Heather Wallace is a multi-talented writer, blogger, author, and web developer. She is the author of two self-published titles, two print-on-demand books, and three e-books.
In this exclusive interview with Suite101, she shares the secrets of her success as a freelance writer.
Heather, how did your life as a writer begin?
My experience with writing began at a very early age. When I was a child, "Archie Comics" used to allow children to write pieces that they would feature within the issue. I sent several submissions and many were ultimately selected for publication. That was my first experience with receiving payment for my writing.
When did you realize you could "give up the day job", and how scary was it?
I have never had a day job in the traditional sense. I always knew that working for someone else was not for me, so I set about to engineer things so that I wouldn't have to. I have always been self-employed and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Working for yourself isn't necessarily scary, but it also isn't for the faint of heart. When working for someone else you always have the assurance that a paycheck will be there. When working for yourself, however, that sense of safety isn't there. Instead, you are always aware of the fact that your success or failure rests on your shoulders.
That being said, I still wouldn't trade positions with anyone who works for someone else. Contrasting the two situations, and taking everything into consideration, I would still say that being your own boss is much less stressful. Self-employment has meant that I have much more free time to enjoy life rather than toiling away from 9-5.
Which type of writing gives you most pleasure?
I most enjoy writing about subjects that I am already knowledgeable about, which is just what I did when writing 101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes and POD Publicity. A lot of people tell you to write what you know and that is good advice. When you write about subjects with which you are familiar, then the task of writing doesn't seem like a chore. The words can just flow from your mind to the page. With unfamiliar subjects, however, I have often found that both the extensive researching and writing become quite boring.
What are the downsides to being a freelance writer?
- As I mentioned, self-employment means that you don't have the guarantee of a paycheck.
- If you are a people person, then the solitude would be a downside. In the life of a freelancer, there are no co-workers.
- Paying for your own health insurance and dealing with self-employment tax.
Could you describe a typical working day?
I begin work at around 10:00 or 10:30 a.m. My first task is to update my blogs. After lunch, I then tackle any remaining work that I might have. Once those tasks are accomplished the rest of the day is mine to
do as I please.
Eugene Ionesco said, "A writer never has a vacation. For a writer life consists of either writing or thinking about writing" do you ever manage to get a vacation, and if so what form does it take?
I have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Ionesco. Working as a writer has never prevented me from going on some wonderful vacations. I think that the beauty of writing is that you have the freedom to both work and play. I can self-publish a book and it will keep earning revenue for me even when I am spending the day in the Magic Kingdom. I can create a blog and then publish extra posts that will appear while I am taking pictures of the Hollywood sign. That is the kind of freedom that a writer can enjoy.
What would you say are the most important things that you have learned about surviving and succeeding as a freelance writer?
The most important thing that I have learned is to never give up. There may be days when you think that you are never going to succeed, but you just have to keep at it and remain focused. The moment that you stop trying, then failure will be guaranteed. As long as you keep trying, then success is always possible.
Heather Wallace's new book "POD Publicity - how to take a print-on-demand book from obscurity to profitability" is a guide for authors and publishers on how to promote their print-on-demand books. Read a review of it here.
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