Don't know when I've been so blue

LegacyUser

Ok this is probably just a little rant that I need to write to clear things up in my mind more than anything else so please forgive me.

Basically I've just been feeling bad lately, a few things getting on top of me. Firstly, I am one of those eternally 'nice guys' who is always single despite being a relatively popular guy and in general this doesn't bother me but at times like this when I'm not feeling great about myself it does accentuate things.

I am unemployed (partly by choice as I am a writer - or I try to be). I generally have a couple of things on the go that take in money but doesn't betray my artistic sensibility - teaching creative writing classes etc. but that seems to have dried up at the moment. In terms of my writing I get a few things published now and then and while it's far from paying me a wage for someone who's only been dedicated to it for a relatively short period of time I would be seen as having a level of success.

I don't particularly think I'm being hit by the dreaded credit crunch - I rent and my rent isn't too high, I don't have a car etc but the dole doesn't cover everything and so I've slowly been building up a credit card bill - using my card as an ATM card to pay rent, not spending on frivolous things at all. But the problem is this is all coming to a head now. The bills are mounting, I'm still paying my student loan weekly and my dole was cut because I didn't have enough PRSI payments last year.

All this has gotten to me in the last few days and I'm just not sure how to deal with it. I think it's a case of if I give up on writing that that will be it and I'll never return to it on a fill-time basis and give up my dream. Alternatively I can try ride it out in the hope that something happens for me sooner rather than later. I'm conscious Christmas is coming and would like to survive it being able to buy my 2 nieces and a nephew a Christmas present as well as being able to participate in my family's Secret Santa!

What should I do?

Yakult

Look for a job man, even if its for just a few months to give yourself some money while you write.
You will always be able to find time for writing, maybe not as much as you would want but you have to make some sacrifices even if it means putting your dream on hold.

Spud83

Get a job (or at least try to in todays climate).

Write during the evenings and weekends, until it can sustain your financial needs.

AnonoBoy

Time to bite the bullet and get a job I'm afraid.

If your debts are mounting and you're starting to get worried then it's your only choice. You can go back to writing when you've cleared your debts and given yourself a bit of breathing space.

I know it feels like giving in but it's not really - it's just being realistic. When times are tough you've got to step up and put pride aside for a while.

unhappycamper

Very few people who are up and coming artists can make a living through their art, some can, the very lucky one's. Like people have posted even if it's short term get a part time job and pay off the bills, you will feel so much better. Good luck.

LegacyUser

I have applied for a job outside my normal zone just for the sake of getting something to get me through Christmas with the hope that it will help balance me out. I'm afraid that if I get into my college qualified field that I'll never get out again so if I take on something for purely the financial gain it might help...now to see if I even get an interview!

SpookyDoll

I think you are a little bit in denial to be honest, you reckon you haven't been hit by the credit crunch but you are paying the rent with and living off a credit card....?

The creative writing teaching work has dried up because people have a lot less money to spend on night classes/hobbies etc....this will be the case for the foreseeable future.

You dont have to spend on "frivolous things" to be living outside your means. A lot of people's credit card debts are built up through food, medical, petrol other essentials etc
Its not like everyone else is out there buying €2k handbags and holidays!!

Some of the most talented people are ""waiting tables and pumping gas"
The world is full of "writers" and "artists" -its not exceptional. You can call yourself anything at all but if you cant live off it then well......you know.

What I am trying to say is this idealistic idea of "artistic sensibility" is a luxury you cannot afford by the looks of things. You need to wise up a little bit and see that you are falling into debt here with no immediate prospects of getting out and you are no different from many, many other people out there.

You need to forget about "artistic sensibilty" for the moment and get a realistic job which pays enough to allow you service your debts/rent and Christmas.

MagicMarker

Look for a job man, there are plenty around, but unfortunately there are a LOT more people looking. So make sure your CV is in order. I've been looking for a week and a half now and have received only 2 call backs and they're only from recruitment agencies. From experience i should have had at least 2 interviews by now (with employers, not recruiters!) so things are tough going.

Dragan

Unregistered wrote: »

Ok this is probably just a little rant that I need to write to clear things up in my mind more than anything else so please forgive me.

Ranting cures the soul mate.

Basically I've just been feeling bad lately, a few things getting on top of me. Firstly, I am one of those eternally 'nice guys' who is always single despite being a relatively popular guy and in general this doesn't bother me but at times like this when I'm not feeling great about myself it does accentuate things.

So what do you do to show people you are interested? With all due respect, in my experience the "nice guy" thing goes hand in hand with "sitting there doing nothing". You need to put yourself out there, let people know if you like them and stop sitting on your hands waiting for someone to notice how amazing and awesome and sexy you are.

If you act like a friend you get treated like a friend.

I am unemployed (partly by choice as I am a writer - or I try to be). I generally have a couple of things on the go that take in money but doesn't betray my artistic sensibility - teaching creative writing classes etc. but that seems to have dried up at the moment. In terms of my writing I get a few things published now and then and while it's far from paying me a wage for someone who's only been dedicated to it for a relatively short period of time I would be seen as having a level of success.

I work with music, write, photography and now Digital Art. This is all done in my spare time as i have a 9 to 5. However, bills need paying.

It's about that simple, i'm not knocking your efforts, i haven't read your work but you have to think honest and hard about the ammount of time you are putting in for what level of financial reward. The majority of people who are "writers" will never be published to any meaningful level. They will never make a career or a life from writing. It's just the way it is.

Things can be done in the evening and in your spare time, if you are not working just to find the time to write and are not making money from it then you need to cut back on the writing time.

Why? Because right now it's not a good investment and your trading short term comfort and happiness for long term uncertainty from what i can see.

What should I do?

You should get a job, work on the writing in your spare time and go from there. Nothing causes writers block quite like money trouble in my experience.

Also, drop the "artistic sensibilities" thing. It's a pile of rubbish mate. You need money, you get a job.

Also, the new experiences, environments, people may help you with subject matter.