The one with chicken pox and a change of career

Have you ever considered giving it all up to write full time?

Where you might sneak away to a cottage in the mountains, or by the lake, where an antique desk and comfy chair await by a log fire. And there are no distractions (or at least your kids and dog are quiet), and you've got all your best characters for company?

No... *cough*... me neither.

One day. Oh yes, one day YOU WILL BE MINE Lake District Cottage.

Okay, so yeah, we've all done that. And no, I know what you're thinking. "Is this leading into that post where you tell us amazing news about literary agents and multi-million pound book deals?"And I'll go, "No, but it IS a pretty cool blog post all the same. So read it." And you'll be all disappointed, but you'll be polite and respond, "Okay, sure."

At which point you'll probably shrug to yourself. But if you DO read on, you'll see that I'm actually about to live out at least part of that dream. Because I'm giving up the 'day job' to become a full-time writer.

So yeah. Not bad, right? Consider yourself undisappointed.

The mystical work/life/family/writer balance

It's been on the cards for a while. I've been back and forth on the logic of swapping job security and working with people I like for sitting in my pants at home writing my ass off, trying to earn money. And, until now, the less risky (and better dressed) option always won.

Then my youngest got chicken pox. It meant a week at home, unpaid, while still paying child care. Not ideal.

Yet despite the fact that he was a little poorly, it was hella fun hanging out with him. Plus I got more writing done than I would normally after a hard day in the office.

It made me realise that some moments in life are fleeting and need to be embraced as much as you possibly can, while you can, and certainly if you can. More time with the kids. More time to write. And (mostly) offsetting lack of regular wage with lower child care costs. It suddenly seemed possible.

So I made my decision. And in a week's time I will open my own freelance copywriting business.

WELL IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!

Oh yes, truly. This move represents the end of one adventure and the beginning of the next. A turning point some 38 years in the making, which started with ripping off Temple of Doom set-pieces in my stories and writing my own Spider-man comics, to actually finding myself scriptwriting for Lara Croft, having my own movie/comic in development, and finally becoming a copywriter - like my father before me.*

And the best part is: I now get to tie all those things together as I move forward.

What my copywriting business will be called, and how it relates to all my side projects, will soon be revealed. (Sign up to keep posted. You know you want to.)

But for now I'd simply like to thank the amazing writing community I'm a part of for all their support and inspiration in leading me to this point - even if you didn't know that's what you've been doing all along. Your passion for writing, all those publishing deals, all the rejections, the lonely nights where you're #amwriting and think you're just tweeting to yourself but I'm actually sitting here nodding and admiring your ballsy spirit... it's all part of why I'm taking the leap. (That and a kick-ass supportive wife, obviously.)

You are all wonderful. Thank you.

Now. Bring on the future.

* Sorrynotsorry. It was there to be said and I said it. Plus it's actually true. He was. And I am. (A copywriter, not a Jedi, just FYI.) 

photo credit: Ennor via photopin cc