Writing While Poor

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.