If you are going to write something. Have a clear plan of what it is going to be - and set yourself a deadline and a certain amount of words to write every day. Very easy to fritter time away. Personally, for example, I am mainly going to be sitting in the garden deliberating over going for a big fry up lunch... or not.
I was made redundant once, and so I know what it's like. I also favour option 1, David. Employers have a strange sense of time - if you've been out of work for 3 months it seems longer to them, and they think of you as someone who doesn't want to work, and look on you unfavourably. Try to get a new job as soon as you can. Probably it won't happen immediately, so you might get a couple of months break before you get something.
Get another job. It's extraordinarily hard to make a living from writing at the moment. You have to treat it as a hobby until such time people start waving cheques at you. Which is highly unlikely, but it can be acheived with lots of hard work and persistance.
Sooty's right. If you put all your eggs in the writing basket there's a good chance you'll end up in the shit and start resenting writing.
OR...you might write the next Blackadder and sell it next week.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ May 1 2009, 12:36 AM BSToption 4 - start your own business, find something that will generate a guaranteed income but will still allow you time to write...
Can I vote for this one?
I would look for another job, but maybe one you'd really like to do, even if the pay's not great. Life's too short to spend so much time at a job you hate.
Yeah and be careful about wasting time if you do take some time off to write. The days can just fly by without having achieved much except eating and reading. 
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ May 1 2009, 10:32 AM BSTLife's too short to spend so much time at a job you hate.
But reality often dictates that you have to. 
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ May 1 2009, 10:32 AM BSTeven if the pay's not great. Life's too short to spend so much time at a job you hate.
You're a poet and you didn't know it. Or did you? 
Quote: chipolata @ May 1 2009, 10:33 AM BSTBut reality often dictates that you have to.
Yes, and it's okay if you can do it for a short while or just to save up for something. I dunno, maybe I've been lucky, but I would never do a job I hate for long.
Quote: Leevil @ May 1 2009, 10:38 AM BSTYou're a poet and you didn't know it. Or did you?
Well, that's what it says on my passport.
I'd probably do number 2. (tee hee!).
You keep your foot in the job market, have a bit of income incoming and you won't spend all day indulging in a variety of displacement activities.
Quote: Lee Henman @ May 1 2009, 10:29 AM BSTIt's extraordinarily hard to make a living from writing at the moment. You have to treat it as a hobby until such time people start waving cheques at you. Which is highly unlikely, but it can be acheived with lots of hard work and persistance.
I know you're being a realist Lee, but your post is something I am quickly getting tired of. Getting told by everyone and anyone how difficult and unlikely it is that I will make it in this industry. Failure is not an option for me with writing. It will happen for me. Also, I don't agree with the fact that you have to work your arse of to get where you want to be, it's a lot to do with timing and how much you believe in yourself.
Quote: Mike Dan-Carter @ May 1 2009, 11:52 AM BSTI know you're being a realist Lee, but your post is something I am quickly getting tired of. Getting told by everyone and anyone how difficult and unlikely it is that I will make it in this industry. Failure is not an option for me with writing. It will happen for me. Also, I don't agree with the fact that you have to work your arse of to get where you want to be, it's a lot to do with timing and how much you believe in yourself.
It may not be an option it's often a reality.
Enjoy writing, take it seriously believe in yourself.
But don't let your talent be the millstone that sinks you.
N.B. to go back to Star Trek Riker is currently chatting up a hermaphrodite. Dirty boy.
Quote: Mike Dan-Carter @ May 1 2009, 11:52 AM BSTI know you're being a realist Lee, but your post is something I am quickly getting tired of.
Well stop reading the bleedin thing!
Of course Griff is describing a Comic Strip presents script.
Alexie Sayle is the mad communist head of comedy, Dawn French is the only comedy writer writing everything. And Rick Mayall and Ade Edmonson the talentless comedy writers who aim to kill her with an exploding whoopee cushion to get their sitcom "Bottom explosion overdrive," produced.
It is also the truth.
Quote: Mike Dan-Carter @ May 1 2009, 11:52 AM BSTI know you're being a realist Lee, but your post is something I am quickly getting tired of. Getting told by everyone and anyone how difficult and unlikely it is that I will make it in this industry. Failure is not an option for me with writing. It will happen for me. Also, I don't agree with the fact that you have to work your arse of to get where you want to be, it's a lot to do with timing and how much you believe in yourself.
It's good that you believe that. But you're wrong. Sorry.
Or should I say you're partly wrong, in that you think you don't have to work hard. You do.
I do sometimes worry about coming over as a pessimist but I'm not really. If I didn't believe it could be done I wouldn't be pursuing it myself.
I'm not saying it's impossible - it clearly isn't - it's just hard.
Quote: Mike Dan-Carter @ May 1 2009, 11:52 AM BSTFailure is not an option for me with writing. It will happen for me.
You could be right there. The stats aren't in your favour.