A Small Disclaimer: This post only addresses the "writing + tools" portion of writing while poor. There may be people grappling with much bigger issues before they even get to the "writing + tools" part of the equation, but alas, I do not have a fix for these. This post is not going to help someone who's homeless, but it may help someone who's just eeking by, as so many people are.
Before I sold BABY TEETH I was on a fixed income of SSDI and SSI (which
means that my Disability payments weren't enough to cover my basic living
expenses without supplemental help). I worried at times that I might be at a
disadvantage because I didn't have money to invest in my career. I'd see other
unagented writers talking about the writing conferences (or retreats) they
attended, or the editors they hired, or the website they launched, and feared
that, for lack of money, I couldn't "compete" and thus might never
accomplish my goals.
I'm here now to try and prevent other writers from having these
worries! There may, indeed, be some "must-haves" on the path toward
becoming a professional author, but they are relatively few, and the rest is optional. I hope this post will help
writers on a limited income better understand how to prioritize their resources,
and focus on the necessities.
THE NECESSITIES:
1) You gotta do the writing. This will
always be the hardest part, whether you have tons of time to devote to it, or
little. For those of you with little time (due to complicated job, or school, or health, or family
situations), don't be intimidated by online writers who set a 1,000 word daily
goal, or 2,000, 5,000, or even 500. I'd recommend the busiest writers
set themselves a goal of writing 100 words a day – every day – until their first
draft is complete. 100 words. The first paragraph of this post is just under
100 words – it's a few sentences. If you can write a few sentences a day, you will ultimately complete a novel.
Whereas if you set a goal that is unsustainable you'll quickly get discouraged,
and writing is already hard enough. It's a funny but true reality that when you
write 300 words when your goal is 1,000 you feel like shit… and likely see
yourself falling farther and farther behind each day; but when you write 300
words on a day when the goal is 100 you feel like a superhero. If you're a very
busy person (or chronically ill) with writing dreams, give yourself as many chances as possible to
feel like a superhero!
2) You need a computer. I know
some people still write by hand and may argue with this, but if you want to be
a professional author eventually you're going to need a Word document and
email. You can get a basic laptop for as little as $250, plus the cost of
buying MS Word (you don't need the full Office software package). This may
still be cost prohibitive to some, but I highly recommend making this a
priority.
3) You need internet access. If you're
able to afford internet access in your home that is ideal, but it's not a deal
breaker. A lot of research is done online these days (hello, Google), not to
mention social media, and learning about the writing biz – and eventually
you'll need to query agents and/or submit your work via email. Even when I was
at my poorest I paid for internet: it also doubled as my "entertainment"
(for online streaming), and the value of feeling connected to the world
(especially if you're isolated) cannot be measured. But if you really can't
afford it, you have other options: public libraries offer free Wifi, as do most
coffee shops.
4) It's helpful to have access to a library to
partake of technology you can't afford at home. I hope
you have a library relatively close to you, as they are a fantastic,
egalitarian resource! You can read books in your genre or craft books on
writing, or use their internet, a printer, or even a computer. I know some
writers like to print out copies of their manuscripts for proofreading/editing
purposes, but I still think that's too expensive and a waste of paper. I have
an inexpensive printer now and it's very convenient, but you can also always
save things on a flashdrive (or take your laptop) and print up individual
documents – like your Agent Agreement! – as needed. As many people know, you
can buy a printer for cheap, but not so the ink (I about chucked my printer out
the window when they made it impossible to use anything but their name-brand
ink). Libraries can help you bridge the gap in all sorts of ways!
5) The FREE stuff: Querying
agents is free (and no legitimate agent will charge you a reading fee). Twitter
"pitch" contests are free (and are a great way to connect with other
writers). Social media, in general, can be a great tool for becoming part of a
writing group or community, learning about the craft and business, and maybe
even finding a critique partner. Yes, there are the initial expenses of a
computer and internet, but those two things are almost all you truly need.
THE NON-NECESSITIES:
1) Writing conferences. I'm sure
they're great fun and very educational, and if you get to the point of being
able to afford it you may want to try one. To this day I have never been to a
writing conference and it has not impeded my progress. Can connections be made
and valuable stuff learned at a conference? Probably. Can you build a career
without them? Definitely.
2) A professional editor.
Confession: At one point with an earlier manuscript I did pay a few hundred
dollars for a developmental edit, and it was helpful. I went this route because
I didn’t have a critique partner and I felt a true need to receive some
professional-level feedback on my work, with the hopes that the comments would
help me understand bigger issues in my writing in general (and it did). This
became a priority for me and I saved up for it, but it is NOT something a
writer has to do in order to succeed. Many writers get this kind of feedback
from a critique partner, which costs nothing (but is expected to be
reciprocated).
3) A professional website. While
there are many services out there that allow you to design your own
professional-looking website for little or no money, you'll often then need to
pay for your custom domain. A lot of writers want their own website, and are
told they need one (which may be true at some point), but to this day I still
don't have a professional website and the sky hasn't fallen. I use Blogger and
it's free! Is my "website" the fanciest? Nope. Does it get the job
done? Yup. I've considered investing in a "proper" website but the truth
is I like the way my blog is set up and I feel like it's very visitor-friendly.
Maybe someday I'll have a "slicker" website, but for now it's still
not a priority.
4) A fancy computer and printer. As
detailed above, in terms of your writing career you need a computer that can
run Word. At some point you may want to upgrade your technology, but no one
will ever know if you wrote your book on the cheapest computer and had your
contract printed at the library.
In conclusion: As with many aspects of writing, it's "comparing
yourself to others" that gets you in trouble. I have followed a lot of
writers online for many years and I learned quickly that everyone has a
different way of doing things – and this is such an important thing to
understand, because YOUR way is just as legitimate. One writer may
"need" a writer's conference because it helps their motivation, and
that's great, but no one "needs" it as an imperative to pursuing a writing goal. There are many things that
are like that: when I see the exotic locations where some writers go for quiet
writing time it's easy to get a little jealous… But this, as with many other
things, is a lovely option to have, but isn't a necessity.
Don't be intimidated by what other writers are doing, or feel that
their path is "better." I've seen so many writers from all walks of
life make progress with their writing dreams. Ultimately, it comes down to your
commitment to your writing and craft, and hard work, and a bit of luck.
