Why having a back up plan is important

Writing professionally has been my dream for as long as I can remember. While I know writing is what I want to do, and what I aim to do, I also know that I may not sell a single book. I, like everyone else with a dream, need to go after that dream while also working on a back up plan. I want to be able to support myself, even if I can't do it as a writer. I will also be happy writing even if I can't support myself. I will always write, even if it's just for me. In reality, most writers don't make enough to support themselves. It takes a lot of hard work to get your books out there and get reviews and sales. I'm truly happy for the people who have gone after their dream and do make enough to support themselves and are able to write full time, but that is not the average person.

The thing about deadlines...

Sigh...it's November already. Time to put away the Halloween decorations and start thinking about turkey or turkey alternatives (I'm a vegetarian). It's also the time where I realize that I've missed the deadline that I gave myself. When I decided to become a self-published author I knew that I had to set deadlines for myself. I also know how hard it is for me to work with a deadline. I was doing well until life got in the way. Now I am more than two months behind my deadline. I'm not as organized as I would like to be. If I was more organized I may have been able to finish editing by now. I'm a bit angry at myself for not having my novel finished by now. It's my dream and I'm letting it pass me by. I'm not sure how things would have gone if I would have actually decided to go through a literary agent. I guess I would have had someone pushing me, but I'm not sure if that matters. I've never been good with deadlines. I remember waiting until the last minute to finish school assignments. Now that I'm juggling work, school, and writing I will have to find a balance. I have to push myself to edit, write, and work on pushing my work out to the public.