Would You Pay You to Write?

The plan.

I said I would catch up on my wordcount when my teaching placement was over. It's over, but there are many uni assignments due. Once that is done I will have time to write.

Although, next week I'll be back at uni, so, when the Christmas holidays begin I will have lots of time to write.

However, there is the house renovations, the outdoor bar I want to build, a million quilts I should finish, a camping trip away with the kids, and, and, and...

Enough. If I put my writing down on my 'to do list' with equal weight to hobbies, socialising and housework, we all know it will never get done. I need to be employed as a writer and have a boss to keep an eye on me. And I will. My new job as a writer, completing two children's novels, begins Monday 2nd November.

I have plenty of time to prepare, get my research finished, have my plot outlines for each chapter ready. I'll need that. My new boss is strict and expects a good wordcount each day - otherwise I won't get paid. My new boss is not interested in my hobbies or my social life, my new boss figures I can do all that after hours.

It won't be too bad, I will have tea breaks and lunch - but only at the alloted times, my new boss will not have me wandering off for a cuppa as a way of avoiding work.

If you want to work for yourself, you have to be tough on your employee. Otherwise, negotiations, excuses and whinging replaces words on page. I'm going to employ myself to finish my novels over the break.

Do you employ yourself? Or do you write when you can find time? Already have a full time job? Maybe you can  employ yourself part-time, say three nights a week, or all day Saturday. Write like your job is on the line. Treat well meaning friends and family as you would if you were at work and they popped in to ask you to come shop with them, have a cuppa or wash their shirt.

I'm going to get as much background work done as I can before November, I will even get as many words down as possible. I want to suck up to my boss - I want to be her favorite employee.