Ask Sally #6 - Giving Up the Day Job and celebrity

I wasn't going to answer these until tomorrow, but they made me laugh so much, I couldn't resist answering now.

My local paper has just published my story, Mr Swallow Flies Home. Now I am a writer, should I hand in my notice at the office straight away?

First of all, congratulations on that first 'hit'! Now the painful truth.

Getting your first story published is a bit like winning the lottery. You give up the job, tell your boss what a ****** s/he is, then use your credit card to put down a huge deposit on a big car and even bigger house, dump your partner for a newer model who suddenly turned up the day they'd heard you won. Only then do you find out that you forgot to buy the ticket.

All you can do, as you wave your new love goodbye as they rush off to find a real lottery winner, is creep to the boss and hope that you can get the deposits back on the car and house. As for the ex-partner forgiving you. Forget it, buster!

No, please don't give up the day job just yet. I was writing for ten years before I actually sold a story, though like you I'd had some published in local papers but was not paid. As soon as I sold that one story (to Yours magazine) I assumed that I had finally made it as a writer, and that from then on every story I wrote would earn me money. Whilst I managed to get some stories into the Accent Press Sexy Shorts charity anthologies, it was three years before I was paid decent money for another story. That was in January of this year. I haven't had to wait another three years to sell more, thank goodness, but it was a good lesson to learn. Having one story published, whilst a fantastic achievement, does not mean you've hit the big time.

A recent study showed that the average writer earns £4000 per year (I wish!). Bear in mind that this average takes into account JK Rowling's many millions, and the considerably lesser earning power of someone like yours truly. The majority of writers will earn much less than that, and even writers who sell well might have to supplement their income by presenting workshops and classes, or even keeping the day job.

When Will I Be Asked For More Stories?

You won't be. You still have to work at it, I'm afraid. You'd have to be a particularly successful writer in order to be commissioned for your stories. Meanwhile, keep writing them and sending them out. You've done it once, you can do it again!

Dear Sally, When you next speak to Gwyneth Paltrow, please ask her for me how she does her eye makeup.

Sorry, Gwyneth and I fell out when she named her daughter Apple. And I doubt she does her own eye make up. Seriously, having a few stories published doesn't get you hob-nobbing with the stars, I'm afraid. Unless you're Katie Price aka Jordan. I did once meet actor George Irving (Holby City's Anton Meyer) in a car park in Bromley. It probably meant more to me than to him.


More Links

Things I learned since I got a book published

Don't Give Up The Day Job