I'm super nervous, so if I ramble, that's my reason as well as I've also re-written this several times. ;)
To the point (back story): For a variety of reasons (academic, personal, cowardly, etc), I've put my writing career on hold for nearly a decade. With graduation looming from graduate school (my second masters, this one in library science) in May, TheFiance has thrown down the gauntlet that if I am as serious about writing as I keep arguing that I am, he will support (financially/emotionally) me six months, starting whenever I choose, for me to make a go at it. The concession is that I have to get something published or paid or something for the piece(s), even if it is only $50 bucks in the course of the six months. The thought process is that if I'm writing, producing, submitting, then the pay will eventually follow. Even if I'm making pennies a day, I just have to be working, showing commitment to the project(s).
I KNOW what a tremendous gift this is, and I clutch to it to my heart - emotionally, I want to jump on this and go. Logically, I have a hard time asking him to support not only me but my student loans. I am credit card debt free, so that helps, but the student loans are another matter ($75K - it paid for three degrees so I'm okay with the total).
I have struggled with this decision process for the last few months since he threw down the gauntlet, while I've been applying for jobs in information and archival arena once I graduate in May.
TheFiance and I are both fanatics about open source and crowd funding seems to be possible solution to my anxieties: People pay what they want for my work, it appeals to the opensourceness in us, it appeals to my social networking side. This seems like a really good solution that can possibly let me pull it off.
I'm scared stiff because I have no idea where to begin with this and it seems really overwhelming. I feel like I'm starting at ground zero (which I am) and I could really use someone(s) help to work through how to get going and where.
In exchange I can offer up: - Research skills (trained librarian after all -- if i can't find it, it doesn't exist). - Editing (technical/non-fiction/fiction) - I am extremely through editor, so if lots of red scares you, I'm not your girl and i'm not shy about telling you when something isn't working. - Technical support when writing about technology/computers/etc. - Social networking help - want help/guidance to use a myriad of social networks but don't know where to start, how to use, what's the point? I'm your girl.
At the very least, thank you for having this forum to get this in writing - having the ability to write it out gets it out of my head and gets the ball rolling.
no subject
To the point (back story): For a variety of reasons (academic, personal, cowardly, etc), I've put my writing career on hold for nearly a decade. With graduation looming from graduate school (my second masters, this one in library science) in May, TheFiance has thrown down the gauntlet that if I am as serious about writing as I keep arguing that I am, he will support (financially/emotionally) me six months, starting whenever I choose, for me to make a go at it. The concession is that I have to get something published or paid or something for the piece(s), even if it is only $50 bucks in the course of the six months. The thought process is that if I'm writing, producing, submitting, then the pay will eventually follow. Even if I'm making pennies a day, I just have to be working, showing commitment to the project(s).
I KNOW what a tremendous gift this is, and I clutch to it to my heart - emotionally, I want to jump on this and go. Logically, I have a hard time asking him to support not only me but my student loans. I am credit card debt free, so that helps, but the student loans are another matter ($75K - it paid for three degrees so I'm okay with the total).
I have struggled with this decision process for the last few months since he threw down the gauntlet, while I've been applying for jobs in information and archival arena once I graduate in May.
TheFiance and I are both fanatics about open source and crowd funding seems to be possible solution to my anxieties: People pay what they want for my work, it appeals to the opensourceness in us, it appeals to my social networking side. This seems like a really good solution that can possibly let me pull it off.
I'm scared stiff because I have no idea where to begin with this and it seems really overwhelming. I feel like I'm starting at ground zero (which I am) and I could really use someone(s) help to work through how to get going and where.
In exchange I can offer up:
- Research skills (trained librarian after all -- if i can't find it, it doesn't exist).
- Editing (technical/non-fiction/fiction) - I am extremely through editor, so if lots of red scares you, I'm not your girl and i'm not shy about telling you when something isn't working.
- Technical support when writing about technology/computers/etc.
- Social networking help - want help/guidance to use a myriad of social networks but don't know where to start, how to use, what's the point? I'm your girl.
At the very least, thank you for having this forum to get this in writing - having the ability to write it out gets it out of my head and gets the ball rolling.