Everybody is worried about bloggers getting book deals. Sometimes I like to stare off in the distance and wonder--Who's going to be the first writer to build a literary career via blogs? By "literary career," I don't mean the blogger who writes a book about the fact that they are a blogger. I mean a blogger who writes a book that your kids will read in high school English.
The writer who manages that awesome task will be somebody like Claire Zulkey. She cut her teeth on blogs, built a great collection of stories, and already has a growing community.
That's why I picked her for my deceptively simple feature: Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a serialized set of weekly interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web publishing...
Jason Boog:
Lots and lots of writers are stressed out about the writing market right now. I'm not saying anybody expects to become millionaires or anything, but I think most of my readers dream of supporting themselves with writing. How do you support yourself? Paper-based magazines and newspapers are folding every day. What's your advice for fledgling writers hoping to survive in this tough new environment?
Claire Zulkey:
Good question--it is my dream to quit my day job and write full time and I'm hoping to achieve that in the next year or two... In the meantime, having a day job that allows you some free time to freelance is probably the best solution. You have a salary to support yourself and also, more importantly, have insurance.
I have to keep my writing a secret from my boss but in some ways for now I'm thankful that I can be selective about what I work on according to what free tiem I do have--mostly now mbtoolbox.com and book writing and some magazine writing.
My advice to any writer who wants to go full time is to make a serious plan and think it out ahead of time. Beyond that I'll have to let you know when I go about it myself!
Good luck Claire.
Posted by: Khalil A. | June 23, 2006 12:22 PM | Permalink to Comment