I love Anne Wayman. The minute I announced that I was looking for guest posts for this year’s Writers Worth Month, Anne sent a note offering. She’s like that. She’s always happy to lend a hand and to be part of the writing community. She’s a natural teacher and has taught many of us how to handle tough situations.
Here, Anne tells us about her own journey to a writing career, and how deciding not to listen to the critics in her life allowed her to flourish.
You Can’t Make a Living Writing – The Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received
by Anne Wayman
I took to reading pretty easily in first grade, maybe even
kindergarten. I grew up with a mom who, like me, read anything in print. We had
The New Yorker (which my son and
daughter-in-law gift me with every Christmas), The Saturday Evening Post and McCall’s magazines
stacked on the coffee table. Local and not-so-local newspapers were ubiquitous.
I remember my dad reading those. Mom also took me to the library at least
weekly and she and I would haul a stack of books home.
kindergarten. I grew up with a mom who, like me, read anything in print. We had
The New Yorker (which my son and
daughter-in-law gift me with every Christmas), The Saturday Evening Post and McCall’s magazines
stacked on the coffee table. Local and not-so-local newspapers were ubiquitous.
I remember my dad reading those. Mom also took me to the library at least
weekly and she and I would haul a stack of books home.
It wasn’t until the year I was sent to private school that I began to discover my desire to write. I was supposed to be in 6th grade,
but mom blew the registration and I started in 5th. I was a
tattletale so it wasn’t surprising that I ended up hanging out in the library.
It’s there I found my first romance novel. Oh my! It was, as I recall, a bit
historical and absolutely thrilling as the hero swept the heroine perhaps
literally off her feet. I do wish I remembered the title.
but mom blew the registration and I started in 5th. I was a
tattletale so it wasn’t surprising that I ended up hanging out in the library.
It’s there I found my first romance novel. Oh my! It was, as I recall, a bit
historical and absolutely thrilling as the hero swept the heroine perhaps
literally off her feet. I do wish I remembered the title.
It was that book that led me to wonder about how all those
books got written. Gradually I began to wonder if maybe I could become a writer,
too. I took my first stab at it by writing a news article for our school paper.
The praise I received solidified my desire to write whenever I grew up.
books got written. Gradually I began to wonder if maybe I could become a writer,
too. I took my first stab at it by writing a news article for our school paper.
The praise I received solidified my desire to write whenever I grew up.
Bad advice started
immediately
immediately
It seemed that I no sooner opened my pre-teen mouth about
wanting to be a writer than the adults around me assured me writers can’t make
a living writing.
wanting to be a writer than the adults around me assured me writers can’t make
a living writing.
Where do people get that idea?
It got so bad that before long I wouldn’t admit to the
desire; instead, I kept it hidden.
desire; instead, I kept it hidden.
Hiding my desire got so bad that once I began to drive (at
15 believe it or not) I’d sneak to the store to buy the latest Writer’s Market magazine. If I discovered a book on how to write at the library, I’d stick
it under my shirt to get it to my room so my parents wouldn’t know my longing
to put pen to paper. I don’t know that I fooled them, but I might have. They
said the portable typewriter they got me
was for college.
15 believe it or not) I’d sneak to the store to buy the latest Writer’s Market magazine. If I discovered a book on how to write at the library, I’d stick
it under my shirt to get it to my room so my parents wouldn’t know my longing
to put pen to paper. I don’t know that I fooled them, but I might have. They
said the portable typewriter they got me
was for college.
As the kids arrived
I already had twins and was pregnant with our third when I
diffidently approached my husband to ask for money. I wanted to attend a creative writing class from the University
of California at Berkeley. (We lived in Fallbrook, where I grew up, in San
Diego County. And yes, in those days women consulted their husbands on
such things – thank the goddess that’s changed!) He agreed and I sent off the
first check (yes, I wrote the checks, subject to his approval – blush). The
texts and workbook arrived and I spent I don’t know how much time working on
the first assignment. I stuck it in the mail box and waited anxiously for it to
be returned.
diffidently approached my husband to ask for money. I wanted to attend a creative writing class from the University
of California at Berkeley. (We lived in Fallbrook, where I grew up, in San
Diego County. And yes, in those days women consulted their husbands on
such things – thank the goddess that’s changed!) He agreed and I sent off the
first check (yes, I wrote the checks, subject to his approval – blush). The
texts and workbook arrived and I spent I don’t know how much time working on
the first assignment. I stuck it in the mail box and waited anxiously for it to
be returned.
I was amazed when it was returned with a big B+ or B-
scrawled on the top. I showed it to my husband who commented “you could have
done better.” My self-worth was such in those days that I never even opened
another assignment, and never sent in another payment.
scrawled on the top. I showed it to my husband who commented “you could have
done better.” My self-worth was such in those days that I never even opened
another assignment, and never sent in another payment.
At 32 years old
I was 32 before I seriously tried writing again. I wrote two
articles (on a typewriter still), and with a self-addressed, stamped envelope
sent them off. I reached high – Woman’s
Day and Family Circle, which both still look just like I remember them oh so
long ago. I received pre-printed rejection slips from both magazines.
articles (on a typewriter still), and with a self-addressed, stamped envelope
sent them off. I reached high – Woman’s
Day and Family Circle, which both still look just like I remember them oh so
long ago. I received pre-printed rejection slips from both magazines.
Somehow I’d matured enough, or maybe read enough books and
magazines about writing, that I knew I had accomplished something important,
something I’ve come to see as an important first step for any freelance writer. I posted
both on my bedroom wall.
magazines about writing, that I knew I had accomplished something important,
something I’ve come to see as an important first step for any freelance writer. I posted
both on my bedroom wall.
I’m sure that willingness to be proud of my first official
rejection slips was part of what led to a long career as a successful freelance
writer in spite of the predictions some made to the contrary.
rejection slips was part of what led to a long career as a successful freelance
writer in spite of the predictions some made to the contrary.
The takeaway? If you want to write, pay absolutely no
attention to those who say you can’t earn a living at it. None!
attention to those who say you can’t earn a living at it. None!
Write well and often,
Anne Wayman has been making a living writing for far longer
than she’s now willing to admit. She’s probably best known for her blog, www.AboutFreelanceWriting.com
and its forum, www.AboutWritingSquared.com.
Her professional site is: www.annewayman.com
than she’s now willing to admit. She’s probably best known for her blog, www.AboutFreelanceWriting.com
and its forum, www.AboutWritingSquared.com.
Her professional site is: www.annewayman.com
Writers, what bad advice have you heard? Did you ignore it right away, or did it take a while?
11 responses to “Writers Worth: The Worst Advice You’ll Ever Receive”
Thanks for sharing this, Anne. So inspiring to see how you rose above the critics and built a successful writing career.
Nice post, Anne! I'm glad you persevered!
The worst writing advice I probably ever got came from my well-meaning aunt, who was very creative but by no means a writer. When I was in high school and she heard I wanted to be a writer, her not-so-sage advice was the classic, "Write what you know."
Please. If people only wrote about things they knew, no one would ever want to read their work. Fiction writers need to use their imaginations, and non-fiction article writers (like me) have fun because we learn new things every time we take on a new assignment.
Sure. You can write about things you know, but look beyond that to things that actually interest you. Learn. Dream. Write.
Paula, you were the first I ever heard who said something like 'write what you want to learn.' Totally sage advice…
Sharon, thanks for your comments.
I remember that same advice, Paula. And i had the same reaction — who would want to read anything from that limited a vocabulary?
Anne, thank you. Wonderful advice.
You can imagine some of the comments I received when I walked away from a 6-figure corporate job. Best decision I ever made.
I can only imagine, Cathy. To me, that was probably a life-saving decision. No way I'd want the stress of corporate life again.
Lori, when you said "every day" for Writers Worth Month, you really meant EVERY day! I didn't know I was missing great posts on the weekend! So I'm catching up 😉
Anne – I don't think I'd have had the courage to keep going through the rejections without this great community of encouraging freelance writers. I'm glad you didn't give up!
Yep, every day. 🙂
Worst advice — "You're the practical one, not the creative one." Changed the course of my career for awhile, but the writing always pulled the hardest. Now, I have far more published/produced credits to my name than the person who said it.
My father also said, "You can't make money writing." That was when I was going to college, and had to pick a major. I did decide to major in biology, but I was writing all the time that I was in college. One year, my name appeared weekly in a byline in the campus paper.
When I was in graduate school,and when I had young children, I kept writing. I wrote monthly reports about my lab investigations, and gave them to my supervisor. I wrote newspaper articles and newsletters for Beha'i communities in Baltimore and Los Angeles County.
In 2003, I realized that I would have to retire from my career in biomedical research. For medical reasons, I could no longer keep using the tissue culture skills that I had mastered. The first day of my retirement I sat at the computer and looked for places where I could send some of my writing.
By 2004, I had begun to make money as a writer.
Sue Chehrenegar
Sue, that's a great story. It shows that advice, no matter how well-intentioned, doesn't always fit.