I am a writer in the simplest definition of the word: I write. I have said it many times, and I will continue to say it-- I want to be able to make a living off of what I write. I understand that it is not an easily attainable goal, and that not a lot of people can support themselves off writing or art alone. I have happily accepted that gamble. So... what’s the plan? How do I intend to make my living?
To be 100 percent honest, I do not have a solid plan. I do not like relying on a definitive plan because, most of the time, those plans never work out. According to Proverbs 19:21, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” This means that I can set forth to do whatever I want, but it is God’s will that will be done in the end, and I have accepted that. I hated English in high school, and now I am an English major. I never wanted to become a journalist, and now I am an editor for the "Pacifican," my university’s newspaper.
However, that does not mean that I will let myself become lazy and just expect to float through life. As it says in Matthew 4:5-7, “Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” So, I should probably be somewhat prepared.
What’s the plan? First off, I intend to do everything I can to improve my writing, and the only way to do that is to write as much as possible. Besides writing papers for my English classes, writing for both the "Pacifican" and Odyssey has definitely improved my writing in different areas. I am also trying to get more attention for my writing. In order survive off of writing, I would need to be able to make money, and money comes from patrons. In order to get patrons, I need to keep writing until I get their attention, and hopefully what I write will make them happy enough to support me. I also think that it is important to have a blog. I know a lot of other writers have a place online where they keep a lot of their writing, social media accounts, and contact information in one place, so I am currently working on getting something like that going.
If I use Odyssey for anything, it is to rant, whether it be about myself, something I love, or something that ticks me off. So, I have been thinking about creating a YouTube channel and ranting on there, using my voice rather than letters on a keyboard. I know that there are some people who are able to make a living off a YouTube channel, and as nice as that would be, I would just use YouTube as a way to advertise myself and my writing. It is definitely something that I want to try just for fun, but I am waiting for when I will have time to actually make videos.
For now, I am just going to keep writing and see what happens. I love writing and I never want it to become a chore, so for as long as I am who I am, I am going to continue to have fun and pursue my goals.
