my bills and feed, this is my job no matter what a pitance I’m earning. I do really get angry when folks say “Oh, you write? Interesting hobby!” “Hobby? You call it hobby spending an amount of hours in front of the screen everyday?” It’s no hobby; it’s my aim! I know I’m no John Gresham, but I do deserve respect just like this one. That was a good one. thanks for sharing!
February 22nd, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Well done. I started reading your rockhound articles. Thanks for the links.
February 22nd, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Nicely spoken and your understanding of authors, helps me a lot. Thanks!
February 22nd, 2012 at 3:53 pm
Thanks so much. You know I love to write!
Sometimes others don’t get it.
ooxx
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Very nice article:)
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Being insanely obsessed with something is easier when you have friends with the same obsession. I keep telling myself, usually at around 2 am, that as soon as I finish this project I will start getting to bed earlier. But then, 3 or 4 more topics find their way into my brain before the current one is even done, and …you understand.
So I am Karen Gross, BA, Bed, PA. That’s a lot of letters. When I meet someone who asks what I do, and I tell them that I have Parkinson’s, they tilt their heads and say “I am so sorry,” and then I say “But I write when I can” and they say, “That’s so nice. Good for you.”
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:37 pm
You touched on a lot of the same feelings I have about writing and I enjoyed how you expressed them in your voice. I suspect you are a lot like me when you find a new idea to write about- it becomes the most fascinating thing and you want to share it with everyone who will listen! Thanks for reading some of my articles – sorry about the moon rocks article- it is an extremely short version of something I am shaping for an ebook. I’d be happy to send you the longer version – about 3 times the length with a much better developed idea. email me at gmiller526@gmail.com and I’ll send you the file. I read it to a New York City Writers group at a meetup and when I was done there was dead silence. They had no idea what to make of it because it wasn’t this reading about some contrived “relationship” situation told in flowery, excessive emotional goodness-knows-what. It was a real story with breathing people about interconnected lives to the space race and growing up in the 60s. Afterwards several people came up to me and said they were knocked out by it. Maybe they don’t get nonfiction. You are right about writing what makes you happy. Nice to meet you.
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:38 pm
What a great idea, I think I will start signing my name with a PA after it. Everyone would have to ask what it means.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:04 am
Very well said and excellent advice. I live by the motto to give it your all or give it your nothing.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:26 am
Well written. I am reading your article ”Challenged to write”
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:32 am
i like it.keep writing
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:15 am
Hahaha lovely article. From Marc PA
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:40 pm
I enjoyed reading this, and it expresses excatly what every writer thinks, well maybes most writers. Like artists of the brush alot of people shrug writers off. Its our artistic natures and our right :0) better on paint, paper, than being stuck inside. Keep up the good work we appreicate it!
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:01 pm
we have to write for the joy of it! a v. good piece
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:55 pm
Writing is a calling and it is alot of work even if you don’t get paid very much for it at first. I took a Professional Writing Certificate Program at our local College, so technically writing is my profession, but I must confess that it takes time even for me to think of my writing as a job because when people ask me “do you work?” or “what you do for a living,” I seldom answer “I am a writer.” More often I say that I am stay-at-home Mom or that I homeschool full time because I know that others do not think of writing as a job. We should try to change that perception.
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:40 pm
Very well said. Lowell Henderson PA
February 24th, 2012 at 4:43 am
You cleared up a lot of things for me and a lot of other writers with this article. From now on I’m a PA! I’ll alternate between publishes Author and Professional Author. It’s my profession!
February 24th, 2012 at 10:32 am
Good idea
It’s funny that writing is so underrated when people read content every day that is produced by professionals like us.
February 24th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
So many don’t have any respect for use freelance writers. I make a small amount of monthly income and I have a childrens book published. However my older brother still calls it my little hobby because I also have to hold down a bi-weekly paycheck job. Thank you for this as I really enjoyed it.
PR Mace PA
February 24th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
It’s the same with anything in the arts, whether it’s writing, music, painting, acting, or what have you. People who aren’t part our world don’t understand it, so until you’ve attained some sort of status, they don’t consider it a real job. They tend to forget that the majority of those who make it big started out in the same little nowhere place, spending their lives pouring their hearts into their chosen art; pursing a dream only they could see. (J.K Rowling was broke once too, and spent her time writing in coffee shops so she could save money by not heating her home. Harry Potter was reject by about 40 publishers before it was finally accepted) Ironically enough, when you do make it big, the people who told you that were a failure going nowhere with your little “hobby” are usually the first ones to tell you they always knew how talented you were. It’s kind of sad that people won’t value work until it’s critically acclaimed. Instead of deciding for themselves whether it’s good, they have to wait for someone else to say it first.
February 26th, 2012 at 6:17 am
I’m glad for your recent successes A Bromley.