A few years ago I listened to a writer speak about her first book. She was in her early-mid 30s and taken a redundancy from her job in government several years before – which piqued my interest, having done the same.
But she said – although she earned a little income teaching writing and mentoring – it wasn’t enough to live on. She’d had the good fortune to get a publishing contract and an agent, and was working on final edits when she found herself broke.
She decided she’d have to go back to work and started looking at jobs in the field she’d worked before. It was soul-sucking she said… to think about going ‘back’. And then, her mother told her not to do it. Her mother offered to help support her while she continued writing.
Now I’m not sure if her mother was super-wealthy or just comfortable enough to be able to help her daughter; and I don’t know whether there were siblings begrudging this, but I was enchanted by the idea.
Not necessarily that she was being financially supported by her mother, but the fact she shared it with us. By her honesty.
By her telling it like it really is.
I shared a link to an article on Facebook the other day and wondered if either the piece, or I, would receive some hate as a result. I’d first seen it last year some time and it really resonated. I was at a point where I was trying to set up my freelance writing business, but not really having the confidence – or the nous – to do so and wondering how so many writers, freelancers and bloggers did it.
Id’ encourage you to check out the article which is essentially about an author who’s calling out others (though not nastily) about not being honest about how they ‘live off their writing income’. She admits she’s been able to do so thanks to her husband’s salary. She mentions a number of other people whose parents have financially supported them or who have wealthy (or just income-earning) partners allowing them the freedom to not stress TOO much about how the bills will be paid.
When I first made my seachange I commented to a not-so-pleasant person in my building that I planned to have a little break from work. His response… “that I must have done well out of the divorce.” Later he suggested I should be able to access my superannuation… being over 55 and all. I was about 43 and still unsure if he was joking.
But I wasted no time in telling him I’d never been married or partnered-up. Always single and everything I’d earned I’d earned myself. #defensivemuch?
I know I haven’t had the expense of children and this isn’t meant to be one of those: is it cheaper for two people on two salaries to live than one on one; or how much I’ve saved by not being able to have children etc debates.
However, I’ve recently been to a blogging conference and met a number of people who dream of being able to support themselves solely via their blogging. “So many others are doing it!” they say.
And maybe they are.
I’m fairly sure it’s no one’s business but theirs how someone pays their bills or how they support themselves. But I can’t help wonder ‘we’ aren’t setting up false expectations.
Wannabe authors expect to be able to live off their royalties, something that happens here in Australia but rarely. Many well-known authors have other jobs and sources of income. Or their partners are able to support them. Or perhaps they’re single and receiving $260 weekly via unemployment benefits.
Beginner bloggers or freelance writers imagine being able to live well, or at least eat, on the incomes they’ll earn… because it seems others are doing so. I know I looked enviously upon others seemingly living off their freelance earnings when I was trying to do so. But for all I knew they had partners who worked to pay the mortgage and school fees, or they inherited money or similar.
I’d still love to support myself via my writing, but the need to pay my mortgage, rates, electricity, home, contents and car insurance and car registration, health insurance, water and so forth (alone) means I need to earn more than I can imagine as a freelancer. It just doesn’t seem feasible.
Is freelancing financially feasible? Are you a freelancer or work for yourself? Do you think people need to be honest about their income or is it none of our business?
I’m IBOTTING and linking up with Kylie Purtell again today.
September 27, 2016
This is really pertinent given that when we make our sea change I’ll be giving up a lucrative income to do so. I had a go a couple of years ago at being wholly freelance & wasnt able to make what I considered decent money. Maybe I didn’t try hard enough, maybe my expectations were too high- but others were managing. As for income from my fiction? It doesn’t pay for itself- yet.
September 27, 2016
I’m pretty sure my expectations were too high Jo. Whereas now – I only work part-time and only earn $40-50k a year (a smidge of my old life) so I’d be more easily satisfied, but I still don’t think I’d make anywhere near that as a freelancer.
I had a contract with someone and did admin, client liaison, writing and project management stuff for a year or two post-seachange but made nowhere near that and only just enough to cover my bills.
September 27, 2016
I left my job to go freelance 3 months ago, and so far have been able to replace my previous salary. BUT I’m probably working harder than I was!! It is possible, but not for everyone I think.
September 27, 2016
Oh that’s great that you can support yourself! I certainly was far from being able to do it!
September 27, 2016
I’m the first to say, I wouldn’t be able to support myself freelancing if it weren’t for my husband’s income, and the wages I pay myself for doing the books for our company. But… I think it is possible – with a lot of hard work and dedication. Freelancing is tough. You need to work hard, be committed and be forward-thinking enough to navigate the good months and the bad months. It’s the unreliability of income that is the problem for most. As for making money from solely blogging – yeah, I’m not sure. I think there’s only a handful with huge followings that can make a full-time living out of it – and it is loads of hard work and time!
September 27, 2016
Yes, having that back-up is important. I didn’t enjoy the process of approaching organisations (locally) to write for them, but if I could pitch pieces to sources I’d enjoy that. Of course I keep saying I’m building the confidence to do so… It wouldn’t allow me to live on my earnings and I’d still need another job, but it’d help!
September 27, 2016
I think there needs to be more transparency about all of this. It’s one of the reasons that I can’t wait until uni is over so I can start my podcast and talk about all of this.
September 27, 2016
It’s a hard one Vanessa… I kinda know it’s none of our business what others learn, but when so many of us fall into the comparison trap (ie. the real problem) it’s difficult when we assume we’re not doing as well as everyone else – when they may have some backup (and never disclose this).
September 27, 2016
I don’t think people need to disclose incomes (and I won’t be asking) but it will be a realistic snapshot of the variables people juggle in order to have a life.
September 27, 2016
Good point!
September 27, 2016
Freelancing is TOUGH. Every week I question what I do and wonder where the next freelance gig is going to come from. Whilst it is a better work life balance does it equate to the financial worries? … I don’t think so.
September 27, 2016
Oh yes, that’s why I suspect a back-up income is very useful… either your own or from a partner etc…
September 27, 2016
Yes, I do think you can earn a living freelance or working for yourself but, as you know Deb, it takes time and hard work.
I have been incredibly fortunate as an author that I am making, what I consider to be, a liveable income although it took me about a decade and fifty books to get here. I recently gave up my day job (or night job actually) – I worked part-time as a nurse. I am earning more now than I did as a nurse (although the money comes in sporadically and a couple of books that bomb can have things going quickly pear-shaped) but have effectively halved my income with no more nursing money coming in to sweeten the pot.
When I was nursing, my writing money was cream, allowing us to do things like go on overseas holidays but now it’s paying the mortgage as my nursing money used to do. Even when I was nursing, though, I still had the “support” of my husband’s income. But nobody would have considered that he was supporting me. We were just both contributing to our household in whatever capacity we could. We earned roughly the same amount of money – he worked more “bill-able” hours but I was looking after the kids, the house etc as well as working part time night duty and writing full time.
I guess my biggest bug bear is the use of the term sponsored/ing. Nobody says when you have a “proper” job that might earn less than your husband/partner (for whatever reason) that he is “sponsoring” you. Surely that’s just sharing the financial burden – the whole for richer for poorer thing. I also dislike how gendered it is. If I was to earn more than my husband would society say I was sponsoring him? My sister earns double what her husband earns – nobody suggests she’s sponsoring him.
Hmmm…sorry I think I got off track when I climbed up on my high horse 🙂 But to get back on track….Absolutely, 100% not – your income i.e. how much you earn, isn’t anyones business. But I dont think people should mislead others either like Ann Bauer talked about in her article. I think there’s a balance between revealing your income and being honest about the external factors that helped support you along the way – like massive family weatlh!
September 27, 2016
Yes, am hoping the author of the article is being facetious when she says ‘sponsored by my husband’. And I’m basically with you – it’s hard as I believe our income is our own business, but there’s something to be said for not misleading others re our success (or otherwise).
Interestingly I read an author interview the other day in which the author (a male) talked about his wife’s income enabling him to take time away from the workforce to write and I loved that honesty as well.
September 27, 2016
Hi Deb, I am in the same boat as you. Attempting to make regular money from my writing but I do have another job (being a midwife) so my writing money really justifies operating my blog and a few perks here and there. I am going to be honest-I would love to be a full-time writer but the logistics of that is a complicated beast with 3 young boys, husband and mortgage to support when being a midwife is a great income and I still enjoy it. Many authors and writers have multiple income sources and yes, plenty of them are supported by their spouse as well. I read somewhere, it takes about your 3rd or 4th book to produce a healthy/regular income if it is successful.
September 27, 2016
Yes Amy (Andrews, below) is well placed to comment on the author thing as she’s got a lot of books published now and I recall her deciding she was able to quit work in the last year or so.
September 27, 2016
I find the biggest problem with freelancing is the regularity – it’s feast or famine – and that’s very difficult to plan around. My husband is also self-employed and it’s difficult to enjoy the times when you’re a little more flush because you know there’s likely to be lean times around the corner. On more than one occasion we’ve put money aside for a holiday or similar indulgence, only to have to then use it to pay the bills… It’s been this way for so long now, I’m used to it but sometimes I do think how nice it would be knowing exactly how much was going in the bank each week!
September 27, 2016
Oh yes, it would be hard to have your ‘backup’ income (for want of a better term) to be dependent on others so much as well. I’m a worrier so I’d be terrible in such circumstances!
September 27, 2016
The freelance that I’m able to do for the book magazine depending on the number of books I review doesn’t even cover a phone bill, and it pays monthly. So I have yet to uncover the secret of being able to live off my blogs income or freelance income.
September 27, 2016
Same Leona… I don’t do any paid stuff on my blog but am keen to write elsewhere. (For money!)
September 27, 2016
I think you’d have to be a pretty popular freelancer to be able to make a good living off it. I make next to nothing at present and admit that I can only do what I do thanks to my husband’s salary. However, I worked full time for many, many years whilst juggling kids and all that goes with having kids (lots). I only took a short break when I had babies – so I don’t feel any guilt. I worked bloody hard and I paid off the bulk of our mortgage. This time is my time to work out what I like to do and to look after myself and my health issues. In the meantime, I do have some ideas for some ventures in addition to my blog (that I will enjoy) that will bring in some money … and that is thanks to this time I have had to investigate what I like to do! I know that not everyone is this fortunate and I am grateful. 🙂
September 27, 2016
Love that you’ve got some ideas up your sleeve Min! And I’m sure most couples are the same as you and your husband – each has worked and contributed in many ways to running the home. I like to think the article’s less about who supports who, but about the fact that the support is there. I think. In some ways it’s fraught because freelancers / authors / writers could be insulted the article’s author is implying they can’t live off their writing earnings alone… when they imply they do. (And then I wonder if they ‘lie by default’ because others will see them as more successful if they’re completely self-sustaining!)
September 27, 2016
It’s interesting, isn’t it? I’m not sure how it works for others, but I make nothing from my “writing” and as I’m not working right now, I’m totally sponsored by my husband 🙂
September 27, 2016
Love it. Before finding this part-time job I was sadly sponsored by Centrelink for a while last year…
September 27, 2016
I think especially when it comes to writing, living well by freelancing is really difficult! And I truly don’t know many bloggers who make money off blogging. You know, apart from if they just don’t tell other bloggers about it. And the bloggers I do know who earn money, it’s not exactly from their blogging. Like Nosegraze Ashley, she designs and codes WordPress themes and plugins, and so of course she earns money on that. But I have no idea if she actually earns money off her blog writing, you know?
And you are right, some people are lucky enough to have a partnership where one person earns enough money for the whole family. That is my case, and it’s why I could quit my job a few years back to go back to studying so I could follow my dream of being a teacher.
And I also think there’s no shame in being ‘sponsored’ by a partner, family member or unemployment benefits. We all do the best we can with what we have, right?
Great post, Deb.
September 28, 2016
I don’t think there’s any shame in it either Lexxie which I think it why I was surprised when I heard this author mention it. People so rarely do. Hell – if I had a partner who earned enough to keep both of us (AND who hopefully loved their job) I’d more than happily not do paid work that I didn’t care for!
I was always pretty ambitious but it was more about doing well in whatever field I was in. I think a few things happened in my early 40s that made me stop and wonder what life had all been about and what my life would be like if I continued down that path.
September 27, 2016
A great post which has started many conversations here. I do not have a writing for money goal at all. I once tried (and succeeded) for blog sponsorship and wrote posts based on it. It was a significant amount of money but in the end I felt compromised in terms of my voice. About the finances….in our married relationship there has never been ‘mine’ and ‘yours’ its always been ours but I admit, now that I am income-less (part pension) and he is too but he also has a super-pension, I find it hard(er) to justify any spending needs other than the necessities. Crazy isn’t it? I refuse to feel guilty about any costs to do with my art and blog but I no longer indulge nor believe I ‘deserve’ these things because in the past that was my way. I guess you could say at 66 I am maturing!
September 28, 2016
I did some paid work on my blog once upon a time (though it might have been Diet Schmiet rather than Debbish) but it didn’t sit well with me. I’m not even sure I really enjoyed producing content for small businesses when I briefly ducked into that scene, but I’d love to do freelancing and pitch pieces to online / print sources and be paid for that. I don’t really think it’s gonna happen however… and maybe that’s fine.
September 28, 2016
This is such a fantastic topic. I would love to be self sufficient from my self employment. However that is definitely not the current situation. I have often wondered about various bloggers as to what their definition of living off their blogging income meant (ie could they make it on their own or is it just supplementing their partner’s income,which I have no problem with at all). I think freelancing must be tough.
I know my friends husband is a designer and he decided to freelance. He was very experienced,had lots of contacts etc and they really struggled..He ended up.going back to the safety of a.paycheck. Obviously that is just anecdotal and one story but I.think.It definitely has it’s.challenges.
September 28, 2016
Oh definitely Jess and I kinda did the same. Perhaps if I’d had an income earning partner I could have lasted a bit longer but now I’ve also got a (small) mortgage again I’m kinda locked into needing that regular income!
September 28, 2016
I think freelance writing seems like one of the hardest things to start up with based on what I have read – anything writing related – as there is so much competition. Same for blogging. I have friends who freelance successfully and my husband does too BUT they have very specific skills that are in demand and these don’t come cheap in the sectors they work in and they had a pot of money thanks to redundancy to keep them going till things picked up. It was hard but it worked. It’s still a lot of networking and self promoting which I’m not sure I can do. Different areas I appreciate and doesn’t really answer your question – yes you can, but it’s hard and money to tide you over is a must have.
September 28, 2016
Ah yes, I was crap at the self-promotion too Emma. I’m good at networking and talking about what I do as well as promoting others but baulk at the ‘sell’ when it comes to me. I feel I can’t promise people I’m the best there is and they NEED me.
September 28, 2016
Freelancing is absolutely feasible. But it’s bloody hard work, and I think that can sometimes be glossed over as much as any supporting income. It’s hard work to build up the comments, it’s hard work to sustain the work. It might seem easy to get work at first, but if you’re not constantly pitching for the next things while doing the current things, the work dries up. It’s also draining to constantly promote yourself and talk yourself up. #teamIBOT
September 29, 2016
Yes and I think it depends on people’s expectations as well…
September 28, 2016
We did something similar too Deb, where we built a new home and the change in our life meant that either I continue to work and with my husbands long hours, would have resulted in never seeing one another. So even though I only blog and make nothing from my hobby, I’m basically sponsored as well. I receive books in exchange for review and have contributed freelanced reviews for a few websites, but never for a steady income. It’s something I often think about and would love to be able to write for that little bit of extra income but have no idea of how I could even approach something like that. I have no experience apart from my four years of blogging and my degree is in early childhood development. I’d love to talk to you one day about your experience and perhaps ask for a few bits of advice when you’re not so busy <3
September 29, 2016
Absolutely Kelly, I can tell you what NOT to do! Hee Hee! I actually did a Freelance Writing course through the Australian Writers’ Centre last year to help me feel more confident about pitching pieces to places but I’m yet to do so… other than my unpaid reviews I do for regional newspapers…
September 28, 2016
Good question Deb. I definitely wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing (my own business digital marketing and SEO copywriting, so yes, freelancing for others) if it weren’t for: a. my redundancy payout – almost a year’s salary; b. hubby’s income and c. we’ve paid off our house. I am so grateful that I have been able to have my own business but it will be 4 years in October and I’m really only now starting to see the same income I had in a job, and there is nowhere near the security – clients come and go all the time.
September 29, 2016
It must be hard Janet. After my redundancy I didn’t have a mortgage and had enough money to live on for 6mths but then that ran out and I had bills and just couldn’t pay them on what I was making (small amounts here and there). I’m sure people can ultimately get there, if they’ve got the support when setting up and perhaps a backup if required (savings, income earning spouse or parent or child or similar) but I suspect it’s important to be realistic in our expectations and work hard.
October 2, 2016
I totally agree. I think it is hard to make a decent living from freelancing. My husband is a photographer, and we don’t have children. My income (from my policy job) is the ‘safe’ one. His income is great when he gets awesome jobs, not so great when we are waiting for clients to pay him. We living in a small apartment so can survive on my income. In December I left to try freelancing for a few months, I busted my gut, and I’m still waiting on things to be published now. I think it can be done but you need more income streams, consulting, teaching, copywriting, speaking gigs AND freelancing. I came to the point now that I will work 4 days a week in my well paid policy job (and I am also passionate about mental health) and write for enjoyment and travel perks on the side. I would like to make it three days a week but this isn’t realistic until my husband is working more and recovered from surgery. I think a lot of mums can do it as their husbands as the breadwinners and they are not needed to pull a salary that is over 100k.
October 2, 2016
Yes… I really think a back-up salary is necessary – whether it comes from either partner… unless you’re really established and have a good buffer to hold you over.