So, people know that I’m stepping back to work out the financial and personal issues going on over here. I’ve been writing, deleting, and rewriting this post since it keeps coming close to what I should save for Saturday. This post isn’t about the future of my blog, writing, and emotions. It’s about bringing money in, which has been driving me to the point of losing sleep.
First, I keep bouncing between full and part time being the initial target. My son still has a few weeks of summer break, which makes going on hunts and interviews difficult. When school starts, we would need to depend on my parents or a babysitter for when he comes home unless I find a job that puts me on the same schedule as him. Retail and supermarkets can be flexible, but this falls under part-time. So, this has caused me to leap down so many rabbit holes that I’m pretty sure I passed Wonderland a few possibilities again.
One thing I’m looking into that I can start once I finish researching is work-from-home with data entry, proofreading, and other typing-based jobs. This can be a good supplemental alongside whatever the books trickle in and it might be a great way to step into the working world again. I get used to having a boss once more and my son gets used to daddy ‘working’. Another benefit of this is that I can adjust the schedule as I see fit, which helps a lot when he has school. I can do a part-time job in the morning or night then this in the morning or night. It means writing takes an extra hit, but I can always make that a weekend’s night thing.
All of that being said, this post is mostly due to a few people pointing out that I have a decent platform here. It was suggested that I find a way to make some money helping authors, which had me doing some research. Honestly, I could only think of doing interviews or creative consultant. The first feels weird to do for money while the second is harder to explain. I’ve always had a knack for helping other authors work through blocks or obstacles. I just listen, ask questions, and give input when requested. Again, this is a weird thing to charge for in my mind.
The other issues that were pointed out by several people are:
- I’d have to set up all the tax stuff for such a business, which already makes my head spin. Can’t even figure out how to make receipts. I’ve always been more artist than businessman, so this is a nightmarish hurdle.
- WordPress doesn’t always celebrate someone making that kind of money off their platform. That’s what I’ve been told and I’m not sure how to look into it. So, I might have to make a different site.
- Even with my current platform/reputation, it could take a few years to start making any real money on this. It would be the author career all over again, but this time with less patience by the people around me. This could be a supplemental thing too, but I can only do so many of those things. I’m sure 3-4 small jobs can equal one, but I’d be exhausted jumping from data entry to book promos to chatting with other authors about their stories. So, as appealing as the idea is, there are a lot of downsides.
Still, I figure there’s no harm in opening the floor to people who might have an idea that I haven’t considered. Maybe I missed a factor or option. Maybe I’m working entirely out of a fear, desperation, and sorrow. The wound of saying even a slight good-bye is still a little raw and I probably should be taking time to get my head together. Yet, I really don’t feel like I have time to drag my feet. Thanks to anyone who can suggest anything.
P.S.- I did have a conversation about ghostwriting, but I’m not sure. I write in a rather distinct style that I naturally gravitate towards, so I fear that I’d be unable to do what the client wants.
