Agonies of a Young Author

I realized that I never set a New Year's resolution, either for life in general or for my writing. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my goals for this year, and what I want to accomplish. I've finally settled on: making money from writing.

First off, let me explain that I know writers never make serious money. Let me also say that I know "true writers" never have publication and/or making money as their end goal, but instead write for themselves and for the sake of Art. Let me thus follow up and respond that I will be writing no matter what. In the meantime, I should at least pull out some this writing, polish it up, brush the lint off and ship it off to a publisher to do some good for my bankbook. If I create, and then do nothing with the words, have I really created? *snicker snicker*

What my goal is really about is taking myself, my writing, and my career to a new plane. Like I said, I can write and write, but this IS an ego-driven profession, and would I REALLY be happy as an unknown starving artist in some attic somewhere?

No. Simply, no. I like food. I like clothing. I like *nice* clothing, the kind without rips and multiple patches. I would like a house someday. Not necessarily a big one, but any sort of property requires a down payment. And good credit.

And, most importantly, I have never really earned money from my writing. I have won one scholarship, many years ago in high school, but that went towards summer school tuition via my parents. Since then, nothing.

I am not getting at that age when earning my own way is getting more and more important. I have already conquered making my own way, but now I just need to be able to provide for myself to make everything happen. And how else would I do that than with my chosen profession?

So I am looking for writing that pays. I am currently lined up for an interview tomorrow for the magazine internship position, so perhaps that will pan out. And as I have posted earlier this week, I have tried really hard to submit a lot of poems to various competitions and journals. The actual dividends are that much, but the point that I'm trying to make is that the amount doesn't matter, but the sheer realization of the actual earning power of my writing.

Besides, a gift card to Amazon is a GREAT pay off. I can read all the mass fiction, ahem, I mean instructional academic books I want.

Isn't it great to be paid in books?

Right now:
What I'm listening to: Nothing. Too sleepy.
What I want most: dinner. I skipped it today. Whoops. (notice how all my postings are about food? what does that say about me, I wander... No don't ACTUALLY answer that.)