The Not So Glamorous Life of a Freelance Writer

Worked most of yesterday on a book proposal that I plan to submit early this week. I've decided that even if the publisher doesn't go for it, I'm definitely submitting it elsewhere. In fact, my agent has suggested that I should consider putting together other non-fiction book proposals as well. Two publishers have approached me about doing projects, after all; usually it's the other way around.

So now I'm starting to brainstorm about ideas in addition to working on my novels. I still plan to pitch shorter pieces to magazine markets meanwhile, but the idea of having my agent pitch book-length ideas at the same time is highly appealing. I love my agent.

It takes a great deal of time to research and put together a proper magazine article query, sometimes longer than writing the actual piece, which is why I try to focus only on articles that have a wide range of potential markets...that way if one is rejected (either at the pitch stage or after I've written it), I can send it elsewhere.

Pitchpitchpitch. Anyone who thinks freelancing writing is glamorous is living in another dimension. So much of it is about promotion and marketing, as well as learning how to deal with rejection. Unless you're very lucky, a LOT of rejection. Hm, I should do a Will Write For Chocolate column about this topic sometime.

Despite the above, however, I should point out that I love being a writer, and am immensely grateful that I have such a supportive spouse. I wake up every morning excited about my work and still marvelling at the fact that people are paying me to do something I love doing anyway.

Glamorous? No. But it feeds my soul, and I feel like one of the luckiest people in the world for having it.

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