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Being a writer is like no other job on earth. An electrician goes to work, wires up a house, flips the switch, and comes home. A house painter mixes his colors, works his tail off slathering them on, and
then he's done for the day. But writers, we're always working. There's no coming home after a hard day and putting our feet up. Because most of us, even if we're
not physically writing, are still going through the motions in our heads. Every situation has the potential for a story, every life's moment is grist for the mill. Writers rarely have an off switch.

Funny thing is, most of us wouldn't trade this life for all the "normal" jobs in the world.

What follows is a slew of information I've been gathering for too many
years to count. Almost all of the links go off site, and the material on the linked pages belongs solely to the owners of said sites. Some of the links contain solid facts, and some are rife with opinions. My best advice is to use common sense. What works for Writer A may be totally wrong for Writer B. You'll find your own way.

Also, be wary of all the writers out there eager to tell you about the downside of our profession. If you've ever had a baby, you know that as soon as you announce the happy news, people step out of the woodwork to give you their take on pregnancy, childbirth, and things thereof. Most are well-meaning, but you always have those few who can't wait to tell you a childbirth horror story. "My cousin had a fourteen pounder, and that joker was breech. Had to cut him out with the Jaws of Life." Some writers are like that. They can't wait to tell you about the hard, low-paying road to publication. So here's my question for those guys: if it's so bad, why do you do it?

I'm not saying writing is all blue birds and violets. Like any other job, it requires work, dedication, and a smattering of luck. I make decent money for the work I do, and darned if I don't have a ball doing it. At the end of the day, if I can look back on the words I've written with a sense of pride and fulfillment, then I'd say that's a job worth having.