My current day job is one that I've loved and deeply appreciated over the last seven years. I have so much creative control, I earn half of the profits my work generates and all I do is what I do best: write. Did I mention that I work with a brilliant editor who gets me, and a gifted cover artist and copy writer who always makes my books look fantastic? But like all good things, my job can't last forever. We're all seniors, you see, and someday me and my crew will wrap up the business and go off to retire, which will probably be about the time I won't have any reason to work for money any more.
I should stop writing professionally then, of course. The question is, after 27 years of doing something pretty much daily, including weekends and holidays, can I do that?
I think about the time to come when I don't have to get up and start my writing day with a four-hour work session, and end my day with another after dinner. I do have enough to do around the house to keep me busy, and then there's my quilting, embroidery and crochet. That should be enough to compensate for the loss of my profession. I'm not getting any younger, and no one would ever accuse me of being lazy.
My guy and I like to travel and see historic buildings; we take these day trips now once a week to see parts of our state that we've never visited, or return to those we love for a revisit. Brooksville has become a favorite spot. We never get tired of St. Augustine. As long as we're able we'll likely keep doing that.
So I have plenty in my life to fill the void that retirement will create. I'm not interested in self-publishing on Amazon, and I'll never find a freelance writing job that suits me as much as this one. I won't need the income, either. There's just this one problem: I'm a writer. Everything I see goes into the writing databank in my head, and often produces ideas for new stories and projects.
Example: when we paid our second visit to Brooksville, I photographed more of the town and began thinking of putting together a .pdf to send to the mayor's office with a proposal. I can write a much better narrative about the town's history than the outdated one they have available on their website from 2007. I wouldn't even charge for it . . . or maybe I could start a third career doing travel and historic site writing.
Anyway. Much to think about in the immediate future.
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