Paying the bills

Would be interested to hear what the other aspiring writers on here do for day jobs. Does the job fit in with your writing or do you find it a struggle to write after returning from the dreaded 9 to 5? I'm a journalist and have recently made a breakthrough on the script writing front. Nothing definite as of yet but, after two years of writing sitcom scripts, this is the closest I've come to getting a show commissioned. With this in mind, I'm thinking of quitting my job and doing temp work for a while, as I've been struggling recently to fit the writing around my job and the long hours involved. Has anyone else gone down the temping route?

I was made redundant in March and set up my own consultancy to give me more time to write. Basically, when I'm not working my days are writing days. The redundancy money has pretty much gone now so I'm having to take on a bit more work but am very lucky in that I have a supportive wife in a well paid job. I'd been writing part time for over ten years before this and just never seemed to have the time to dedicate to it. I used to write spec screenplays and one was optioned by an independant producer but after years of rewrites and a couple of read throughs, it all came to nothing as he couldn't secure any funding. It was he that suggested I tried writing for television.

I have college and a part time job so I don't find much time to write as much as I'd like most of the time late evenings are my only window.

but I had a day of it today as I skipped college to work on a stand up routine... I know I shouldn't but it was economics!

I have a rubbish day job that is far too boring to go into here. I wish I was able to work less so I could concentrate even more on my writing, but then I would be homeless. And without food. And possibly, in a short while, without life. So Ill probably have to keep working full time until the great day arives when I will be discovered for the genius I am. Could be a long wait . . .

That's good news Thomps and well done.

i also have colledge and a part time job as a customer relations guy, so that brings in a bit of dosh, which is all spent on my football team, i'm doing a apprenticship next term and then it's into the real world

Quote: paul watson @ December 4, 2006, 5:23 PM

...but I had a day of it today as I skipped college to work on a stand up routine... I know I shouldn't but it was economics!

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Can you see the irony here?

It's probably staring me in the face but no.

and taking the day off wasn't very productive I tried the material out on my mate he hated it so... back to the old drawing board.

The irony is that in a thread discussing finances, you stated that you skipped economics to write!

ahh yes, I ment to do that